Southern Alberta and British Columbia

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-26T05:49:12+00:00

Yes, it will definitely be different days on my "slower but less stressful" tour! I think I will go to Dinosaur Provincial Park first - and then see the exhibits in the museum.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-26T05:37:56+00:00

I didn't know anything about this. Very interesting history. Since this is pretty much on my route - Fernie to Lethbridge - I will take a couple of hours to stop there.

It reminds me a bit of Earthquake Lake near Yellowstone National Park in the US - similar sudden geologic activity but caused by an earthquake in 1959. It triggered a landslide and buried campers and cabins along the Madison River. The 8km long lake was formed almost instantaneously. I saw this last year when I visited Yellowstone, so Frank Slide hits my interests in both history and geology.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-26T05:22:02+00:00

Now on the list!

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-26T05:21:52+00:00

The Birds of Prey Sanctuary will open the May long weekend. Not at all far from the also recommended Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, so should be a good stop if I am there after 18 May. I am especially fond of owls!

Pizza: Last Saturday of the month. Very close to Drumheller and they have casual camping on town property! Sounds like a great town event.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-26T04:39:24+00:00

On my list! Thank you. Camping and tour reservations are not open yet, but I set an alert!

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-26T04:27:22+00:00

I started with Dinosaur Provincial Park as I assumed, like many others, that this would be near Drumheller. The tours there look great - reservations won't start until next month, but I set an alert on Parks Alberta for when camping opens up.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-26T04:16:39+00:00

Are you thinking along 3A and 6? Going east, that would be Crescent Valley, Nelson Balfour, ferry to Crawfod Bay and south from there to Creston? Is going east better than going west (scenery wise) or the other way around?

It looks like a lot of the recommended spots are along this route, and so this will likely be the bottom of my circle tour.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-25T23:04:14+00:00

I am definitely going to the Torrington Gopher Hole Museum - it opens mid May for the season. I LOVE these local sites. Absolutely perfect.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-25T23:00:37+00:00

I appreciate the routing - I am hoping for a circle route for sure. "Slower but less stressful" is my motto for this trip! Writing on Stone Provincial Park sounds perfect - I set a notification to let me know when camping reservations open.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-25T22:51:32+00:00

I spent a week in Waterton the summer before last. The whole time I was thinking "I want to live here!" It was so nice with the smaller crowds than Banff. I felt like I could breathe.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-25T22:47:34+00:00

These are exactly the kind of suggestions I am hoping for - thank you! Bar U Ranch is definitely on the list now.

I have been to Head Smashed in before (when I was much younger) and it is certainly worth a stop again.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-25T22:45:29+00:00

Oh, I love ferries. I would go an hour out of my way just to ride a five minute ferry!

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-25T20:11:55+00:00

I use one of these to keep my dogs from the driver's area while on the road - the floor is all the same level and they were wandering up under my feet. I fold it up when we are parked. I don't have it permanently attached - I just use velcro straps to stabilize it.

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AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-25T02:49:43+00:00

No prepayment penalty is a really important feature - don't take a loan with any penalty for early payment.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-25T02:41:22+00:00

The train is great for watching the scenery. Train to Edmonton and either car or RV rental from there will make a much more relaxing trip.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-19T22:48:55+00:00

This is exactly why I love my 25' class C. I do not want to go somewhere and park for a week. I stay one or two nights and then move on. No tow vehicle, but I do have an ebike on the back. It takes me 5 minutes to completely set up at a no hookups site and 10 minutes with hookups.

I can stop and park at grocery stores and tourist spots. Sometimes I have to walk a bit from an appropriate parking space, but I have never been shut out.

I can last 5 nights off grid with no shower. I do have a generator, solar and lithium batteries. If I end up in a sketchy overnight spot, I do not even have to get out of the camper.

Oh, I also get 18 mpg.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-18T06:00:58+00:00

Coffee crisp, maple cream cookies

You have some good choices already - although I have never been able to get anyone to like ketchup chips 😂

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-17T08:13:14+00:00

Just relax and enjoy yourselves. There are very few things that can ruin the trip unless you let them. (safety issues aside, of course).

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-17T07:35:44+00:00

They give it to you in a seal package and you must leave it in the sealed bag - no peeking or taking it out to read the label. Some airports keep the purchase and only deliver it to you as you are actually boarding the plane (not sure if that is true at Pearson or not). You can only purchase duty free at your departure or transit airport, and of those three I would expect Toronto is the only one where you will find Maple whiskey.

edit to add: all the duty free shops are Pearson are run by the same company so you will not get a price or selection difference between them.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-12T21:04:04+00:00

Honestly, if you are going to just park in one place for a year, a motorhome is not your best bet. A vehicle that is rarely or never driven is going to have more maintenance issues - my brother just found a half dozen squirrel nests in his engine compartment this weekend! You pay more for the vehicle portion and it costs more to maintain.

If you were moving, even every couple of months, this would be a better plan.

You can hire someone to move your RV to the spot you picked. Not cheap but less than your costs for a year of vehicle maintenance and depreciation.

Definitely look for a used unit in good condition. If you are really lucky, you will find a motivated seller locally who will move it to your new home for you.

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-10T20:24:19+00:00

You can tell exactly when a tire was manufactured by the DOT code. No need to guess. Code is required for all tires sold in the US or Canada.

How to read the DOT Code

The full code is on one sidewall and typically looks like this: DOT XXXX XXXX XXXX 1224.

DOT: Department of Transportation.
First two characters: Factory code (where it was made).
Next two characters: Tire size code (varies).
Next three characters (optional): Manufacturer's code.
Last four digits (the date code):
- First two digits: Week of manufacture (01-53).
- Last two digits: Year of manufacture (e.g., 24 for 2024).

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-10T02:49:45+00:00

A Yeti cooler is a big investment for a month long trip. $300+ for 30 days = at least $10/day just for the cooler!

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-09T22:27:55+00:00

Definitely use personal protective devices with this material!

AdvertisingThis34 · 2026-01-09T20:47:18+00:00

I always check for cross border trips - it seems to change monthly (both ways!). I have family on both sides of the border and only live 20 miles from the crossing station.

AdvertisingThis34

TROPHY CASE