Cross Canada and Back Part 3

North Battleford, Saskatchewan to Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba.

After two nights at Rose and Al's place it was time to hit the road again. We had an early start and pulled out of their yard at around 7:30 am on the 18th of May.

North Saskatchewan River crossing north west of Saskatoon.

Before long, we passed Saskatoon, the potash capital of the world. This city also has a great university U of S, where yours truly spent some time being a so called book worm.



View North Battleford, SK to Whiteshell Provincial Park, MB in a larger map





Further east we passed Little Manitou Lake at Watrous to the south (click on the map above for more details). This is a place that should not be missed, if you have not had the chance to visit it before. The lake is so salty that you float like a cork on the water. The village also has a great spa to pamper you, if you don't feel like jumping into the lake. I have visited this special place several times, truly amazing.

We just passed through Saskatoon, heading east.

Just got to love the open space.

Further east we pass the town of Wynyard, the chicken capital of the world (just thought you wanted to know that). At the end of the the day we set up camp in the City Campground in the town of Yorkton, SK. 

We stopped at the City Campground in Yorkton, Sk.

Nice little campground with Electric and water services. A common sani dump is available. Yorkton is a quaint and comfortable little town with lots of new developments.

We went to the local museum in Yorkton.

The old chuck wagon

We got a friendly wake up call at 5:30 am  on the 19th of May by a cute little woodpecker (Liz did not think that I appreciated it,  apparently I was growling in bed calling it everything else but cute....) drumming away on a garbage can. See our movie below.




Early awake, we started our planned trip to visit and  stay in Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba.... 

Riding Mountain National Park, straight south of Dauphin Manitoba, a high plateau.

Riding Mountain National Park

Looking in the rear view mirror

Riding Mountain National Park

Riding Mountain National Park

Riding Mountain National Park

Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba

We arrived in the park coming in from the North from  the city of Dauphin. Riding Mountain is a really high plateau in the middle of the prairie. The campground we were hoping for was not open yet, so we just stopped for a while, had lunch, walked around for a bit, and continued our journey.


The drive through parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba showed us how the areas are  still suffering from high water levels and flooding. it is very sad to see. We really feel for these people.

Flooding in Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Flooding in Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Flooding in Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Flooding in Saskatchewan and Manitoba

We decided to set our sights on Whiteshell Provincial Park and the Falcon Lake Campground. We took the big bypass to the south of Winnipeg and headed straight east on Trans Canada Hwy #1.

Heading East on the Trans Canada Hwy.

Red River, Manitoba, flooding surrounding areas

Red River, Manitoba

We arrived at the Falcon Lake Campground in Whiteshell Provincial park on the Manitoba border early evening. This campground with full hookups offers a lot of activities for everybody. 

Camping at Falcon Lake

On the beach at Falcon Lake Campground in Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba.

Nice evening light

Deer grazing in the park

Bird lovers paradise in the bird sanctuary next to the campground.

Canada Goose

Canada Goose in Flight

Wonderful beach for swimming, boat launching, and a birdwatcher's paradise. We went for a great hike along the lake and took in all the sights.


On to Ontario next. More pictures from this trip, click links below

North Battlefort, SK, to Riding Mountain MB, to Whiteshell Prov. Park MB

Whiteshell Park, Manitoba

Cheers, Anders and Liz

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Cross Canada and Back Part 2

Jasper National Park, Alberta to North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

View Jasper, Alberta to North Battleford, Saskatchewan in a larger map



5:15 am we got up to get an early start on our trip across Alberta and into Saskatchewan. Looking out the window with sleepy eyes we were greeted with 7 elk checking out our Rockwood trailer... I told them quickly "it is not for sale" so they went knocking on the neighbours door instead. Wow those are big animals!

Elk checking out our trailer

More Elk. They look pretty scruffy this time of year, just loosing their winter coats.

37 minutes later we are rolling out of Jasper, out of the Rockey Mountains, into the Foothills and out on the prairie. What an incredible country we live in, it never seems to amaze me. 

Leaving Whistlers Campground in the Morning Sun.... Coffee in hand of course.

Many more elk greeted us on the way out of the park, no Bighorn sheep this time, maybe next.

Leaving Jasper National Park, heading East

Elk on the side of the road

Leaving the Rocky Mountains Behind

We smoked past Edmonton taking the by-pass with Liz (lead foot) at the wheel.

Liz at the wheel

Edmonton Traffic

Get in the left lane....

We made a quick stop in Elk Island National park just east of Edmonton. This national park is a bit different and is home to herds of Buffalos.... you just have to see it. Camping is also available in the park.

Elk Island National Park, east of Edmonton, Alberta

Buffalo Grazing

Buffalo on the run

On the road again we headed for the border town of Lloydminister. This is a true oil town and is home to the Husky Up-Grader that turns the black sticky crude into usable fuel.

The Husky Up-Grader

Black crude being pumped up in to tanks all over the Lloydminster area

We fueled up the truck and set our sights on my sister and brother in-law's farm just north of North Battleford.

Large trucks on the road passing us.

Not much to stop the wind

Arriving in North Battleford, Saskatchewan

The truck was getting a good workout with 65 km/hr head winds. The fuel consumption increased by 25% fighting the wind. We arrived shortly after 5 pm and were greeted by my sister Rose and my mom Ruth (mom lives in the town of North Battleford), Al was as usual working late seeding this years crop, 14hr plus days, makes me tired just thinking of it.

