Our View From The Road

Sharing where we've been and what we've seen

Tag: Travel

  • Days 10 & 11: Homeward Bound

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    Thursday saw us drive into Southern Ontario and over towards the Lake Huron coast. We stopped in Mildmay at Pickled and Baked Foods to pick-up a couple of baked pies and tarts for dinner. We then drove on to Bayfield where we stopped for lunch at the Woodland Drive-In before ending our day in South Huron with family where we stayed for dinner and camped overnight.

    Friday was our last day. The day started early with a coffee and some toast before saying our goodbyes and heading back out onto the road one last time. Our visit had been brief but very enjoyable, we hope to be back again soon.

    We headed East towards Oxford County where we had a package to be dropped off at my brother’s home. We topped off with fuel at a gas station near Hwy 401 before tackling Friday traffic into ‘the big smoke’ (Toronto, ON). Due to volume we decided to take the Hwy 7 ETR across the city and then rejoin Hwy 401 East of the worst traffic. Always a relaxing drive when compared to Hwy 401 albeit an expense that I despise.

    Traffic heading East out of Toronto on this Friday was heavy but it moved steadily resulting in us arriving in Prescott, ON at 3:00pm where we dumped our waste tanks one last time. The Canadian Tire at Prescott offers this as a service; however, it is now $25 which will make me think twice about using it again.

    We drive North on Hwy 416 to our destination where we stop to fill up with fuel one last time before heading home. We’d made it!

    Our trip odometer showing the total of 10,527.2km over 124hrs 34min

    The remainder of the day was spent unloading the van and returning to living in our home. I shall attempt to wash the van of all accumulated road detritus sometime in the next few days. For now, we’ve earned a rest I believe.

    Thanks for following along with us on our journey. Check back again as we’re starting to plan the next one.

  • Day 09: Pancake Bay to Killbear Provincial Park

    Day 09: Pancake Bay to Killbear Provincial Park

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    A slightly shorter but no more complex driving day today as we again simply followed the TCH most of the day.

    It started shortly after 8:00am with us leaving the Pancake Bay Provincial Park after not finding garbage cans for our waste. We simply drove 3km down the TCH and then used an MTO (Ministry of Transport) provided trash receptacle. 45 min later we arrived in Sault Ste-Marie where we topped off with fuel and headed on our way. Eastward today, towards Sudbury. It was a nice drive and not too busy with traffic. We stopped at the Elliott Lake turnoff where there is a nice information center that suited as a place for our picnic lunch.

    After lunch we continued East to Sudbury where we turned South on Hwy69 towards Parry Sound. We stopped again for fuel so that we’d have a full tank to start tomorrow and then stopped at the Norse Brewery for a burger and a beer before heading to Killbear Provincial Park where we will be staying tonight.

    An uneventful and easy drive. Just as we like them. Tomorrow we head into Southern Ontario to visit family.

  • Day 08: Thunder Bay to Pancake Bay, ON

    Day 08: Thunder Bay to Pancake Bay, ON

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    Well, what can I say about today? We got up early, showered and left. On the road before 8:00am heading to Tim Horton’s in Nipigon. We did take a couple of early morning photos of the sky which I share below.

    Today’s route was a simple one, follow the TCH from Thunder Bay to Pancake Bay (80km North of Sault Ste-Marie). No turns, no decisions except where to buy fuel (White River) and where to stop for our picnic lunch (Just South of White River). We saw a few things and I’ve added pictures as proof.

    We arrived at the Pancake Bay Provincial Park at 3:15pm. Camp setup, Starlink connected, Barb doing laundry. Dinner will be hot dogs. Sleep will come easily.

    Tomorrow, Killbear Provincial Park near Parry Sound, ON. Our journey approaches it end, just 3 more days.

