Toronto-Vancouver and Back

[CruiserRomey]

awesome dude! ssoo jealous! if you've got at least two or three days plus factor in time to drive to Yellowstone on top of your drive back to home, I say go for it!

[Anesh]

Well, finally i got thru 3000+ pics and selected a few.

The trip was an amazing experience, altho I wish we had more time to stop at places, explore and visit more.

We camped most of the times, a few days we stayed at motels because it was too late to find/setup camp. In Vancouver we stayed at my brothers apartment, luckily my truck fitted on the underground parking with one inch spare from the ceiling after i removed everything from the roof rack.

Anyways heres the progress/routes by day:

Day 1 Mississauga ON-Espanola, ON (thru Tobermory Ferry) (I wish we had more time to explore Tobermory)

















We met with Lucas and Darcy and they welcomed us into their new awesome place in Espanola where we spent our first night. Thanks again.!








Day 2 Espanola, ON-Thunder Bay, ON













Miscalculated gas stop, glad I brought extra fuel.










We were planing to spend the night at Ouimet Provincial Park (few Kms before TBay), we found out when we got there that there is no camping spots at that PP, its only walking trails. After walking part of it for about half hour, we kept driving to TBay.












Hit a dead deer on the hwy at night 5km from TBay, it barely gave me a chance to swerve and not hit it with my wheels... bad things would have had happened if i did. Im glad i put my skid plates on.





Day 3 Thunder Bay, ON-Virden, MB





This food trailer at a gas station somewhere around Dryden,ON looked very interesting, so we stopped to eat there. Disappointingly, they did not had any of their menu items we were asking for, it took us 5 tries to find out she only had hamburgers and hot dogs.








Endless trains






We drove thru Brandon, MB and crossed what it seemed to be a long bridge across a river/lake. It wasn't until we saw this roofs tops that we realized it was a flooded river.






Our first camping, just pass Virden, MB






Day 4 Virden, MB-Calgary, AB





Driving thru Saskatchewan, we took a little detour from hwy 1 at Moose Jaw SK, and went south to hwy 43 and then back up to hwy 1 at Swift Current, SK.














Driving to Dinosaur Provincial Park, one of the coolest places we visited on the trip.








Got there just in time to snap this pic before they closed the visitors center










Notice a giant kid on the hill










Stopped at a truck scales just to see how much I weighted. Heres the front axel in Kg


Rear axel in Kg, total 1350+1240 = 2590Kg




Day 5 Calgary, AB-Banff, AB (Johnston Canyon)



In Calgary we stayed with a friend of ours, Gilbertos, that had just moved there and was renting a basement, the house owner, Marta, received us very well, very nice lady.! She just had bought a food kiosk at the Farmers Market in Calgary, Marta's Kitchen, where we went for breakfast, great food.!!






Notice the price on this rare square watermelons imported from Japan.


Old Olympic place in Calgary


First sign of The Rockies


Weird circle cloud/smoke


















What are the chances? this was the only parking spot left in the whole lot, when I parked there met the owner that was getting back into his truck. We spoke for a bit, he had just bought a land somewhere in the rockies in BC and was going gold mining in it with his girlfriend/wife, he was also making a documentary and started filming our trucks.




Also saw a lot of these all over BC

[Bow_Tied]

cool pics!

[Anesh]

Day 6 Johnston Canyon, AB-Jasper, AB-Clearwater,BC



The most spectacular drive I've ever done. This is what we woke up to.




Lake Louis








Moraine Lake












Forest fire








One for the Club


Athabasca Glacier, scratches on hard rocks






















Jasper,BC, would have loved to stay more time here, but it was packed with tourist, we couldn't find where to stay and since it was getting late we kept driving towards BC.




Crossing the AB-BC border






Long day, we made it to a motel in Clearwater, BC around 10pm.

Day 7 Clearwater,BC-Whistler-Vancouver, BC

Another awesome drive.!!




Stopped here, just pass Kamloops to make some lunch with such a horrible scenery... we couldn't resist.




In this area all signs were in English and Native language











Splash of glacier water.... yes it was cold.!! there goes my ice bucket challenge.




So, we arrived at Pemberton around 4pm, the hwy was closed from Pemberton to Whistler till 5pm, the result, almost dead stopped traffic jam when they opened it... this was very frustrating, but at least we had nice scenery...


The traffic and amount of people was so bad that we didn't even stopped at Whistler and kept driving towards Vancouver.




Nice toyota on Lions Bay, BC


Finally, we made it to Vancouver, crossing the Lions Gate bridge




First thing you do when you don't see your brother for almost 3 years... MAKE NOISE UTIL THE NEIGHBOURS COMPLAIN.!!!


Day 8 Visit Deep Cove and Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver, BC









Lynn Canyon hike








To get to Lynn Canyon it was a bit of a hike thru the woods, we did most of it but stopped a Twin Falls to take pictures of a rescue that was happening here. This guys were jumping from the rocks and just when we got to see the falls, we saw one of theme rolling down and bouncing on the rocks and land in the pool below. Then all his friends jumped in and pulled him out of the water. Within 5 min there were 3 paramedics onsite, within 20 min there were over 30 paramedics, fire rescuers to help with the rescue that took over an hour. Not sure what the injuries were on the kid.
















Day 9 Walk around Vancouver Downtown



Lots of walking




Saw a few of these too
















We got to Third Beach, here a bunch of people get together on Tuesdays and bring drums, percussive instruments and some guitars and jus jam and dance along. When the sun goes down, they all go crazy. Very nice vibe












Day 10-11 Victoria, BC



























Fresh Dungeness Crab... very expensive, but delicious...




