Month: October 2019

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Day 97 – Meeting another Melnick

I woke up to a pretty empty campground. With the changing season and the cooler weather having arrived I don’t really see anyone in tents anymore. With plenty of ground to cover I wasted no time packing my things and getting on the road.


My main destination for the day was a small town called Minnedosa where a cousin of mine lived that I had yet to meet. Growing up in Brantford I didn’t know many relatives on my dad’s side due to them living so far away, because of this I get quite excited when I get the chance to meet another Melnick.


I made it into Minnedosa and pulled up to the house where my cousin Ben was waiting. We greeted one another and began chatting up a storm. Being a pretty deep individual, we found ourselves getting in some fascinating conversations with one another. Ben was an artist and taught music, he had a few students that were coming by for lessons so we had to cut our conversation short. He was free again in 4 hours so I drove into a nearby town and grabbed a bite to eat, passing time as I worked on the blog.


The time flew by and soon I was venturing back to his house where we continued a fascinating conversation with one another. His wife had arrived home as well, a kind woman who Winnie had a blast with as they played about. Time was flying and before I knew it midnight had arrived. It was tough saying goodbye. Ben gave me one of his CD’s for the road and just like that I was off once again.


I was still feeling awake enough to cover some ground so I drove another 120 km into the night to a campground on the edge of Manitoba where I pitched my tent and called it a day.

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Day 98 – Through the vast plains once more

While it was nice being able to stretch out in my tent I kept getting woken up by what sounded like a train throughout the night. When morning arrived I could see why, as maybe 200 feet away a train track ran parallel with the road, a sight that had hidden itself when I’d set up my tent in the dark. Ah well, that’s what coffee is for. I took advantage of the open area and played catch with Winnie as I packed my things.


It felt good returning to the road. I grabbed some much needed caffeine on my way west and soon I arrived in Saskatchewan.


A thick layer of clouds accompanied me as I made me way across the plains, I thought I might have another day of pure rain but it held off which was nice.


There is something special about the prairies, a calm feeling that I love. In a strange way it kinda feels like home, it’s just so peaceful. The vast sprawling fields with the occasional valley that dips into the earth makes for a wonderful drive.


I made a detour into Aylesbury to visit my friend Dusty who I’d met on my way east. Soon I was pulling into the farm where a friendly and familiar face greeted me. It was fun sharing my stories of adventure on the eastern side of Canada, as the previous time we’d met I’d been talking about what I might do on my way east. Being an incredible host, Dusty made me sandwiches for the road and cooked me up some dinner. He was heading to work in the evening so we didn’t have as much time to chill as I’d hoped for. I was still glad I swung on by though, even our short time together was worth the detour.


Having said my goodbyes to Dusty I took to the roads once again, continuing my venture northwest as the sun set in the distance and darkness covered the land. Being quite caffeinated I managed to cover quite a bit of ground before fatigue took over, beckoning me to find a place to rest. I heeded the call and located a quiet area where I finally called it a day as I dozed off.

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Day 99 – Elk Island National Park

Sleeping in my car was actually kinda nice, as when it got to cold I’d just start the engine and blast the heat for a bit. I managed to catch a decent bit of sleep and started the day driving towards Edmonton.


Clear skies and sunshine accompanied me on my way west and soon I entered Alberta. I had planned to get some winter tires and after some calling around I found a place that would be able to get me all set up bright and early the following day. With some time to burn I decided I’d hike Elk Island Nation Park as it was close by.


Soon I was in the park office, grabbing a map and planning out which trail I was gonna hike. I ended up picking one of the longer ones at close to 17 km and proceeded to head on over to the trail where I laced up my boots and began the lengthy adventure.


Autumn leaves covered the path, cushioning my steps as I moved forward. The trail took me through a thick forest of aspen trees, occasionally opening to fields of tall grass where gusts of wind caused the fluffy white plants to let loose their seedlings as they took to the skies.


Eventually I made it to a vast open field, a home to many of the bison that grazed on it’s abundant supply of food. I even managed to see one of the massive beasts far off in the distance as it peacefully chowed down.