Rose cooking up a storm

Left is my sister Rose and on the right my mom Ruth.

We set up camp in Rose and Al's yard overlooking Jackfish Lake, supper and a glass of wine was served before we could blink and eye.... 

Looks a bit tired after the trip

Wonderful views overlooking the lake

Rose and Al are both superb chefs with Prairie Hospitality, got to love it.


Cheers, Anders and Liz


PS. More pictures on our Picasa web album or click below

Jasper AB to North Battlefort SK

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Cross Canada and Back Part 1

Victoria, British Columbia to Jasper, Alberta.

The plan for our adventure is to drive swiftly across Canada and spend most of the summer and early fall exploring the East Coast of Canada, and then work our way back west before the snow flies.

Cruise ship coming in to dock in Victoria, BC

A day before leaving on our cross Canada trip, we added our website decals to the trailer

We started our trip across Canada, leaving Victoria, BC, on the West Coast of Canada, the 15th of May 2011. As we boarded the 7 am ferry, leaving Vancouver Island for Vancouver, the fog was so thick that you could cut it in to cubes, freeze it and make ice cubes.... a real West Coast mist.



View Cross Canada - Victoria to Jasper in a larger map


The voyage across the Strait of Georgia or more recently called the Salish Sea was uneventful and calm. We arrived on time in Tsawwassen terminal on the main land of British Columbia. We drove up through the lower mainland to number 1 Trans Canada Highway.

Getting ready for the climb over the Coquihalla

After about an hour and a half drive through the Fraser Valley we turned onto number 5 Yellow -head Hwy and started the climb up the Coquihalla Highway and hit the summit around 11:30 am. The clouds started to lift as we descended on Merritt, and almost clear skys awaited us as we approached Kamloops.


In Kamloops we set direction north west to Jasper following number 5 Hwy. It is a very scenic drive, and you can be sure to see some wild life this time of year.

Town of Valemount

This drive has not yet let us down, just south of the town of Valemount a young Grizzly bear was grazing along the highway, you just have to love it. Liz snapped a bunch of pictures and off again we went.

Young Grizzly grazing by the road south of Valemount

Mount Robson Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site is another beautiful BC Park and is located just west of the Alberta border. Mount Robson Park covers 224,866 hectares or 555,655 acres, and it dwarfs me every time I pass by the majestic Mount Robson.

Mount Robson Provincial Park, BC.

By 7pm Alberta time we arrived in Jasper National Park and set up camp in Whistlers campground just 4 km south of the town of Jasper. We were told, a LARGE Grizzly bear has been patrolling the campground looking for something worth eating, and has not yet found a good snack, in other words, he is still looking.

Bear trap in the campground.

Almost ready to BBQ in Whistlers Campground, Jasper National Park

This is a massive campground with over 700 sites, well maintained and tidy. Elk wandering around every where, just a fantastic place in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. Jasper National Park has over 1,700 campsites in  various campgrounds, however it is a very popular place in the summer months, so making a reservation is a must.

Elk grazing on the meadows

Time to fire up the BBQ and cook up some burgers and have a glass of wine.... Life is good, "wine a bit, it helps".


Cheers, Anders and Liz

Here are some shortcuts to all the blogs from our Cross Canada Trip. Just hover over the number to see where it will take you

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Vancouver Island, BC

Campbell River to Parksville, BC

It was time for us to hook up the 5th wheel trailer and to leave Cortes Island. Anders drove carefully onto the Tenaka, the small Cortes ferry. It was low tide, and we were concerned about the angle of the on and off ramps. But we had no problems.  Campbell River on Vancouver Island, the Salmon Capital,  was busy, everybody was rushing somewhere. We realized that it was just our perception. After almost two months on Cortes Island, where the locals still wave at each other in passing, happy to see a car, Campbell River was the big city for us.

Driving South on the Island Highway

The Island Highway # 19 is a wonderful drive south from Campbell River. The mountains on Vancouver Island are still covered with snow on top. Mt. Washington the island mountain resort had a record snow fall this year. Driving south the landscape became more and more lush, spring had arrived here. We decided to camp overnight in Parksville. The Park Sands Beach Resort had space for us. it is right on the ocean. 

At the Park Sands Beach Resort

The sun came out. It was time for a walk on the beach. The almost 20 km of sandy beaches from Qualicum Beach to Parksville are shallow, warm up quickly and getting deeper gradually. They are wonderful to beach comb, to swim or to just having fun in the sun.

Parksville beach with views east to the coastal mountains on the mainland

Anders was B.B.Q.ing steaks while watching a Canuck Hockey game.

Parksville area has become very attractive for early retired Canadians looking for a small town with all the amenities. Visitors and residents love the central location on Vancouver Island. From here we have choices to hike, bike, golf, ski, swim, fish, sail, or just relax and go for a good coffee.

We dropped in at Cha Ch'a Java for a goody and coffee

Back at the beach

Evening stroll along the Parksville Beaches on the great boardwalk

Camping overnight in Parksville was our trial run before starting our trip across Canada. We are now in Victoria packing and organizing the last few things.

Liz