cross country trip? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dunl · #1 03-12-2006, 04:45 PM

Didn't know what forum to post it in, but I'm looking to travel from Alberta, Canada, to the East Coast of Canada. Wondering what is the best way to go, and also the fastest - through Canada, or cut down through the states?

Thanks,
Dunl

pawoSD · #2 03-12-2006, 04:55 PM

Mapquest usually gives pretty good routes for stuff like that.

www.mapquest.com

junqueyardjim · #3 03-12-2006, 05:13 PM

We travel to Canada a lot as wife is from the Edmonton area. Great place, and we hope to go there again this summer. But, if you just are looking to transport yourself by car to the Canadian East Coast, it is considerbly closer through Canada on the "Yellow Head". That is about 2300 miles. Through the states, some would say the senery is more varied, fuel costs are probably a little less, for a Canadian probably a little more fun, but the distance is about 3000 miles going around through Chicago. One suggestion would be to take it state side from Sweetgrass, Mt on I-16 and I-94 to Fargo, ND and then take old US 2 through Duluth to Sault Ste. Marie, commonly referred to in Wisconsin Michigan as the Soo. That is a wonderful scenic ride, typically a little more then one might like to drive in a day, but not out of the question. But it is quite heavily traveled in the summer months by tourist. That would be a lot of fun, lots to see and do. ect. Mileage would probably be 2700.

Diesel Giant · #4 03-12-2006, 05:37 PM

Hmmm check AAA I think they have all kinds of routes for the driver set.

dunl · #5 03-12-2006, 06:02 PM

AAA seems to have only one route, and that is south to Chicago, east to Boston, and then north. I'm heading to PEI.

I agree with the Soo route, as that looked not bad on the map. The problem with maps is, they don't give you real-life experience. While it looked longer, I think is might actually be faster - can anyone confirm that?

Oh, and if your wife is from Edmonton, she probably knows where Sylvan Lake is...you might even yourself.

junqueyardjim · #6 03-12-2006, 07:25 PM

I know how difficult it is to visualize what would be the most pleasant and interesting way to go. And that is what I tried to get accross in a few words. But I have done it all concerning the trip you want to take and if you want a very fun trip at the expense of a tank or two of fuel, take the Montana to Duluth to the Soo to Sudbury, North Bay and Ottawa. Even on that route there are plenty of empty miles, (where the landscape doesn't change much), but I think being a visitor to the land south of the border holds a certain "mystic" if you don't do it to often. But there are plenty of real and rare beauty spots along that route. PM me if you want more personalized info. Haven't been in Sylvan Lake but am familiar with Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House and Lacombe, Edson, Peers, Nerlandia and Spruce Grove. I had girl friends in all those towns and a few more. Now that is over 50 years ago, so they aren't sitting around waiting for me anymore.

83-240D · #7 03-12-2006, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunl

AAA seems to have only one route, and that is south to Chicago, east to Boston, and then north. I'm heading to PEI.

I agree with the Soo route, as that looked not bad on the map. The problem with maps is, they don't give you real-life experience. While it looked longer, I think is might actually be faster - can anyone confirm that?

Oh, and if your wife is from Edmonton, she probably knows where Sylvan Lake is...you might even yourself.

would say.....
canada 1 east to thunder bay. north to nipigon and then east and south on 17 to sault ste marie. follow to sudbury, north bay and ottawa. take the 417 to the 401 east to montreal then 40 to quebec follow 20 to riviere de loup. take 11 to shediac nb and take the ferry to pei. thats on pages 12 and 13. the mileage chart on p 148 lists calgary to nyc as 2422 miles. its gonna take a couple tanks of fuel to get there.

i don't understand routing down to chgo(nice place and all but thats not the destination today) why go that far south? dum b.

barry123400 · #8 03-12-2006, 08:30 PM

Can not think of any good reason to drop as far down as boston before heading north into the maritimes. Boston is 400 miles south from the maine/new bruinswick border. Have run across below lakes before to winnipeg from east coast as well on occasion not a bad trip either. Consider fuel price differential as time comes close. The canadian dollar is starting to really get a lot stronger in the last while. It does help a lot. The last poster is basically right though. Study your maps. It is a time saver to plan not to hit large cities like toronto and montreal at rush hours either.

dunl · #9 03-12-2006, 09:05 PM

Okay, I think I am starting to get what I was looking for, although looking back I could have been a lot smarter and actually gave you more of a clue into what I was thinking.

I have done the trip a few times, and only once coming back through the states. That was a nice leisurely trip, with Mt. Rushmore and Cheif Crazy Horse Mountain thrown in (check it out if you haven't seen it yet).

I have heard rumours that it was "better" to go through the states, but not why. Northern Ontario is made up of only a few attractions - rock, pavement, trees, lakes, and moose. And it goes on for what seems like weeks, although the scenery is actually nice there.

