Moose Jaw to Banff with a Pleasure Way Tour
We planned our route to Alaska through Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to take in a Pleasure Way tour! Our camper van for this adventure is a Pleasure Way Industries build. So, we decided to stop in for a factory tour and see how they are made.
We arrived in Canada and stayed in Moose Jaw. Moose Jaw has an interesting history of Chinese immigrants arriving essentially as indentured servants. They lived and worked in tunnels under the city as they were not viewed as equals.
A tour guide took us down into the tunnels and through an old laundry facility and an restaurant kitchen with a mini-elevator to bring the food up to the seating area. The food, although cooked by Chinese, was served by white Canadians, as the customers were more comfortable with this arrangement.
We made our way north for a free night at Dakota Dunes Casino, then on to Pike Lake Provincial Park for two nights. We took advantage of the “zero day” to reset – clean, organize, laundry and plan our next few days.
We drove by The Berry Barn with a full parking lot, and had to do a quick turn around to see what was going on. The Berry Barn is a Saskatoon berry farm, with a restaurant and gift shop.
Saskatoon berries, also known as service berries or June berries, are a purplish-blue, edible berry native to Western North America. We enjoyed a very good lunch of perogies and on the way out we picked up some frozen Saskatoon berries since they were not yet in season.
On Victoria Day (Monday, May 19th), a Canadian holiday commemorate Queen Victoria’s role in the country’s history, we parked at the Pleasure Way facility for the night to be ready for the Pleasure Way tour the next morning. They have two sites established with electric hookups as they apparently get frequent visitors.
Pleasure Way Industries is a relatively small operation in Saskatoon producing about 1,400 camper vans per year. The factory tour was comprehensive and allowed closer access to the production lines than the many other tours I have been on. Grant provided an engaging tour and seeing how these vans are built is an interesting process.
They are still producing floorplans very similar to our 2006 model, but with more modern materials replacing the hardwood maple, and lithium batteries replacing the lead acid. With an on-site woodworking shop and upholstery area, there is a focus on quality carried through the conversion process.
After the Pleasure Way tour we headed west in seek of mountains! Halfway to the Canadian Rockies, we stopped at Prairie Oasis Campground for one night. Wednesday, May 21st we head into the Rocky Mountains to spend four nights camping at Banff National Park.
Hoping for some epic scenic mountain views very soon… stay tuned!
“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” -John A. Shedd, American Author and Professor
Alaska Road Trip Progress:
Shepherdsville, Kentucky to Banff, Alberta
13 Days / 2,403 miles
Road Trip to Alaska Q&A
What type of camper van are you traveling in?
We have a 2006 Pleasure-Way Plateau TS. The chassis is a 2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500. Pleasure Way Industries in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, built the Class B motorhome portion, sometimes referred to as a van conversion.
What’s the gas mileage like on the camper van?
We are averaging 20 miles per gallon – that’s actually diesel. It varies slightly, and we have not tackled any significant mountains yet.
How much have we spent on camping fees?
$239.82 USD for the first 13 days of the trip. We have taken advantage of various free camping opportunities at Walmart, the Pleasure Way factory, a visitor center, a ranch, a casino and don’t forget the funeral home parking lot. We have paid for a few nights at state and provincial parks.
Pleasure Way Tour:
