The Dream Drive. 16 days, 4751 miles and nothing but the open road ahead. It’s been something Iris and I had envisioned for a long time, and this was our chance to do it. Our itinerary had a general framework outlining places we wanted to see, but there would be uncertainties that we would have to figure out on the go. Our objective was simple yet bold: to find a route that would lead us to the Canadian Rockies without driving the same road or highway twice. A modern day excursion. With the truck packed and Dre nestled in the backseat, we headed North.
Our first stop of the trip was Salt Lake City, Utah. We arrived shortly after sunset after spending 10 hours on Interstate 15. In contrast to southern California, many of the mountains up north still had plenty of snow on them.
The next morning, we found Cupla Coffee in downtown. The shop was located underground which made for unique environment to enjoy a morning brew. Coincidentally, the owners were former gymnastic teammates of Iris and recognized her almost instantaneously. It had been nearly 20 years since they saw each other last.
Later that day, we veered west towards Boise, Idaho. After grabbing another cup of coffee, I noticed a shop next door that was filled with Land Cruisers. Little did I know that this was home to Delta Vehicle Systems; a shop dedicated to fabricating custom parts for all Land Cruiser platforms.
After a long day of driving, we made our way to local watering hole to unwind. This particular location was ran and maintained by the state and was fed directly by a nearby hot spring. Temperatures ranged from 102-112 degrees and were separated by various pools.
This trip would be our first time testing our canopy setup which came in handy during lunch breaks along the highway. There were plenty of pull-outs to enjoy bean and cheese quesadillas by the Salmon River.
Crossing into Canada was surprisingly easy. We’ve spent more time at fast-food drive thrus than we did at this border crossing. This was also Dre’s first time in another country.
Calgary, AB.
After five days, we made it to Banff. We stayed for a few nights to take in all the sights.
Vancouver, BC.
Portland, Oregon
Coava Coffee is a place that I frequent here in San Diego. To see their flagship store in Portland was a treat. Their space is shared with a bamboo furniture workshop that does all their fabrication in-house.
Humboldt, California.
Our first tailgate party at an Oakland A’s game.
Our last stop of our trip was Big Sur. With many of the local campgrounds at full occupancy, we took a chance to find dispersed camping. We ended up above the trees and clouds and made camp for the night. We got a good nights rest before heading back home.
