The route
This is the route I took on my trip
| Coquitlam --- Hope | Highway 7 | Bike is prohibited on highway 1 |
| Hope --- Castle Mountain, AB | Highway 1 | |
| Castle Mountain --- Banff | Highway 1A | A lot quieter than highway 1 |
| Banff --- Canmore | Highway 1 | Almost all slight downhill |
| Canmore --- Calgary | Highway 1A | Pretty quiet till Cochrane |
| Inside Calgary | Sorry, I forgot! | Avoid trans Canada. Ask others for info. Sorry! |
| Calgary --- Winnipeg, MB | Highway 1 | I took highway 1A around Brandon, MB |
| Winnipeg --- West Hawk Lake | Highway 15,11&44 | Better than Trans Canada |
| West Hawk Lake --- Kenora, ON | Highway 1&17 | |
| Kenora --- Nipigon | Highway 71&11 | I don't think #71 is as scenic as they say, but traffic is pretty light |
| Nipigon --- North Bay | Highway 17 | I took country road 55 around Sudbury |
| North Bay --- Petawawa | Highway 11 | Traffic is not as heavy as other section |
| Petawawa --- Chenaux | CR 57,4&7 | |
| Chanaux --- Ottawa | Highway 303&148 | I went through Quebec |
| Ottawa --- Montreal | Highway 148,344,148&117 | Pretty busy all the way |
Traffic
Traffic depends on places, but around cities, needless to say, you'll have to fight with heavy traffic. On Trans Canada between BC and Saskatchewan, there is such a nice shoulder you don't have to pay attention to traffic. However, when in the following section, you have to be very careful;
From Vancouver to Maple Ridge, BC
From Yale to Boston Bar (6 tonnels
Calgary, Alberta
Manitoba overall, especially from Portage la Prairie to Winnipeg, Manitoba
In Manitoba, especially from Virden, where the highway divides, shoulder often disappears.
When you go into winnipeg, you'll have a hard time. Though there are 2 lanes, there is no shoulder at all, and traffic is very heavy.
In Ontario or Quebec, don't expect too much for shoulder. Generally shoulder is as wide as 30 or 50 cm, and to make matters worse, there are more tracks. You might get scared till you get used to it. The following section is especially dangerous, so you have to be very cautious.
Around Thunder Bay
From Bruce Mines to Iron Bridge
Around Sudbury
In Ontario, instead of taking highway 17 and 11 all the way to Ottawa, I highly recommend you go through southern Ontario.
I would never bike through heavy and crazy traffic around Sudbury!
Though most cars give you enough room, you should have safety gear, like back mirror or reflective vest. Usually
there is gravel shoulder beside the road, you can rush into it.
Terrain
It would be a lot easier to name flat section, because even on the prairie, it's not flat. The sections I found hard are;
From Hope to Kamloops
Rogers Pass
Kicking Horse Pass
Prairie (mentally!)
Around Terrace Bay, Ontario
Around Marathon, Ontario
From Wawa to Montreal River, Ontario
From North Bay to Deep River
Road condition
Generally it's excellent. You don't need to wear knobby tires at all. However, you'll meet some construction zones, especially in BC and Ontario, where you'll meet poor road surface.
Scenic routes
All around BC, especially from Hope to Kamloops
Rocky Mountains (as anybody can guess!)
Prairie (only for 10 minutes!)
Around West Hawk Lake, Manitoba
Kenora (I think it's one of the most beautiful towns in Canada)
From Kenora to Emo, Ontario
From Nipigon to Terrace Bay
From Wawa to Batchawana Bay
From Sturgeon Falls to North Bay
From Mattawa to Deep River
Places to stay
Though motels are everywhere, unfortunately there are not many youth hostels. However, there are lots of campgrounds
along the way, you shouldn't worry too much about places to stay.
It depends how much campgrounds cost, but it varies from free to 20 dollars. In the prairie it's very cheap, and sometimes
you can stay for free. To the contrary, it's very expensive in BC and Ontario, and even public campsites cost more than
15 dollars.
You can get a nice book about campground at every information center, and they are the best way to get information.
Food
There are many gas stands or food store along the way, you don't have to carry lots of food. About water, I always to
try to get at gas stands or toilets, because it's always free. It would cost very much if you bought mineral water.
In these section, however, you should carry enough food and water.
From Revelstoke, BC to Rogers Pass
From Rogers Pass to Golden
From Mine Centre to Atikokan, Ontario
From Wawa to Agawa Valley (There is no food store or gas station for 80 km)
Fuel
If you want to carry a stove, be sure to carry gasoline stove. Gas cartridge is hard to come by, except for old bluet or coleman.
Climate
What can I say? I can't tell all about Canadian climate, but it's very hot around Kamloops and prairie. Wind can get strong in prairie, but wind blows from either east or west.
Natural enemies
Not to mention grizzlies in the Rockies, mosquitos are outrageous. They will bite you even over bike shorts. They are
abundant everywhere, but I met lots in Manitoba. (I heard there is a statue of mosquito somewhere near Winnipeg!)
About grizzly you shouldn't worry too much, because most campgrounds in the Rockies have food shelter and usually
there is lots of traffic where grizzlies are.
I took Air Canada from Montreal to Vancouver, but I didn't need to disassemble my bike. All I did is taking the pedalls off and turning the hundlebar 90 degrees. They packed it with a big plastic bag. They will charge you 65 dollars plus GST and PST.
I myself don't have enough idea what I should write here. If you have any question, please do
e-mail me