  • Day 07: Saint Claude,MB to Thunder Bay, ON

    Day 07: Saint Claude,MB to Thunder Bay, ON

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    A damp start to the day. After the rain las evening everything was pretty wet outside. The van had lots of poplar leaves on it from the trees at the back of our campsite. We were driving off of the site at about 8:10am, an early start as today we are planning on driving to Thunder Bay, ON which we anticipate will take about 9hrs.

    Good morning Saint Claude, MB

    A short 1 hr drive and we’re on the Winnipeg bypass and then on the TCH heading toward Ontario. Traffic is fairly light and we make good headway. We stop in Kenora for fuel rather than push our luck and hope we had enough to get to Dryden. The Husky gas station in Kenora has amazing staff who pumped the gas and cleaned both the windshield and the rear windows of the van! Nicely done.

    We swung into the Tim Hortons parking lot for a coffee and TimBits and found that the parking lot was not designed for 22’ vans. I managed to find a space long enough but backing out meant that someone waiting for the drive thru had to let me out. Luckily there are nice people in Kenora and we were back on the road in just a few minutes.

    We stopped to eat a picnic lunch at a rest area on Dixie Lake next to the highway. A beautiful spot for a short rest. The remainder of the drive to Dryden and then onto Thunder Bay was uneventful and we filled with fuel once arriving in Thunder Bay so that we are ready for the morning.

    We are staying at the Thunder Bay KOA Holiday tonight with many other travelers. Barb was hoping to do some laundry but was told that the laundry was closed as of our arrival (due to lack of overnight travel insurance???) and would reopen tomorrow morning at 9:00am. Not useful for us as we will likely be gone by that time. Hmmmm, not impressed.

    Tomorrow we will round the ‘lakehead’ and drive almost to Sault Ste-Marie.

  • Day 06: Grasslands National Park to Saint Claude, MB

    Day 06: Grasslands National Park to Saint Claude, MB

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    Wow, what a night! The stars were amazing out here and the air was so still and quiet. Barb did hear some coyotes early in the morning, but otherwise it was completely silent. A light fog hung in the valley when we awoke awaiting the sun to rise over the hills to burn it away.

    We completed our more rituals and prepared to leave, but not before exploring the drive along ‘The Parkway’ a 11km single lane paved road (with passing lanes) within the park that takes you to some very nice lookouts.

    At about 8:45am we drove out of the park with the intent to drive East along the southern border of Saskatchewan towards Manitoba. Our plans changed when we realized that finding fuel in this remote part of the country is a challenge. Most small towns have fuel stations that are useful only for those Cardlock members. We found a small gas station in Willow Bunch, SK that was open this Sunday morning so we stopped. It was the first station that I had been to in many years where you were allowed to pump without prepaying. It’s nice to know that towns still exist where everyone is expected to be an honest customer.

    Having fueled the van for 600km we reevaluated our route and choose to take the Red Coat Trail eastward towards Weyburn, SK. The route started nicely amongst the rolling grassland hills but soon the landscape changes and we found ourselves on the flat agricultural plain that most people equate with the prairies. The road was straight, and I mean straight, for miles and miles. The landscape was flat, and I mean flat, for miles and miles! Time goes by much more slowly when the landscape around you seems not to change.

    We stopped for a picnic lunch and changed drivers in Weyburn before continuing. Neither the road or the landscape changed and after some time we arrived in Manitoba where we stopped for fuel in Souris. The skies had darkened throughout the day and we were now driving through some light rain showers.

    We stopped to pickup dinner at The Happy Plate in Rathwell and drove a few more miles to Saint Claude, MB where we stopped for the night. The town has a wonderful municipal campground with grassy full-service sites. We settled in and enjoyed our dinner at a picnic table as the rain had not reached here. This changed at 10:00pm when a thunderstorm passed through.

    All for now. Our friends Mr & Mrs Milddogs (Dave & Liz) have just started their Fall van adventure to Nova Scotia. Follow their adventures here if you’re interested.

    Tomorrow, Ontario here we come!

