Across Countries

A series of voice memos from my time backcountry camping near Algonquin.

A few interesting recounts of my last 36 hours from meeting Christian and Teale in Winnipeg, Jason on the TransCanada Highway, and feeding deer on mission island in Thunder Bay!

The prairies still suck. That is all. But also, I've been driving a lot and I am exhausted! At this point I just want to teleport.

I've taken the scenic route through BC and Alberta back to Edmonton and it has been amazing. The Okanagan Valley and the Icefield Parkway is stunning. I had to keep pulling off to the side of the road to get photos and videos of the views I was seeing. Must do for anyone making this trip.

I said from I think the fourth day of this trip that I needed to interview someone who was biking across Canada and today I made that happen! I met Jeremy through a Facebook Group that we're both in, https://www.facebook.com/groups/yesfamcanada (Yes Fam Canada), and knew I had to have him on the podcast. We connected earlier in the trip through Instagram and found out that we'd be crossing paths briefly in Jasper so we made it happen! I asked questions like: Has he shit in a hole on the side of the road (a question I get a lot) Where does he shower? (another one I get a lot) Why he's doing this trip and why now What is he hoping to take away from this trip and much more Make sure to follow him and his story on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jer_bikes/ (@jer_bikes)! He's going to start documenting a bit more hopefully so here's to the start of that! Make sure to follow me too while you're at it https://www.instagram.com/lukeblessed/ (@lukeblessed)

Lots of questions from the latest AMA on my Instagram @lukeblessed. Thanks everyone for asking! Some of the questions include: Any plans for Across Canada part 2? East Coast? Territories? Where and when is the next destination? What are you most excited for on the drive home? Take a listen for all of them!

On my last full day in Vancouver I did the Grouse Grind and met up with a couple old friends from my high school days. So it was a great day! I also talk a bit about my feelings of starting the trek home shortly and some of the emotions I think I will be processing over the next couple weeks.

An 11 hour hike isn't the most fun thing in the world but we did it anyways! It was a long day done on little sleep but it was so worth it. The views are amazing and some of the best I've seen on this trip. In the evening I went to my friend Alex's photo print party and got an awesome piece.

We headed off for Joffre Lakes early in the morning to get an early jump on the hikes. After we finished, we went to Whistler village and walked around for a bit. After that, we went our separate ways for dinner and came back together to prepare for Garibaldi, Panorama Ridge!

Today Jacob, Nancy and I all hiked to the top of the first peak of Stawamus Chief in the rain. Here's our recounting of the hike.

From doing podcast editing to driving down to the 0 mile marker on the TransCanada Highway to tasting Lee's Famous Chicken Recipe, this is how I spent my last 24 hours on the island.

On this episode I meet two people during a 4 hour road closure that are awesome! I end up spending the rest of the day with them too. And I learned how to throw a javelin which is pretty freaking cool. Make sure to check out the video of that on IG @lukeblessed.

The first few days on Vancouver Island have been a blast! I've reconnected with old friends and met some amazing people and had some top tier food. There have been a few challenges but overall it's been some of the best moments of the trip for sure!

I just said her name wrong to her face and now she's mad at me but I'm posting nonetheless. Enjoy. Alisa is fun. Just said it wrong again. I knew she would be a great reviewer (mainly because she liked me a lot so that's good for the future).

This episode I talk about the tourist trap that is Capilano's suspension bridge, going to Deep Cove and my parking troubles, and whale watching on the Pacific Ocean!

I drove ten hours from Canmore to Vancouver in one day to avoid the smoke and fires... only to drive through a couple where I legit though I would die. It was not a fun drive for most of it. Very scary.

My AMA is over on my Instagram @lukeblessed for the next little bit! But this episode is a review of August 12/13th as I did not that much at all and some extra touristy hikes.

August 10th was a pretty action-packed day as I woke up at 6 AM, drove to Lake Louise, summited Mount St. Piran, did Little Beehive, almost did Devil's Thumb, and swam in Lake Louise! Follow me on Instagram @Lukeblessed for daily IG content.

