Category: British Columbia

Day 1, the beginning of the biggest trip I’ve ever done in my life. I’ve talked about exploring Canada for years now and it’s time to finally just go for it. The goal is to explore all ten provinces and two of the three territories with Nunavut at a later time in my life since the only way to get there is by flying. I’ve prepped as much as I can and I’m a mix of incredibly excited and a bit anxious as well. Strangely enough, the day I decided to leave ended up being the day I went skydiving for the first time exactly three years ago, maybe I just need to do something super intense every three years. So what was my first day like on the road?

I left Vancouver a bit later than I had planned but found myself on the road around 10:30 am heading northeast towards Revelstoke through Kelowna and Vernon. It rained pretty hard along the way but I made a few stops to appreciate all the scenery and stretch. I found my mind wandering, questioning if I was actually going forward with this or if I should just turn back, I didn’t talk about doing this for years just to turn back though, so I pressed on. I soon realized that while the gps may have said it would take 6 hours to reach my destination, in reality it would take much longer with the frequent stops and the various traffic conditions such as the heavy rush hour traffic I hit in Kelowna.

Upon finally making it through Kelowna, I continued north up through Vernon and some of the smaller towns such as Enderby, heading towards Revelstoke to camp for the night. I got another bit of a wake up call when I finally made it to Revelstoke a lot later than planned, around 9:20, only to find out all the campgrounds were fully booked up, I hadn’t taken into account it was a long weekend during peak camping season and that I probably should have booked ahead of time. I found myself feeling a bit overwhelmed and out of my element, I didn’t wanna sleep in my car the first night and I didn’t wanna fork out $100+ for a hotel. I decided to take a risk and drive to one of the campsites that wasn’t answering their phone and see if I could get lucky. I ended up going to Williamson Lake Campground and walking into the reception, they were full but ended up finding a spot for me in the overflow! I set up my tent and the first day of my journeys came to a close.

I found myself pretty tired in the morning. Winnie hasn’t been enjoying the new food I got her and decided she was gonna throw up in my tent last night, of course she decides she’ll do it right after she wanders over to my pillow. So there I am, in the dark, trying find her face after hearing the dreaded heaving sound right behind me, luckly I do and manage to get my hand under her mouth right before she gurts, she filled it full…twice. Aside from a drop or two I managed to get it all in my hands and toss it outside the tent, a lovely introduction to my first night camping, sigh!

In the morning I packed up everything and headed to the Pipe Mountain Coaster in Revelstoke. I was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to do it since it kept raining on and off, but when the rain stopped they’d have the ride up and going again in 15 minutes, so I managed to do it after all..twice! It wasn’t a very long ride, you’re down the mountain in a few minutes on a one man coaster, oh but what a rush, it was definitely worth checking out.

After the coaster I headed out in the direction of Salmon Arm, on the way I decided to check out The Enchanted Forrest, as the strange gnome statues perked my curiosity. I picked up a ticket and walked on in. It felt like it would have been a great place to bring a young child as it was primarily fairy tale themed, not quite my cup of tea though, on the bright side getting to watch Winnie sniffing the backsides of every animal statue was pretty amusing. I did a quick walk through the park before hopping back into my car and continuing my journey.

I headed out past Salmon Arm into Tappen where I stopped in to say hello to Jenn’s grandparents, they happily invited me in and even offered to let me stay the night. We spent the evening sharing our stories as Winnie played about, what a wonderful way to end my second night on the road.

What a day! I woke up bright and early to accompany Dave and Lynne on their daily dog walk they do every morning with the neighborhood. Winnie was ecstatic, she was running around jumping, prancing, and having the time of her life playing with all the other dogs. Upon getting back to the house I started working on my website for my blog that I hope to have finalized soon, then I can finally start posting my stories for all to see! Both Dave and Lynne were wonderful company and I was thankful for their kind hospitality and love.

I got back on the road around 2:30pm heading to Williams Lake. Once again the scenery had me stopping a lot and a 4 hour drive took me nearly twice as long, but oh was it worth it. The wildlife was incredible, I saw a great many deer, birds and horses. I have yet to see a bear yet but I did drive past quite a few of the bear proof garbage cans that were pretty banged up, reminding me that I was in fact in bear country.

