Canada Trip
 

Hi Everyone

I am starting to plan a big trip that I will hopefully b doing in a couple of years.

Basically I want to ride a bike from Possibly Atlanta / Vancouver, right the way across Canada ending up in Nova Scotia.

Its a big trip so I am after any advice about how I should go about start planning this trip? What things do I need to plan ect ect that sort of thing.

Its a very big trip but its also a fantastic country ( backpacked there last year ) and something I feel would be great to achieve.

I am planning on using a mixture of camping and youth hostels, so what would you reccomend minimum camping equipment I should take? ( apart from a tent lol )

Like I say I am just getting started so would appreciate any advice from fellow biker travelers and how you get started when planning your first trip.

Peace ppl

It's not as bad as it seems. That's a secret, so don't tell anyone.

Canadian customs can be a pain. That makes no sense since Canadians are a friendly lot. I think dealing with Americans all day makes them grumpy.

Take what you take when you go camping and have fun.

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Trying to ride (and work) my way round the world on a 1965 Ducati 250cc. In New Zealand now. Japan in April. http://nokilli.com/rtw/

At this early stage of planning, it would probably be best if you tried to pin down your start date (time of year) and start location before you go any further in the planning process.

There are a number of different climatic regions in Canada, hence the need to know when you will start, and where you will start.

You mentioned "Vancouver or Atlanta" in your letter - was that a typo, did you mean 'Atlantic'? Atlanta is a large city in the southeast United States, it would be an unusual place to start a visit to Canada from.

Hello.
You may consider buying your gear when you first arive, it may be cheaper than buying it back home and shipping it across the ocean with you. Anyways, if you need a new piece of gear, your shure to find it here. As i've discovered, it's all about how you like to travell which you get to learn about as you go. I'm planning the same trip in August, maybe we'll keep in touch.
Good luck!

We started in Montreal last April and it was freaking cold. Unf. we missed Nova Scotia. There is a Roll on roll of boat going into Halifax, maybe the easiest way of shipping the bike from Europe. we crated it and sent it to Montreal. also possible. a friend shipped it to Vancouver from Germany, took 3 weeks and cost about 4 to 500 Dollar. i suggest u camp out most of the times, beside larger cities. take a good tent that allows rain and a warm sleeping back, fuel stove add. to fireplace makes life easier in rain. check our log and Twintraveller.com u see the way we did it.
Martin

you asked about minumum camping gear. what can you fit on your bike? if i was doing this trip i'd use the same gear as i did on my trip from canada to panama last winter (only i'd bring warmer clothes and maybe a warmer sleeping bag)...

sleeping bag!
inflatable sleeping pad (like a therm-a-rest)
pots (msr makes a good camping set)
small cook stove (we used an msr multifuel stove which is simple to clean, operate and pack.)
headlamp (pardon me, head torch!)

one of the cheapest places to buy gear in canada is at mountain equipment co-op (mec.) you can find one in vancouver (and calgary, edmonton, winnipeg, toronto etc.)

apart from that, most other things are luxuries. if you start in vancouver, i'd suggest leaving in late spring or (even better) early summer. you have to cross the mountains right away heading east and it may be cold up there. it can snow every month of the year at higher elevations so dress for it.

sounds like a good trip. i've lived in canada all my life and i've never been east of montreal!

Trans Canada Trip
 

If you go Vancouver to Nova Scotia, I presume Halifax, you have stopped short of a trans Canadian having missed out Vancouver Island and the entire Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. BC Ferries operates to Vancouver Island and Marine Atlantic runs from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. I did this trip last year during July. The Pacific Rim of Vancouver Island is a great start, from there you have a few choices about how far north you want to go. If you like, go north to Port Hardy and take the inside passage ferryto Bella Coola then East and south across the rockies, there are many parks and campgrounds. Watch your fuel and be sure you have the range from Bella Coola if you go that way. If you head west from Vancouver you will follow the Trans Canada via some spactacular passes, but busy traffic. Go south along the US border - more scenic in some ways, less traffic, warmer, or like I did, a few loops. Come north via the Eastern Kootney mountains to Calgary. Stampede time is around the first week in July. Prices double for just about everything. Worth a day but don't stay! Check out the fossil remains in the badlands Then the wide flat plains, north or south of the border up to you. One thing you might look out for is a chance to take in a Pow Wow, many of the Indian nations/bands have them throught the summer.
Rand McNally puts out a great N American Road Atlas which covers the high spots of both routes across the countrys. Choice of how you get to the Maritime and Atlantic Provinces depends on how you approach from the south- USA, or West - Canada. Contact each Provincial Tourism office for each Province. For instance, Nova Scotia Tourism has a travel guide specific to motorcycle travellers.
I live in Newfoundland, if you make it this far look me up, there's no place like it! If I'm home there's always some space.
Good luck.
Jim
jcorker@datamail.ca

Bella Coola
 

Check this link for what I thought of the ferry ride from Bella Coola to Port Hardy

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ht=bella+coola

It was just fantastic
Glen

We crossed Canada twice this past summer. As mentioned by jcorker, there is plenty to see. Try to get to Vancouver Island. The ride to Tofino is spectacular. Newfoundland is a must. It's called 'The Rock' and it will have some of the most lasting impressions when you look back after you return home. The extra time to go to Labrador is also well worth it.

We spent as little time as possible on the Trans Canada Hwy. Can be very busy at times and not as interesting as secondary highways.

We took this trip riding 2-up and packed for camping. We had everything we needed, and a few things we didn't touch. I have a pretty complete packing/gear list on my site (link below). I'd be happy to help you out with some routing and questions, as we took some great 'less travelled' roads'. If interested, contact me via my site.

Cheers,

Trans-Canada
 

Hi,
I'm planning to cross Canada this summer but the other way, East to West. In an effort to keep family and friends informed I have a blog on this site, in which I discuss my kit and why I chose it. (one way conversation, me and ...er, ....me:cool4: ) http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/fairless/

Like you I'm trying to devour all the advice from as many places as I can, but in the end it'll be just me, my bike and my credit cards. All the rest is just stuff to make it easier. I can't wait and am praying that nothing goes wrong with my plans to stop me getting away in July. Best of luck to you and your plans, and perhaps you can see where I go wrong as I post the journey, and avoid my mistakes.:mchappy: :stormy:

The Journey is the Prize, not the destination.

My brother and I did a 17000km trip from Saint John Newbrunswick to Vancover island and then back to St John's Newfoundland where we now live. we spent almost 3 months on the road,from june 1 till august 20. one thing we learned is not to do too much planing, if you plan tight timeline and something comes up or maybe you find something else you want to see or do it will kill the timeline or stop you from seeing stuff you want to see. we had a overall plan of 3 months but planed one day at a time.
One thing that did help for day to day planing was my laptop with microsoft streets and trips program it will show you were to find lots of campgrounds gas stations and anything else you may want
As far as gear goes we had your normal camping stuff tent,sleeping bag,campstove,pots,colapabledishes,etc
All so I agree with jcorker and tor1150r Newfoundland there's no place like it try to incluide it for a true coast to coast trip.

If you need any other help feel free to email
bradgm1@hotmail.com

I am doing the same this summer... but from Calgary to Halifax... with a loop around PEI.... My plan is to ride about 6,500kms in about 10 days... around 600km/day what is not bad because from here to Winnipeg I wont waste my time and I will just ride fast.... I am going to avoid Trash Canada hwy as much as possible because I hate to ride behind RV's and Trucks... If anyone would care to joint me I am leaving on June 30th or July 1st.

See you all around Canada...