The Making of a Cross Canada Route

[MANXMAN]

Originally Posted by hardwaregrrl

Anyone out right now riding sections of the TCAT????

I will be next week. Heading out with a snow shovel strapped on the back of the GS and I plan on digging my way through whats left of this mess.

After that, it should much easier going.


Photo by nighman

[hardwaregrrl]

Originally Posted by MANXMAN

I will be next week. Heading out with a snow shovel strapped on the back of the GS and I plan on digging my way through whats left of this mess.

After that, it should much easier going.

Looking forward to more pics!!! And the RR of course.!

[gunnerbuck]

Originally Posted by MANXMAN

I will be next week. Heading out with a snow shovel strapped on the back of the GS and I plan on digging my way through whats left of this mess.

After that, it should much easier going.

I'm down to 2 passes left on the Island section to get through.. I think a chainsaw might be the tool of choice rather than a shovel, but you never know as the shady bits might still be white...

[Seth S]

I've been loosely following this thread....what sort of total mileage is this route up to and is everything fairly connected or are certain sections still to be tied in?

[Deadly99]

Originally Posted by Seth S

I've been loosely following this thread....what sort of total mileage is this route up to and is everything fairly connected or are certain sections still to be tied in?

We're still thinking about 15,000 km's for the total.

Some sections are near completion. Example is Labrador, Quebec and half of Ontario are completed (roughly a 5000 km chink)

Other sections are near completion now as well. The remaining portions of the route have been mapped and are waiting to be ridden this summer.


By the end of the season I predict 90 percent will have been ridden.

Next summer (2012) the entire route should be complete and ready for distribution that fall-winter. 2013 would be the first time the route will be available and ready to be ridden

The only change I foresee is the amount of pavement on the route. I don't speak for everyone involved but from what I have seen and experienced so far is that there will be more slab than originally predicted. You'll have to trust me when I say I have lost some sleep over this. That being said I have been convinced that in the end it isn't a bad thing. To ride a route of this length there needs to be a balance of what's realistic and what's not. Its a freaking long route and I am now convinced that anyone who rides it in its entirety won't think the occasional chunk of pavement is a bad thing. Just the opposite I believe, it'll let folks get some mileage done and the roads that have been included are anything but dull

A few roads that will or probably will be included that are paved....The Viking Highway up the north east side of NFLD, highway 17 in Ontario along the north shore of lake Ontario, the Sea to Sky highway in BC. Roads like these are included as they get from point a to point b and offer scenic views and fun twisty roads.

Anyone who had ridden gravel for a few thousand km's uninterrupted knows that its a relief so see pavement, it'll give folks a chance to recuperate, relax and gather themselves before jumping into the next series of days of unpaved terrain.

Also some paved roads have been included here and there as they became unavoidable or gave access to a town for example. Gas stations are a reality and few can be accessed without paved roads. Also some paved roads have ended up on the route as they are the only means to a great non paved road. Its all a trade off I suppose.

In the end I believe the route will hold onto its core values. Remote, scenic places that are off the beaten track utilizing primarily gravel roads and trails. To showcase a side of Canada few get to see and enjoy some killer dualsport riding

I keep wondering who will be the first person to ride the route in its entirety.....

[Seth S]

15000km. Sounds like a good way to spend 2 weeks vacation.

[thumpididump]

2 weeks? That'd be one helluva ride for 2 weeks... maybe doable over 2 weeks if it were slab riding. That's over 1,000 Kms a day, you know. Although, I've ridden with Deadly and I suspect he could do 15,000 Kms of dirt riding in 2 weeks.

Originally Posted by Seth S

15000km. Sounds like a good way to spend 2 weeks vacation.

[Boyscout123]

Perfect...should have the new ride by then...

[intothenew]

Originally Posted by dmottv

Kinda looks like the McAdam, NB train station? I've ridden by a few times but never stopped in.

Bingo!

Terminus for the TET will be in Vanceboro ME just West of there. We rode on into McAdam for lunch, to collect a waypoint for GFL, and to simply touch our toes in Canada. That border crossing was the easiest and quickest I have ever been through.

[Z50R]

If the route is out by the end of 2012, I'll have to start making plans... Who wants to make a blitz run?

I think twisty pavement is more fun than flat straight farm dirt any day so don't worry too much about how dusty the route is.

[Gary550]

Originally Posted by Deadly99

A quick high level look at the intended route.

...I assume you're going to finish up the route west to the coast, but how can you call this "Trans Canadian" when you completely bypass The Maritimes?!?! I understand the wish to include the TLH, and to end up in St. John's, but if you miss New Brunswick, P.E.I and Nova Scotia, you miss out on some of the most amazing roads and scenery in the country. There ARE other options which would include hittijng every province, including making one's way across the ferry at Port-Aux-Basques to Sydney, then through Nova Scotia, ferry to PEI and then back through New Brunswick.

[Deadly99]

We've addressed this issue several times

But once again, a cross country route doesnt mean a route to visit every province. Its a route that cuts across the country in a somewhat straight (okay its a zig zagging) line. No offense was meant to the maritimes, terittories or the folks in the Yukon

That being said you might be happy to hear we are making another route through New Brunswick that ends in northern Quebec (The TNE route). Also there are some folks planning and creating a maritime province route that we'll distribute, its set (if memory serves) to be ready next summer. The TNE will be ready this upcoming fall.

The intent of the new site is to provide routes from all over Canada, the TCAT obviously being the flagship route but not the only one. We hope others will create routes (minimum two days) that show off their stomping grounds. Mild to wild, short to long

[Deadly99]

Originally Posted by MANXMAN

I will be next week. Heading out with a snow shovel strapped on the back of the GS and I plan on digging my way through whats left of this mess.

After that, it should much easier going.


Photo by nighman

Suppose your on the road now Ross, safe travels and really looking forward to seeing what BC has in store for us.



Leaving Thursday with a small group of trucks to pre "ride" a section of the TCAT, Poisson Blanc in Quebec to Ottawa Ontario. From all the research it looks like some nice terrain in pretty remote locations.....of course Nuvi is coming so we'll see what adventures it has in store for us . Zooming in on satellite maps shows what look to be trails and not roads. Forecast shows sunny skies and hot temperatures

[MANXMAN]

Originally Posted by Deadly99

Suppose your on the road now Ross, safe travels and really looking forward to seeing what BC has in store for us.

No, still planning on leaving Saturday.

Besides Grey Creek Rd being closed, now another major gravel section (Cunningham Pass FSR) is also closed.

I guess all I can do is pre-ride the sections between those two passes for now and see what happens later this summer. It would be a real loss if Cunningham didn't reopen. Keep your fingers crossed.

Either way, it's only 5 more days till riding time

[Deadly99]

Originally Posted by MANXMAN

No, still planning on leaving Saturday.

Besides Grey Creek Rd being closed, now another major gravel section (Cunningham Pass FSR) is also closed.

I guess all I can do is pre-ride the sections between those two passes for now and see what happens later this summer. It would be a real loss if Cunningham didn't reopen. Keep your fingers crossed.

Either way, it's only 5 more days till riding time

Oddly enough I justy finished reading this before seeing your post.

Sadly the story on the Barkerville-Likely Circle route goes from bad to worse after talking to the local park official at Bowron Lakes Provincial Park and a local RCMP (who doubted the road would have been open due to low snow levels). It turns out that the forest lands have no more merchantable timber left and it doubtful that the road will fixed be ever opened again by the forest companies