I finally made it to Williams Lake and headed into the Stampede Campground. The lady on the phone had mentioned it would be busy, being that it was stampede weekend and their busiest time of the year, but there’d be room for me to camp. When I got there it was packed, and I mean ridiculously packed. Since the office was closed, I drove around looking for anything available, planning on camping and paying in the morning but I was having no luck. At one point I found myself in the wrong neighborhood, it turns out I had driven into the riders only section with a bunch rowdy drunk cowboys, to make matters worse I hit a dead end in their camp and had to do a seven point turn to get back out. I was friendly but I could get the obvious vibe that I was intruding on their territory and some of them seemed pretty annoyed about it. I said a quick friendly goodbye and moved on.

I found myself sitting on the top of a hill overlooking the event feeling rather defeated, the decently priced motels had horrible reviews and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I found a campground online an hour out towards Prince George and gave them a call, the man seemed friendly at first but when I mentioned I had a dog he said that if the dog got off leash and scared his goats he’d shoot it, so ya, kinda sketchy.
I started driving out towards Prince George not knowing what I was gonna do, I wanted to do the majority of my driving during the day to appreciate all the scenery and I really didn’t wanna stay at the campsite with the dog threat. Regardless if the man was kidding or not, I got a bad vibe from it. I found myself saying a prayer hoping that something would work itself out. Well, that prayer was certainly answered when I came across a motel/campground that hadn’t shown up on my gps until the last moment. I walked in and called, sure enough a tired woman answered the phone and told me that there was room, not only that but I had a beautiful lake view, something I’m eager to see in the morning when it’s bright out. So ends day 3, it’s turning out to be quite the adventure after all!

What an interesting morning. I woke up and took a look outside my tent, a calm little lake greeted me. I proceeded to make some breakfast and start packing up my tent, as I was doing this the owner of the park came up and said hello. I payed her what I owed her and we started chatting a little bit, she mentioned that the campground was supposed to be fully filled up but due to a few no shows I was able to get in, funny enough she was so tired on the phone when she answered it the night before that she had completely forgot about me and it was her husband that reminded her.

I finished my packing and got back on the road heading north towards Prince George, I felt different though, I felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted off me and the hunger to explore and embrace new adventures grew deeper, stronger and more emotional.
I arrived in Prince George pretty quickly and decided I’d find a good off leash dog park to take Winnie to, she was happy to stretch her legs. Sometimes you gotta just stop and smell the flowers, all the dew on her nose was testament to just how much smelling she did!

Sometimes it truly feels like a small world. There I was sitting in my car after Winnie’s walk looking at maps figuring out what I wanted to do next when a woman comes up to the window, “Are you Jonathan Melnick, and is that Winnie?” she says. Turns out it was the Jenn’s sister Aleisha’s cousin who I had seen at a wedding a few months ago, what are the chances?! We chatted a bit while the dogs played about before saying our goodbyes as I headed off to another campground.

I arrived in Salmon Valley Campground around 4:30 pm and decided I would take it easy for the rest of the day, focusing primarily on getting this blog up and running. Well, mission success! Hopefully now I can get these stories out faster for those who would be eager to hear them, and just like that day four comes to a close, goodnight!

Happy Canada Day!

Last night Winnie got to experience her first thunderstorm, let’s just say she isn’t a fan. It rained torrentially throughout the night, my tent managed to hold up pretty good though. To be so close to nature and hear the rain beating down so violently upon my tent was actually quite nice, in it’s own way it was genuinely peaceful.

After waking up and getting everything packed and ready to go I headed into the site office, the owner had hyped up the coffee the day before and I was eager to try it. I do love my coffee, there was a time I put my coffee maker in my bedroom just out of reach of my bed so I’d have to get up to pour myself a cup as that sweet aroma welcomed me with open arms, best alarm clock I ever had! Upon greeting the owner again she gave me a cup on the house and encouraged me on my journeys. Salmon Valley Campground certainly was a great choice for a place to spend the night.