The sun was beginning to set as I passed a few lakes where beavers hurried about as they added to an already impressive dam. I kept stopping to take pictures but I was also aware that once the sun went down it would get dark quickly. With poor trail markers at times I didn’t wanna mess up and venture down the wrong path getting stranded in the dark. I pulled out my map repeatedly, navigating my way to the end of the trail.


I still had around 4 km to go after the sun dipped down and the path grew dark. Twilight grew more pronounced with every passing moment, a reminder to hurry along as quick as I could. By the time I reached the end of the hike I could hardly see, but I’d made it, phew! I returned to the car and set off to a campground a little further north. With the early arrival of night the bison were out in abundance, many of them coming out of the brush and taking to the paved road. I navigated my way through the beasts, making it to the campground safely where I managed to get a much needed shower in and pitch my tent. Feeling a little sore and exhausted I crawled inside my sleeping bag at last and dozed off.

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Day 100 – A triple digit landmark!

Wow, 100 days on the road! It’s been a pretty incredible journey as I’ve traveled the country but it’s not over yet, the adventure must go on!


I started my day bright and early as I drove into Edmonton to pick up some snow tires. I lucked out as someone was late for one of their appointments. Due to this I was able to get my car prepped a lot earlier and made it back on the road sooner than I’d planned.


I ventured northwest, passing through many industrial towns such as Grande Prairie on my way. If I’m to complete my goals I’ll have to keep a good pace and cover at least 600 km everyday. The grind can be tough at times but the views along the way make it worth it, stoking the flames of adventure deep within my soul.


I entered BC and made my way to Dawson Creek, arriving just after dusk. I remembered passing through this town on my way out of BC as I traveled east, now here I was returning to it once again as I traveled west. With a full days worth of driving accomplished I was feeling rather exhausted. I stopped at one of the restaurants and grabbed a bite to eat before searching for a place to camp. With a cold and powerful wind moving through the region I knew tenting it would prove troublesome so I put my seat back and dozed off in my vehicle.

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Day 101 – Entering the Alaska Highway

I awoke with the rising sun and began planning my day. I stocked up on a few things in Dawson Creek then took to the roads as early as I could heading north on the Alaska Highway. With less light during the day I have been trying to get earlier starts on the road in order to maximize my viewing time since you just can’t appreciate the landscapes the same way at night.


As I pressed on north I could see the land changing, mountains and deep valleys now replacing the flat farmland. The drive was surpassing expectations and I was often left in awe at the endless supply of post card views.


Wildlife was thriving and made plenty of appearances. I even caught a glimpse of the biggest black bear I’d ever seen chowing down on some plants. With hundred of kilometers of bush all around there was plenty of room for the animals to thrive on the land.


Eventually I arrived in the Northern Rockies, a place I’ll never forget. Absolutely massive mountains and deep valleys greeted me as the highway weaved its way through the towering giants.


The sun was going down and the light was disappearing, I was feeling the fatigue of the day weighing on me so I pulled into a place called Toad River. A little restaurant with a ceiling full of hats served me up the best beef stew I’d ever had. With a full belly I returned to my car where I dozed off for the night.

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Day 102 – Through the Northern Rockies and into the Yukon

Having had such a great meal at the restaurant in Toad River the night before I decided I’d grab some breakfast in the morning there as well. I had a big day ahead and getting a hearty meal in me was nice.


Going through the Northern Rockies was a spectacular drive. With immense mountains surrounding me on every side and powerful aqua rivers that rushed alongside the highway, I was left in a constant state of awe, often bursting into laughter at the sheer magnitude of the land around me.


Wildlife thrived in the regions, from smaller creatures like foxes and porcupines to herds of bison that grazed on the side of the road.


I kept a good pace but made sure to stop and appreciate the land as well. This led me to take detours down lengthy dirt roads to find hidden gems, one of them being a waterfall that was hidden deep in the bush.


On my way I passed by Liard River Hotsprings and decided it was worth the stop. I was glad I did, as soon I found myself walking down a wooden boardwalk to the bubbling springs. I didn’t just come to admire it though and made sure to take a dip. The hot waters felt refreshing and rejuvenating, a place I would’ve stayed at all day if I’d had more time to spare.


It was time to keep pressing on and soon I’d entered the Yukon at last! I was greeted by harsh winds upon my arrival into the Territory as a storm above me was growing in strength.


