10 Most Outrageous Canadian Laws on Driving

When you become a licensed driver in Canada you also become subject to the driving laws that govern the roads within the Province or Territory you drive in. The rules of the road fall under Provincial jurisdiction, whereby each Province defines the traffic rules within its Motor Vehicle or Traffic Act.

The mandate for all Canadian laws is to regulate driver behaviour so everyone gets to travel as safely as possible, whether on a motorcycle, in a passenger vehicle, bus?or?transport truck on the highway. As human behaviour changes so do the laws that regulate those behaviours.

Examples of relatively new driving laws include a series of illegal street racing laws that weren’t there when I was growing up and there are new traffic laws that make texting while driving or driving while distracted illegal. Additionally, there are new idling reduction programs to promote a shift in driving behaviour when it comes to sitting still. Idle Free BC states: Vehicle idling reduction programs can save your operations up to 20%?on your annual fuel budgets — not to mention the added air quality, health and environmental benefits.

Times are changing, and driving laws are changing right along with it.

RELATED:?How to spot an unmarked police car

If you ever get the chance to check out your Provincial Motor Vehicle Act you may find a few driving laws that will surprise you, while others might inspire you to laugh right out loud. Here are ten of them:

Does this mean you can drive it non-furiously and not be subject to a ticket? The Ontario Motor Vehicle Act states: No person shall race or drive furiously any horse or other animal on a highway.

Am I the only one who didn’t know this was law? You can’t put your vehicle in neutral to save a little fuel mileage while going downhill or give the rpm’s a break while descending down a mountain highway? BC’s Motor Vehicle Act says: When travelling down grade a driver must not coast with the gears of the vehicle in neutral or the clutch disengaged.

Who knew that each time you put your vehicle in reverse you were taking the law into your own hands. What if you thought the coast was clear and the other driver ‘just came out of nowhere’? That’s no excuse, says a variety of Motor Vehicle Acts: The driver of a vehicle must not cause the vehicle to move backwards into an intersection or over a crosswalk, and must not in any event or at any place cause a vehicle to move backwards unless the movement can be made in safety.

Contrary to popular belief, right turns on a red light in the Province of Quebec has been legal since 2003. There is one exception however: On the island of Montreal, red light rights are still a no-no.

Under the laws and regulations governing Quebec’s roads, sudden braking without cause will add two (2) demerit points to your driving record. Braking without cause? Pourquoi? Why would someone brake if there wasn’t a reason?

RELATED:?The Scary Reality of Improper Car Seat Installation

Anyone who has tried to pass on the left side of a multi-lane highway only to be stopped in their tracks by a stubborn motorist who won’t move over, can now celebrate if they live in B.C. Left lane blockers are now subject to a $167 fine and up to three (3) demerit points: A driver of a vehicle in the leftmost lane must exit the lane on the approach of another vehicle in that lane, if it is safe to do so.

Only in Canada, eh? One of Ontario’s traffic rules may not have included, “Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh” within the description, however: Every person travelling on a highway with a sleigh or sled drawn by a horse or other animal shall have at least two bells attached to the harness or to the sleigh or sled in such a manner as to give ample warning sound.

It may be summer but the thought of countless piles of heavy, wet snow at the bottom of my driveway is still a fresh memory. Maybe that’s why I moved from Ontario to B.C. Did you know it is against the law to return the piles of snow and ice from whence they came without written permission? It’s true. No matter how much snow the plows deposit on your driveway, you’re not allowed to give it back: No person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway without permission in writing to do so from the Ministry or the road authority responsible for the maintenance of the road.

Just in case you’re inclined to reach out and grab the car whizzing by you while driving on a Saskatchewan highway, perhaps it would be best to keep your hands on the wheel instead: No person on a highway shall directly or by any attachment hold onto a moving vehicle other than the one in which the person is riding.

Although this one isn’t comical, it made the list due to the fact it seems to happen everywhere despite the rise in traffic accidents. There are many drivers who think it’s legal to text while stopped at a traffic light or in traffic because technically, they aren’t driving. Not so. As the texting while driving law evolves to incorporate a broader range of prohibited distracting driving behaviours, fines can reach $1,000 and add up to 5 demerit points to your driving record. More importantly, the statistics may be reason enough to put an end to this increasingly dangerous bad habit. The C.A.A.’s Distracted Driving website maintains: Driver distraction is a factor in about 4 million motor vehicle crashes in North America each year.

