Yep, too long really but there you go. We are currently midway through a Fall ‘journey’ that has had some real highs and real lows so let’s catch you up.
In mid-August I received the phone call that no son wants to get, my mother had been admitted into palliative care and I should make my way to her ASAP. Air Canada was grounded due to a strike and the other airlines were charging ridiculous fares to gouge customers in the interim. On top of the fares, the earliest we could fly would be 7 days later. Barb and I quickly decided that we could drive our camper-van more quickly and more cheaply across the continent than we could fly. We were heading out on the road!
We left home on Monday, August 18, 2025 and head to McCullough’s Landing Campground near Carleton Place where we had reservations for the week but would only stay one night. We enjoyed a lovely evening with our friends Cathy & Dean before getting a good nights sleep ahead of several long driving days.
Tuesday started well until we spilled a large Tim Horton’s coffee into the passenger footwell. Saved however by the WeatherTech floor mat as it contained the entire coffee allowing me to pour it out onto the ground. Phew, crisis averted. Was this how this journey was going to go?
Tuesday found us stopping in Sault Ste-Marie, ON where we parked for the night at a truck stop. Wednesday found us rounding the Lake Superior lakehead and turning North West towards Dryden, ON. Another night, another truck stop. Thursday had us finally exiting Ontario and crossing Manitoba before stopping for the night in Moosejaw, SK where we parked at the Visitor Centre. Friday found us zipping across Alberta and into the Canadian Rockies where we stopped at a campground in Golden, BC. Saturday, August 23, 2025 found us driving the remainder of the way across BC to Vancouver where we caught a ferry to Vancouver island. We arrived at my mother’s bedside in the early evening and visited for a short while before retiring to sleep. We parked at the hospital overnight and stayed for the next few days. We would be joined by my brother, Trevor and his girlfriend, Kim on Monday.
The next few days were a bit of a blur. Sadly the inevitable happened on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 my mother passed away quietly with my father at her side. The insane 5 day driving journey had been worth it. I had spent some of my mother’s last hours at her bedside along with my brother and father.
Thanks for all of the support in recent days to those that have reached out. It meant a lot to myself and my family.
We spent the next 2 weeks with my father at his home on Galiano Island. Things got done, changes were made. Life goes on.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone attempt driving across Canada at the pace we did unless they have to. You don’t enjoy it or see anything of interest along the way. It really took the joy out of camper van adventuring. That said, it had to be done and we’re both glad we endured the journey.
The next few blog posts will detail our return to Ontario. Nope, not doing it in 5 days, in fact it’s likely to take us about 10 days. So, come back and follow along on our journey home.