Tips for Driving from British Columbia to Winnipeg, Manitoba

Crossing part of Canada by car, from British Columbia in the west, to Manitoba smack in the middle of Canada, is a really nice and a reasonably easy drive. Well at least after you get out of the mountain pass between British Columbia and Alberta, it is.

You start in British Columbia, then pass through Alberta, Saskatchewan and finally partway through Manitoba on Highway 1, until you reach the largest city in the Province of Manitoba. That would be Winnipeg.

First you have to cross the winding mountains of British Columbia. There is supposedly another easier way, but a challenge is always a learning experience the first time. After that, any way would be more relaxing. Move 'em out pioneer. We are headed east.

Holding your breath at the steep drops you pass by, until you realize you haven't taken a breath in say , 10 or 15 minutes or so, kind of adds to the fun. You don't even want to venture a look away from what is right in front of you, for one split second. Toothpicks come in handy to make sure you don't blink, and miss a bump or a turn. Adrenaline works well too when you get too close to the edge, or at least you think you do. It is kind of difficult to tell in the pitch black. Caffeine wouldn't even touch those handy adrenaline rushes. Tell yourself to breath. It helps.

The road leading east across the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and finally Manitoba, is an easy and fairly stress free trek, in comparison. That is after you unlock your hands from the steering wheel. Unlocking your arms and hands from the steering wheel, that you are glued to in panic, is no mean feat. Arthritis must feel something like that. Then try to work the knots out of your upper arms and shoulders, from being frozen in one position, while you drove the whole night, at a snails pace across the British Columbia mountains.

The mountains between British Columbia and Alberta are breathtaking, to say the least. They are very worthwhile to see, but no place for a driver who doesn't like to drive mountain passes, to cross in the middle of the night, for the very first time. The unitiated may want to plan their mountain pass to take place in the day time.

It is better than in the middle of the night. There is this roaring river way, way down in the valley that doesn't look like much, from far away. You wouldn't exactly stop there for a quick dip, unless of course you are into fast white water rafting.

The lower western part of the trip through the old winding road, is a little nerve wracking, when you have impatient old pros, who have driven the pass countless times, riding your tail. When it gets to a really steep part, it is nice to just slow down behind a semi going, say 10 miles or even 10 kilometres an hour or so, in order to catch your breath and get your nerve back. No one is going to honk at one of the guys in their big old trucks to hurry up. You try hauling what they do over those little mountain roads, driving those monster trucks, on skinny winding roads. They get the right of way.

You may, at times on the drive, find yourself remembering that story from your childhood about the little engine that could. "I think I can. I think I can" and then, "I know I can. I know I can."

Just to warn you, you may catch yourself asking" Why am I doing this again?", at some point. Don't let the fear deter you from your shining goal of Winnipeg, way over in Manitoba.

Then there are the people who ride the British Columbia mountain pass, full out with their brights glowing like huge search beams in your face. They don't bother turning them down for oncoming traffic. That's o.k., when you have space between the lanes going in either direction. It isn't so good when they are a few feet to your left, coming right towards you, from the opposite direction on the other side of the road. Then suddenly you can't see anything on the really windy road, but headlights in your eyes. Time to get back behind that big pokey truck again.

Roger's pass, was not a bad drive, with its wider roads and passing areas, even though it is much higher up in the British Columbia mountains. There are horror stories about that pass, but it didn't seem that awful. The view looking way down to the green carpet of tree tops in the distance, is spectacular in the mountains. You can't miss it.

The wildlife was something to see too. It is mandatory to stop for a family of crossing mountain goats. They take their time getting across. You can't believe the cracks and tiny ledges those goats can stand on, up on a sheer rock face. You might want to keep an eye out for moose, which are really, really big close up, and oh yes, watch out for those pretty deer too. Motorists don't seem to frighten them at all. If they are out for a stroll and need to cross the road, they assume you see them coming. Then you should stop or move aside accordingly. The moose and deer have this sort of deadpan look that says "Uh huh , so you are a person in a car. So what, move aside. I'm crossing here." Take them seriously.

Presumably none of it would be that enjoyable in the dead of winter, for the chicken mountain driver. That is if it is even open, when you decide to cross. It does get closed in the worst snow at times. Keep that in mind.

Beyond the B.C. mountain pass, the drive is very easy. Highway 1, heading through western and central Canada, is not as heavily traveled as you might expect. At some points you may see very few cars. Traffic doesn't seem to be a big issue on much of the trip. It is a very freeing drive. Try singing "Wide Open Spaces" as you drive along on Highway 1, in Canada. There is so much open country to look at. For the most part, it is flat driving. Many of the towns you pass by, or through, are tiny. You blink and you miss them, a cliché but true.

