Hey you awesome fans of Lucas' Awesome Road Trip Across Canada!
I am sad to say but this will be my last post :( I have had a lot of fun posting updates along my trip. It's sad that I won't be waking up each morning to your great comments. I hope you guys can comment and send me a link if you ever choose to make a blog about your own road trip across Canada.
Here are the sites we researched to plan our trip:
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
The last stop :( Vancouver BC!
Hey again guys,
This is one of my last posts. I know it is sad, right? But I am now in Vancouver. We left Banff at around 9 am and got in at around 7 pm. I just checked in to my hotel, and Kiah met up with us at the hotel! It was great to see Kiah because I had not seen her in a few months. She is doing well, apart from a few scrapes and bruises, of course.
Kiah crashed the night in our hotel. The next day we all went to a Vancouver White Caps FC Game. It was a very entertaining match. After we all went to a nice restaurant called the Five Sails. Overall I would give the restaurant a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
The weather is out west is very different than that of Central Canada. To show what I mean, here are some climate graphs of Vancouver and Toronto:
This is one of my last posts. I know it is sad, right? But I am now in Vancouver. We left Banff at around 9 am and got in at around 7 pm. I just checked in to my hotel, and Kiah met up with us at the hotel! It was great to see Kiah because I had not seen her in a few months. She is doing well, apart from a few scrapes and bruises, of course.
Kiah crashed the night in our hotel. The next day we all went to a Vancouver White Caps FC Game. It was a very entertaining match. After we all went to a nice restaurant called the Five Sails. Overall I would give the restaurant a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
 |
| Fine dining in Vancouver |
The weather is out west is very different than that of Central Canada. To show what I mean, here are some climate graphs of Vancouver and Toronto:
 |
| This is a Vancouver climate graph |
 |
| This is a Toronto climate graph |
Banff AB!!!!
I am in Banff National Park. We left Calgary at 12:30 pm after we had lunch, and we arrived at about 2 pm. The drive was very nice. After we arrived we went to see a bit of the town. There wasn't much to see, so we headed off to the park to do some camping and hiking. I am a little disappointed that there is not any back country camping. So we are staying at a "car camping" spot instead (not my idea).
We have reserved a very nice spot - Two Jacks Lakeside Site 40. It is a very beautiful site - there is a small wooded area and you can see the lake. After we checked in, we went for a hike. We did the Spray River loop, which the guide book said it would take 3 to 4 hours, but we did it in 2 hours.
We got back in time for dinner. We had shrimp that we cooked in a cast-iron skillet on a MSR Whisperlite stove that we got at MEC.
 |
| The campsite that we stayed at |
 |
| The campsite at a different angle |
 |
| A great picture that I took of Banff National Park |
Calgary AB!
Hey guys,
I am now in Calgary and almost done my road trip :(. But that means that I am that much closer to seeing my big sister Kiah :)! We left Regina at about 9:00 am, and arrived at about 5:00 pm. So after we got to Calgary, we checked in at the Fairmont Palliser. The Fairmont Palliser is owned by the same company that owns the Chateau Laurier and the Chateau Frontenac. It is a very nice hotel.
The next morning we went to the Calgary Zoo. We spent the morning there. My favourite part was the hippopotamuses and watching them under water.
In the afternoon, we went to the Calgary Stampede. My favourite part of this was the chuckwagon race.
 |
| The pool where I spent as much time as I could! |
The next morning we went to the Calgary Zoo. We spent the morning there. My favourite part was the hippopotamuses and watching them under water.
 |
| Hippos that I saw at the Calgary Zoo |
In the afternoon, we went to the Calgary Stampede. My favourite part of this was the chuckwagon race.
 |
| Chuckwagon Racing at the Calgary Stampede |
I'm in Saskatchewan! Regina to be exact
Hey again guys!
We've more than halfway completed our trip! We were on the road from Winnipeg by 9 am. It took us about six and a half hours to get to Regina; we arrived at about 3:30 pm. This was just in time to go to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. Since I found the Inuit art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery so fascinating, we decided to visit the First Nations Gallery. I thought that it was a very interesting experience, and I now know more about a very important Canadian culture, the First Nations.
