T minus 24 hours

Because It's There

We have been asked quite a few times "Why this route?" and "What are you going to see?" and neither question solicits a clear answer. 

Back in 2008 we took our first road trip, a coast to coast across the USA from Boston to LA and ever since we have wondered about the same sort of trip but at a different latitude. The USA trip started with Route 66 though it developed into an entirely different trip and our route this time focuses on the Trans Canada Highway from Montreal West.

Canada has always been a source of attraction as a country to us. When I was small an adult cousin moved to Calgary and I loved the photo's and stories of a beautiful country with a real definition between summer and winter. Shining blue skies and lush green in summer and frozen and covered with soft snow in winter; a rather idealistic view I know but that childhood image never left. Lynne has also wanted to see Canada for years. 

We both love mountain scenery and when we reach the Rockies we divert up the Icefield Parkway for a couple of days before continuing West which we are very much looking forward to.

Having decided on a trans continental route it fell to accessibly priced flights from Manchester UK and Montreal to Vancouver fitted best.

So that answers the route question; now to what we will see.

The more we hear the more we think we will become far too familiar with driving past trees in the first few days and prairie stretching out in the following days. Averaging over 250 miles on driving days we will be moving across steadily with not a lot of leeway to go off track. We have also realised that our expectation of varied National Parks encountered along the route is less than expected, we actually pass near very few. We know we will love the few days near the Rockies and we have a couple of days at the end to explore Vancouver but the rest of the drive is, we'll see what we see and come away with memories at the end of it. It's a bit like climbing a mountain, "Because it's There!"

Final Preparation

Check-in completed this morning for outward flights, taxi at 04:10 tomorrow :(  Lynne is satisfied with a window seat on all three legs of the journey :)

Lynne has started packing everything during which I am best otherwise occupied as I just get negative as to how it will all fit. Packing and luggage size has to be planned to fitting into the vehicle out of sight every day and being easily hefted in and out of hotels and lodges.

Team Work

Lynne is the researcher and navigator for these trips then it falls to me to do the booking and travel planning and, when we get there, the driving. It is fortunate that we enjoy and hate different elements of preparing for a trip of this type but by happy coincidence our likes and dislikes do not coincide so we make a perfect team.

Here We Go

So, tomorrow we will be on our way to Canada. If you decide to follow us on the blog, we hope you enjoy the ride.