We were planning the last leg of our RTW trip back to FL.

Our final leg will begin in Vancouver, WA where our bike is stored (post arrival from Australia in Sep 2019) and we plan to take a few months to cross Canada and try and catch the Newfoundland HUBB meeting in August enroute.

If anyone has a suggested scenic route (preferably mostly paved or hard pack) from west to east let me know. We're not camping so would need lodging stops along the way. We'd like to transit Saskatoon as my wife's niece lives there!

Also, our bike is registered in Florida where insurance is optional. So, do I need to obtain insurance prior to entering Canada? If so, any suggestions? I did have USA while stationed in Germany but they didn't renew the insurance when we returned to the USA in 2015.

John and Ger

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Minimum levels of vehicle liability insurance are mandatory in all Canadian provinces and territories. Being caught without it will lead to a sometimes quite hefty fine and possible impoundment of the vehicle, not to mention the risk of personal financial disaster if you cause a serious accident.

Thousands of U.S. registered vehicles cross into Canada every day, from which I infer that the typical U.S. liability policy covers Canada. Certainly the reverse is true. Canadian policies typically cover the U.S. So I assume that you should be able to insure your bike in Florida with a policy that covers Canada as well as the U.S. Of course you should absolutely confirm that with whatever broker or insurer you end up using. You also need to make sure that your policy includes the minimum level of coverage required. Presently in B.C. it's $200,000 CAD. Of course, it's not hard to cause an accident which results in far more liability that that. Many people here carry far higher coverage.

Hello John, Ger:

As Norm pointed out, insurance obtained in America is generally valid in Canada. In fact, there is a treaty or memo of understanding between the governments of Canada & America that specifically addresses vehicle insurance.

Because your vehicle is plated in the USA, your only option is to purchase insurance in the USA - Canadian insurers won't write policies for American registered vehicles, and vice-versa.

It should be pretty simple for you to contact an insurance company that does business in Florida (or, more precisely, is entitled to write policies on Florida-registered vehicles) and have them provide you with a policy that meets the minimum liability requirements of all 50 states and all the Canadian provinces. You need what is called "Canada Inter-Provincial" coverage.

I have a good friend who often drives a Florida-registered vehicle here in Canada (she has dual citizenship), and I know that her insurance covers her vehicle up here.

As Norm noted, don't even think of entering Canada without the minimum required liability insurance. Liability insurance is obligatory everywhere in Canada, and the penalties for driving without it are very severe.

Michael

There are only two routes across Canada - the Trans-Canada highway (generally called Highway number 1), and the Yellowhead Highway (generally called Highway 16). The latter passes through Saskatoon.

In my humble opinion, having driven and ridden both many times, I think Highway 16 is the more pleasant route. It is not as heavily travelled as Highway 1.

Michael

Thanks all.

I'll get insurance from Progressive and that should work.

Michael

Since I have time, would you recommend continuing North on 37 from Prince George (Rte 16) to Watson Lake and then back South on Rte 97?

Lodging appears to be scarce the further North from Prince George.

Thanks again!

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Watson Lake! Holy crow, that's up in Yukon Territory!

No, I would not recommend going up there. In fact, I would not recommend even going as far north as Prince George. There are two reasons for this:

1) Anywhere north of Highway 1 in British Columbia is what we in Canada refer to as a "sparsely settled area". By that I mean there is very little population, and few services. What services there are tend to be expensive (fuel, accomodation, etc.).

By way of example, I once elected to drive from Vancouver to Kamloops via Highway 99, and I was really surprised at how little settlement there was along that route - it was like driving in the middle of nowhere. Note that this route was only about 5% as far north (above the Trans-Canada highway) as the route to Prince George & Watson Lake.

In addition, almost all of the towns & villages on Highway 97 are there because the economy of the community is based on resource extraction (mining, logging, etc.). They are not particularly pretty, nor do they offer much of interest to a visitor. I've driven the Highway 97 to as far north as Prince George, and have no desire to do it again. It's a long boring trek. Seriously - anywhere north of Kamloops on Highway 97 makes rural Montana look heavily populated.

