Essential advice for successful off-the-beaten-path road trips | Canada Voices

Living on Fogo Island, NL taught me the importance of careful planning before you hit the road in remote places. A city transplant, I learned the hard way that planning means more than punching your destination into Google Maps, like that time I had to spend a sleepless winter night in my car after missing the last ferry to the mainland.

Since then, I’ve kept a four-season sleeping bag and power bars in the trunk. In off-the-beaten-path places, preparation is key for dealing with everything from vehicle breakdowns in cellphone dead zones to unexpected blizzards and wildlife encounters. Here’s how to prepare for your next remote road trip.

Prime your ride and know your stuff

The Canadian Automobile Association recommends servicing your vehicle before any road trip including doing an oil change, coolant top-up and tire pressure check. But what if, despite those precautions, your car still breaks down?

Justin Parsons, who is from Nanaimo, B.C., recently travelled with his partner, Olivia, and dog across Canada and the United States in a 1984 Dodge van. Before hitting the road, he says he learned basic mechanical skills to handle issues without immediately having to call for a tow – although he did have roadside assistance, and says so should you.

“We had a spare tire, spark plugs, a battery booster, tools and replacement parts for ones that break easily, like belts and ignition control modules,” says Parsons. He advises learning how to boost a battery and change tires, and keeping an old-school repair manual handy, as you can’t always access YouTube in remote areas.

Don’t let mud or sand keep you down

“In the Arizona desert, we drove into soft sand, and [the wheels] dug right in,” says Parsons. “Luckily, a fellow driving by helped us out.” After that, the couple invested in a shovel and tow ropes.

On dirt roads, to regain traction, you can gently advance and reverse a few times or place items like a car mat, towel or branches in front of your tires, tucking them as far under as possible.

Fill ‘er up (and top ‘er up)

On the Trans-Labrador Highway, there’s a 410-kilometre stretch without a fuel stop. For occasions such as this, I carry a portable gas canister in my car for back up on roads where gas stations are scarce and fill my tank before I set off every day. Parsons does the same. “Even if you think you’ve got enough in the tank, if you see a gas station before you’re heading deep into the woods, top up,” he says.

You never know what could happen before you reach your next fuelling stop. Before you head out, use map apps to locate gas stations along your route and have backup plans for diversions or closed pumps.

Be reachable (or at least missed)

Rural cell service can be spotty. I have not-so-fond memories of my radiator overheating on a near-deserted road without signal. Luckily, eventually kind strangers stopped and helped. For extended trips, consider satellite internet options or renting a satellite phone (if you’re leaving North America, check local satellite phone regulations).

Parsons recommends sharing your travel plans often with loved ones, too. “Tell people what your intentions are, so if things go wrong, they know where to look, at the very least.”

Watch out for wildlife

A moose is a wonder to behold unless it’s hurtling toward you. British Columbia’s Wildlife Collision Prevention Program advises taking wildlife warning signs seriously and reducing speed in areas used often by animals. Scan the road, ditches and shoulders constantly. A single wildlife sighting often means its friends and family are right behind. Animal crossings are most common at dusk and dawn, so plan your driving schedule accordingly. If you must drive at night, use your high beams.

Stay hydrated

Hydration keeps you more alert and staves off headaches and cramps on long drives. In far-flung places, you may go for hours without access to potable water. Pack more than you think you need in refillable bottles.

Should your car overheat, tap water works in the radiator if that’s all that’s available, but distilled is best. Remote roads are dusty, muddy and buggy – and good luck finding a car wash – so pack extra windshield washer fluid for your vehicle, too.

Plan for weird weather

In Newfoundland, you could set off under blue skies only to find yourself in a thick fog or a blizzard 20 minutes later. My first tip: Don’t start a road trip anywhere remote without checking the weather forecast. My second: Don’t trust the weather forecast.

In northern and coastal regions, weather systems can be hyperlocal and capricious, so be ready for anything – always. Have non-clumping kitty litter in the car to give your wheels traction if you’re stuck in snow. (Parsons says he takes no chances and carries tire chains.) Locate the buttons to turn on your fog lights and hazard lights before you need them, learn to navigate hydroplaning conditions and don’t forget your sunscreen.