Mount Baker in USA, active volcano.


Back in Vancouver... Walking around the city at night...
There are public acoustic pianos scattered around Downtown Vancouver, we stopped at one of them to play for a bit, another guy with a mandolin also stopped and started playing along.


Day 12 Vancouver,BC-Merritt,BC


Scientific coffee brewing..




Some light painting photography






Day 13,14,15 Merritt, BC

We found a very hidden campground, we stayed here for a few days and explored around the area and did some hikes, fishing, and simply relax.

Our campsite.




lots of these


and these






We did a bit of wheeling too, the host at the campground gave us a map of all the contry skiing trails in the area and told me I could go anywhere I wanted.! there where only a couple little spots that were tight and a bit challenging, but nothing too crazy. Nice trails.


Moooooove


Night at the trails

[CruiserRomey]

awsome dude! great pics! cool, i've taken similar shots in the same places you took yours. Glad you got to see dinosaur prov. park. can't wait to go there again with my kids.

so, any lemon situations along the way? anything you'd do differently?

oh yeah, great shots on all the JDM diesel trucks!

[Morpheus]

nice documentary!

[Anesh]

Day 16 Merritt,BC-Revelstok,BC





Winery country










A lot of avalanche tunnels




Day 17 Revelstok, BC-Field, BC



The best camping spot of the trip. The Takakkaw Fall. There are no vehicles allowed on the campground, you have to use these carts to put your stuff in and walk about 300 meters to the camping spots. Its also self serve,you put the money on an envelope to pay for the campsite and fire permit if you want one, and drop them in a box. Firewood its like 7$ but you grab as much as you want, whenever you want.


















Day 18 Field, BC-Drumheller, AB. Sad for leaving The Rockies behind





Natural Bridge, Field, BC




Emerald Lake, Field BC.






Spiral Tunnels Field BC.


We were lucky to see a train go thru this Spiral Tunnels. There are 2 Spiral Tunnels, its basically to slow the trains down coming down hill. They make 2 full loops inside the mountain. In this picture, you can see the train in 3 different places, and they are all moving different oposite to each other.




Back in Banff, AB






Saying bye to the Rockies... we'll miss them...


Calgary, AB


Drumheller, AB. Cool dinosaur town.. they were everywhere.

[Anesh]

Day 19 Drumheller, AB-Regina, SK



Wayne, AB old mining town. Population then 2,490. Population now, 38.




Kinda disappointing that they had Corona, Canadian, Bud, and other brand name beers and regular cocktails in this hidden bar. I was expecting some local brew, unique, or some sort of crazy drink that makes you see northern lights at day time....










They still have original bullet holes from back in the day. Also, there was a famous horse that used to brake beer barrels by kicking them and then drink the beer. Also he horse wondered inside the bar and people gave them beer.




A suspension bridge




The Hoodoos








Atlas Coal Mine Museum












We had plan and reserved a camping spot on the outsides of Regina, when we got there around 11pm, there was a nasty thunderstorm. So we decided to drink Kelowna wine and try to sleep in the car. At 5am, couldn't sleep anymore and started driving.

Day 20 Regina, SK-Thunderbay, ON (Sleeping Giant Provincial Park)





Kenora, ON




Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Few Kms from Thunderbay.




Lots of deers here (this area is where i hit the dead one). This guy walked right behind us with no fear whatsoever, scared the s... out of us


Under the moonlight


Day 22 Sleeping Giant-Espanola, ON









Cold.!!




We visited Lucas and Darcy in Espanola again.

Day 22 Espanola ON-Grundy Lake Provincial Park



Went fishing with Lucas in the morning, 5 min from his place.










Day 23 Grundy Lake-Toronto, ON (Last Day)



Parry Sound ON






Our last meal in a restaurant in PS






White Falls, Georgan Bay.

[Anesh]

awsome dude! great pics! cool, i've taken similar shots in the same places you took yours. Glad you got to see dinosaur prov. park. can't wait to go there again with my kids.

so, any lemon situations along the way? anything you'd do differently?

oh yeah, great shots on all the JDM diesel trucks!

Thanks man.! I was reading your bible while driving to try visit most of those spots you mentioned lol

What would I do different?

hmm... I would have loved to have more time, so I can stay in places longer and get to explore them better. It felt like we were rushing and missing out some points of interest.
There was so much to do and see that it was very hard to decide where to go. I think almost anywhere you choose to go, you won't be wrong, so may be choosing a place and stay for few days and get the most out of it then move to the next destination, if we had more time.

Also, chose a different time of the year when there are less tourist traffic in the Rockies. It was very hard to find available camping/rooms, even in Johnston Canyon we had to stay in a "overflow ground" which we shared with many other campers. We seemed to be one step ahead of the tourist; like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, and some others, we got to those places with a little to no line up, but when we were leaving the place, it was jammed packed, huge line ups of cars and tour buses. But at Jasper, Whistler, Squamish, Revelstok, it was so packed that we didn't even bother stopping, so we missed visiting those places.

[Anesh]

[PiDGE]

Man you've had the trip of a life time. Some very neat and interesting places you've visited. Nice stuff guys.

[JAS]

Congrats on a great trip and awesome pictures!
Thank you for sharing them.

[Miner]

Well done

Looking at the scales; 5,710 lbs is damn close to my 6,000 lbs. What is the GVWR on a X?

[Anesh]

Thanks.! Glad you guys are enjoying the pics.

Not sure what the GVWR of an X is. But i had full set of skid plates, sliders, bumper, winch, had my rear seats, cargo area, and roof rack fully loaded plus spare gas. It did felt pretty heavy.