RELATED:?How to fight a ticket when it’s the officer’s word against yours?

View the original article here

The Great Canadian Road Trip: Day 4 of 20

Plaid, Pickups and Prairie Skies

Winnipeg, Manitoba to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Route: Trans Canada Highway 1 WestDriving Distance: 8 hours, 652 kmFavourite Song: Wheat Kings, The Tragically HipQuote of the Day:?? “These are the gardens of the Desert, these The unshorn fields, boundless and beautiful, For which the speech of England has no name: The Prairies.” W.C. Bryant

It was an early September Saturday morning when I pulled in to the gas station on the outskirts of Winnipeg. I was on my way to Moose Jaw and I had 650km in front of me. I was rested, there were clear blue skies as far as the eye could see, and there were golden wheat fields in all directions. The drive was going to be easy; all I had to do was point the car west, put on the cruise control and sit back and enjoy the ride. Considering it was just past 7am on a weekend, I was shocked at how many people were up and at ’em. I imagined most Ontario folks, at least the ones I knew, would be sleeping in for at least a few more hours.

The fields were full of slow moving tractors and the bales of hay were rolled up in staggered rows that stretched out for miles. I could see tiny brown and black dots in the distance which, I assumed, were countless heads of cattle, and I shared the highway with a steady stream of pickups that kept passing me in the fast lane. Plaid, pickups and prairies were everywhere.

My first stop was a small town just over an hour west of Winnipeg called Portage la Prairie. I smiled when I saw the sign because my Dad had a very strong connection to it. He was 18 when he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, and his ship was called the HMSC Portage. He was a signalman, the ship was an Algerine-class minesweeper and it travelled the Atlantic Ocean as part of an escort that delivered supplies to England while the convoy kept an eye out for German U-boats.

RELATED:?Touring the Okanagan Valley on a Harley Davidson

After about 90 minutes, I saw the sign for Brandon, Manitoba and I pulled off the highway for a coffee refill. I’d been to Brandon before. I used to travel the country as a sales and product trainer, and after working a few days in Winnipeg I would drive to Brandon for another few days before catching a flight back home to Ontario. I smiled because the town is host to a WHL Hockey Team called the Brandon Wheat Kings, which happens to be part of the title to one of my favourite Tragically Hip songs.

I drove another 90 minutes, and as I crossed the Saskatchewan border I heard an email notification on my phone. The tourism rest stop was up ahead so I decided to pull off, take a picture of the sign, and catch up with whoever was trying to get in touch with me. When I opened the email, my heart began to race. It wasn’t bad news. On the contrary. Before I left for my great Canadian road trip, I’d emailed someone I hadn’t seen in a very long time who lives in Calgary; I extended an invitation to meet for coffee when I passed through town. It was a man I had met almost 10 years earlier, and as a matter of detail, I only ever spent a grand total of 8 days with him. Despite that, we had stayed in touch off and on with emails and phone calls but the communication had gone quiet over the past year or so. After not receiving a reply about meeting during my road trip, I chalked it up to ‘not meant to happen’, put it out of my mind, and embarked on my adventure.

Long story short, his email to me that day stated he was in northern Saskatchewan visiting family and would be back in Calgary in a few days. If I was able to pass through then, we could likely arrange a get together. In between my surprise and excitement, I thought about how I could alter my plans without messing up all the reservations I’d made from Banff to Tofino ahead of time. And so, I replied that I would love to see him in a few days and would figure out a way to make it happen.

As I pulled out of the rest stop I was on cloud nine: A beautiful blue sky like I’d never seen before, the chance to catch up with a beautiful man that I’d been in love with many years before, and I was about to drive through my Dad’s birthplace, Moosimin, Saskatchewan, for the very first time. It was shaping up to be a very good day.

After driving around Moosimin for a minute, and wondering how on earth my grandparents survived raising 5 children during The Depression in such a tiny place, I continued on and marvelled at the statuesque grain elevators that stood guard over the next several towns along the Canadian Pacific Railway line. ?The Canadian Encyclopedia refers to them as Prairie Cathedrals, and states that almost 6000 of them adorned the landscape over the past century. Canada’s grain industry is one of the biggest in the world, and due to the sheer size of this country, most of the grain is shipped by railcar. In case you were unaware, the Government of Saskatchewan shares:?“Saskatchewan produces both spring and winter wheat and supplies 10 per cent of the world’s total exported wheat, and is Canada’s most important grain-producing region.”

