Trans-Canada Tour?

Have a look at trikeit.co.uktrans can.htmlOpen ↗

Dave Larrington - legslarry.crosswinds.netlegslarry.crosswinds.netOpen ↗
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Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
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Pamela,

Re: 'benting cross Canada

Cycling accross Canada is certainly one of the crazier things you can
do. It tends to be a pligrimage, because of the length and the relative infrequency of fine pubs. I
have done it and I have also done other cycling pilgrimages, including one from Athens to
Nordkapp (which I would highly reccommend). Canada will make you appreciate Europe. Things are
far apart in Canada.

I beg to differ on the opinion of the poster who suggests skipping the mountains. The coastal
mountains of British Columbia and the Rocky Mountains are some of the most spectacular cycling in
the world. For a change from the usual, I enjoy cycling from Vancouver to Jasper on Highway 5
(except for the Coquihalla highway which has a monumental climb and very long stretches of nothing
where water can be an issue - I suggest taking the Fraser Canyon to Kamloops instead). From Jasper
you can go down the Banff-Jasper highway which is unparalleled in its stunning beauty.

If you leave early in the summer, be prepared for cool weather in the Rocky Mountains (may be the
odd snowstorm). Take a Gore-Tex cycling jacket (you can pick up that stuff at the Mountain Equipment
Co-Op in Vancouver). But, don't haul too much stuff - the weight will slow you down and make your
wheels fall apart. You could mail some stuff home once the warm weather hits after the mountains.

I go bent riding in the mountains all the time. I see no reason to avoid them. In fact I relish a
long climb on a cool morning.

The secret to pain reduction on a Cross-Canada tour is to pick the best routes. Leave Vancouver very
early in the morning to avoid the city traffic (take highway 7 and get specific directions for
streets in Vancouver). When cycling from the Vancouver airport make sure you get on the cycling
routes and not the major streets. Go east. There is a prevailing westerly in Canada in the summer.
The Trans-Canada highway between Elkhorn Manitoba and Ottawa is spotty and narrow in places. Don't
take the northern route through Kapuskasing in Ontario. It's a narrow truck route.

It's possible to do a nice little short-cut through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine (on the old
"airline route" which was considered better for airplanes than cars). Nova Scotia has the most
civilized motorists in North America.

I don't generally take trains and I prefer a LWB for the big rides. I have not seen anyone using a
Bike E to cross Canada but I am sure it can be done.

I have done it on a tandem too, which is very nice because of the speed.

David my point on missing the Rockies and using a Train was because the lady WAS on a BikeE and
(near retirement age). Unless she is super-fit I cannot see her climbing the Rockies on a highway
she'd be sharing with large trucks and June rock/mud slides. One thing I should have mentioned too
was that she could avail herself of low cost accomadation via Universities across Canada in the
summer and start off with S.F.U. in Burnaby.
---------------------------------------------------------------
"David Cambon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Pamela,

Re: 'benting cross Canada

Cycling accross Canada is certainly one of the crazier things you can
do. It tends to be a pligrimage, because of the length and the relative infrequency of fine pubs.
I have done it and I have also done other cycling pilgrimages, including one from Athens to
Nordkapp (which I would highly reccommend). Canada will make you appreciate Europe. Things
are far apart in Canada.

I beg to differ on the opinion of the poster who suggests skipping the mountains. The coastal
mountains of British Columbia and the Rocky Mountains are some of the most spectacular cycling in
the world. For a change from the usual, I enjoy cycling from Vancouver to Jasper on Highway 5
(except for the Coquihalla highway which has a monumental climb and very long stretches of nothing
where water can be an issue - I suggest taking the Fraser Canyon to Kamloops instead). From Jasper
you can go down the Banff-Jasper highway which is unparalleled in its stunning beauty.

If you leave early in the summer, be prepared for cool weather in the Rocky Mountains (may be the
odd snowstorm). Take a Gore-Tex cycling jacket (you can pick up that stuff at the Mountain
Equipment Co-Op in Vancouver). But, don't haul too much stuff - the weight will slow you down and
make your wheels fall apart. You could mail some stuff home once the warm weather hits after the
mountains.

I go bent riding in the mountains all the time. I see no reason to avoid them. In fact I relish a
long climb on a cool morning.

The secret to pain reduction on a Cross-Canada tour is to pick the best routes. Leave Vancouver
very early in the morning to avoid the city traffic (take highway 7 and get specific directions
for streets in Vancouver). When cycling from the Vancouver airport make sure you get on the
cycling routes and not the major streets. Go east. There is a prevailing westerly in Canada in the
summer. The Trans-Canada highway between Elkhorn Manitoba and Ottawa is spotty and narrow in
places. Don't take the northern route through Kapuskasing in Ontario. It's a narrow truck route.

It's possible to do a nice little short-cut through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine (on the old
"airline route" which was considered better for airplanes than cars). Nova Scotia has the most
civilized motorists in North America.

I don't generally take trains and I prefer a LWB for the big rides. I have not seen anyone using a
Bike E to cross Canada but I am sure it can be done.

I have done it on a tandem too, which is very nice because of the speed.

"Joshua Goldberg"

Quoted message said:

David my point on missing the Rockies and using a Train was because the lady WAS on a BikeE and
(near retirement age).

Joshua,

I appreciate your concern for the doddering old retirees squeeking along on their frumpy Bike E's.
However, there is a possibility that the retiree in question may still have her faculties and may
even be fit to ride her bike a few kilometers without bedrest and an oxygen tank.

Once you get the old folks motivated, it's amazing what they can do. One of the old grannies out
here even did the Paris-Brest-Paris.

Pam,

For your first big tour an organised ride is probably best. I've heard positive reports from friends
of friends about the Tour de Canada.

cyclecanada.comtdc.htmlOpen ↗

Angus

[email hidden] (Pamela Dallas) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Any ARBR folks done a Trans-Canada, Victoria or Vancouver to Nova Scotia, or the reverse? I'm
curious as to the route, how long to allow, probable best time of year to do it, resources for
more info. Any organized tours, etc?

Thanks, Pamela - BikeE RX Retiring later this year...

You guys had me laughing out loud! I'm not particulary fast, but last fall did a mostly solo 1200
mile tour down the California coast from Monterey to Santa Barbara, then inland to Palm Springs, and
finally back to my home in Reno, NV. Plenty of hill climbing along the route, especially the first
couple days, a couple days with 3000+ ft of elevation gain, and one pass near 7,200ft. My daily
mileage varied from about 32 to 75, pulling a kiddie trailer with my bulky stuff, and overall I
averaged about 50 miles per day.

So I'm not too worried about getting over the Rockies. I think I can get over just about any hill
taken in small enough chunks. There's nothing wrong with walking the really steep grades, which so
far in my experience have been pretty rare.

Pamela - BikeE RX Retiring in my mid-50s

Why do I get the impression we'll be seeing posts here from Mtb riders in BC complaining about you
are smoking them. With your level of performance maybe you should get some bent maker like Vision,
Burley or RANS to sponsor you for the journey, it would be darn good press for a company to have.
Email me when you get near Toronto and my wife and I will buy you a Hotel breakfast (we're cheap).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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"Pamela Dallas" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You guys had me laughing out loud! I'm not particulary fast, but last fall did a mostly solo 1200
mile tour down the California coast from Monterey to Santa Barbara, then inland to Palm Springs,
and finally back to my home in Reno, NV. Plenty of hill climbing along the route, especially the
first couple days, a couple days with 3000+ ft of elevation gain, and one pass near 7,200ft. My
daily mileage varied from about 32 to 75, pulling a kiddie trailer with my bulky stuff, and
overall I averaged about 50 miles per day.

So I'm not too worried about getting over the Rockies. I think I can get over just about any hill
taken in small enough chunks. There's nothing wrong with walking the really steep grades, which so
far in my experience have been pretty rare.

Pamela - BikeE RX Retiring in my mid-50s

Pamala,

Here's a book I always like to have a chance to recommend, especially to those who think a supported
ride across their state is a big deal. Here's a 54 yr old teacher who rides around the world.

A Bike Ride by Anne Mustoe 290 pp Published by Virgin Books ISBN 0 86369 650 3

"When ex-headmistress Anne Mustoe gave up her job, bought a bike and took to the road, she couldn't
even mend a puncture. 12,000 miles and 15 months later, she was home"

"Told with humour, keen observation and supreme relish for every chance encounter, this is the
unique and inspiring story of one woman's journey of personal discovery"

She followed Roman roads across Europe, the routes of Alexander across the Mid east, cycled the
length of Thailand and Malaya before cycling across the US.