Vancity Adventure Story – Turning Family Time Into a Life on the Trail

In an era where family time is often reduced to shared screens and overlapping schedules, some bonds are forged differently—on washboard roads, around campfires, and under skies far from cell service. For Daryl Berden and his son Cayden, the trail became that place.

The duo behind Vancity Adventure didn’t set out to build an audience. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were simply looking for space—space from uncertainty, from routine, and from the quiet drift that can separate even the closest families. What they found instead was a shared compass pointing toward the backcountry. A truck, a willingness to explore, and a commitment to time together were all it took.

What began as local escapes into the wilds of Western Canada soon stretched into something much larger: a father-and-son overland journey spanning deserts, mountains, forests, and coastlines across the United States and Canada. Their route has wound through red-rock labyrinths, alpine passes, remote river valleys, and the long empty miles that define the continent’s interior. The miles came fast. So did the lessons.

The Road South

Last year marked a turning point. For the first time, their travels pushed deep into the American Southwest—across California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. They stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon, traced desert horizons that seemed to stretch beyond time, and rolled from empty basins to the surreal glow of Hollywood.

It wasn’t a flawless expedition. Somewhere in the heat and distance, their truck overheated—an unscripted mechanical reminder that adventure rarely follows a clean itinerary. For Daryl and Cayden, the breakdown became part of the journey rather than a detour from it: a roadside classroom in patience, problem-solving, and perseverance. Overlanding, after all, isn’t defined by perfect travel days. It’s defined by what you do when they unravel.

A Map Written in Miles

Over the past year alone, their route has stitched together much of the American West: Utah’s canyon country, South Dakota’s prairie and badlands, Colorado’s high peaks, and Wyoming’s wide-open basins. They’ve tracked rivers through Idaho, crossed Montana’s backcountry, and followed the coastal edge of Oregon and Washington where mountains meet the Pacific. Each state added terrain. Each terrain added memory.

But the deeper story isn’t geographic—it’s generational. “Our adventures aren’t just about where we go,” Daryl explains. “It’s about the time we spend together, the challenges we face, and the memories that last a lifetime.”

For Cayden, the road has become a proving ground. “I’ve learned how to solve problems, appreciate nature, and even fix things when stuff goes wrong,” he says. “Plus, I get to do it all with my dad.”

Turning Homeward

This season, the compass points back north. Their upcoming journeys will trace the vast, mountainous landscapes of British Columbia and Alberta—regions where logging roads disappear into glaciers, passes climb above treeline, and solitude still defines the horizon. It’s a return to their roots, but also a continuation: new trails, new obstacles, and new chapters recorded one mile at a time.

Their audience will be along for the ride. Because somewhere along the way, the Berden family’s private adventures became public inspiration. Through videos, gatherings, and community storytelling, Vancity Adventure has grown into something larger than a travel log. It’s a reminder—especially to families—that exploration doesn’t require expedition budgets or extreme risk. It requires intention.

Why It Matters

Overlanding has always been about more than vehicles or destinations. At its core, it’s about choosing presence over distraction and experience over convenience. For Daryl and Cayden, that choice reshaped the father-son bond into something lived rather than scheduled. The truck may be the tool. The trail may be the setting. But the real journey is shared time.