In another 3 hours I would arrive in Moose Jaw. I had secured a little bed and breakfast in a heritage house instead of opting for a chain motel on the side of the highway, and I was thrilled at the thought of staying in a real house, with a real yard and eating a real breakfast.

RELATED:?Top 10 Road Trip Destinations on a Cross Canada Adventure

I bypassed the City of Regina, which from a distance, reminded me of The Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz. It reminded me of it because after miles upon miles of nothing but fields, farms and fences, the prairie metropolis of tall skyscrapers, traffic and drive-thru’s seemed to pop up out of nowhere.

I wasn’t prepared for the rolling hills that began to rise up from the flat landscape as I crossed into the municipal boundaries of Moose Jaw, which translates to ‘warm breezes’ in the Cree language. The downtown area was lovely and the heritage buildings have historical murals painted on some of the outside walls. Like so many other prairie towns, Moose Jaw was put on the map after the expansion of the railway in the late 1880’s.?? One of its claims to fame is the Tunnels of Moose Jaw; they say the tunnels were used by Al Capone during his bootleg days during Prohibition. Although I am an advocate of learning about the areas you travel through, I decided against the underground tour, grabbed a salad to go and headed straight for my B & B.

After getting lost for half an hour thanks to some bridge construction and an unreliable OnStar advisor, I stopped at a gas station to find another way around the “road closed” sign. A short while later, I pulled up to the front door of one of the oldest homesteads in Moose Jaw (1902) and I could see the view from the backyard. The house was perched at the top of a hill and the Moose Jaw River wound its way through the town down below. I parked my car, dug through the endless duffle bags to find a pair of pyjamas and a sweater, tossed a lukewarm beer in my purse from the cooler, and went to find the owner so I could check in.

Wakamow Height’s Bed and Breakfast‘s porch looked like a doll’s house; with frilly table cloths, fine china, flowers and wistful fabrics. I meandered my way through the entrance and took my time looking at the knick knacks that made me feel like I was visiting a storybook version of the perfect Grandma’s house.

?Yukon Road Trip: The Ultimate Canadian Northern Adventure Part#1

As I made my way around the corner, I was greeting by the owner who welcomed me and seemed interested in where I was coming from and where I’d be travelling the following day. She told me a little about her home; the restoration and upkeep was an ongoing labour of love and she seemed genuine when she expressed how happy she was to share her lovely home with travellers who were passing through.?? She showed me to my room, said that breakfast was served early, and told me to help myself to the tea and reading material located just outside my bedroom door.

My space was called The Wedgewood Room, and I felt like I’d just stepped into my favourite Jane Austen novel. After marvelling at my princess room for a few minutes, I grabbed my food, journal and camera, and spent the next several hours pretending I was the English author, sitting in the yard of my manor house, writing my sequel to Pride and Prejudice.

After an hour of writing and catching up on some text conversations, I decided that one more beer might be a nice way to cap off an incredibly wonderful day. I went to my car to retrieve one from the cooler and as I rounded the corner, I saw a Momma dear and her baby wander across the lawn. I had my camera in my pocket, luckily, and was able to get this shot before they dashed out of sight.

As I returned to my backyard oasis to catch the sunset, I tried to imagine what the next few days might hold. My plan was to head straight to Banff National Park in the morning, camp in the mountains, and then double back to Calgary the day after to meet my old friend. I hadn’t intended to stay in Calgary originally, no cities in fact, but this trip was as much about going with the flow as it was about knocking some bucket items off of my list.

I broadcast my change of plans on my Facebook page before I went to sleep, and my cousin made a comment about a possible snowstorm in Calgary. It was only September 6 for crying out loud. I thought he was joking.

Stay tuned every friday for the next installment of The Great Canadian Road Trip

View the original article here

The Great Canadian Road Trip: Day 1 of 20

Route: Highway 400 North – Highway 69 – Highway 17 WestDriving Distance: 8 hours, 726 kmFavourite Song: “Dust”, Eli Young BandQuote of the Day: Not all those who wander are lost. J.R.R. Tolkien

It was the end of summer 2014 and as I helped my post-secondary children get organized to move back to their university towns for the Fall Semester, I decided it was time for an adventure of my own. My adventure would serve two purposes: Keep my mind off the soon-to-be empty house and take some time to think about what to do with my life.

