Canada here we come

[hrpearce]

We are heading to Canada September 19 for an organised tour and planning to stay on and drive around a bit. We have to finalise our plans on Monday.
We plan to drive from Vancouver to Calgary to Saskatoon to Winnipeg to Hammond and to Niagara Falls, then find an airport to travel home from.
Exciting times ahead.

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

...and drive around a bit.

We plan to drive from Vancouver to Calgary to Saskatoon to Winnipeg to Hammond and to Niagara Falls...

Drive a bit?

[rob love]

That is one heck of a drive, and it seems hints of winter have come early to the prairies, so you may have some exciting times learning about winter driving on the bald ass prairies. Resist the urge to set the cruise control and have a nap while passing through Saskatchewan and Manitoba...unfortunately the highways do have correction lines to them so you can't quite simply tie the seatbelt to the steering wheel in the straight ahead position.

You'll feel a strong magnetic attraction from the South a little after you get past Brandon Manitoba. That will be the collection of CMPs here at the Shilo museum, located about 12 miles South of the trans-Canada highway. While not open on weekends or evenings during the fall/winter, give me a couple days notice and I can run you through. Minimum tour time is about an hour if you just go through the storage facility.....half a day minimum to see the storage building, the museum, and the dustbowl.

That invitation is open to all of the MLU regulars...I don't think I have ever turned down anybody from this forum when they've been through.

[Bob Carriere]

Hope you can make it to Hammond before the snow flies.

Keep us posted of your whereabouts.....

BobC

[rob love]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

We are heading to Canada September 19 .......

Did you mean October, or are you talking about next year?

[hrpearce]

Sorry lazy typing Sept. 2019 have to plan early for best prices and get visas etc.

[rob love]

Oh, OK. Forget about what I was saying about winter driving then....it should be gone by then.

[hrpearce]

Ok dates now known, pick up car in Vancouver 12:00 21st Sept 2019 and drop it off in Toronto 12:00 14th Oct 2019.
Now to make plans.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Ok dates now known, pick up car in Vancouver 12:00 21st Sept 2019 and drop it off in Toronto 12:00 14th Oct 2019.
Now to make plans.

Plan an uncontestable 36 hours door to door between Regina and Ottawa. And for the sheer scenic monotony of rocks and black spruce, I "suggest" highway 11 through northern Ontario. Fewer tourists and more through traffic than hugging the shoreline of Lake Superior. Night stops in Kenora or Hearst/Kapuskasing. And one drive I made, we rotated drivers religiously every 200 km.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by rob love

...

You'll feel a strong magnetic attraction from the South a little after you get past Brandon Manitoba. That will be the collection of CMPs here at the Shilo museum, located about 12 miles South of the trans-Canada highway. While not open on weekends or evenings during the fall/winter, give me a couple days notice and I can run you through. Minimum tour time is about an hour if you just go through the storage facility.....half a day minimum to see the storage building, the museum, and the dustbowl.

That invitation is open to all of the MLU regulars...I don't think I have ever turned down anybody from this forum when they've been through.

Highly encouraged!

[hrpearce]

Keep the suggestions flowing, Vicki and I will make our final plans for stopovers around July so we can then work out travel days and rest/ visit days.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Plan an uncontestable 36 hours door to door between Regina and Ottawa. And for the sheer scenic monotony of rocks and black spruce, I "suggest" highway 11 through northern Ontario. Fewer tourists and more through traffic than hugging the shoreline of Lake Superior. Night stops in Kenora or Hearst/Kapuskasing. And one drive I made, we rotated drivers religiously every 200 km.

I think we will disagree on the 11 vs 17 thing Terry. Highway 11 is comparably boring compared to the lake route of highway 17. If I am pulling a trailer load, and wanting to get to where I am going, then yes, highway 11. But if I am traveling empty, and want to see the best of what Canada is, then highway 17 offers great views of Lake superior along with touristy towns and villages. Just don't let the fuel tank get below 1/2, because there are a few long stretches between stations, especially around Wawa.



I found highway 11 comparable to driving in Northern Manitoba. Mostly flat, and with towns that do not appear inviting, but rather seem to be just large truck stops.

[r.morrison]

Well Robert, you and your wife are in for a long but extremely memorable trip. I won't wade into Rob and Terry's discussion....HOWEVER the drive between Vancouver and Calgary is in my words, the most beautiful in all of Canada. My recommendation is to get an early start when heading into the Rockies and watch the sun come up and....well the pictures speak for themselves. Lots of places to stop and photograph. Wildlife everywhere. Just about saw 2 female deer get "smoked" going into Banff Alberta. They missed being run down by a nano second. And of course, once you get through the mountains, you will gradually drive into the prairies and a great city called Calgary. Be sure and visit Rob and Dirk's surplus stores!!!!A few places there you should also see. The attached photos were taken this past September. Enjoy.....Robert

[r.morrison]

A couple more to wet your whistle! R.