After passing the gorgeous mountain outcroppings at the foot of the mountains, that jut up from the earth, west of Calgary, in Alberta, the drive east is pretty straightforward, literally.

With the exception of the short trip through Calgary itself, there isn't much to slow you down. The Calgary thoroughfare can make you crawl from stoplight to stoplight. Just try to avoid it at commute times. The city and road planners in their infinite wisdom, decided to route the freeway through the middle of the city of Calgary. It probably benefit's the residents of Calgary, but seems an encumbrance to the traveler merely passing by. If you are in a really big rush, add some time to your plans for going through the city. Maybe you will be lucky and miss the worst traffic, and the road work.

I guarantee you, if there is no snow on the ground, the road crews are busy working all the way across every province of Canada, at some point, and you will most likely run across some here or there. They do take the speed limit past road workers very seriously, so pay attention. Pretend they are those gargantuan moose you just passed two feet from your car, that were glaring at you in a challenge, back in the mountains, and proceed with caution.

For roadside pit stops and rest areas, Alberta was the best. Their tourist center when you enter the province was really nice too. Oil bucks come in handy for some things.

They let me recharge my cell phone some at the tourist center in Alberta, to call my irritated and worrying hubby. It had died in that lovely mountain pass. Of course when a cell phone runs out after a certain amount of time, it is likely to run out of juice, when it takes that long to get through the mountains. Of
course for much of the drive, the reception in the mountains, and even certain flat areas, is dead anyhow. You might consider purchasing a car charger for your cell phone, after that initial trip.

Oh did I forget to mention one small detail, this trek across Canada, should, if possible, not be attempted alone, if you choose to cross the mountains, instead of say, going through part of the States to avoid it altogether. I highly recommend taking another route, after you get to see the spectacular mountains the first time. Try coming up through North Dakota or Montana to get to Manitoba if you are coming from the States. You will still get to see much of the beautiful Canadian countryside that way. After the initial trip from B.C, you may find that a little more relaxing, that is unless you spin out and get in a wreck out in the snow covered Montana countryside, by yourself again, of course.

From Alberta, you pass into Saskatchewan. Don't be looking for any of those nice Alberta pit stops there. Maybe they don't want anyone stopping there. I don't know. It is possible to hold it until you reach the city of Regina, if you don't have too much to drink, and don't have to stop too often for gas.

(Oh yeah, the tiny issue of, gas. It is more expensive up there, believe it or not. You might want to fly. It is cheaper.) Carry a blanket and pee can with you, just in case you are modest and have to stop where there are no trees or anything. You learn to be a good scout on these long treks. Plan for this ahead of time. Adapting to these slight discomforts like pulling out on a spot two feet off a wide open road with no trees, bushes or bathrooms, with big guys in semis driving by, make the trip a lot easier, not to mention less embarrassing. When you have to go, any port in a storm will do. For a modest person, the blanket or sheet comes in handy.

Once you hit Regina, it is smooth sailing the rest of the way to the Manitoba border and on into Winnipeg. If you have to stop somewhere on the east side of Saskatchewan out of sheer exhaustion, and it is night time, and you don't want to spend money on a hotel, don't stop at this little camp ground on the north side of the road hidden in the trees, off a side road going east outside of Regina, where they have some forested area. It is creepier than heck, with odd looking stone monuments set amongst eerie plants, in between the trees. It has the feel of an Edward Gorey painting or the Adams Family backyard and no lights. You might catch yourself trying to sleep with keys in your hands and one eye open there. Half an hour rest may do you nicely, once it feels like some creature with huge wings is watching you, over by that large stone monument in the shadows, that looks suspiciously like a fancy graveyard headstone.

There is a nice rest stop further up aways on the south side, in an open rest stop. Don't ask how far. After driving 45 plus hours from California, with two quick snoozes, one at the Adams Family camp grounds, kilometres become very vague in your mind. If you can afford a hotel or motel, break out those bucks, preferably Canadian, halfway along the way.

When you arrive exhausted and wired to the hilt, you come into the West end of Winnipeg. You take the grand entrance down the main drag into the city, on Portage Ave all the way down to the center of the city. Now those last few kilometres through town to hubby's, (or wife's or mom's or whomever's open arms,) feel like you are floating on pure sunshine. Don't expect to be able to move for a couple days.

So the key point on your drive from British Columbia through Alberta, Saskatchewan and the western part of Manitoba to Winnipeg in Manitoba is, make someone else drive through the B.C. mountains. The rest is a breeze.