On this episode I discuss the following: My interaction with a wonderful lady at Canadian Tire Spending my morning planning my BC route Why I headed to Sulphur Mountain last minute Details about the hike that make it pretty hard The beautiful views from the mountain My IG rant about work, life and vacation Coming back to Canmore to shower and swim My plans to hike Devil's Thumb and Mount Piran in one day Follow my on Instagram @lukeblessed for more content!

Hey everyone! I met Raymond at the top of the Sentinel hike near Lake Moraine and knew I had to get him on the podcast after our conversation about landscape photography. Here is https://www.flickr.com/photos/116195145@N05/ (his Flickr account).

I finally got some blue skies here in Calgary/Alberta!!!! I am so freaking happy! On this episode I discuss: Bouldering again in Calgary Getting pho Doing a last minute trip to Sentinel and Lake Moraine The Sentinel trail Meeting some awesome strangers Why we didn't pack enough layers for the hike How my confidence on hikes has increased Getting Thai food Doing laundry And more! Here you go! Make sure to follow on Instagram @Lukeblessed

I saw Jonah dancing and playing the guitar on his car so I knew I had to interview him. Then... a lot more things happened. This episode was recorded in a public parking lot so lots of things were happening. Especially with strangers walking by who wanted to get in on the fun! As always, follow me on Instagram @lukeblessed.

Ha Ling is no joke. On this episode, I discuss the dates of August 5-7 starting with my morning with Dan and Courtney and moving on to Lake Louise to see my friend Lex. From there, I headed to Canmore and spent a few days here doing hikes, showering and swimming, and meeting strangers in the "vanmore" world. I also talk about walking the streets of Canmore!

On this episode I met up with my friend Cindy (we debate how we even met and if we ever talked offline before this) and her friend group to hike Ha Ling in Canmore. This is the interview of each person at the top! The full review of the Ha Ling hike coming tomorrow.

On this episode I met a couple of Aussies: Dan and Courtney. Only Dan was interviewed in the making of this podcast. We talk about: Why they decided to do the van life Their plans for the trip The best hike ever: Crypt Lake in Waterton, Alberta What he's most afraid of on this trip And why the smoke is such a shame Enjoy the episode!

On this episode I discuss the ins and outs of the Sunrise at Lake Moraine from when to get there, how to dress, what to pack and more (cause it's harder than you think). We then went on to do the Lake Agnes Trail to the teahouse when we decided "yeah we can do the Big Beehive too!". After we descended we did the canoe over Lake Louise and took some awesome photos (thanks Lex). We got out just before the storm hit too which was awesome! Then we went out for a final dinner. After that, I went back to the park and ride where I met Dan and Courtney (interview with Dan coming soon). Then I finally got some much needed rest.

On this episode I talk about meeting Angela, our C Level Cirque Trail adventure and my review of it from the effort, music and technique to ending the day in Banff with some food!

Yesterday was overcast and a bit of rain so I spent my morning in a Starbucks planning out my Banff adventures and writing a bit. I then spent the afternoon with one of my old students, Zach, watching F9, getting some awesome local burgers and just chatting about life! Today I head out to Banff and will be doing review of all the hikes I do over the next few days! I will be using AllTrails so don't forget to submit a review for your chance to win a free pro annual pass.