[r.morrison]

Robert: I just saw the dates you're going to be here. Man....you got a lot of country to jam into that time period. You can use me as a contact at the Vancouver end. I will PM you some details. If you run into problems, just drop me a line. Cheers....Robert

[Lang]

Robert

Looking at the Canadian blokes' suggestions it is a bloody big country. I have done Vancouver to Anchorage which was a long way but crosswise is a drive and a half.

Regina (which is halfway across) to Ottowa as suggested above is the same distance as Melbourne to Townsville. Vancouver to Ottowa is further than Brisbane to Perth.

Might be some lateral thinking required to make the most of your holiday other than a detailed inspection of the trans-Canada national highway road surface? As the guys say, there is a heck of a lot of nothing out in the middle, particularly if you are on a main highway.

Just a suggestion but maybe a combination of cars, trains, and planes? The Canadians could offer some ideas for value-added transport combinations. Mr Google also has many ideas.

Lang

[hrpearce]

As usual I have left planning to the last minute. After replies to a couple of PM's We have come up with this travel plan.
Rob Love with this plan we are in Brandon all day Sat 28th September, hope we can meet up.
Bob Carriere We arrive in Hammond Saturday 5th October and will be there all day on Sunday 6th hope we have picked a time you are home.
Anny other MLUers on the track that we are taking can contact me by email rpearce123 @ outlook.com (remove the spaces).
Cheers Rob & Vicki.

[maple_leaf_eh]

ref Hammond Barn pilgrimage

Robert

I live not far from Bob and the barn crew, and will be happy to meet and shake hands. I always learn something whenever I'm at Hammond.

If you have been around long enough to remember the tales of breakfast at Marie's, we can visit the site and say a quiet prayer that the restaurant lives on in our memories.

BTW, my gun club is about the same distance south of Marie's, as the Barn is north of Marie's. If you want to burn gunpowder or fire some things that are legal in Canada but not in Australia, just send me a message or post here.

[David Dunlop]

Robert.

I have driven through the mountains in BC several times. As you approach them they look magnificent but I have always found that once you are driving in them, your view becomes very restricted by your vehicles roof and windows.

We did the drive again last year at this time and our vehicle had a panoramic moon roof. HUGE improvement in the view! It is a trip I would like to do again one year in an open convertible.

David

By the way. In the 5th picture RobertM posted, the big concrete wall the highway is heading to is a giant snow shed. You will drive through several of them as you approach the mountain passes. They are built where winter avalanches are common to direct the snow safely over the highway. To the left of that photo, on the upslope, you can see the clear path where the trees once were. They never really get a chance to reestablish once avalanches start clearing them out. D

[Harry Moon]

in 2005 on our clubs first freedom route convoy, i had the opportunity to go up the canyon to Lilloet standing in the open roof hatch of my C15A while Luigi from italy drove it. Exhilirating.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Rob Love with this plan we are in Brandon all day Sat 28th September, hope we can meet up.

That should work out. I'll PM you my phone information for when you start getting close.

[hrpearce]

Looking forward to the trip now that We have some contacts. We will be on the bus in 27 hours heading to Sydney.

[jdmcm]

Hi Robert

we don't have much in the way of CMP's but we do have a few interesting vehicles kicking around the shop, we are conveniently located right off Hwy #1 as you are leaving Vancouver, as Rob said if you give me a bit of notice we would be happy to give you the nickle tour...probably take a smidge less time than Rob's!

Best Regards
John

[hrpearce]

Thanks John will update where we are while on the cruise that is about 7 days before we are turned loose in Canada.

[lynx42]

Robert and Vicki, have a really great trip. Travel safe and take plenty of photos to share.

R'n'J.

[hrpearce]

In Chateau Victoria need sleep.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

In Chateau Victoria need sleep.

Hi Robert,
Hope you both have a great trip.

regards, Richard

[MikeV]

Well If you make it to Niagara Falls The Ontario Regiment Museum is not far away . If you Come to Oshawa We Have a great Little museum Full of operating CMP's Tanks And APC.'s over 80 to be exact loo us up on the web. If you can't get this far. Mark your calendar for 2020 first weekend in June For Aquino Weekend . It is a Historians dream.

[hrpearce]

We just finished two days on the Rocky Mountaineer, so back in Vancouver, on the cruise ship tomorrow, back in Vancouver on the twenty first.

[hrpearce]

We dock in Vancouver in the morning, clear customs and pick up a car at noon and make our way to Richmond for a two night stay. Let the journey begin.