I was back on the road again, this time heading toward Dawson Creek. I decided I would take my time, really take in the scenery and try to take more pictures for all the see, there is so much beauty everywhere you look it’s hard to pick a spot sometimes, if I stopped at every scenic spot on the way to my destination I’d need more than 3 months, perhaps 3 years to travel across Canada. I pulled out my drone more often and worked on getting some pretty cool aerial shots I feel people will enjoy.

On the way to Dawson Creek I passed through a town called Chetwynd, it was unlike any place I’d ever seen before. The entire town was full of incredibly detailed and eccentric wooden carvings from the moment you enter to the moment you leave.

At last I arrived in Dawson Creek and found a place to camp, I met some fellow adventures that were heading up to Alaska and we shared our travel stories with one another, Winnie had a blast too as she got to run around and play with their dogs.
I decided since that since it was Canada Day I’d go see the towns fireworks. The show definitely had that small town vibe to it, not the wildest show of fireworks I’d ever seen but I was glad I went regardless.

As I drove back to camp I realized just how much longer it stays bright out, the horizon still had it’s fiery glow at 11:30 pm! I have noticed how it’s getting colder the further north I go more often now, while I knew it would, it’s another thing all together when it becomes tangible, at least I have a toasty sleeping bag to brave the territories with because I plan on seeing them soon!

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.

I’ve been sleeping in my car a lot lately, I just feel it’s safer at the moment. Winnie recently went into heat and sleeping in a tent in grizzly bear territory with a bleeding dog feels like I’m ringing a dinner bell. I don’t sleep as well as I would being sprawled out in a tent but at least I’m not worrying.

I made it into BC and found myself on a quiet road leading south through a fire kissed region of bare trees and calm lakes. The adventurer in me wanted to explore the land, to scale the towering mountains that surrounded me and stand upon their peaks. Perhaps one day when I have more time to spare I’ll do so.

I hope to make it home for thanksgiving which means I’ll have to cover a massive amount of ground in two days. One thing I know for sure though, the drive will be a scenic wonderland.

I arrived at a funky little place called Jade City. I was glad I made the stop as all sorts of incredibly unique creations found their home there. My poor wallet quivered as I walked into a shop full of alluring souvenirs. From skillfully carved jade animals to big chunks of sparkling crystals, the shop was a reminder of the many fascinating materials that lay hidden below the earths surface.

Northern BC is an incredible place to explore, the land is humbling, reminding those who travel through it how small they really are. Roaring rivers would cut their way through the rocky land alongside lush and vibrant trees that grew amid moss covered stones. Unique views revealed themselves with every turn of my head.

I pushed through the fatigue, driving into the night as I passed through a handful of small little towns on my way south. Having covered over 1000 km I was definitely feeling the strain on my body and decided I’d finally catch some rest before the grind continued in the morning.

A blanket of frost covered the land, sparing nothing from its icy touch. I was on the road bright and early, for I had a lot of ground to cover if I was to make it home to Coquitlam for Thanksgiving. My partner Jenn had been incredibly patient while I’d traveled the country and I knew making it home for dinner that day would mean a lot to her.

Countless memories filled my mind as I headed south, it was difficult knowing the adventure was coming to its end. Pictures of the many places I’d visited came rushing in, overwhelming my thoughts and filling me with all sorts of emotions.

Sometimes some of the best places to visit are close to home. I discovered one of those places on the way that left me in complete awe, the Fraser Canyon. Mountains surrounded the highway as it cut a path across the land, taking those who ventured its roads along steep cliffs, through lengthy tunnels bored through the thick rock and beside rushing rivers that lay at the feet of the rocky giants.

I could’ve spent the entire day exploring that canyon but I still had a dinner to make it to. As I finished driving through the scenic land I promised myself I would return sometime soon and explore it in greater depth.

I entered the home stretch where a thick of traffic welcomed me back to the busy city. Crawling along I drove to my destination, arriving just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. A table of smiling faces greeted me, eager to hear my tales of adventure as I began to stuff my face. I felt proud as I shared my stories, I’d accomplished quite the feat and the memories made me smile.

This isn’t the last of Canadian Adventuring, for this trip has increased my desire to explore more, to see more, to travel more and see the world. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read my blog and view the many pictures I’ve taken, I hope it’s kindled a burning desire to go out and explore for yourselves, to build your own unique stories of adventure. The next chapter begins soon!