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From BC to PEI: Couple proves to be Emperor and Empress of the Road

Miles 0 to Mile 0 and beyond
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Jan, Pat, and Jillian. (Pat Dion/Special to Arrow Lakes News)

This is the first instalment of Jan and Pat Dion’s year-long road trip diary. The couple were recently in Prince Edward Island for a few days and one of their stops was Alberton, where Jillian Trainor now lives and works. She interviewed them for her newspaper and Jan also sent in her version of the first three months’ tale. These are their two pieces woven together.

Jan and Patrick Dion have been on the road since June 1, driving a 1988 Empress motorhome and in that time they’ve driven across most of Canada.

Jan retired the day before from her library technician position with School District 10, at Nakusp Secondary School in Nakusp. Pat also worked for the school board as a substitute teacher and principal, after a career as a shop teacher.

“A while back someone asked me what I was going to do when I retired. I said I was going to travel. Well, what’s Pat going to do? He will come with me and fix things for people,” Jan wrote.

The couple began their journey at Mile 0 in Victoria. They stayed in Victoria for about six weeks for the wedding of Jan’s sister and to celebrate the 90th birthday of Jan’s father. It was a great chance to visit with all of the family.

“We packed up the Empress, our 1988 class C, Triple E, Ford 350 Econoline motorhome and we were heading to Victoria for my sister’s wedding. The wedding was fabulous and we had a wonderful time there with family and friends. What a celebration of love. Right after that we were off to Aldergrove for my dad’s 90th birthday. More love. Thereafter the travelling started in earnest,” Jan noted.

“For both sides of the family, it was probably the only time that we’ll all be together and it was really special, because we got the photographer to take some family pictures as well,” Jan added. “I think that was really important because I don’t know how much longer my dad will be alive and I don’t know if the members of my immediate family will be able to be together like that again.”

The Dions had planned on visiting Northern B.C., but by that time the wildfires had started and people were being warned not to travel north, not necessarily because of the fires themselves, but because no supplies were being shipped up.

“So, we headed on through Manning Park on a southeasterly route across B.C.,” Jan said. “The beauty of going this way is probably familiar to most people in the Kootenays because it is one way we can use to get home. It was green and lush and there was very little smoke at the time. We stopped in OK Falls to see some wonderful friends and to enjoy some great wine and conversation. It was about that time that I began to think that maybe this trip was about more than seeing the country.”

While there haven’t been any major disasters, there have been some minor slips on the journey.

“We ran out of gas in North Bay,” said Patrick. “I walked a mile or so and somebody found me with the gas can and asked if I needed a ride and drove me back to the motorhome and waited to see if I got it started.”

The pair also made a very quick trip to the United States after accidentally reaching the Canada-US border with freshly bought groceries for some friends in Fort Frances, Ont.

The journey hasn’t just been about travelling and seeing the country, it’s also been one of service.

Patrick brought his tools and Jan brought her sewing machine with her and the couple have helped people in need. Along the way Pat has built a few staircases, decks, and more, while Jan has made curtains, and fixed or altered clothing.

“I have this book that I read to kids, it’s called Miss Rumphius, a children’s book by Barbara Cooney,” said Jan. “When she’s a little girl she lives on a seaport with her grandparents and she’s questioned by her grandfather about what will she do in life. She said ‘When I grow up I will get an education, I will see the world, and I will make the world a better place.’ After she gets an education, Miss Rumphius travels the world and then finally settles down by the ocean. She discovers that the way she will make the world a better, more beautiful world is to spread lupine seeds. As we travel this story has come to mind over and over. I think that is what this journey is all about. It is about making this world a better place while seeing new things, connecting with old friends and family, and making new ones.”

“Keeping these three things in mind as we travel opens up lots of opportunities to serve others and it helps us to keep our eyes open to the beauty that we see every day in this wonderful country. Despite what we see on the news, people are kind, generous and eager to be a positive influence in their world,” Jan wrote. She added, “That, I think, is the focus of us with this. This is an education for us, we’re getting to see an area of the world we haven’t yet, and hopefully as we leave, we’re leaving where we’ve been a better place.”

When asked what they plan on taking away from their journey Patrick and Jan said the desire to continue exploring, and something a little more personal as well.

“We are being educated about all things Canadian, having travelled through eight of the 10 provinces, plus finding opportunities to help others as we go. We both brought our respective tools ready and available to use them wherever we go.”

“We are new to RV life and getting used to living in a twenty five foot space has been a true adjustment, to say the least. Sitting in P.E.I. with the rain coming down in sheets was confining and has its challenges but that is probably best left to another instalment.”

The Dions are currently in Nova Scotia. They also plan on visiting Newfoundland as well, before heading back to Montreal in October for Thanksgiving and so Patrick can celebrate his birthday with his family there, something that hasn’t happened in decades.