Living In My Car Took Me Here - Wild Swim Edition

[00:00:15]I feel doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo.

[00:00:30]I smell warm. [music] [music] Oh my gosh, guys. I can't I can't. They win. They win.

[00:00:44]It is actually pretty warm. I'm going to start sweating with these clothes. But here is the situation. I went to get my water to refill my bottles and stuff and do dishes from last night and I did not put the lid back on properly last night or at my last stop. So, I drove through all the potholes and all of these rocks here without my lid. And so water spilled absolutely everywhere on the floor of my car and I need to deal with it right now in this mosquitoinfested forest which I was not planning on getting out of my car at all for.

[00:01:36]So let's start the morning with a lovely chore of cleaning spilled water. Let me show you what I'm talking about. And it's a really difficult spot to get because it's right under my bed platform. So, basically, I have to I'll show you. So, here's my bed, the platform.

[00:02:10]Water, water, water everywhere, guys. Oh, I don't want to deal with this. I don't want to deal with this in a mosquitoinfested place. But I can't drive like that. That's gonna They're getting me.

[00:02:41][music] [music] Oh [snorts] my gosh, guys. This war with the bugs here in Ontario is insane.

[00:02:58]>> [music] >> Oh, wait.

[00:03:26]Guys, how do I take this mat that is filled to the brim with water without spilling?

[00:03:48]It spilled onto the rug and it spilled onto the permanent felt of the car. So now I need to dry that off because I don't want to put a bunch of stuff on top because then it's never going to dry.

[00:04:18]I spilled half of my water jug on the floor of my car.

[00:04:23]Had to remove half of my platform and everything else that was on the way so that I could remove that carpet.

[00:04:33]Oh my gosh, those bugs. So in the process of removing that, I spilled into the felt mat which then went on and soaked the floor, you know, the permanent one, the one that you can't take out.

[00:04:58]So now I have to leave that area free.

[00:05:02]can't have anything there because I'm going to run the air conditioning so that it hope hopefully it dries.

[00:05:11]I've got the rubber mat and the other removable mat on top of my car in the sun drying.

[00:05:19]My car is absolutely infested.

[00:05:23]Okay, that's also not the way. How hard can it be?

[00:05:31]Oh, I got to scramble down.

[00:05:45]Meanwhile, while this is happening, shoot. Yeah, got my sock wet.

[00:06:10]Yeah, one more thing wet. What is one more thing wet? Right. So now I think I may actually have got a bunch of bites because they were absolutely swarming me like I don't remember seeing it this summer yet.

[00:06:29]And they are all over my car. Like I left Oh, actually I did not leave my car on. I'm going to leave my car on just for a minute. Let's see if I can remote start from the app.

[00:06:50]It is so hot and I'm afraid to take this off because of the bugs. So, car is starting.

[00:07:00]Um, and then when I get there, I will have to open all the windows, drive, try to get some crosswinds to get them out, and then use my murderer racket.

[00:07:17]I'm so hot. I'm going to have to go in that water, guys.

[00:07:22]I must.

[00:07:28]It's just a tiny little bit cold, but the way I'm hot, I will not mind at all.

[00:08:01]Oh, even here they're bugs. Let's not get the microphone wet.

[00:08:14]Oh, it's so [music] slippery.

[00:08:18]A light [music] [music] [music] [music] some more flat rocks there. Um, [music] I don't know if you can hear me at all.

[00:08:52]It is so slippery, guys. So slippery.

[00:08:57]Oh, I don't want to fall.

[00:09:23]>> [music] [music] >> Now is the time.

[00:09:38]But I can't [music] get this microphone wet.

[00:09:50]Hi. One, two, three. Now, I don't have the courage.

[00:09:57][laughter] You guys know me. I'm not a big fan of cold water, but I love a wild swim. And in Canada, you do not really get wild swims that are warm. [music] So, I just going to have to go for it. Okay.

[00:10:15]One, two, three. [music] >> [music] [laughter] >> Guys, this is so slippery.

[00:10:54]Okay, let's do it [music] one more time.

[00:11:16]Guys, my morning just turned [music] 100% better. I don't even care that half of my water is filled in my car, [music] that my car is filled with mosquitoes.

[00:11:30]I just deal with all later. [music] Right now, it's about this river swimming.

[00:11:42]Yeah, I know that uh that was not the most elegant swim, but if you are new to this channel, there is nothing elegant about it. Okay, I just want you to know that if you're going to stay, you need to know what you're getting yourself into.

[00:12:22]>> [music] >> Let's try to do this elegantly, shall we?

[00:12:50]the word alligance. Listen to low and get my book out.

[00:13:17]Guys, I don't want to leave, but I have to cuz I have 8 hours of drive today.

[00:13:29]I got so many bites.

[00:13:34]They're already red.

[00:13:49]Heat.

[00:13:59]Heat.

[00:14:24]Well, [music] that swim was fun. the whole car ordeal trying to.

[00:14:37]There's a bug crawling.

[00:14:42]Ew.

[00:14:46]I felt something move inside my sweater.

[00:15:21]The state of the car is a disaster. Like that really bothers me because I had to move everything around so that things dry. Now I don't know where anything is and it's impossible to find things if they're not in their correct spots that you designated it. And now things are everywhere. So yeah, it's kind of like I don't know just when your house is a mess, you know? Like this is my house. I forgot that I was on this off-roading.

[00:15:59]Okay, we got to we got to go slow. It is almost 1 p.m. and I haven't eaten, but I can't eat here with those bugs.

[00:16:21]Do you hear that?

[00:16:26]That's the water. That's the culprit of the That's what caused all the problems.

[00:16:38]Now, which way?

[00:16:42]I think I think I might go out a different way.

[00:16:58]How did I get here?

[00:17:11]I think I have to just go here if I can get the wheels one on each side here and then turn avoiding that.

[00:17:24]But here is lower. So So here is a little bit lower. So if I can get the wheels one on each side there.

[00:17:33]Because I think what was happening was I was getting wheel on this side on this side and it's higher in the middle.

[00:17:49]Guys, I don't know if it makes any sense. I had no issues coming down. I'm going to reverse back up. Am I crazy to do that? Does it make any difference?

[00:18:06]Well, at least I feel I can see better because of the camera.

[00:18:40]Okay, let's have a look.

[00:18:53]I removed a bunch of the rocks out of the way. Actually, [sighs] I should put trail.

[00:19:21]Hallelu.

[00:19:26]Whoa. Last time I did not have any issues at all getting in and out of that spot, but this year I have a box and it makes the car heavier.

[00:19:44]I did not even think of that. That this would be impacted that way.

[00:19:52]Crazy. Did I get a bite here? Oh yeah, I got a bite here. Oh, this better not be a blackfly bite.

[00:20:09][music] This area is gorgeous. [music] Absolutely gorgeous. So, we are starting to hug Lake Superior. [music] It's one of the most beautiful lakes in the area here.

[00:20:28][music] Just made a little quick stop um for a bathroom break and I found this sapsucker tapped in Canada. So it's made it's sparkling water sweetened with maple syrup. They had the other ones with flavor. This one is the original. So, I'm expecting a slight maple syrup flavor. So, I guess we're going to find out.

[00:21:24]No smell whatsoever.

[00:21:36]H.

[00:21:50]Cannot taste maple syrup.

[00:21:55]Maybe a slight aftertaste.

[00:22:00]Got a little 17 north sticker. I don't know if I would get that one again because basically what it is is water that is slightly sweet.