Now that I'm 14 days into my trip, I've learned a thing or two about things I would do differently next time and hopefully this helps anyone looking to do this trip! The bed... I'd definitely do a more DIY style and try to make as similar a mattress to a real one as possible. Whether that's using foam, or trying to build around the frame better, or just buying a new car. I've been sleeping really poorly lately and it's because the mattress isn't great. Curtains... I'd plan this out better next time for sure. The car doesn't have useful handles so again, might be a new car thing, but definitely wish I cut and measured more. Clothing... you don't need day to day clothing. You need lightweight, breathable clothing... especially in the summer. The typical cotton shirts are heavy. I should have gotten button ups or breathable clothing only. Especially when you can't shower much, this is crucial. Cooking stuff... I'm not cooking much. It's a lot of effort both from the grocery buying to the cooking to the clean up. It's much easier to just eat fruits, raw veggies, sandwiches and eat out when needed. The cooking stuff takes up quite a bit of space in the car too and that would be nice storage for anything else. Shoes... if you have hiking shoes, you don't need running shoes as footwear, unless you're a runner. Solar Panel... unnecessary purchase if you're spending a lot of time driving. Great if you can put them on the roof to gain storage, but most of the time I'm driving 3/4 hours a day and that's quite a bit of charge on my Jackery. Didn't need the solar panel at all. Useful if stationary for days on end, but that's really not what I'm doing. Cooler... should have gotten a smaller one! A car fridge is only good if you're driving a lot but it can also be run by the Jackery, so that could work too. But coolers are good for holding more space. Just didn't need THIS much space. Hope this is helpful! As mentioned, AllTrails has provided me with 3 codes for free annual passes to give away. In order to be entered into the raffle to win, leave a review on Apple Podcasts and screenshot the review and send it to me on Instagram @lukeblessed! The contest is open from July 31 - August 7th. Winners will be announced August 10th.

Jin is someone I met through my friend Jacky in Calgary yesterday. A beautiful human being and super funny. But I mainly liked him for his beauty. I thought he'd make a great interview and I was right! As mentioned, AllTrails has provided me with 3 codes for free annual passes to give away. In order to be entered into the raffle to win, leave a review on Apple Podcasts and screenshot the review and send it to me on Instagram @lukeblessed! The contest is open from July 31 - August 7th. Winners will be announced August 10th.

Obviously, I'm not coming home. But homesickness is part of the trip. I knew it would come it was just a matter of when. What I think I miss the most is sleeping in my own bed, not having to set up my space, sleeping in air conditioning and just being able to see my friends when I want to. There's still so much I have to do on this trip and I look forward to doing them. I just need to learn and adapt and tell myself I can rest. I can just pull up to a place and read for a bit. I don't need to constantly be hiking like I was in Ontario. As mentioned, AllTrails has provided me with 3 codes for free annual passes to give away. In order to be entered into the raffle to win, leave a review on Apple Podcasts and screenshot the review and send it to me on Instagram @lukeblessed! The contest is open from July 31 - August 7th. Winners will be announced August 10th.

If you come to Alberta, you have to come to the Badlands in Dinosaur Park. Beautiful landscapes and scenic views. And basically a jungle gym since you can climb them! Also, the dinosaur museum in Drumheller is pretty cool too. As mentioned, AllTrails has provided me with 3 codes for free annual passes to give away. In order to be entered into the raffle to win, leave a review on Apple Podcasts and screenshot the review and send it to me on Instagram @lukeblessed! The contest is open from July 31 - August 7th. Winners will be announced August 10th.

I spent 24 hours in Saskatchewan and so far that's been enough... not much to see here folks! However, here are my takeaways from the day: The different road signs that provinces have are funny Having no mask mandate is a really really weird feeling after 18 months of wearing a mask I took a shower which was nice Why are there "major intersection" warnings here? There aren't even lights! Crosswalks in Regina are super weird and not noticeable as a driver I went to the Corner Gas town which was cool! Got a drink at the Dog River bar The drives in the prairies are so boring I had to create a game for myself That's it for today folks!

This is the episode you've all been waiting for... where I explain why I think I'm more introverted than people think. My closest friends think I'm a huge extrovert and just lying to myself but I think I'm pretty introverted and continue to become more and more so. Let me know what you think on Instagram @Lukeblessed. Lots of my friends messaged me that I'm introverted and their reasoning why.

There is nothing to do in Manitoba. Absolutely nothing. The hikes are less interesting, the driving is less scenic, and the smoke from the forest fires is more prevalent. July 28th was definitely the hardest day yet. Here's to hoping that Regina offers something more interesting!

