Down Canada's west coast

Paul Altmann said:

Hello there!

I'd like to learn about internet sources, especially forums, where I
can get in touch with folks that know about cycling in Yukon Territory
and British Columbia. Would like to discuss an idea of mine there, to
cycle down from Whitehorse to Vancouver.

Any hints are welcome.

A good place to start would be the BC/Alaska Cycle Touring FAQ, at
http://broughton.ca/bcakfaq.html , and pay particular attention to question
#1.

--
Bob Broughton
http://broughton.ca/
Vancouver, BC, Canada
"It should be legal for a private maternity ward to permit smoking."
- Chuck Wright, May 22, 2006

Robert Broughton schrieb:

Quoted message said:

A good place to start would be the BC/Alaska Cycle Touring FAQ, at
http://broughton.ca/bcakfaq.html , and pay particular attention to question
#1.

Thanks for pointing out that FAQ of yours, Bob.

I am at a point where it's still all about giving just a very rough
shape to that first idea of cycling down from Whitehorse to Vancouver.
My basic vision was to cycle down the coast near the coastline, har,
har - which is just impossible obviously. So now I'm thinking about
cycling from Whitehorse to Skagway/Alaska, taking the ferry down to
Prince Rupert, from there another one to Port Hardy, to shift the
actual cycling tour down to Vancouver Island ...

I am sure that it may make sense then to interrupt the ferry passages
somewhere along the trip. On the Alaska part of it, it's Tongass
National Forest that may very well be worth it to stay for some days.
But then again - I'd guess the whole area is a no go for folks who love
to ride their bikes ;-)

On 29 Jun 2006 06:10:47 -0700 in rec.bicycles.rides, "Paul

Altmann said:

My basic vision was to cycle down the coast near the coastline, har,
har - which is just impossible obviously. So now I'm thinking about
cycling from Whitehorse to Skagway/Alaska, taking the ferry down to
Prince Rupert, from there another one to Port Hardy, to shift the
actual cycling tour down to Vancouver Island ...

I am sure that it may make sense then to interrupt the ferry passages
somewhere along the trip. On the Alaska part of it, it's Tongass
National Forest that may very well be worth it to stay for some days.
But then again - I'd guess the whole area is a no go for folks who love
to ride their bikes ;-)

au contraire, we have some great trail riding here, and it's
quite nice to take ferries for most of the trip. you can get off
and bike around towns where the roads just go out of town 20-30
miles and just dead end. on most of them traffic is relatively
light.

i recommend fat tire bikes for touring in the north. most
highways up here use chip seal, which unlike true asphalt, can be
quite rough surfaced. if you want to ride instead of spending
your time fixing flats while being eaten alive by black flies,
rig a mountain bike for touring with inverse tread tires at
relatively high pressure (mine are at 65 lbs). my touring up
here has all been on mountain bikes with full fenders and front
and rear panniers. i also carry full *waterproof* raingear.

remember there are few services between whitehorse and skagway
except for carcross. in the summer streams can be quite dry for
a good part of the route, so you will need to carry a lot of
water. bears near the road are a real danger, too.

for a nice trip, try haines-haines junction-whitehorse-skagway.
535 miles of miles and miles.

Dennis P. Harris said:

au contraire, we have some great trail riding here, and it's
quite nice to take ferries for most of the trip. you can get off
and bike around towns where the roads just go out of town 20-30
miles and just dead end. on most of them traffic is relatively
light.

Allright, but no chance to actually move in the trip's direction that
way, I'd guess? Interesting anyway - could you recommend road maps for
that area?

Quoted message said:

i recommend fat tire bikes for touring in the north.

Agreed. We would bring mountain bikes with 2.1 to 2.3 inch tires.

Quoted message said:

rig a mountain bike for touring with inverse tread tires at
relatively high pressure (mine are at 65 lbs).

Inverse tread tires are kind of bad choice if it comes to muddy
terrains. Unlikely to come across those?

Quoted message said:

bears near the road are a real danger, too.

Uhm - you sound dead serious here ... Should we be prepared to
*definitely* encounter bears there while cycling?

Robert Broughton said:

Paul Altmann said:

Hello there!

I'd like to learn about internet sources, especially forums, where I
can get in touch with folks that know about cycling in Yukon Territory
and British Columbia. Would like to discuss an idea of mine there, to
cycle down from Whitehorse to Vancouver.

Any hints are welcome.

A good place to start would be the BC/Alaska Cycle Touring FAQ, at
http://broughton.ca/bcakfaq.html , and pay particular attention to question
#1.

--
Bob Broughton
http://broughton.ca/
Vancouver, BC, Canada
"It should be legal for a private maternity ward to permit smoking."
- Chuck Wright, May 22, 2006

Bob? How are you?

Did you get over being a TWO-TIME GREEN PARTY LOSER?

Bruce Watson said:

Robert Broughton said:

Paul Altmann said:

Hello there!

I'd like to learn about internet sources, especially forums, where I
can get in touch with folks that know about cycling in Yukon Territory
and British Columbia. Would like to discuss an idea of mine there, to
cycle down from Whitehorse to Vancouver.

Any hints are welcome.

A good place to start would be the BC/Alaska Cycle Touring FAQ, at
http://broughton.ca/bcakfaq.html , and pay particular attention to
question
#1.

Bob? How are you?

I'm celebrating Canada Day and Bruce Watson Day at the same time, so I'm
very happy.

It's pretty pathetic, however, that you are so envious of Bruce Watson that
you're using his name.

For an explanation of what Bruce Watson Day is about, see
http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/Stories/0,1413,164~8309~3339771,00.html

--
Bob Broughton
http://broughton.ca/
Vancouver, BC, Canada
"It should be legal for a private maternity ward to permit smoking."
- Chuck Wright, May 22, 2006