[00:22:14]I'm I don't care for sugar water. I should have got something with flavor because I find that sugar enhances flavor. Um so that would have been worth it. So last year I did this stretch of the trip. I drove all the way to Thunder Bay. However, when I got to the store that I just stopped to buy this water, this whole stretch of road that I'm going now was flooded. They had such flash floods here and I think they had like rivers overflow like a dam break or something and this entire stretch here was submerged underwater. All the provincial parks were closed and so I had to do a 6hour detour around the middle of like nowhere. There was absolutely nothing. No gas stations, no stores, hardly any uh no hard shoulder for sure, but hardly any sort of space to pull out if you had any issues. No cell reception. It was just wilderness. I saw a bear. I saw coyotes. Um yeah, it was I didn't see a moose though. I still have never ever seen a moose. We must change this in this trip. This trip [snorts] entire mission, guys, is going to be to see a moose. So, cross your fingers.

[00:23:53]It's going to happen. We have the whole summer to make this happen. Um, so yeah, it's nice to be able to drive here because this hike that we're going to do today was something that was on my list last year and I couldn't do it because the access road there was flooded. So I even though I really should be doing more mileage today, today is more of a sort of easy day because you know river swims and hikes because this is a really pretty area that I didn't get to enjoy as much last year. So we're making an exception. But once we pass Thunder Bay, which is where pretty close, like if you head west, then uh you're going to hit Manitoba, which is the next province. And once you hit Manitoba and the next one, Saskatchewa, I think that's how Shashua Saskatchewa, I have no idea if that's how you say it.

[00:25:00]Um it is it's the prairies. There is nothing. It's flat and it's boring, people say. So, I figure that is probably a place where I can just do really, really long stretches of driving because there's not much to stop and see, I guess. So, I'm taking my sweet time here. So, I hope I don't regret because I do have to be uh I'm meeting someone at a campground in Alberta near Calgary. So, I need to be there for July 1st. So, I do have a little bit of a schedule this time. Um [music] hope I make it.

[00:25:51]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Almost 5:00 p.m.

[00:26:10]You think we're going to get this hike in today? Still, we're only 8 minutes away. So, they were okay.

[00:26:19]And then we were going to have that dinner from yesterday that I was too tired to eat.

[00:26:30]Guys, I just stopped here to adjust the camera on the outside of the car. And then I found this structure here. And oh my gosh, what happens here? I I don't even want to know what happens here.

[00:26:48]There's broken glass.

[00:27:01]Look at the trash scattered everywhere.

[00:27:26]Oh, and it absolutely stinks in there.

[00:27:31]I don't know if at some point there were people living there.

[00:27:42]We're here.

[00:27:44]Let's get changed [music] and let's get hiking.

[00:27:51][music] [music] We got a little smile. You're on camera cuz I do have the dash cam. So hopefully it deters people a little bit.

[00:28:20]Uh the bugs are looking pretty bad. I don't want to fully spray myself with bug spray because then I would definitely need to look for a shower because otherwise we'll stink the whole car. Um, so I do have it with me because if it becomes an emergency then I will use it. But I'm going to try to keep moving fast enough that uh the bugs can't keep up with me.

[00:28:54]That's the plan at least.

[00:28:58]And like put my hair like I didn't even put my hair up hoping that you know it will give me some protection. I got my bear spray for other kind of creature protection and what we're looking for.

[00:29:17]Oh my goodness.

[00:29:20]June is a hard month to be outdoors, guys.

[00:29:24]So hard.

[00:29:37]I hope I don't get too hot, but I'm wearing long sleeves and long pants exactly to help with the bugs.

[00:29:58][music] So, this little thing I'm wearing here on my hat, this will be to clip the camera that that I'm using because apparently a little bit further down um I'm going to need both my hands. I will not be able to hold you guys.

[00:30:45]And so in order to bring you guys along, that's the solution I found. Let's see if it works.

[00:30:56]Oh wow, look at the lake.

[00:31:00]Definitely warmer [music] in the sun.

[00:31:23]Guys, look at this. This is [music] Lake Superior.

[00:31:30]It's huge. I think it is the biggest freshwater lake by surface in the world. And then I think the one in there is one in Russia which is by volume of water because even though it's not as big in surface area, it is quite deep. Uh so it holds more water. So in volume of water second largest in the world [music] in surface area biggest in the world.