I finally treated myself to a couple of meals out in Winnipeg and it was pretty expensive! Not as expensive as Toronto but 100% worth it. I happened to run into Liza and Gaby again as well as met up with Alson, a friend from University. Other things that happened: Passing 3,000 kilometres on the trip Went to the Canadian Human Rights Museum Went to the Forks Saw the "Welcome to Manitoba sign" Was in the direct middle of Canada! Started a debate about whether I'm introverted or extroverted That's all for now.

Thunder Bay had a lot more beauty to it then I thought. I wonderful little city with nice viewpoints, beautiful waterfalls and nice streams of water to swim in. In today's episode I talk about Meeting up with my cousin Playing ministicks with her husband (and winning) The drive from Thunder Bay to Dryden Why Walmarts are the best for overnight parking Seeing a wolf on the side of the highway! Crossing the time zone line Meeting Emily and Daniel The Kakabeka falls and cascades The things I need to do on my way back (Amethyst mine, Mission Island and Ouimet Canyon) That's it for now folks! Until the next episode. Make sure to follow me on IG @lukeblessed.

Holy crap... I am so sore. From discussing the overall trek to the people I met along the way, the Sleeping Giant Hike was amazing and there's a reason people call it the best day hike in Ontario. It is exhausting. And those last 6 kilometres are excruciating after the ascent and descent. But it is one of the most exhilarating and satisfying views I have ever seen. I also recap my motivation for hiking and why I need to get to the top of each hike I do.

Recapping my day in Marathon and my road trip to just outside the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Luke talks about his preparation for the hike, the bad weather and the smoke that was overlaying Thunder Bay and Northern Ontario.

I was looking for free Wi-Fi in Marathon when I came across Gavin trying to do the same thing. We started chatting and spoke for about 30 minutes before I asked if I could interview him. Gavin is a 20 year old young man driving by himself across Canada for the first time! He's much more of an off-roading adventurer than me and has the gear to make it happen. After the interview ended he said something along the lines of "no matter what happens on this trip or what you decide to do or not do, you shouldn't have any regrets". And that was really smart.

Today was a bit of a mess! After meeting Doug and Michelle in Sault Ste. Marie, I knew I wanted to get halfway to Thunder Bay in order to get to do the Sleeping Giant hike on Sunday. That meant a bit of driving but I got a little down when I realized I didn't have a parking permit for Lake Superior for a hike I wanted to do during the day called Orphan Lake Trail and the service wasn't good enough to book online. But hey... you can also call! So I found some service, called and was able to book the hike. That led me to my first swim in Lake Superior! Later in the evening I met two wonderful young women, Liza and Gaby, and stayed the night in Marathon (where apparently there is very little free wifi). Here are some other thoughts from my day too!

I wanted to do a little "Ask Me Anything" episode where I field questions from my IG followers about my trip and collect them into a little podcast. So... here is episode 1 of this series! The questions I answer are below: I will be in Alberta in August. Can we meet up? Are you planning to grow a travel beard? What's your biggest fear regarding the road trip adventure? What are you scared of the most for this adventure? How long ado did you know you wanted to do this? How often do you plan on calling your family? What's your biggest fear in life? Why did you decide to do this adventure now? What made you wanna go cross country? I want to know what sparked it! One crazy thing you really want to do on this trip Why are you so hot? Where do you poop? What did you learn about yourself during the pandemic? What is the weirdest/craziest thing I've experienced so far? Enjoy! And make sure to follow me on IG @lukeblessed if you want to ask questions in the future.

Spending a lot of time alone makes you start to realize small things throughout the day. Some of these things might be whether or not I'm allergic to apples. Others are whether or not beef jerky is actually an elite snack food, am I drinking enough water, and is the impact on small towns COVID related or because of something else? Make sure to follow me on Instagram @lukeblessed for daily video content!