The next stage of life was coming fast and in less than a year my little birds who weren’t so little anymore, were going to fly the nest for good. A road trip across Canada felt like the perfect opportunity to gather the courage to navigate my way through a major change in my life. If I could face the fear of camping and travelling alone surely I could adapt to living alone after 22 years of being a Mom.

The incentive for overcoming the risks of a solo road trip was the promise to knock a few items off my bucket list: Photograph the grain elevators of the Prairies, visit my Father’s birthplace in Saskatchewan, camp under the stars in Banff, whale watch in Campbell River and body surf in the Pacific Ocean from the beaches in Tofino, to name a few.

Join me over the next 20 weeks as I share some of the highways and bi-ways of the beautiful country we Canadians call home. I’ll also share photographs, personal anecdotes, inspirational quotes, and favourite songs so you can ride shotgun on an 11,000 kilometre cross Canada adventure on 4 wheels.

The morning of departure. My living room, Barrie, Ontario, September 3, 2014

It was sunny and warm on the day of my departure and I packed my new Chevrolet Cruze full of clothes and enough camping gear to last a month: A brand new portable burner for cooking (still in the box) along with half a dozen propane cylinders, a borrowed tent and tarp, bungee cords, tools, utensils, blankets, lawn chair, coolers full of food and water, and a canister full of bear spray. By the time I hit the highway in Barrie it was already 10am, so I didn’t stop for a much needed extra large cup of coffee until I reached Parry Sound. From there I drove past Shawanaga First Nation, alongside the Magnetawan River and through the popular summer cottage area of Pointe au Baril while I marvelled at the beauty of my home Province. Ontario is so enormous it hosts 40% of Canada’s population and contains 2 separate time zones.

RELATED:?Road Trip Tips – Canadian Road Trip Ideas

The next stop was French River Provincial Park (2 hours and 225km from Barrie), a beautiful rest spot with information about the historic trade route of First Nations and early Canadian trappers and fur traders. I decided to stretch my legs along the easy-to-access visitor trail and peeked over the cliff’s edge at the breathtaking gorge below. It didn’t take long to get sidetracked by the 3km trail marker for Recollet Falls. You know how some people have to stop at every museum or tourist attraction while on holiday? I’m like that with hiking trails, and this one was worth the detour.

I was a bit behind schedule despite having an itinerary planned out to the nth degree, so it was along the banks of the French River that I decided not to allow the clock to dictate the next three weeks. No doubt there would be days to take detours and other days to haul donkey, so go with the flow became my new modus operandi.

The sign for the City of Greater Sudbury appeared an hour or so later and although the beautiful rugged landscape beckoned to be explored, I chose the by-pass route and drove through to Blind River instead. The North Channel of Lake Huron had the best view I’d ever seen from a coffee shop’s parking lot and as I leaned up against my car sipping on yet another extra large coffee, I began to feel the stress of working to deadlines and meeting endless responsibilities begin to evaporate.

After a relatively uneventful leg of Highway 17 West between Sudbury and downtown Sault Ste. Marie at rush-hour, the splendour of Algoma Country began to rise from the horizon in the form of canyons, rugged cliffs and an emerging view of two of Canada’s Great Lakes. I was headed towards my first overnight stop at Agawa Bay Campground in Lake Superior Provincial Park, and although I didn’t have a reservation I was hoping to arrive early enough to snag a beachfront campsite.

RELATED:?Top 10 Road Trip Destinations on a Cross Canada Adventure

By the time I arrived at the campground (726km later) the park office was closed, I missed getting access to bundled firewood and the sun was setting. Not to be deterred, I drove around the campground to hunt for the perfect beach spot to set up camp. After a few laps down a one way street with RV occupied beach sites as far as the eye could see, I settled on a vacant site one row up from the waterfront so I wouldn’t waste any more time driving around. Once out of the car I could see the brilliant colours of the sky from behind a row of trees that stood between myself and the shoreline of Lake Superior. As perfect as my first patch of dirt was, I realized I had to make an important decision immediately. Do I put up the tent in what little daylight was left or do I grab the camera, an iced cold beverage and head to the beach instead? The camera and beverage won, so off I went to greet the waves, the sand, and the first sunset of my road trip with a coffee cup full of bubbles. Besides, I could always sleep in the car if I couldn’t see well enough to put up the tent in the dark. It was the first week of September and it was still 23 degrees at almost 9:00pm, so at least I wouldn’t freeze.