The next day we took a day trip to Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. It took about an hour and a quarter, and the drive was a good opportunity to see some Canadian wheat farms, a crop that is extremely common in the prairies. The prairies are called the "Breadbasket of Canada" because they have the perfect conditions to grow wheat, the main ingredient in the bread that will be sold all over Canada.
According to kids.britannica.com: "Weather that is comfortable for humans is also good for wheat. Wheat needs 12 to 15 inches (31 to 38 centimeters) of water to produce a good crop. It grows best when temperatures are warm, from 70° to 75° F (21° to 24° C), but not too hot. Wheat also needs a lot of sunshine, especially when the grains are filling. Areas with low humidity are better since many wheat diseases thrive in damp weather."
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park was very nice. It is located in the interior plains which were once covered with many different kinds of grasses. Today, the interior plains physical features is grass with long roots like bluestems, June grass, porcupine grass as well as pine, spruce and fir trees. Most farmers own large hectares of land and grow oat, barley and wheat. The area has plenty of water and sunlight.
We've more than halfway completed our trip! We were on the road from Winnipeg by 9 am. It took us about six and a half hours to get to Regina; we arrived at about 3:30 pm. This was just in time to go to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. Since I found the Inuit art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery so fascinating, we decided to visit the First Nations Gallery. I thought that it was a very interesting experience, and I now know more about a very important Canadian culture, the First Nations.
The next day we took a day trip to Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. It took about an hour and a quarter, and the drive was a good opportunity to see some Canadian wheat farms, a crop that is extremely common in the prairies. The prairies are called the "Breadbasket of Canada" because they have the perfect conditions to grow wheat, the main ingredient in the bread that will be sold all over Canada.
According to kids.britannica.com: "Weather that is comfortable for humans is also good for wheat. Wheat needs 12 to 15 inches (31 to 38 centimeters) of water to produce a good crop. It grows best when temperatures are warm, from 70° to 75° F (21° to 24° C), but not too hot. Wheat also needs a lot of sunshine, especially when the grains are filling. Areas with low humidity are better since many wheat diseases thrive in damp weather."
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park was very nice. It is located in the interior plains which were once covered with many different kinds of grasses. Today, the interior plains physical features is grass with long roots like bluestems, June grass, porcupine grass as well as pine, spruce and fir trees. Most farmers own large hectares of land and grow oat, barley and wheat. The area has plenty of water and sunlight.
 |
| Map of Regina to Buffalo Pond Provincial Park, about an hour's drive from Regina |
 |
| The MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina |
 |
| A lake in Buffalo Pond Provincial Park |
Monday, January 13, 2014
Back in Canada! Winnipeg MB
Hey Awesome Fans of Lucas' Awesome Road Trip Across Canada!
I am back in Canada! This means that I can actually use my phone!
The USA was great but it's nice to be back in Canada. Because that is the point of this CANADIAN road trip, right? The trip back into Canada wasn't bad. It took 9 hours and 15 minutes. Since us guys don't need our beauty sleep as much we decided to get up and on the road at about quarter to 8 am. The border wasn't terrible, so it only took us about half an hour to get through. In total it took us about 9 and a quarter hours. So we checked in at about 5 pm.
The next morning my father and I went to the Forks Market. It is a little like Ottawa's Byward Market. We had breakfast at The Original Pancake House. It was very good! Also at the Forks Market, we went to the Winnipeg Railway Museum, where we saw the Countess of Dufferin, the first steam locomotive on the Canadian Prairies.
We also passed the Museum for Human Rights, which is set to open in mere months on September 14th, 2014. It's the only museum not in Ottawa that is paid for by the government of Canada! I would love to go back one day when it's open.
One museum that was open was the Winnipeg Art Gallery, which is Canada's oldest gallery. I'm not a huge fan of art galleries, but my dad wanted to go so he dragged me along. I was interested in the contemporary Inuit art; they have world's largest public collection. I like the attention to detail with some of the sculptures.
The weather was unseasonably hot (mid 30s rather than mid 20s), so we were happy to be inside.
I am back in Canada! This means that I can actually use my phone!
The USA was great but it's nice to be back in Canada. Because that is the point of this CANADIAN road trip, right? The trip back into Canada wasn't bad. It took 9 hours and 15 minutes. Since us guys don't need our beauty sleep as much we decided to get up and on the road at about quarter to 8 am. The border wasn't terrible, so it only took us about half an hour to get through. In total it took us about 9 and a quarter hours. So we checked in at about 5 pm.
The next morning my father and I went to the Forks Market. It is a little like Ottawa's Byward Market. We had breakfast at The Original Pancake House. It was very good! Also at the Forks Market, we went to the Winnipeg Railway Museum, where we saw the Countess of Dufferin, the first steam locomotive on the Canadian Prairies.
We also passed the Museum for Human Rights, which is set to open in mere months on September 14th, 2014. It's the only museum not in Ottawa that is paid for by the government of Canada! I would love to go back one day when it's open.
One museum that was open was the Winnipeg Art Gallery, which is Canada's oldest gallery. I'm not a huge fan of art galleries, but my dad wanted to go so he dragged me along. I was interested in the contemporary Inuit art; they have world's largest public collection. I like the attention to detail with some of the sculptures.
The weather was unseasonably hot (mid 30s rather than mid 20s), so we were happy to be inside.
 |
| The Countess of Dufferin |
 |
| Inuit contemporary art sculpture I saw at the Winnipeg Art Gallery |
 |
| The Forks Market |
Chicago IL. Home of Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. Oh and our stop in Rochester MN
Hey again guys, I know I have been blabbing on about my awesome road trip across Canada, so I will try and keep this one as short as possible. Just kidding, I know you love reading about my trip so it will be regular length. We left Toronto at 9 am and arrived in Chicago at 4:45 pm. After we got in, we went and checked in and went for a swim. The next morning we went to the sets of my two favourite T.V. shows. Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!! I got to meet the two Lieutenants of Truck 81 and Squad 3! These characters are played by Jesse Spencer and Taylor Kinney. I also met the rest of the cast. This was just Chicago Fire! Then I went and saw some of the taping of the new show Chicago P.D. Sofia Bush and all of the actors were really nice.
The next morning we got up and were on the road by 8:00 am, and we arrived in Rochester, Minnesota. Yes, Rochester, Minnesota, not Rochester, NY. Now the only reason that we stopped there was because my sister happened to have a hockey camp there. It also split the drive between Chicago and Winnipeg. We said our tearful goodbyes to Aisha, then went to our hotel to stay the night. We did nothing special this night. Tomorrow we will brave Canadian Customs.
Well so long for now, you awesome fans of Lucas' Awesome Road Trip Across Canada!
I will talk to you later
Bye
p.s. The following are a couple of pictures from Chicago and Rochester!
The next morning we got up and were on the road by 8:00 am, and we arrived in Rochester, Minnesota. Yes, Rochester, Minnesota, not Rochester, NY. Now the only reason that we stopped there was because my sister happened to have a hockey camp there. It also split the drive between Chicago and Winnipeg. We said our tearful goodbyes to Aisha, then went to our hotel to stay the night. We did nothing special this night. Tomorrow we will brave Canadian Customs.
Well so long for now, you awesome fans of Lucas' Awesome Road Trip Across Canada!
I will talk to you later
Bye
p.s. The following are a couple of pictures from Chicago and Rochester!
 |
| The cast of one of my favourite T.V. shows, Chicago Fire! |
 |
| The cast of the new show on NBC/GLOBAL, Chicago P.D. |
 |
| The first thing I saw when I drove into Minnesota! |
Sunday, January 12, 2014
The First Stop! Toronto ON
Hey again guys! Today is my first stop, Toronto, Ontario. Because it took us (mostly my sister) so long to get packed, we didn't arrive in Toronto until late last night, around 10 or 11 pm. This morning we got up around 9:30 or 10 am. My dad, my sister, my aunt, my cousin, and I all went to a nice restaurant for breakfast. It was called Sunny Morning and it was near Yonge and St. Clair St in downtown Toronto.
After breakfast, we all went to see the tallest building in Canada, the CN Tower. There is this nice little lemonade stand there so we all had some lemonade. After the CN Tower we went for lunch at Caplansky's Delicatessen, which is located at 356 College St. This place has phenomenal smoked meat, the best I have ever had.
Then we went to Rogers Centre to watch a Jays game. And guess what? They won! After our long day, we just went back to my aunt's apartment and had dinner there, because we had been eating out all day. Tomorrow we will be heading out of Toronto and into the U.S.
So long for now
Lucas
After breakfast, we all went to see the tallest building in Canada, the CN Tower. There is this nice little lemonade stand there so we all had some lemonade. After the CN Tower we went for lunch at Caplansky's Delicatessen, which is located at 356 College St. This place has phenomenal smoked meat, the best I have ever had.
Then we went to Rogers Centre to watch a Jays game. And guess what? They won! After our long day, we just went back to my aunt's apartment and had dinner there, because we had been eating out all day. Tomorrow we will be heading out of Toronto and into the U.S.
So long for now
Lucas
 |
| The tallest building in Canada, the CN Tower |
 |
| Me standing outside Caplansky's |
The Trip Across Canada
 |
| I have finalized where I am going and this is a map of my trip! |
Here is our trip itinerary. We are especially looking forward to seeing Banff National Park and the Fairmont Palliser in Vancouver. Can't wait to get on the road! Talk to you soon, Lucas
 |
| Banff National Park |
 |
| Fairmont Palliser Hotel |
The Juicy Details about My Road Trip Across Canada
Hey AWESOME and loyal fans of Lucas' Awesome Road Trip Across Canada!
I made this blog for a reason: to post about my trip across Canada! My sister, Kiah, is tree planting out in BC and Alberta. She'll be in Vancouver on July 13-14, and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to find out more about my country, Canada.
I will be travelling with my father. My other sister, Aisha, be joining us for part of the trip. We will be driving a super awesome, metallic red Range Rover Autobiography, which I just got for my birthday! (Thanks, Mom!) This vehicle gets good mileage and will be a comfortable ride.
We will be leaving right after school ends, on June 30th. The trip should take us about two weeks, and along the way, we will be making many interesting and exciting stops.
When I was looking on Google Maps, I noticed that to travel between Toronto and Winnipeg, it was showing that I should go through the U.S. The area of the U.S. I was going to go through was right near Chicago! I dragged the route so that I would go through Chicago so I could stop and see the set of my favorite T.V. shows - Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. I will also go to Banff AB and do some hiking! I will then go to Vancouver which I don't yet know what I will do there.
Feel free to follow us on our journey as we travel from Ottawa to Vancouver in two weeks.
I made this blog for a reason: to post about my trip across Canada! My sister, Kiah, is tree planting out in BC and Alberta. She'll be in Vancouver on July 13-14, and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to find out more about my country, Canada.
I will be travelling with my father. My other sister, Aisha, be joining us for part of the trip. We will be driving a super awesome, metallic red Range Rover Autobiography, which I just got for my birthday! (Thanks, Mom!) This vehicle gets good mileage and will be a comfortable ride.
We will be leaving right after school ends, on June 30th. The trip should take us about two weeks, and along the way, we will be making many interesting and exciting stops.
When I was looking on Google Maps, I noticed that to travel between Toronto and Winnipeg, it was showing that I should go through the U.S. The area of the U.S. I was going to go through was right near Chicago! I dragged the route so that I would go through Chicago so I could stop and see the set of my favorite T.V. shows - Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. I will also go to Banff AB and do some hiking! I will then go to Vancouver which I don't yet know what I will do there.
Feel free to follow us on our journey as we travel from Ottawa to Vancouver in two weeks.
 |
| This is the car that I will be driving in. It is a 2013 Range Rover Autobiography |
 |
| Aisha and I are ready to go! |
 |
| Kiah in her tree-planting gear |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)