Q&A: A motorcycle road trip of a lifetime to the 4 corners of Canada

Robert Pel marked his 70th birthday this summer with the adventure of a lifetime.

He set out from his home in Stratford, Ont., on June 6, on what he called the "Four Oceans Ride," a 53-day journey that took him from the Arctic Ocean in Tuktoyaktuk to the Pacific in Tofino, across to the Atlantic in Newfoundland and down to the Labrador Sea.

The trip spanned nearly every corner of the country, covered 24,754 kilometres, burned through two sets of tires and even included a minor wipeout on a gravel road. Pel also completed the journey while marking another milestone: the 25th anniversary of his multiple sclerosis diagnosis.

LISTEN | Robert Pel joined CBC London Morning to talk about his adventure with host Andrew Brown:

The following has been edited for length and clarity:

Andrew Brown: What's it like to go on a 25,000-kilometre motorcycle ride?

RP: It was amazing. This country is phenomenal, the scope of it. I've travelled from one end to the other, but doing the four corners of Canada was something else. That was a challenge, and I was up for it.

AB: What was your route?

RP: I left Stratford, went along Highway 17 on the north shore of Lake Superior, which is fabulous. I've done it many times, and every time it's amazing. Then I went up along the Yellowhead Highway, a little further north.

Because of wildfires, we had to be flexible about which roads to take. I ended up taking the Cassiar Highway up to Whitehorse, then to Dawson City, then up to Tuktoyaktuk. From there, I went back down the Dempster Highway, then to Prince Rupert to take the ferry to Port Hardy.

From there, I crossed the first part of Vancouver Island, then took the Summit Highway across the Prairies, through to Labrador, and took the ferry to Newfoundland. Finally, I went back to the mainland and to the Burin Peninsula. So, mostly the bottom half of the country.

AB: What a ride. That northern stretch, you said you had to navigate the fires. How were the roads up there?

RP: Actually, the roads were really good. I only encountered gravel from Dawson City to Tuktoyaktuk, that's a 1,000-kilometre run. It's much like riding rural Canadian gravel roads that have just been freshly graded. Not too bad. I actually prepared by riding rural roads to get used to gravel.

The toughest part was north of Inuvik. The gravel was the size of dimes, with sinkholes along the way. That was the real challenge.

AB: What did it feel like when you arrived in Tuktoyaktuk?

RP: Amazing. It was Indigenous Peoples Day, and just as I was riding into Tuk, fireworks were going off. It was pretty special. It's a remote area, and then you reach the Arctic Ocean by road, one of the only ways you can in Canada.

AB: Do you have a favourite part of the country now?

RP: Oh, no, I think it's all amazing. I did see a phenomenal lookout just south of Inuvik, where there was a communications tower. I rode up to it and shot some drone footage, but honestly, the footage didn't do it justice. That view was gorgeous.

AB: Some things you really have to see with your own eyes, hey?

RP: Yes, exactly. I ended up putting the camera away and just capturing it in my memory instead.

AB: Robert, there are two details that make this even more remarkable: you did this for your 70th birthday, and it's also the 25th anniversary of your MS diagnosis. How were you able to pull off this ride?

RP: Determination. For the past 25 years, I've been challenging myself to do things while I still can, because I don't know when I won't be able to.

I just try to have a good time, that's how I did it. Some people say I don't look 70, others say I do. I guess it's all in the mind.

AB: It depends on how old you feel, right?

RP: That's right. Throughout the whole trip, I felt like I was 19, experiencing a new view every hour. That was amazing: meeting people, experiencing the country and realizing how fortunate I am.

One day in Regina, I had to stay in a hotel overnight because of a mechanical failure. That hotel was full of wildfire evacuees. They were creating a school in the lunchroom for the kids. It made me realize how privileged I was not to be going through something like that.

AB: What did you learn about the country?

RP: That we're unified, despite the recent political issues. People are great. When you need help, someone's always there.

When I had mechanical issues, people put me at the front of the line once they heard about my trip. And I also had the chance to see Come From Away in Gander.

AB: About the Newfoundlanders who welcomed stranded Americans on 9/11?

RP: Yes, exactly. Sitting in that theatre, you might be next to someone who lived through that event or helped welcome people. That was very moving for me. I was impressed with that.