Along the way I came to the town of Watson Lake where the famous Sign Post Forest resided. What a fascinating place it turned out to be, a unique destination unlike any other. All sorts of signs adorned the wooden poles the rose up out of the ground, a creative spectacle that was impossible to miss.


As I continued my journey northwest it began to snow, lightly at first but soon heavier snow flakes fell to the earth and began accumulating. The weaving roads became icy, heightening the danger of going over a cliff and crashing in a ditch far below. I was thankful I picked up premium studded snow tires as they were holding up incredibly well in the harsh conditions.


I tried to find a place to pull over and rest but options were limited as I didn’t wanna get stuck. Eventually I found a spot where I set my alarm to wake me up periodically throughout the night for a chance at seeing the northern lights. Sadly I didn’t have any luck, it seems like I’ll have to wait a little longer for the spectacle.

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Day 103 – The looming decision in a land of snow

I was up fairly early and heading into Whitehorse to get some supplies and information. I’ve been putting a lot of thought into doing the drive up north on the Dempster Highway and I wanted to get as much information as possible before doing so. That highway is infamous for popped tires, broken wind shields and at this time of the year, snow.


By the time I finally left the city it was noon. Much of the land was covered in a thick white sheet of snow that’d fallen the night before. It turns out it broke a record in Whitehorse for the most snowfall at the beginning of the winter season!


The drive north was beautiful. Many lakes and rivers hugged the highway as it weaved its way through the mountainous lands. I was in no rush and took my time appreciating all the views.


As I made it further north the snow began to disappear, showcasing the land in a different color. I’ve always found it interesting looking at something and realizing how much different it was for someone in the past. One of these things was a narrow opening between a river where rapids gathered. While to me it was something nice to look at, during the gold rush this was a serious obstacle for treasure hunters as they navigated the land by boat.


I passed through some small towns with some neat signs but didn’t really explore them, I was to busy thinking about the potential drive the next day.


Nighttime arrived as I pulled into Dawson City. I refilled my gas tank and found a place to doze off. I set my alarm clock to wake me up at 4am, when I would make my final decision on braving the Dempster Highway.

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Day 104 – The daunting Dempster Highway!

I was awake at 4am doing a final check of the road conditions. The highway, while full of challenges, was doable. I couldn’t shy away now, I didn’t know when I’d have another opportunity to do such a drive. It was still quite dark as I took to the daunting Dempster Highway. Bushes covered in frost sparkled alongside the dirt and gravel road as I pressed forward. The temperatures fluctuated all over the place, from -10 to -19 within minutes. I had two ferry’s to catch around 550 km in and didn’t wanna risk missing them so I kept aware of my time and location as I drove onward.


The sun started to rise, bringing with it an amalgamation of pink and orange clouds that spread their colors across the land. For the first time I could see tall mountains covered in snow that surrounded the narrow highway. Half frozen rivers full of raging rapids followed alongside the road at times, a deadly and beautiful sight.


I could see why this road had quite the reputation for popped tires and broken windshields. With endless potholes and patches of sharp rocks, it made for a dangerous drive. Vehicles would pass at times, kicking up rocks as they went. I made sure to slow down for them as I carefully navigated the highway, trying my best to drive according to the conditions.


I entered into the Arctic Circle where a heavy blizzard welcomed me. It was one of those moments I was thankful I picked up good snow tires. The flurry blotted out much of the surrounding land as it blew through the area. By the time I made it into the Northwest Territories I could hardly see the sign!


I made it to the ferry’s in time, crossing two rivers into what felt like a different land. Driving the Dempster was like entering in and out of different realms, from steep mountains adorned with evergreens to flat land where hardly any trees grew at all.


I arrived in Inuvik, the end of the Dempster Highway but not the end of terrible roads. I didn’t explore the town too much, opting to visit on my way back and continue north.


Fatigue was setting in as the sun went down. I had driven over 800 km on a stressful unpaved road and I pulled over to take a break. Above me a strange white streak moved across the sky, could it be the Northern Lights?! I sat there staring up but a thick of clouds soon covered it. I needed rest regardless to do the rest of the drive safely so I simply dozed off in my car. What a drive it’d been!