After taking in the magnificent view I walked the short distance back to my campsite and just stood there. I wasn’t scared or overwhelmed, but I did feel odd. Odd in the sense that everything I needed was somewhere over there, in my car, in the dark, and all I had to do was figure out which bag held which valuable piece of equipment to satisfy my hunger and my growing exhaustion.

I managed to erect the tent by the light of my lantern and I settled on a dinner consisting of a bag of carrots and a few warm yogurts I retrieved from the bottom of my backpack. I had no idea which box had the soup and can opener or which bin held the peanut butter and bread, so I made a mental note to label everything the next time I embarked on such an adventure. I managed to gather enough deadwood to build a small campfire, wrote in my journal about the day’s events by flashlight, and decided to sleep in my clothes because I was far too tired to try and guess which of the 6 duffle bags contained my pyjamas.

But where was the nearest washroom? Not that I am above using the woods if need be, but surely there was a washroom close-by. I had forgotten to scout out the nearest facility from the excitement of the sunset followed by the necessity of building my shelter. You can imagine the thrill of discovering a tandem outhouse with a sink and cold running water just a short distance from my campsite. After a quick wash I crawled into my tent with flashlight in hand and car keys around my neck. (The car keys stayed around my neck whenever they weren’t in the ignition in case I had to run for cover in the event a bear decided to invade my personal space). And so, I settled onto the thinner-than-I-thought sleeping pad, pulled the sleeping bag over my head and tucked the can of bear spray under my pillow. I was in bear country, after all.

I didn’t sleep much. It’s amazing how the sound of a mouse chewing on a seed on the other side of the tent can seem daunting in the dark of night. I tossed and turned at every sound, every hoot, and every crack of a branch that was surely breaking under the weight of an approaching bear. After obsessing about bears and bugs and bumps in the night for a few hours, I was finally lulled to sleep by the sound of the not-so-distant waves lapping at the pebbled shore.

The glow of the next morning’s sunrise gave me the excuse to say goodbye to the confines of the tent and hello to the beach for an early morning walk. Although I was tired, I was proud of myself for not sleeping in the car.?? My first camp breakfast consisting of a pot of freshly brewed coffee and a bowl of hot oatmeal, dried fruit and nuts was an accomplishment. It wasn’t fancy but it was enough to satisfy my hunger from the night before and I had figured out how to work a propane cylinder with the camp burner stove. In between bites I began to take down the tent and repack the car until I caught this little guy helping himself every time I turned my back.

It’s amazing what a change of clothes and a bar of soap can do for you after a long night of little sleep. Although the smell of the outhouse permeated every fibre of my nostrils, I was happy to feel refreshed and ready to greet day two of my adventure. ?I was feeling quite accomplished until I saw a group of campers walk past my site with shower kits in hand and towels draped over their necks. When I asked if there were showers out there somewhere, they pointed and informed me there were really nice facilities just up the road a bit. You can imagine my sarcastic excitement. Excellent. Showers and flush toilets. Note to self: Check the park map before celebrating the discovery of an outhouse.

The highlight of Agawa Bay, besides the spectacular beach sunset, was a brief conversation I had with a woman whom I met while walking the beach at sunrise. She was a newly retired school teacher from England and had waited her whole life to visit Canada. After sharing my plan to drive to the furthest, most westerly shore in Canada, another 5000 kilometres give or take, she looked concerned and asked, “Are you driving all alone, to the Pacific Ocean and back?” When I confirmed that I was alone, and indeed I would be driving to the far side of Vancouver Island and back, she squealed with delight and said, “How marvellous!”, and then she hugged me.

Stay tuned. We will be posting a new instalment of this amazing cross Canada road trip every friday.

Next stop: Day 2/20 – Wawa to Thunder Bay, Ontario

Stay tuned every friday for the next installment of The Great Canadian Road Trip

View the original article here

The Great Canadian Road Trip: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to Banff, Alberta

Free Firewood and Freezing Rain

Route: Trans Canada Highway 1 WestDriving Distance: 9 hours, 828 kmFavourite Song: Hopeless Wanderer, Mumford & SonsQuote of the Day: “To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” Freya Stark

After an interesting conversation with European travellers over a morning meal at Wakamow Heights Bed and Breakfast, it was time to hit the road and say farewell to “The Friendly City” of Moose Jaw. I must have been out of my mind when I mapped out this driving day; 800 km to my campsite in Banff National Park didn’t seem like a big deal during the planning phase of this Canada road trip, but as I headed for the hills I was concerned I wouldn’t make it before dark.

As flat as the Prairies are, there are some interesting sites along the way. There are salt lakes and rivers throughout Saskatchewan, and when you come upon them it looks like snow covering the ground. I was unable to get a photo, but this is an example of what it looks like thanks to a Toronto to Vancouver bike tour blogger.

For practical purposes, salt resources in Saskatchewan may be considered unlimited. The principle source, and the sole source of present production, is the thick, massive halite of the extensive Prairie Formation in the southern half of the province. The Prairie Formation is also the basis for Saskatchewan’s potash mining industry. Government of Saskatchewan

Photo: B-Tour

I arrived in Swift Current in just under two hours, and after seeing the state of my car’s front grille and struggling to see through the hundreds of smeared bug splats on my windshield, I decided it was time for my trusted companion to have a bath. I passed a big casino on my way to the car wash; The Living Sky Casino’s architecture was part Las Vegas and part First Nations Longhouse. It would have been fun to throw a twenty in a slot machine, but there was no time for play that day so I continued on my way. I sound like Dr. Seuss.

Photo: Living Sky Casino

I enjoyed my time getting to know the Prairies but I was anxious to cross the Alberta border for many reasons. One, the mountains were my happy place and I couldn’t wait to be nestled among them for the next two weeks. Two, I was getting closer and closer to meeting ‘T’ after a very long decade of not seeing his face. Lastly, I was excited to return to sleeping outside, building a fire and making camp coffee.

Speaking of ‘T’ (see Day 4 if you missed the part about a man), I hadn’t heard from him and I was beginning to feel a bit wonky about the whole thing. Meeting someone after not seeing them for almost 10 years was a little out of my comfort zone. No doubt it was outside of his as well, and perhaps was the reason I hadn’t heard from him. I texted him this cheesy picture as I crossed over into his home Province to lighten the mood. I made a deal with myself that if I didn’t hear from him by tomorrow, I’d keep heading west and not look back. If I did hear from him, I’d make the 90 minute backtrack from the campgrounds of Banff to the big city of Calgary for a visit. My favourite Alberta song came on the radio, “Alberta Bound” by Paul Brandt, so I turned it up as I merged back onto Trans Canada Highway 1 West, with 5 hours and 500 kilometres to go.

RELATED:?Riding Dirty Off-Roading in Sundridge, Ontario

The closer I got to Calgary, the more my stomach flipped.

I could see the faint, rugged peaks of the Rockies far off in the distance and as I’d anticipated, it wasn’t long before the mountains grew larger and more magnificent with every mile. The town of Canmore is located one?hour west of Calgary on a good traffic day. I fell in love with it the first time “T” showed it to me a decade ago, and I loved it still. Canmore and Kananaskis Country is host to some of the most beautiful scenery I’d ever seen, knew the area was extremely special to him, and as a matter of trivia, was the backdrop for a few of my favourite movies; Mystery Alaska and Legends of the Fall to name a few. I stopped to stock up on a few groceries, grabbed a coffee at a familiar Tim Horton’s, and I leaned up against my car with a view of the 3 Sisters Mountain while I sipped on my extra large coffee. I took a few deep breaths and felt extremely grateful for where I was standing at that very moment.

Photo: Escape to Alberta (The 3 Sisters in early spring)

I had never camped in Banff National Park before and I was excited for the chance to do so. Banff is a post card mountain town and it’s usually full of global tourists 365 days a year.?? Although I didn’t have time to look around on my way to the campground, I planned to head into town the following morning to walk a small trail beside one of Canada’s iconic castles, The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

RELATED:?Top 10 Road Trip Destinations on a Cross Canada Adventure

The weather over the past several days had been nothing short of spectacular but as I got closer to Banff, the closer I got to dark, menacing clouds. I had reserved a spot at the Tunnel Mountain 1 Campground so when I pulled up to the booth, registration was problem free and there was plenty of daylight to spare. The female Park Attendant told me to help myself to the pile of free firewood a short drive away, and when I asked about the clouds, she said no rain had fallen. Yet.