Picking between driving for most of the day or hiking most of the day is a real challenge. Hiking at night is buggy and driving at night can be frightening with all the turns and trucks and darkness. But that's part of the fun! It's given me a new appreciation for those who drive long hours, especially at night. I'm also have fun games of "how many bugs can you kill at night" at so far I'm winning.

I am sore. But I am happy. After hikes in Killarney, Tobermory, Mono and Manitoulin Island, I might need a rest day. I also talk about some scary driving - both weather and because of darkness. I think it's best that I just drive during sunlight from this point on... especially when parking in spaces I am unfamiliar with. And shoutout to my friend, ex-coworker, talented musician and number one fan, Trisha, for writing the new intro and outro song for the podcast! She's always been so supportive of me and I knew she'd be able to encapsulate the theme of this podcast. You can check her out on Spotify too with her new song https://open.spotify.com/album/51CfPxCWhAl1Sd6rjPsdEd?si=2oelCW5rTN6lCTDZnNXlXw&dl_branch=1 (VHS) under her name, https://open.spotify.com/artist/7I5JZPven6JKD6nelIvMTv?si=VLgnpTceSUqGQaqFpubsmQ&dl_branch=1 (Trisha Armena).

Interviews with a Stranger (or IWAS for short) is a new series I'm going to start while I'm on this trip. Whether I meet people on hikes, in McDonald's or wherever, I will try to get mini interviews with those that stick out and share stories of people beyond just myself. Welcome to the everyday person. And shoutout to my friend, ex-coworker, talented musician and number one fan, Trisha, for writing the new intro and outro song for the podcast! She's always been so supportive of me and I knew she'd be able to encapsulate the theme of this podcast. You can check her out on Spotify too with her new song https://open.spotify.com/album/51CfPxCWhAl1Sd6rjPsdEd?si=2oelCW5rTN6lCTDZnNXlXw&dl_branch=1 (VHS) under her name, https://open.spotify.com/artist/7I5JZPven6JKD6nelIvMTv?si=VLgnpTceSUqGQaqFpubsmQ&dl_branch=1 (Trisha Armena).

One thing I've noticed on my trip is that most people are not hiking or travelling alone. They've either got friends, partners or their family. Being out here by myself has its pros, of course. I get to move at my own pace, not have to wait for anyone, pack lighter, not have kids bug me and more. But am I supposed to be doing this alone? That is one of the questions I set out to explore on this trip and I'm starting with this episode. Remember to follow me on Instagram @https://www.instagram.com/lukeblessed/ (Lukeblessed) for daily content!

I've had lots of DM's, texts and questions about what made me quit my job and decide to drive across Canada this summer. I thought it would be best to explain my choice here! Overall, it was a collection of a few important crossroads: Driving across Canada had always been on my bucketlist I had paid off OSAP and my debts and was living at home. This time made the most sense both financially and in age I was reading the book Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey when I got the motivation to go all in on the trip I am not a fan of repetition in my life and feel a constant desire to push myself and be uncomfortable. I didn't feel like my job and life was creating this for me. As always, follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lukeblessed/ (@lukeblessed) for vlog type material and daily updates!

Day 1 of my trip and I've already made tons of mistakes. Those include not registering for park access, not know the difference between the national parks and provincial parks, organization of my SUV for lowest amount of effort and more. Because of this, I now have to add about 6 hours of driving to my trip, but hey... I got nothing but time! Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lukeblessed/ (@lukeblessed) for daily content, vlog material and more!

During the summer of 2021, Luke West is driving across Canada while living in his SUV. This is a podcasts that will highlight his events, voice memos, interviews with strangers and more over the course of the next two months. Make sure to follow on Instagram https://instagram.com/lukeblessed/ (@lukeblessed) for vlog type content and daily updates. With the podcast being called "Across Countries" you might be wondering why it's only about Canada. Well... that's because Luke is hoping to highlight his travels over the course of his life. It won't just start and stop with Canada.