Dana Meise is aiming to be the first Canadian to have walked to all three of Canada's kilometre zero signs.
The Thunder Bay, Ont. man, who originally hails from Prince George, B.C., is in the sixth year of his journey to solo hike the entire 23,000-kilometre length of the Trans-Canada Trail – east to west, north to south.
“I have touched the sign in St. John's Newfoundland. I will hit the one in Victoria in late November and in 2015 I will reach the sign in Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories,” said Meise, who reached Innisfail on Aug. 27.
And already, Meise can claim to be the first person to have hiked to Canada's easternmost point – Cape Spear, Newfoundland and Labrador – and to its most southern at Lake Erie's Middle Island.
Meise arrived at the town's Tim Hortons tired and dripping in sweat. After pulling off his 50-pound backpack he was grateful for the free coffee and sandwich given to him by restaurant assistant manager Christine Pasiliao. “I feel pretty good,” he said. “But once that heat gets hold of you I get pretty tired.”
But every step of the way has been worth it for the 39-year-old forestry technologist. He said his goal to learn more about Canada and its people from every corner of the country has been “amazing.”
“I had no idea how astounding and cool Canada is,” said Meise.
Meise's cross-Canada hike along the Trans-Canada Trail began in 2008. That year, he walked 1,750 kilometres, followed by 2,450 in 2009, another 3,215 the next year, 2,450 in 2011 and 2,750 last year. When he arrived in Innisfail last week he estimated he had hiked 1,390 kilometres this year since setting off from Saskatoon on June 6.
He would have gone farther each year but for three of them he was injured with a case of plantar fasciitis, a painful condition caused by the overuse of tendons on the backside of his feet.
“I think most people don't realize how unbelievably complex the trail is,” said Meise. “It is especially so on the Prairies. You go along a grid road for two kilometres and then you might turn left, and then right and then left again. And it is not signed in places.”
But despite that obstacle Meise will not complain. So far he has walked through more than 800 towns and cities. His learning experience of the country he loves has been more breathtaking than he could have possibly imagined, especially through Quebec.
“The number one place so far to hike through has been Quebec. They have the best section of the Trans-Canada Trail,” said Meise. “I loved Quebec. It is exactly the opposite of what many people said it would be.
“For people who were supposed to be anti-Canadian they are so very Canadian,” he added. “But Newfoundlanders were by far the most patriotic.”
As for Alberta, he said he has been impressed with the province's “beautiful” towns but he did add that he went completely unnoticed in Edmonton, except for one homeless man.
“Aside from that, not one single human being stopped to talk to me,” said Meise, who used the Edmonton experience as yet another lesson about Canada. “Homeless and First Nations people who have always had to walk have been the kindest to me.”
Next year Meise will begin the final portion of his journey when he sets off from Fort Saskatchewan and heads up to Canada's Arctic.
He will hike all the way to Inuvik, and then take a canoe to Tuktoyaktuk.
“When I said I was hiking through all of Canada I meant it,” said Meise, who is planning on a documentary film and book, The Great Hike – A very long walk on the Trans-Canada Trail for 2017, Canada's 150th birthday. “It's a big project.”