  • Day 05: Writing on Stone Provincial Park to Grasslands National Park

    Day 05: Writing on Stone Provincial Park to Grasslands National Park

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    We both awoke early after a nice long sleep. Extremely quiet here but a little chilly overnight with the morning temperature being below 10°C. We made a quick exit from the campground and drove to one of the trailheads so that we could go for an early morning sunrise walk to look at some indigenous stone carvings for which the park is named. We also heard a pack of coyotes across the valley yipping and howling to each other, beautiful.

    Although a cross-country route to our destination was proposed by Google maps, we chose a slightly longer route that ensured a supply of fuel. This routed us North towards Medicine Hat where we would join the Trans-Canada Highway yet again. However, before getting to the TCH we made a small detour to the Red Rock Coulee Natural Area to see the odd collection of naturally formed large red rock boulders that occur in this single location. It might also be a future boondocking location as it is quite remote with no visible neighbors and a good sized gravel parking area. It would be a wonderful dark-skies camping location.

    The TCH today (Saturday) was relatively quiet with very few trucks thereby making the driving very easy and stress-free. We stopped at Gull Lake, SK for fuel and lunch at a small Bar & Grill in town. Simple food made well for a reasonable price.

    From Gull Lake we headed South and East towards the Eastern side of Grasslands National Park. We saw many Pronghorn Antelope along the way and miles and miles of straight roads across the fertile South Saskatchewan landscape. It really is a very beautiful place with the light and shadows dancing across the grassy hills.

    At about 4:15pm we pulled into Rock Creek Campground and setup for the night. We have an electrical site (30A) with a water tap nearby. There is no cellular coverage here and so we setup our Starlink Mini to provide us with ample internet bandwidth for the night.

    View from our campsite

    A quiet dinner watching the sunset across the grasslands and then a wonderful night time sky filled with stars. What could be better than this?

    Tomorrow we head into Manitoba in search of a free nights stay in Winkler.

  • Day 04: Radium Hot Springs to Writing on Stone Provincial Park

    Day 04: Radium Hot Springs to Writing on Stone Provincial Park

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    Yep, I know…. What happened to Day 03? Well, we spent it relaxing at Redstreak campground and walking a 2km hiking trail to the Radium Hot Springs where we relaxed in the 39°C water and swam in the ‘cool’ water pool. I finished another James Patterson novel and we cooked dinner on the Blackstone griddle. A day off from driving was very nice.

    Today, we’re back on the road again, this time heading to southern Alberta where we have a camping reservation at Writing on Stone provincial park near the town of Milk River a little north of Coutts.

    The day started with a drive South towards the Crowsnest Pass (Hwy 3). The road down the valley is wonderful, easy to drive and not too busy. When we get to Hwy 3, traffic is heavier but moves well. We drove this road last year and enjoyed the views of the mountains as much this year as last.

    Arriving in Fernie, BC we stop at The Chopstick Truck for some Vietnamese fusion cuisine. We took it to a local park and enjoyed lunch away from the traffic and noise of the highway. Delicious and filling.

    After Fernie the road passes through the actual Crowsnest mountain pass and then descends to the grasslands of southern Alberta. Barb takes on the driving chores and navigates us into Lethbridge where we stop for fuel before turning South towards Coutts on Hwy 4.

    We stop for a couple of grocery items in Warner and then drive to Milk River where we turn East to the provincial park.

    We arrive at about 4:30 and settle into our campsite. No luxuries tonight, the site has no services and so we’ll rough it for one night.

    Tomorrow, we’re heading to Saskatchewan so join is again.

  • Day 02: Cache Creek to Radium Hot Springs

    Day 02: Cache Creek to Radium Hot Springs

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    Up and at ‘em! It’s just after 8:00am and we’re on Hwy 1 heading East. It’s September 10th, our 37th wedding anniversary, Happy Anniversary my love ❤️.

    Heading East along Hwy 1 the hills rolled along still covered in grasses. We pass some larger lakes and after about an hour we arrive in Kamloops, BC. Here we treat ourselves to a sit down breakfast at the White Spot restaurant, a BC staple. We both enjoy a very well prepared Eggs Benedict and coffee before heading back out onto the highway.

    Having traveled this section of Hwy 1 a few weeks ago we knew to expect some construction delays as large sections of the highway are being widened to 4-lanes from 2. This requires the clearing of trees and the removal of huge sections of mountainside in order for the road to weave its way through the wilderness. Our journey was extended by about 30 minutes in total because of these delays.

    After continuing our drive eastward we passed through Roger’s Pass and knew that we only had a little further to go before leaving Hwy 1 at Golden, BC where we stopped for fuel, groceries and bakery items (Yum!)

    Our journey continued Southward along Hwy 95 towards Radium Hot Springs where we are camping at the Redstreak Campground in Kootenay National Park for 2-nights.

    Before pulling into the campground we turned East on Hwy 93 towards Banff. We drove past the hot springs facility and up to the Kootenay Valley Viewpoint. The sun was in the West which lit the far side of the valley allowing us to take some wonderful photographs.

    Returning back to Radium Hot Springs we entered the campground and setup camp before enjoying dinner and a beverage. It was a long day (in excess of 6 hrs) and we were both tired.

    Tomorrow we will visit the hot springs and take a day off from driving.

  • Day 01: Galiano to Cache Creek

    Day 01: Galiano to Cache Creek

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    The ferry back to Tsawwassen left Galiano at 8:30am, that meant leaving Dad’s house by 7:15am in order to ensure that we had a good spot in line as we had no reservation. Turns out that we needn’t have worried as there was lots of room on the Salish Eagle that would return us to mainland Canada. We enjoyed a breakfast on the ferry and once we arrived we made our way towards the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1) heading East towards Hope, BC.

    Originally we had planned to go through Vancouver and then take the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler and onto Cache Creek; however, that was going to add 90 plus minutes to our first driving day and so we headed like lemmings toward Hope. Everyone heads this way, including us in the past. We wanted to take a different route and so headed up the Fraser Canyon on Hwy 1. This was the original Trans-Canada Highway before the Coquihalla Highway (Hwy 5) was opened.

    We took the “Coq” West when we arrived a few weeks ago. I described it as ‘intense’. 120km/h four lanes, steep hills (6 – 9%) and lots of truck traffic makes for a less than relaxing drive. Coined “The Highway through Hell” in the Winter, it gets its name honestly from those that have driven it in harsher weather.

    The Fraser Canyon drive was slower as it weaved its way North towards Lytton. It reminds me of Route 66 in the U.S. It was once a busy thoroughfare as can be seen by the many now abandoned gas stations and businesses along the way; however, it doesn’t have the allure of Route 66. It was difficult to find places to stop and admire the scenery, even the ‘Hells Gate’ tourist attraction was closed as we passed by at about lunchtime on this Tuesday in September.

    We did manage to find a pull off where there was a sign for Southbound travelers welcoming them to the Fraser Canyon. It included some wonderful views across the canyon and North towards Lytton.

    Arriving in Lytton Hwy 1 turns North-East and follows the Thompson River towards Cache Creek, BC. The landscape changed from lush treed mountain slopes to dry desert like hillsides. After several miles of twisting along the rivers edge, the road struck North across a grasslands landscape that remained us of Northern Nevada. The sagebrush was abundant and the hillsides rolled along covered in grasses and not trees. The air became much dryer and we noticed this on our arms and legs first.

    Arriving in Cache Creek we stopped and filled the van with fuel and then sought out a place for lunch. We’d already stopped twice along the Fraser Canyon but one was closed and the other seemed a little sketchy so we drove on. Our third attempt in Cache Creek also resulted in a closed Greek restaurant and so we headed for a local taco stand that seemed to get good reviews. The ‘Desert Hills Ranch Taco Stand’ proved to be an amazing place. We each ordered a Taco Bowl which ended up being large enough for both lunch and dinner. The ingredients were fresh and the spices were amazing, easily the best Mexican food we’ve had anywhere in North America.

    We stopped for the night at the Cache Creek Campground and RV resort just East of town off of Hwy 1. A nicely kept private campground with level sites and full services. A great end to the first day of our journey home.

    Tomorrow we head deeper into the mountains, retracing some of our route Westward but also finding some new places to explore.

  • It’s been a while…

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    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.

    Coral Edna Fisher (1944-2025)

    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.

  • Day 05: Going home

    Day 05: Going home

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    Another beautiful start to the day; however, the early sunny skies would be short-lived as Mother Nature was set to bring rain for the duration of the long-weekend. We had unwittingly chosen to camp during the nicest four days we’ve had this year to-date.

    We packed up and left our campsite before 9:00am. A quick stop to dump the van tanks on our way out and we left Labelle both saying that we would return again as the stay had been relaxing and quiet.

    The drive home followed the same route back towards Gatineau. The hills have greened up considerably over the past few days and it’s really now looking like Spring has arrived.

    The drive into Gatineau and then Ottawa provides the nicest overview of our nations capital as you arrive at some elevation above the city which affords a fabulous view of the city. Crossing back into Ontario, also presents a great view of Parliament hill; however, it is currently under renovation and has two tower cranes attached which detract from the view somewhat.

    Another adventure complete, we returned home and spent the afternoon unpacking the van and getting settled back in the house. Thanks for reading along and following us on our journeys. Hopefully we’ll be back on the road again shortly. 😎

  • Day 04: Looking for pastries

    Day 04: Looking for pastries

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    The day started with pancakes with real Maple syrup, eggs and bacon cooked on our outdoor griddle. Coffee accompanied the food in preparation for our second day of cycling on the P’tit train du Nord trail.

    We again started at the old Labelle train station but headed North this time towards Macaza and Rivière-Rouge. We expected the trail in this direction to be a little quieter as we were heading further away from the Mont-Tremblant area and its tourists.

    Today’s planned route was about 20km each way which would be about 10km longer than our first day of cycling, as such we were both hoping that our bodies would not complain too loudly at our efforts.

    Arriving in Macaza we came across a wonderful old railway bridge that spanned the Rivière Rouge. It was a perfect spot for a few pictures.

    A quick stop along the trail
    View North from Macaza bridge
    View South from Macaza bridge
    Tony reading about the Rapides des Italiens

    Further up the trail we passed under the power lines that delivered electricity to the city of Montreal from the James Bay power stations in the Quebec north country. A few kilometres later we arrived in the town of Rivière-Rouge where we sought out and found La Boulangerie de Rivière-Rouge. Time for pastries!!

    We sat at a picnic table adjacent to the trail to enjoy our freshly acquired Choclatines and Almondines. This is the purpose of cycling, right?

    Our ride back to Labelle was enjoyable, but my body was complaining a lot by time we arrived back at the Bar P’tit Train du Nord where we once again enjoyed a beer and this time a sandwich as our ride ending reward.

    Us on the Macaza bridge

    Our two-day cycling adventure was now complete and a wonderful success. We both are looking forward to returning and riding other sections of this trail in the future. Riding in the shoulder-season (before or after Summer vacationers swarm the area) is relaxing and allowed us to really enjoy the scenery that nature offers us in this area.

    For now we return to our campsite and rest ahead of our steak dinner which we have planned for tonight. The day after once again ends with us enjoying a movie on Netflix, this time ‘Back in Action’ starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. A lighthearted spy movie that kept us entertained throughout. 👍👍

  • Day 03: Relaxing at camp

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    Phew, the cycling took more out of us yesterday than we had anticipated. We slept in and watched some YouTube videos to start our day.

    We then setup outside to enjoy the morning sunshine and relative cool air that was keeping the black flies at bay (for now).

    We each had a book that we had brought and were hoping to spend some time reading. It seemed that today would be that day as we both became completely engrossed in reading.

    I was starting the fourth in the Alex Cross series of books by James Patterson and by the end of the day would have it finished !!! Barb too completed her book shortly before dinner. We both attested our abilities to become so engrossed in the quietness of the campground.

    We had planned on trying our new inflatable tandem kayak today, but decided that the relatively fast flowing river might not be the best place to experiment with a new device (even though our friends had offered to pick us up in Montreal if we got swept away!)

    Tomorrow, we return to cycling but not before enjoying the movie ‘Exterritorial’ on Netflix. German subtitles, but an enjoyable movie. 👍👍

  • Day 02: Cycling to Mont Tremblant, & back

    Day 02: Cycling to Mont Tremblant, & back

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    An early rise and light breakfast starts our first day of activities. Our plan today is to ride from Labelle to Mont Tremblant and back along the P’tit train du Nord. This is a 200km rail trail between St Jerome and Mont Laurier that is a very popular trail due to its ease of access and slight grades.

    We would not be cycling the entire length of the trail; however, the nearly 20km each way today should be plenty for us to start with.

    We headed out at about 10:30 and rode from the campground up to the old Labelle train station that acts as a waypoint along the trail.

    My first surprise was that the trail is paved! I was expecting a stone dust trail but this section is freshly paved and 2.5m wide with great signage and wayfinding boards along the route telling you exactly where you are within the 200km route. Good job Quebec!

    La Conception-Station
    Mont Tremblant village

    The ride was easy as it’s fairly flat and it was nice to be cycling away from traffic and the associated stresses and noise. We saw deer, turkeys, sheep (and companion dog) and a few other cyclists along our route to Mont Tremblant. As we passed along the shore of Lac Mercier we admired the homes/cottages that lined the lakeshore. A nice place to live if one could afford to do so.

    In Mont Tremblant village we enjoyed a smoked meat sandwich at La Sandwicherie Cafe & Bistro while sitting outdoors on the patio in the sunshine. A perfect day for a bike ride through the mountains.

    Our ride back from Mont Tremblant seemed easier is some ways and more difficult in others, not that it was a technically challenging ride at all; however, our out-of-shape bodies began to ache at the extended time in the saddle. We used the conveniently placed rest stops along to way as ‘butt breaks’ and we’re both looking forward to our reward awaiting in Labelle.

    It was slightly uphill returning to Labelle, but our e-bikes (yes, we were cheating for all of you purists out there) easily handled any climbing required.

    Once in Labelle, we stopped at Le Bar du P’tit train du Nord for a refreshment and ‘snack’. The resto/bar is located in the old Labelle train station directly adjacent to the trail with lots of bike racks for securing your rides while you enjoy some food and refreshments. There are also picnic tables for those carrying their own lunches as well as a playground for the kiddies.

    Le Bar du P’tit train du Nord, Labelle, QC

    We chose to sit on the deck and enjoy a draft beer and some Poutine as a snack, right. The beer was perfect & as I wrote above, a nice reward after the cycling. The poutine was delicious but not a snack, the serving was large and they did skimp on the cheese curds. Yummy!!

    Returning to our campsite, we unpacked from our journey and spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing and napping. I cooked dinner on our outdoor grill and we retreated to the van early to avoid the ever growing number of biting black flies that were appearing.

    If you’re interested in riding the trail, the following article describes the trail and amenities far better than I can. Go biking.ca – P’tit trail du Nord

    Tomorrow? We have plans to take it easy and possibly try something new.

  • Day 01: To the Laurentian’s we go

    Day 01: To the Laurentian’s we go

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    So, here we are, it’s May 2025 and we’re heading out on our first van adventure of the year. Our destination, Labelle, QC. Specifically, the Camping Chutes aux Iroquois campground where we will be staying for four nights.

    We headed through Ottawa, ON and into Gatineau, QC before heading East on Autoroute 50 towards Montebello and then turning Northwards on Rt 323 towards Mont Tremblant. Once reaching Mont Tremblant we turned Northwards onto Autoroute 117 for 15 min and arrived in Labelle, QC. The drive was wonderful and relaxing with the trees showing their early Spring colours as the leaves strain to open in the warm Spring air.