[00:32:55]When most people think of Lake Superior, they picture [music] towering cliffs, endless water, and rugged shorelines.

[00:33:02]But hidden along those rocks is something much older. A glimpse into a story that's been here for centuries.

[00:33:15]These are the Agawa [music] Bay pictographs created by the people whose ancestors have lived around Lake Superior for generations. [music] Painted directly onto these cliffs using red ochre mixed with natural binders.

[00:33:29]Many of these images have somehow survived hundreds of years despite the crashing waves and harsh Canadian winters. One of the most recognizable figures is Mishapishu, the great lynx, a powerful underwater spirit believed to [music] live in the depths of Lake Superior.

[00:33:47]According to Anishabi tradition, these waters were both a source of life and something to be deeply respected.

[00:33:54][music] Travelers would often leave offerings before crossing, asking for safe passage.

[00:34:01]Standing [music] here today, it's hard not to feel connected to the people who stood in these same rocks centuries ago.

[00:34:08]The lake looks much the same. [music] The cliffs are unchanged. Only the people passing through have changed.

[00:34:15]It's a reminder that every beautiful place has a story beneath the surface.

[00:34:21]Sometimes, if we slow down long [music] enough, nature isn't the only thing we're discovering. We're also catching a glimpse of the people who came long before us.

[00:34:49]I think this is a blackfly bite. Uh, there were so many flies there.

[00:34:59]Um, but I wasn't sure. Were they just like regular flies? Were they black flies? I was kind of like watching. I had my hair like over my neck cuz black flies, they primarily bite you from like the shoulders up. I should warm up my food.

[00:35:19]Yeah, let me pull over and do that. So that when I stop, it's ready for me to eat.

[00:36:07]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Don't worry.

[00:37:12]So, I ended up having my dinner here at this beach and then the sun started setting and oh my goodness guys, what a show.

[00:37:30]Stunning. [snorts] Absolutely stunning. And so I decided to do a time lapse of the sunset. I hope everything goes okay. I can't see the camera from here. So I may or may not have captured that. But um I decided that I did not want to do any more driving today. I had some work to catch up, some footage to transfer, some final touches on a video that has to be uploaded tomorrow. working here. I got my little workstation here. But do you see this? So yeah, this is a parking lot for a day use beach for the provincial parks.

[00:38:15]So technically I don't think I'm allowed to spend the night here, but hear me out. There absolutely no no overnight parking signs. I walked this whole place and I couldn't see anything and there is another car that was already here when I got here and they were cooking dinner cuz there's some picnic tables there and they were cooking dinner. They were doing some barbecue and um they opened the trunk of the car. It was packed to the brim. I saw a mattress in there, but honestly, I don't know how they would stretch that mattress because there was so much stuff in the trunk.

[00:39:01]I don't know. There's definitely camping. Um, but their car has not moved. They are in the car. They came back into the car.

[00:39:12]there are no lights on or they put all their covers on which could also be cuz when I have all my covers on it just looks like a dark car. Um, and it's almost pitch dark. I mean, like when you look at where the sun is setting, it's still a little bit bright, but it is 10:30 p.m.

[00:39:33]And I think they have the same plan as I do, which is to spend the night here.

[00:39:41]Wouldn't it be amazing to wake up to this beach? I think so. So, that's the plan for tonight, guys. I'm going to leave you here.

[00:39:51]Also, there is washrooms.

[00:39:54]There are picnic tables. There's the beach. It's flat.

[00:40:00]What else can someone ask for a stealth camp? Or Yeah, I guess I guess it would be stealth camp cuz we're not really supposed to be here. I guess you guys will find out if I got the knock on the next episode. I will be ready. Let me just say that. I do have a backup spot.

[00:40:20]I hope I don't get it. I don't think I will, but I'll be ready for it. I'm so excited to have you guys here for this adventure, and I hope you guys come back next week to see what happened. See you [music] next week.

[00:40:37]cont.

[00:40:44][music]