Cross Canada Motorbike Trip

[2wheels]

If you had two weeks in September to travel via motorbike from Seattle to Toronto, what route would you take?

This is the route I'm thinking about, comments?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=seattle,+wa&daddr=vancouver,+bc+to:whistler,+bc+to:jasper,+ab+to:banff,+ab+to:calgary,+ab+to:Circle+Dr+W+%4052.153080,+-106.683000+to:HWY-10%2FHWY-5+%4051.154970,+-100.110250+to:HWY-10+%4050.476360,+-99.907360+to:winnipeg,+manitoba+to:HWY-11%2FTrans+Canada+Hwy+%4048.745380,+-92.777690+to:thunder+bay,+on+to:sault+ste+marie,+on+to:45.236218,-81.584473+to:HWY-401+E+%4042.919720,+-81.215550&mrcr=12,13&mrsp=13&sz=7&mra=dpe&sll=45.143305,-81.870117&sspn=5.160885,10.283203&ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=46.589069,-85.012207&spn=10.058169,20.566406&z=6

[feliz]

Most of the best riding in BC is in the south, mostly in the Kooteneys. I find Highway 16 south from Jasper pretty boring. Cache Creek-Lillooet-Whistler which your planning is good though. Whistler to Vancouver is a disaster with all the Olympic related construction though and is being avoided now by most bikers I know. If you don't have "Destination Highways BC" get a copy, it's worth it and rates all BCs highways from a riders perspective. They also have copies for Washington/Oregon and California.


The route you're taking through BC is great if you are in a car but I on a bike I would come into BC then head south from Radium and spend at least one day alone just riding around Nelson, the best bike roads in BC. and probably in Canada.

[feliz]

Link to destination Highways: www.destinationhighways.com

If it were me, coming through BC I would go Banff-Radium Hot Springs-Cranbrook-Creston-Kootenay Bay-Nelson-Kaslo-New Denver-Nakusp-Needles-Cherryville-Vernon-Kamloops-Cache Creek, then the way you had planned through Lillooet and Whistler.

Washington State also has some great riding.

I spent 35 years working for the BC Ministry of Highways travelling extensively so have some idea of our road system. Have a good trip.

[ceemes]

Not a bad route.....but once you are out of the Rockies (Banff area), you are on the Prairies, and that is a lot of boring mileage until you hit Ontario.

[feliz]

ceemes wrote: Not a bad route.....but once you are out of the Rockies (Banff area), you are on the Prairies, and that is a lot of boring mileage until you hit Ontario.

True, but he has to get here somehow. I think I would come through Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washingtom but he may plan on going home that way.

Oooops, duh. Backwards!!!! Sorry.
Ok, he's going from here to there so I would do it all in reverse. Anyway, just a suggestion.

[2wheels]

Hey guys -- just wanted to say thanks for the recommendation! I spent about 3 days riding around in BC, and loved it! :-D Best roads I've been on in my life!

If interested, you can read about my trip via my blog at www.alshurafa.net.

If you're considering doing any kind of long motorcycle trip, do it! There will be ups and downs throughout the whole trip, but it's totally worth it.