Brothers Complete Own Cross-Country Canada Adventure
After failing to secure a spot on The Amazing Race Canada, two brothers spent 17 days exploring the country in June 2026.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Canada
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In June 2026, John and Spencer van Roessel completed a 17-day, self-designed adventure across eight provinces and one territory. The Calgary-based brothers launched their journey after applying to compete on The Amazing Race Canada four times without success.
Why it matters
The brothers turned their repeated rejections into a personal mission to experience the nation's diverse landscape firsthand. Their trip highlights a unique alternative for fans who wish to engage with the spirit of televised travel competitions on their own terms.
The 17-day itinerary spanned the Yukon, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. This journey covered 8 provinces and 1 territory, contrasting with the typical multi-leg travel route seen in national television competitions.
The players
John van Roessel
He is one of two Calgary-based brothers who travelled across Canada to create their own adventure after being rejected from a reality show.
Spencer van Roessel
He is a Calgary-based traveller who participated in the cross-country trip and performed a bungee jump at a site in Quebec.
The details
The pair moved from the West Coast to eastern Canada, using envelopes containing clues to reveal destinations and surprises for one another. Their journey included canoeing in the Yukon, visiting an Elder at the Kainai First Nation in Alberta, bungee-jumping in Quebec, and touring Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
Timeline
The Amazing Race Canada series debuted in 2013.
The pair completed their 17-day cross-country adventure in June 2026.
Travel Outlook
The brothers' journey mirrors the route-based competition structure established by the 2026 season of The Amazing Race Canada. This trip marks a departure from standard seasonal tourism by mirroring the high-intensity, multi-stop itineraries popularized by reality television.
Travellers can replicate elements of this adventure by using mystery envelope clues to structure their own cross-country itineraries. This method encourages flexible exploration of landmarks like Parliament Hill or provincial cultural sites at a personal pace rather than a competitive one.
The takeaway
Creating your own adventure allows for a more meaningful connection to national landmarks than traditional tourist routes might offer. Travellers looking to emulate this trip should focus on incorporating unique local cultural experiences into their self-designed itineraries.
What happens next
John and Spencer van Roessel plan to submit their fifth application to The Amazing Race Canada later this year.
Further reading
Discover more regional travel inspiration in our Canada section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CTVNews.
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