    Arriving at the campground we entered using the key code that had been provided and drove directly to our site bypassing the registration office. Our grassy site, C5, is next to the Rivière Rouge and has a great view of the waterfall. The ground was a little uneven and it took a few attempts to level the van tour satisfaction.

    Relaxing after the drive
    A view of our van on-site
    Our view of the waterfall
    Rivière Rouge
    The view from our campsite towards the town of Labelle, QC
    A few pictures of our campsite, C5

    After setting up we relaxed at camp for the afternoon before enjoying chicken wraps for dinner whilst discussing our plans for the next day. Early to bed as tomorrow is all about cycling.

  • Days 10 & 11: McLaren campground

    Days 10 & 11: McLaren campground

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    This campground is amazing. It is quiet and the sites are so far apart that it feels as if we’re camping in park by ourselves. A must try if you have not.

    No pictures from these last two days, we just took it easy visiting with friends and doing a few odd jobs to the campers. We were spoiled rotten as our campmates had Starlink internet which they shared with us as the campground had almost no cellular service and no WiFi. It allowed us to stay in touch with family and watch the odd YouTube video.

    As with other trips, I provide the following stats for this that might be interested.

    – 1534 total km
    – 14.552 l/100km average fuel economy
    – 67 km/hr average speed
    – total drive time of 23:00 (hh:mm)
    – approximately 223 litres of fuel consumed

    Home now and the van is parked in what will be its new home on our property. We had a gravel pad installed while we were away and we have moved the ShelterLogic structure onto this pad. This frees up space in front of our garage and allows for easier parking and backing-out of the van when we need to use it. As you can see below we are waiting for the replacement cover to be delivered.

    New home for the van

    All for now, check back again for another exciting adventure.

  • Day 09: Return to Ontario

    Day 09: Return to Ontario

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    A cool morning awaited as we prepared to leave for the day and head back toward Ontario.

    It was cold walk to the showers which were passable at best as they were tiny and old. Lots of hot water but no room to disrobe or move about easily while washing. A quick breakfast and then the tanks are dumped and garbage disposed of and we were on our way shortly after 9:00am.

    We stopped a few km down the road at the Chez Marie Boulangerie. Built in 1652, the house is now home to the fourth generation of the Mercier family. The bread oven is now over 160 years old. We picked up a fresh white loaf and a few cheese danishes for a naughty snack along the road.

    Built in 1652 the home of Chez Marie boulangerie.

    Across the road from Chez Marie is a small stone structure that had a plaque on it indicating that it had been built in 1649 as a root cellar dug into the hillside.

    We returned to route 40 and headed towards Quebec City. This time we were traveling around the city and that led us through a large construction zone in which we almost took a wrong turn. Phew.

    On the correct route, we head towards to the Pierre Laporte bridge that crosses the St. Lawrence to Levis, QC.

    Joining route 20, we turn towards Drummondville and encounter yet more construction. Only slight delays as the traffic is narrowed into a single lane and we pass a few paving crews. After an hour or so we arrive in Drummondville where we exit to fill up with fuel and groceries for the weekend ahead.

    Returning to route 20 we pass through another construction zone before rejoining the highway. Construction seems to be the topic of the day.

    More construction zones await us as we head towards Montreal, again not long delays just annoyingly more frequent than we would have liked. We leave route 20 and head West around Montreal on route 30 towards Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. We cross the St. Lawrence River again and pay the toll ($5.80) before rejoining route 20 and turning West towards Ontario.

    We cross back into Ontario and join Hwy401 towards Cornwall, ON. However, yet more construction slows us again just 10km before our exit into the village of Long-Sault.

    We drive onto the Long-Sault parkway that takes us to our destination, McLaren campground one of the parks of the St. Lawrence where we are meeting friends and are staying for 3 nights.

    We enjoy a hamburger for dinner and enjoy the sunset before a campfire and then settling down for the night.

  • Day 08: Serene Tranquility

    Day 08: Serene Tranquility

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    I don’t think I’ve ever slept in a campground as quiet as this one. Granted it is very quiet here with the mountain being closed until Thursday and all seasonal campers somewhere else it would seem. We slept in again and enjoyed a late brunch cooked on our griddle outdoors.

    We both enjoyed some quiet time reading before going for a walk around the campground on a badly marked and mapped hiking trail.

    The map was given to us by the campground host and included no details other than a coloured line on the campground map. As the area is criss-crossed by mountain bike/cross-country skiing trails, it was easy to get lost. Sure, the sports trails have signposts and maps but none referred to the hiking trails. There were a few inconsistent hiking markers but not enough to avoid getting lost.

    Well it turns out that we didn’t exactly get lost, but we did navigate UP a single-track mountain bike trail where we were met by an upset cyclist who told us in no uncertain terms that we should not have been on that particular trail. I explained that there was a hiking marker at the bottom to which he shook his head and rode off. Oh well, no one was hurt.

    As you can see by the few photos herein, Fall is setting in and the colours are changing. We soon returned to the campground and made our way past what is clearly across-country skiing clubhouse along with overly large parking lot and numerous ski trail signposts.

    Back in camp we enjoyed some cheese & crackers ahead of a dinner of Mexican burritos. Now we’ve settled in by the campfire and will soon call it a night.

    Tomorrow we will return to Ontario for one last camping location. Bonne nuit.

  • Day 07: Westbound and down…

    Day 07: Westbound and down…

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    Today’s post title courtesy of Jerry Reed (Cledus Snow, Smokey & the Bandit, 1977).

    Another easy morning (& even foggier it turns out) as today we start our westward return journey towards home. The suns burns through the fog over land quite quickly, but the fog over the river persists until after we leave the campground at around 10:00am.

    Our traveling companions have left ahead of us as they are taking the ferry from Les Escoumins to Trois-Pistoles on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. We, on the other hand are heading back the way we came, starting first with a crossing of the Saguenay River by ferry.

    Saguenay River crossing

    West of the ferry we decided to stay on route 138 past La Malbaie as it would provide different scenery and hopefully a less hilly route. We stopped briefly in Clermont for a quick snack and change of clothes as it was getting warmer than either of us had anticipated and thus the long-pants had to go and be replaced with shorts.

    Some of the scenery was spectacular with views to the North across the mountains now beginning to show slight hints of Autumnal colours. We stopped in Baie-Saint-Paul for a few grocery items before proceeding out of town and up the hill at Le Massif (a gear grinder for truckers that’s for sure).

    We turned off of route 138 and passed the farm where we bought the fois-gras on the way East. Heading further from the river we passed through Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges before arriving at Camping Mont-Sainte-Anne where we will be staying for next couple of nights.

  • Day 06: Camping Paradis Marin

    Day 06: Camping Paradis Marin

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    Today we slept in, at least until the foghorns awoke us from the ships passing in the river. It was foggy and we could barely see offshore at all. As we took it easy and lounged about the campsite all morning enjoying the peaceful nature of this campground.

    Shortly after noon we packed a picnic lunch and headed down to the Rocky shore with seat cushions to sit upon. We enjoyed our lunch whilst being entertained by the occasional passing Minke whale. We saw about a half dozen.

    Minke whale

    We also sighted a few freighters which no longer needed to sound their foghorns luckily. Eventually the cool air got the better of me and I retreated back up the hill to our van and enjoyed a short afternoon siesta ahead of dinner.

    We spent the evening at Mr. & Mrs. Milddogs.com campsite enjoying a beverage and watching for whales by the pale moonlight. Alas, no whales this evening.

    Mr. & Mrs. Milddogs.com are heading towards home starting tomorrow and we wished them happy trails as we will remain out and about for a few more days yet, so stay tuned!