Cross Canada Ride Seeking Input

[MHY]

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From Friday August 28 to Sunday September 13, starting from Toronto, I am planning a 17 day cross Canada ride with 2 other riders. I and looking for some real world input on a few specific matters:

Day 4 we will be heading out from Kenora to Emerald Park about 775km. From AI, I have learned that there is some major road construction work happening on the south Winnipeg bypass hwy100. AI is telling me it would be best to avoid the traffic congestion and take the north Winnipeg bypass hwy101 instead. It is about the same distance but no construction delays. Further questioning AI, it tells me that there are 7 traffic lights along hwy101 before connecting back onto hwy1. This sounds a bit nuts to me, it's like having traffic lights on hwy401 over Toronto. I would like to hear from riders who have ridden this route and can provide any insight on how best to safely navigate through this leg of the ride along hwy101 north Winnipeg bypass.

AI has also told me that the wind intensity from Winnipeg to Regina is MUCH less than it is from Regina to Medicine Hat but hwy1 remains the best and safest route through this leg of the trip. AI says It is due to the change in topography west of Regina, which is totally flat and nothing to break the wind. AI also told me to get a very early morning start (7:00am) heading out from Emerald Park as the wind intensity picks up as the sun heats up the earth, so for about 3 hours of riding, the wind issue will be much less impactful. I would like to know if this is actually true and to understand really how bad the wind factor is and how best to deal with the intense wind.

Any advice on any other trip matter would be welcome as well.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[sburns]

Have you not been out that way before?

Are you not visiting any landmarks, scenic spots etc?

Highways outside big urban centres like Toronto, Montreal etc are much different for the rest of Canada, there is little separation, and less infrastructure, which is the reason for stop lights on the highway as they intersect with other roads with no overpass's etc.

Maybe stop using Ai for decision making and just look at a map for route planning.
Transcanada is very direct, but surface wise it's a mix bag. There are other roads south and north of it which you can take.

BTW the wind across Saskatchewan is no joke.

 

[MHY]

Have you not been out that way before?

Are you not visiting any landmarks, scenic spots etc?

Highways outside big urban centres like Toronto, Montreal etc are much different for the rest of Canada, there is little separation, and less infrastructure, which is the reason for stop lights on the highway as they intersect with other roads with no overpass's etc.

Maybe stop using Ai for decision making and just look at a map for route planning.
Transcanada is very direct, but surface wise it's a mix bag. There are other roads south and north of it which you can take.

BTW the wind across Saskatchewan is no joke.

Never been out that way. AI can be helpful but you need to be careful and verify info best you can, that is what I am trying to do here. Winnipeg is the biggest city in Manitoba. I carefully research other roads south but ruled them out as being better. There are still significant winds with narrower single lane roads and no segregation of east/west lanes and it is peak harvest time in Saskatchewan so lots of trucks and combines on the roads.

 

[Gaoler]

'Done it several times... Doing it agsin soon, leaving July 10th for BC.
Getting around Winnipeg is always a chore.
'Fortunately its a small % of the entire trip.
This year Im going to dip south at Ste Anne and wrighle down to the Red Coat trail...'avoiding the TC

 

[MHY]

'Done it several times... Doing it agsin soon, leaving July 10th for BC.
Getting around Winnipeg is always a chore.
'Fortunately its a small % of the entire trip.
This year Im going to dip south at Ste Anne and wrighle down to the Red Coat trail...'avoiding the TC

Yes, very good. I seriously considered the Red Coat Trail but it is peak harvest time and that route will be very busy from early morning to evening. This is when they make there money. July 10 should not have this issue to that extent, I would think. Besides, for us, it is Alberta west of Medicine Hat/BC where the real riding fun starts.

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