My site was awesome and private. I was surrounded by towering pines that filled the air with their sweet scent and I could see the mountains through the trees. I was in heaven and I had hours worth of campfire to enjoy. It was only 6:30pm by the time I set up camp, so I took a small stroll around my campsite and discovered trails that led into the wilderness in every direction. Now where did I put that bear spray…

Dinner was not elaborate that night; it didn’t need to be. I was so happy that soup and herbal tea with a side of chocolate was gourmet enough for me. The splendour that surrounded me was so delicious that I didn’t need a ton of food to fill up what the scenery already had. I could have stayed there for days, but when I heard the loud crack of thunder at dusk I changed my mind. Just let me get through this night without getting soaked to the bone, I thought.

After several hours of poking at the logs on the fire, the cloudy night sky gave way to a full moon and the trees and mountains glowed in the night’s light. I was thankful for no rain and offered my gratitude by smiling up at the moon. It was approaching midnight by the time I could?feel the cold, and I finally gave in to the tiredness that was invading every crevice of my body. After the last log turned to red and white coals, I grabbed some extra clothes for warmth and zipped myself into the tent for the night. Tomorrow was going to be a big day and I didn’t want to look as if I’d been up half the night. As I drifted off to sleep I heard the gentle sound of rain and I felt peaceful. Good timing.

A little while later I awoke to the sound of a torrential downpour. It was 2am and I flicked my flashlight on to do a quick survey of the tent; so far everything was still dry so I fell back to sleep again. I was so tired I didn’t think anything would prevent me from getting a solid 7 hours.

Somewhere around 4am I was awake again and it was raining harder. I shone my flashlight to assess the situation and this time found water pooling in all four corners. The extra clothes, piled neatly in one of them, were already soaked. I grabbed my phone out from under my pillow and put it in my wool jacket pocket. I was sleeping in a full set of clothes and an alpaca sweater that I’d bought at a market in the high Andes of Ecuador earlier that year. Yes, it was that cold. The good news was the spot I’d picked to lay my sleeping bag; it was on slightly higher ground than the corners and figured I had at least 2 inches of water to go before I’d be soaked on all sides. Whilst patting myself on the back for finding the bright side, several loud cracks of thunder made me jump off my sleeping pad. I was somewhere between crying and laughing when the tent’s fly began to flap furiously in the wind. When I heard the rain turn to ice pellets, I pulled the sleeping bag over my head. I crossed every part of my body as I wished for a warm Chinook wind to replace the ferocious, ice cold monsoon that had descended upon me.

Day break came before 7am and I reached for my phone and began to text everyone I knew for some moral support before I had to face the weather and pack up my camp in the downpour. All I could think of was how tired and road weary I was going to look at my reunion. I retrieved my rubber boots from the trunk, grabbed a juice box and a granola bar from one of the bins in the back seat, and stood under my umbrella eating breakfast in the pouring rain. I watched a man and woman pack up their campsite a little further down the road before I heard him tell her to go sit in the car while he took care of it. Pffft. No sense crying over the fact I had to do it myself. I could be out of there in 20 minutes if I was organized, logical and didn’t cry about it.

I had heard from “T” the night before and we’d settled on dinner in Calgary around 6pm. I had an entire day to fill up, so I decided to go into Banff for a morning walk, a better breakfast, and then drive to Lake Louise for and walk around the lake for a few hours. He introduced me to Lake Louise, and I thought it would be poignant to visit it before seeing him again. ?I know. Sap.

As I packed up my tent, I dressed in waterproof couture from head to toe so I could properly play in the rain. I was so excited about a return trip to Lake Louise and my later dinner date that it didn’t matter that the weather wasn’t perfect. It didn’t matter until the rain turned to snow a few hours later, which is when I realized I had no snow brush, no mittens and no sense of humour.

RELATED:?Top Ten Road Trips to Escape the City this Labour Day Weekend?

Day 4:?? Winnipeg to Moose Jaw

View the original article here