Now that we have some preliminary ideas, I'm looking to get there as quick as I can - quick being the priority. Heading to Thunder Bay, Sudbury, North Bay, and then east to Ottawa and up the Gaspe is the way I usually travel, but if there is a better route, I'd be willing to look at it. I'm a teacher, but need to be in the Maritimes pretty quick after the school year ends to get to this course I want to take.

Hope that's a little bit clearer than my schtoopid basic question in the beginning.

cornblatt · #10 03-13-2006, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunl

I have heard rumours that it was "better" to go through the states, but not why.

My personal opinion is that it's faster to go through the US. Nice wide smooth multi-lane highways, interchanges everywhere (instead of small towns and stop signs in Canada), easy access to fuel, food & lodging, higher speed limits, etc. In Canada (particularly northern Ontario), there's often only one lane in each direction, so you can get stuck behind a camper or a slow truck for quite a while.

I've made the trip from Ontario to/from Alberta 8 or 9 times in the past few years (optimizing for speed, not scenery). For a vacation, go through Canada. To get somewhere quick, go through the US.

My usual route: East to Moose Jaw on the #1, then Moose Jaw to Portal (border crossing) on the #39, then get on I-94 through North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin over to Chicago and then to Detroit. You can enter Ontario at Windsor or Sarnia (about the same either way). (route 'A' on the attached map)

I don't know what the speed limits are right now or how fast you drive, but a few years back, it was faster to go through Iowa, South Dakota and Montana (route 'C' on the attached map) because either Wisconsin or Minnesota had a low speed limit, and there can be a lot of traffic in and north of Chicago (which has stupid toll roads, stop and pay 6 cents every 200 feet...

). So that's something to consider if you're in a hurry. Also, if you can plan to go through Chicago late at night, that would save you a noticeable amount of time (1-2 hours). The rest of the cities never had any major traffic issues when I was there.

timmyd · #11 03-13-2006, 08:21 PM

MN is 70mph and SD/ND are 75Mph

On two lane roads SD is 65 which isn't bad, MN and Wi are both 55.

Can get by with 62 in MN and 70 in SD if needed. BTDT.

The bad section you are referring to would be route C through Iowa. Hate that place. 65 on the interstate and every other car is a State patrol &^ckhead. Pull you over for 67. Not cheap either.

dunl · #12 03-13-2006, 11:09 PM

Thanks people. The map and the speed limit signs really help. I do love the scenery, but yes, speed is of the essence, so perhaps the states is the way to go for us.

Is there any reason going through the states would be a BAD thing for reducing time?

Thanks,
Dunl

PanzerSD · #13 03-14-2006, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junqueyardjim

Haven't been in Sylvan Lake but am familiar with Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House and Lacombe, Edson, Peers, Nerlandia and Spruce Grove. I had girl friends in all those towns and a few more.

How did you end up from the central Alberta area to Indiana???

junqueyardjim · #14 03-14-2006, 12:05 PM

Got the Benz, that is a good question and the answer is looooooong and I will just give you the first part. My Dad was a Pastor in the Christian Reformed Church, (Dutch Presbyterian) and in 1950, just when I finished HS, we moved to Alberta where he was missionary Pastor to the thousands of Holland Dutch families moving to Canada at that time. He was fluent in speaking Dutch, Friesian (the seperate langauage of north Holland and Germany), German and English. He helped many of those new immigrant families get established get jobs, get housing and start there particular churches. I was 18 and just a working kid, and I stayed at home until I was 20, then I hitch hiked back to Grand Rapid, Mich. and I never lived in Canada again. My Dear Wife is from the west side of Edmonton, little village of Winterburn and the family farm got swallowed up by the West Edmonton Mall and the freeway interchange just to the west of it. Her brothers and their families are big potatoe farmers, I think probably running about 1000 acres a year of mostly seed spuds for Idaho and Washington. A 1000 acre potatoe operation is big! Big in alfalfa and grain also because you can only raise spuds once every 3 or 4 years, maybe even less, depending on how good the soil is.
Now Grand Rapids is not too far from Indianapolis. But in over 50 years we made a big circle tour to get here, we love it, find it a great place.
My wife, Reta was born in Edam, Sask about 50 miles north of North Battleford and her family, also Friesian Dutch moved from Edam to Edmonton just before WWII.

#15 03-14-2006, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmyd

The bad section you are referring to would be route C through Iowa. Hate that place. 65 on the interstate and every other car is a State patrol &^ckhead. Pull you over for 67. Not cheap either.

So you are tellin' me that when I go back to Wisconsin this year for my family reuinion I should AVOID iowa and such?

I could not imagine driving the speed limit for a whole state...I would probably die haha.