Cross country trip with covid?

[ifiddles]

Roadside Attractions

Across Canada, there are hundreds of interesting roadside attractions. This site is dedicated to cataloging our nation’s large roadside attractions.

roadsideattractions.ca

Province by province...might be some cool places to check out

 

[nobbie48]

Consistency is what bugs me. I'm going to call out the TIM HORTONS on the West Mall at Evans for locking out their washrooms. If I'm buying a coffee I like to trade in the old one.

 

[Hack]

Looks like my trip is a go.
I'm leaving on Aug 6th for Alberta / BC and coming back around the 27th.
Gonna book the ferry tomorrow.
I'll try to do a ride report
My stayovers going out will be SSM - Dryden - Moose Jaw - Castlegar BC

Unless you are really into boats... skip the ferry. $40 and adds 3+hours to your trip.

I reccomend the Ambassador Motel in SSM... 'Been there several times.

I'm leaving for Vancouver on the 3rd or 4th myself
Probably go Wawa, Emo, Grenfell, Pincher Creek Penticton, Vancouver

 

[shanekingsley]

Good to see all these trips out to the Rockies.

I think I will now go mid August for 3 weeks since work is quite flexible. I can’t wait!

Where are people getting their oil changes done? I figure I will do one just before I leave, will need to do another one near Prince George before going through Prince Rupert and down to Vancouver. Then will do another one in southern Alberta on my way home after riding around the island and the Rockies for a bit.

I’m also optimistic that one new Road 5 rear tire will last the whole trip, which seems it will be around 15k.

 

[kiley]

Unless you are really into boats... skip the ferry. $40 and adds 3+hours to your trip.

I reccomend the Ambassador Motel in SSM... 'Been there several times.

I'm leaving for Vancouver on the 3rd or 4th myself
Probably go Wawa, Emo, Grenfell, Pincher Creek Penticton, Vancouver

Leaving from Kitchener and hating the 400 I thought it best to take the ferry...plus I like how it breaks up the ride.
I was planning on staying at Holiday Motel as it right beside an Italian place but thanks for the Ambassador recommendation....I'll have a look into it.
Now if Covid would just "calm the fack down" we'd be all set.

 

[kiley]

Good to see all these trips out to the Rockies.

I think I will now go mid August for 3 weeks since work is quite flexible. I can’t wait!

Where are people getting their oil changes done? I figure I will do one just before I leave, will need to do another one near Prince George before going through Prince Rupert and down to Vancouver. Then will do another one in southern Alberta on my way home after riding around the island and the Rockies for a bit.

I’m also optimistic that one new Road 5 rear tire will last the whole trip, which seems it will be around 15k.

Shane I just did an oil change at work using a crane witch is a brilliant idea btw so I'm ok to take off.
I'll look for a dealer in Alberta before I start heading home.
I'm too old and fat to be laying in a parking lot doing one
I just put on new rubber in April so I'm good.

My plan is leave on the 6th then 4 days to get there...10 days to explore...then 4 days home...and 5 float days if I need them

 

[MacDoc]

Do the Northern TC route out of or to Hinton at least one direction. I found it more interesting and it lands you in a nice spot to catch 99 into Lilloet and Vancouver.
Shane that's a natural route if going to Prince Rupert. You should try for the Cassiar and Hyder since you are that far north.

5369 Snowbird Ct to Lillooet

goo.gl

One reason I liked flying one way is I could count on not needing oil change ( synthetic) or a tire change for 10-11k ride and I preferred coming back with the prevailing wind.
loved getting off the plane and riding the mountains all day ( time change ) immediately

Different economics if you are camping but if you add up 5 days+ of food, lodgings and bike wear the numbers get pretty close

 

[kiley]

I was hoping to spend 3 nights in Lilloet exploring

 

[MacDoc]

Sea to Sky highway down to Vancouver is wonderful. I found fitting in the Jasper to Banff ride and Bow Valley a bit trickier and you really should.

This is likely the fastest route to get to the mountains and you pick up Glacier National Park as well
Then up through the centre of the Rockies and all the pretty stuff.

5369 Snowbird Ct to Lillooet

goo.gl

How high you go is a choice - the road into Hyder is lovely and you can cheat and say you did Alaska
One rider said he counted 10 waterfalls on the stretch

 

[J_F]

I was hoping to spend 3 nights in Lilloet exploring

if you're unable to get anything there kiley
town of Cache Creek, east end of 99

I've stayed at this place a few times
clean, affordable, kitchenettes, groceries across the street
guest BBQ, safe for bikes, good owners, ideal spot for a bike tour

Sunset Motel Premium Lodging

Premium Lodging in Cache Creek, BC

sunsethotel.ca

 

[shanekingsley]

Would also be pretty cool to stop in at Yellowknife and Whitehorse.

Any other good places to stay along the way throughout BC and Alberta are appreciated.

 

[MacDoc]

Hey Shane if you need a new cable for your Shure 215 these are nice ...mine cracked - still sort of works. The new ones are more comfortable behind the ears.

OKCSC MMCX Earphones Cable, 6 Core OFC Detachable Replacement Headphones Cable, Audio Adapter, Earbuds Connectors with 3.5mm Plug for Shure se215 se315 SE535 : Amazon.ca: Electronics

OKCSC MMCX Earphones Cable, 6 Core OFC Detachable Replacement Headphones Cable, Audio Adapter, Earbuds Connectors with 3.5mm Plug for Shure se215 se315 SE535 : Amazon.ca: Electronics

www.amazon.ca

Feasible Shane if you have the time. That's 715 a day and no time to smell the roses.

5369 Snowbird Ct to 5369 Snowbird Ct

goo.gl

Tight for 3 weeks but then you are a madman for distance. Yellowknife is neat.
That puts you fast track to the mountains southern route then north in BC and catch Whitehorse and Yellowknife and home the northern Transcanada.
You might have to decide between the Banff Jasper route and doing Vancouver - Lilloet.

 

[shanekingsley]

Thanks for the Shure cable link.

If going up north, then I would attempt something like this on the way there and come home along a southern route closer to the border:

 

[kiley]

if you're unable to get anything there kiley
town of Cache Creek, east end of 99

I've stayed at this place a few times
clean, affordable, kitchenettes, groceries across the street
guest BBQ, safe for bikes, good owners, ideal spot for a bike tour

Sunset Motel Premium Lodging

Premium Lodging in Cache Creek, BC

sunsethotel.ca

this place looks perfect
thanks

 

[ScorpionT16]

Keep these routes coming, I'll probably end up doing a combination of them. I'd like to do Alaska next year, so maybe keep the up north routes for then, not sure if Glacier national park/borders will be open, that was on the list

 

[MacDoc]

Thats a better route Shane and you can always skip Yellowknife if the fires are bad but up to you if you want to retrace the southern TC back home.

If you have any spare time the road from Namaimo to Port Alberni and Tofino on Vancouver Island is wonderful and you get to take the ferry across to Vancouver Island and ride to Tofino ....doing THAT road twice is very much worthwhile. We took the Inside Passage ferry from Prince Rupert over to Vancouver Island but the road south down the island is not all that interesting and you certainly must do 99 lillouet./Sea and Sky run


you could take the northern TC ( 16 ) to Saskatoon then cut over to Banff and come home the southern TC


This making me soooooo tempted to point the CB500x west and use up some travel points for motels since no prospect of getting to Australia this year.

 

[Hack]

Leaving from Kitchener and hating the 400 I thought it best to take the ferry...plus I like how it breaks up the ride.

I see.... Yes.
Blasting off from Kitchener it DOES make sense to take the Chi-Cheemaun across to South Baymouth in order to get to Sault Ste. Marie.

Have you done it before..?
I'd recommend bringing your own ratchet strap(s) for securing your bike below deck. The ropes provided are a little "rough"

I was planning on staying at Holiday Motel as it right beside an Italian place but thanks for the Ambassador recommendation....I'll have a look into it.

Ambassador Motel is at 1275 Great Northern Road.
Try Giovanni's on GNR for Italian ..

 

[PrivatePilot]

Unless you are really into boats... skip the ferry. $40 and adds 3+hours to your trip.

From my place on the east side of the GTA the mileage is about the same, and yes, it does add a few hours (basically the actual sailing time) to the trip, but it's down time that you can sit and relax which has merit. And for those coming back the same way, well, it does avoid doing the same boring (in spots) stretches of road twice.

Where are people getting their oil changes done?

It's been my experience that if you show up to a powersports place and explain that you're on an epic trip and are from out of province (with the licence plate to prove it) and then grovel to the service manager a little....they will squeeze you in. Or, alternately, just make an appointment somewhere at one of your planned stops.

 

[Hack]

I'm fortunate in that my BC destination is family with a nicely outfitted garage.
I'll change my oil there.

For those without facilities...
Once you source your oil/filter
Dollar store receptacle to catch old oil.
(Socket/wrench should be in your tool kit)
Change oil in a Canadian tire parking lot and leave waste oil (in a sealed container)outside their shop door.
They'll deal with it.

 

[PrivatePilot]

For those without facilities...
Once you source your oil/filter
Dollar store receptacle to catch old oil.
(Socket/wrench should be in your tool kit)
Change oil in a Canadian tire parking lot and leave waste oil (in a sealed container)outside their shop door.
They'll deal with it.

Unless you have a Vstar 1100. Then you have to take half the bike apart to change the oil.

Vstar 1100 owners know what I'm talking about.

There's a special flaming corner of hell reserved for the engineer who designed that bike in such a way that you need to take the exhaust off (along with removing the right side floorboards and controls to do so) before being able to access the oil filter.

I swore the last time I changed the oil on my wife's 1100 I was going to put the filter relocation kit on it the next time I had to do the job. And then I saw the price of the kit and didn't want to spend the money. Then I changed the oil again a few weeks ago. Reconsidered, going to spend the money now.