New to the board -- hi!
 

Hello all! I was tipped to this site by a fellow rider when on the ferry to Vancouver Island, and I'm impressed with the amount of info available, it'll certainly make it easier to plan rides. I ride a 2006 Ducati Multistrada 620, and my husband rides a 2003 Vulcan 800.

We're also planning a cross-Canada ride from Vancouver to PEI and back, but we don't have a whole lot of time to do it; only a month, from August 17th to September 16th. We have two weddings to attend in Toronto and Montreal at the end of August and beginning of September, and decided that this would be the most fun way (and possibly cheaper?) way to get there.

But we've never toured before; neither of us have had our licences a year yet. We got our licences last July and promptly went and re-learned the meaning of defensive riding in Bangkok; after that, Vancouver traffic looked downright tame! :biggrin: So, my question is this: We've got 9 days before the first wedding in Toronto. What's the most direct, semi-interesting way to get across the plains that doesn't involve the Trans-Canada? We'd like to wander a bit, but given a choice I'd rather spend my time on the east coast that wandering the plains.

My apologizes to anyone whom I might offend -- I'm not bashing the plains, I actually think they're beautiful, I just don't have the time on this trip to explore them fully. :)

I've read through some of the other cross-country touring posts -- any suggestions would be very welcome!

Thanks
Karen

Welcome aboard
 

My wife and I are planning a similair trip in August of 2007.

We will be traveling from Edmonton to the east coast and taking 4-5 weeks. We plan to ship the bike home in order to allow us more time in the maritime provinces.

Just one note is that we usualy referr to the praries instead of the plains. I know, how picky can I get. Also I think that if this is your first long trip you might be well advised to take the trans canada on your way out.

I say this based on the road distance to cover and the number of places you can stop if you find you are getting ahead of your desired time of arrival.

It is after all far easier to waste a day than it is to find one.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Have fun
Riq

Thanks Riq...I was thinking along the same lines, just hoping it wouldn't be the case. I'd rather get to Ontario early rather than late! Can I ask how (or with whom) you're shipping your bikes with? I had considered that as a possibility, ie shipping them straight from Vancouver or home from Montreal, but the few movers I managed to find that would consider it were very pricey and they were all open pallets.

It will be our first significant length trip...we'll be doing several 3-4 day trips prior to leaving in August to ensure we've got the bugs worked out of our gear and equipment (I already know I need to modify my seat...:pinch:)

Do you and your wife ride seperate bikes, or two-up? Do you use a communications system? We've found the biggest problem so far is that we can't share what we're seeing with each other. :(

Karen

Welcome!
 

Hi Karen and welcome to the HUBB!

I just popped your route onto Microsoft's Streets & Trips and the distance from Vancouver to Toronto is about 4,300 km going the northern route. That is, staying in Canada. It also suggests that riding non-stop from 9AM to 5PM it'll take six and a half days. So nine days is certainly do-able. Enjoyable? That depends on you I guess!

I would take a couple of days to get to Calgary going either north from Vancouver to Whistler and over on the Duffy Lake Road to the TCH or head straight east on Highway 3 and skirt the border with the US before cutting up at Cranbrook through Radium to Calgary. Two 500 km days with not a lot of time for stopping to smell the roses but not hard either. Then a long 750 km day to Regina and another, shorter day to Winnipeg on the TransCanada. You're pretty much across the Prairies now and when you hit Ontario you'll be in the trees on the Canadian Shield. Another good day to Thunder Bay. Give it another two and a half days to the Centre of the Universe (you'll spend an entire day riding alongside Lake Superior!) and we're at 7.5 days. You could chop one of the long days in half to give yourself a bit of a break or you could take a rest day somewhere interesting near the halfway point.

You'll be sore by the time you get there but you'll also have some amazing memories. I find that across the Prairies it is a good idea to have a comfortable saddle as well as some protection from the wind since without those accessories you'll get tired much faster. Have fun on the ride and in the planning!

P.S. Too bad you'll be on your trip during the Western Canada HU Meeting near Nelson!

No shipper yet
 

No Karen we haven't selected the shipper yet. You are right that they are expensive however its the old time versus money problem. Mos tof them do use open pallet which is why we are shipping home instead of there. This way if there should be any damage we can deal with it at our leisure instead of ruining a trip.

We ride 2 up on a Triumph Trophy 1200 and after 26 years I can tell from how hard she hits my helmet what she is trying to communicate so no we don't use an intercom. Besides this way whe dosen't have to listen to me sing along to my MP3 player.

Rick

Highway 16
 

We have driven from Inuvik, NT to Montreal a couple of times. Check the map to find Inuvik. Any road in B.C. is fine, but if you a nice ride across western Canada so away from the Trans Canada Highway #1. Not much to see. Pick up the Yellowhead Highway #16 as soon as possible and you will get to Winnipeg just a soon with on the #1. Not as busy and more to see. To bad you don't have time to visit the Yukon, and northern B.C.

Northern BC and the Yukon are on the list of places to visit, just not this time, unfortunately. We have taken the Yellowhead before and I'd agree that it's just about as quick as the Trans-Canada; the last time we took it we added maybe an hour or two total to the trip? Well worth it, in our opinion. Way better than the 1.

To Rick: LOL the hitting the back of the helmet is why I got off the back of the Vulcan -- the back of his helmet was really boring to look at! :biggrin: I'm not a good passenger, regardless of what vehicle we're using.