John Griffithsis astounded by Canada's beauty, and his camper - but not for all the right reasons
IT IS known as one of the world's greatest drives, through spectacular, chocolate-box scenery. From Calgary, Alberta's oil capital and home of the Stampede - the self-proclaimed "greatest outdoor show on earth", with chuckwagon races that make Formula One seem the height of boredom - head west on the Trans-Canada Highway. Thread through the foothills of the Rockies, then pass towering Mount Rundle en route to the fairytale mountain resort of Banff.
Press on north, up the 200-mile Icefields Parkway, via Lake Louise, with its elegant chateau set against a backdrop of one of Canada's most dramatic glaciers. Onwards still to the icefields themselves: draped over 800 square miles, their ice up to 4,000ft thick.
Along the rest of the parkway there are only breathtaking pine-clad mountains. And more mountains.With luck you'll spot elk, moose, deer or bears doing their own roadside tourism, looking back at humans.
At the road's northern end lies the resort of Jasper, with a rustic beauty all its own. It also serves as gateway to Maligne Lake and its Spirit Island - one of the most hauntingly beautiful places on earth.
So what could be better for a visiting European, than to see it all from a roomy, all-mod-cons, come-and-go-as-you-please,North American motorhome - or RV (recreational vehicle) as the locals call them? The roads are empty and unchallengeable, Canadian drivers polite, and - since Alberta is four times the size of Britain - it shouldn't be hard to park.
After a few days on the road in one of them, though, quite a lot could be better. For a start, the Calgary-to-Jasper run is no longer the idyll it was when I lived there, many years ago. During Alberta's short summer (it can snow on the icefields in July), Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper heave with humanity. Don't arrive at short notice seeking RV space or a hotel room.
Our RV - a smallish 22ft "Adventurer" built by Western RV - was far from inexpensive, at a basic weekly rental of nearly €1,200. It was also poor for mountain-gazing. The three main cabin windows were all irritatingly small. And by heavens, it rattled. The cooker top shook so much it was eventually stowed under bedclothes; but other cacophonies persisted. And then there was wind noise.
There are many things about a solid American RV that should make European motorhome makers, with their cheap veneered chipboard and flimsy fittings, feel ashamed. But aerodynamic design is not among them. Above 50mph, the wind roar was loud, incessant and dispiriting. The beds - permanent double at the rear, over-cab double at the front - were comfortable enough, and the shower, toilet, fridge and other ancillaries all worked well.
But there was no lack of further downsides. Over 1,500 miles, the Adventurer's 5.7-litre petrol Ford V8 drank a gallon every 11 miles - better than many of its larger counterparts, but for a week's trip, the fuel bill was more than €490.
Whatever the drawbacks, RV rentals are big business, worth $250 million (€176 million) a year in the US and enjoying fast growth, according to a study by the University of Michigan.
From Calgary, we head north towards the provincial capital of Edmonton. At the pleasant city of Red Deer we turn left, bound for Sylvan Lake. It nestles in the foothills, 15 miles of shimmering water.
The surrounding small towns and farmland contain their own modest secrets and pleasures. Get your timing right, and small towns such as Bentley and Benalto offer up their rodeos, where youngsters rope calves like veterans. Our goal, however, is 400 miles to the north, close to where all roads end and further travel must be by air. We are bound for Fort McMurray. It is Cree Indian territory, and site of the Athabasca oil sands, where extraction companies will eventually stripmine an area the size of New York state.
Under lowering skies and in lashing rain we park the motorhome in the shadow of cranes of impossible height, and draglines with 20 rotating excavation buckets each as big as a bus. The scene is overpowering; one of environmental nightmare, perhaps, but also of savage industrial beauty. In comparison, chocolate-box mountains are 10-a-penny.
- FT service
FACTFILE
Camper:RV Adventurer 5.7-litre Ford petrol engine, two double berths, shower, toilet, fridge, cooker, microwave. Rented from Northern Lights Vacations, Edmonton
How much:approximately €1,900 for one week, including mileage charges, fuel and parking fees
How fast:cruise up to 113km/h - provided you can stand the wind noise
How thirsty:25.7 L/100km (11 mpg)
Also consider:large car rental and pre-booked hotels: cheaper and more convenient