Community Forums

webbman57 · 07-07-2019, 08:21 AM

Planning a trip using RVTW and it suggested Canada over the great lakes. Has anybody gone that way? How are the roads, campgrounds? We are in a 38 ft class A with a toad.
Thanks.

DrDaveMA · 07-13-2019, 12:29 AM

We traveled from Cape Cod to Sweetwater, Montana and on to Alaska in 2014. I highly recommend US 2, it runs just south of the border and you get to see the backroads and byways of this country. If you have the time stop in Medora, go to the Cowboy pitchfork BBQ, and then the Musical, https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...th_Dakota.html it will be worth your time.

barrys · 07-18-2019, 01:31 PM

I highly endorse the US 2 suggestion. We made the trip in 2015 and 2017 from our home on Whidbey Island. US 2 is definitely preferable to I-90. It is in excellent condition, zero traffic, few towns bigger than 3 digits. From Whidbey we normally use US 2 (Stevens Pass) whenever traveling to/from eastern Washington or beyond.

Beyond Maine we continued into New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Unlimited tempting places to explore all the way. We tend to think we have lots of islands in Washington, including the San Juans. Exploring the coast of Maine will give you and entire new definition for "lots of islands". We are not even in the running.

You will love Maine. Bar Harbor is a tourist shop mecca but it has a lovely small park and trail along the shore west of downtown (I think west, I was always confused on directions there). Acadia National Park is a must, if you are bicycle rider don't miss riding at least a sample the Bridal Trails. Beyond those check-in-the-block places you will quickly get beyond the crowds and find many equally beautiful places worth spending more time.

webbman57 · 07-18-2019, 11:07 PM

Thanks, looking at heading north into Canada from Green Bay then over to Maine.

LarryJB · 07-19-2019, 02:50 PM

Fuel is way more expensive in Canada.

DrDaveMA · 07-19-2019, 03:02 PM

And the southern portion of the country (where you will be driving) is where 90% of the population live

Canuck53 · 07-19-2019, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrDaveMA

And the southern portion of the country (where you will be driving) is where 90% of the population live

Not sure where you have gotten your 90% from.

Ontario has 14 million people and Canada has 38 million.

Depends if you want to drive through stunning mountain views or not.

We just drove from Port Huron to Vancouver Canada on some US 2 and some I90 but heading back through Canada.

Fill up is The US and then fill up in Alberta and then Saskatchewan. Get back into the US at Sault Marie fillup before crossing at Port Huron then cross into the US in New York State.

Do not go though Chicago....

Place

Place 4 places in google maps

Seattle
Chilliwack BC
Calgary Alberta
Bar Harbout

You will get rock mountains,Praires, Highway 2

If you want to travel north of Lake Superior place Thunder Bay after Calgary

barrys · 07-19-2019, 06:22 PM

Fuel may be more expensive in Canada but you will avoid going south around Chicago. Depending on your specific route in Canada you may save enough miles to make up part of the cost difference. Also depending on which route you were to take remaining in the US you may sacrifice any fuel savings paying highway tolls.

On your way east or west you might consider US 2 across Vermont and New Hampshire. Totally awesome going across Vermont and New Hampshire. One of those rare places that look like you expected - villages with white churches, white clapboard houses, green town squares with a courthouse in the middle and shops all around.

You may have grown up on the east coast but in case you haven't driven back there I noticed a few differences you might not think of. Mostly these refer to the older US states in New England and the northeast:

-On many of the older roads and highways beware of very low clearance bridges. Truckers Road Atlas is best info, or there are several trucker apps.

- Several eastern states still number highway exits sequentially; first exit is 1, second is 2 etc regardless of miles between. Not dangerous but could be confusing at first.

- Out west we get spoiled with acceleration / deceleration lanes including clear sight lines when entering and leaving highways. Those are not to be expected the farther east one travels. You may find yourself attempting to blindly merge directly into traffic with no chance to accelerate. Just takes some getting used to.

- We are also spoiled by driving wherever we want without constantly paying tolls (a few local bridges and I-405 toll lanes being obvious exceptions). AAA highway maps show which roads are tolled. If my memory is right I believe I-90, for example, is toll all the way from near Erie, PA, to Boston.

I'm envious. I'd love to do that trip again. We spent last spring and summer driving to and from Alaska. I definitely preferred our two New England / eastern Canada trips.

DrDaveMA · 07-24-2019, 02:26 PM

If you REALLY want to see the USA, you can follow US Route 2 from Everett, WA to Houlton, Maine (the most Eastern crossing into Canada) and NEVER see Chicago. The route is a bit hard to follow through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and extreme northern Ohio (going around Lake Erie) but if you are tenacious it is possible and you will avoid Canadian fuel prices the ENTIRE trip! Man, will you see America! We have done it from the UP of Michigan west to Montana and loved it!

Canuck53 · 07-24-2019, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrDaveMA

If you REALLY want to see the USA, you can follow US Route 2 from Everett, WA to Houlton, Maine (the most Eastern crossing into Canada) and NEVER see Chicago. The route is a bit hard to follow through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and extreme northern Ohio (going around Lake Erie) but if you are tenacious it is possible and you will avoid Canadian fuel prices the ENTIRE trip! Man, will you see America! We have done it from the UP of Michigan west to Montana and loved it!

Well I think you you do analysis of an approximate 3300 mile trip at 8 miles/miles per gallon. You get about 415 US gals. Gas one way

Do not know your mileage but at about an average of about 80 cents/gal or less or $400 dollars or less.

You might want to consider more than gas cost.

I have driven highway 2 from UP then I90 to Seattle and up to Vancouver. Will head home from Vancouver to Thunder Bay(driven this many times) the scenery is very diverse and beautiful in B.C. and the Rockies.