2) This is the really big reason to go no further north than Highway 1 or Highway 16: All of the really beautiful scenery, all the spectacular national parks, etc. will be found along Highway 1 & Highway 16. If you go north to Prince George and/or Watson Lake, you're going to miss all the really good stuff unless you do a lot of backtracking. When I say "A lot", I mean a lot - the one-way distance from Kamloops (where you would leave civilization to go north) to Watson Lake is 1,200 miles - the same distance as Miami to New York City!

- - - -

I suggest you route Vancouver to Lake Louise via Highway 1, then head north on Highway 93 (the Icefields Parkway) to Jasper, then pick up Highway 16 (the Yellowhead Route) at Jasper and follow it to Manitoba. That will take you through the best scenery British Columbia has to offer, through two spectacular national parks (Banff & Jasper), up the Icefields Parkway (a must-do if you are in Western Canada), and then across the northern part of the Prairie provinces, which is a bit more interesting than the southern route (the Trans-Canada). It will also keep you out of places like the segment from Prince George to Watson Lake, where it is not uncommon to only see one vehicle per hour travelling in the opposite direction.

Lastly, if you follow the route I proposed in the paragraph above, you will have no difficulty finding hotel or motel accommodation along the way - though be warned, it can be expensive in the National Parks during the period June 15 - August 30. Once you leave Jasper heading east on Highway 16, every small town has a motel, and you will have lots of lodging choices in any community with a population above about 25,000 people.

Michael

PS: When you contact Progressive for the insurance, tell them you will be travelling in Canada. They will then send you a Canadian-specification insurance certificate (a 'pink slip'). You would be covered without it, but having the appropriate Canadian-spec certificate will avoid problems if a cop ever stops you and asks to see your documents. FYI, all insurance companies in Canada issue the exact same certificate, which is why the cops are used to seeing pink slips.

I guess I have to disagree with Michael. With a couple of months to explore, I'd make a point of heading up the Cassiar Highway (37) at least as far as Stewart/Hyder. If you don't want to ride all the way up to Watson Lake and loop back down the AlCan (97; I'll admit the sights are fewer this far north, and you don't have time for Alaska), just backtrack for that bit. Rt. 16 between Smithers and the coast is a hoot; you can make a loop by taking the ferry from Vancouver Island before continuing on toward Prince George. There are a number of fun routes north of Vancouver (B.C.) which can be done as loops or out-and-backs. Etc.

One reason to head up that way is that these areas are, in fact, lightly populated. Local culture and lifestyles are fascinating in themselves, the landscapes are wonderful and varied, the wildlife abundant and in some cases unique. If you declare yourself indifferent to anyplace not densely-populated and replete with citified culture, well, feel free to ignore all of the above.

Aside: I've been up and down the AlCan Highway and/or the Cassiar quite a few times, and I can't say I've ever gone an hour between seeing other vehicles, even 30 years ago (when I hitched both directions, and had reason to notice how many people passed me). During the season those roads are more traveled than I'd prefer, largely with giant, lumbering RVs moving slowly up the hills and around the corners.

In any case, there are going to be boring stretches no matter how you arrange this ride. To eliminate vast areas of the country, unlike any you're likely to see elsewhere, just because you don't want to spend a day every so often getting there on less-than-optimal roads doesn't sound balanced to me.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Judging by your blog you are experienced, and likely comfortable, travelling in less than populated areas.

I find myself agreeing with Mark, if you are making the effort to discover Canada then perhaps find the route less travelled.
By default this will take you away from large population areas and introduces you to resource based and indigenous communities and immerses you in extended screenings of raw Nature.

If this interests you I’d suggest that BC has world class remote wilderness – though my living here has me unabashedly biased.

If your time schedule and budget are of a relaxed nature perhaps make your way to Victoria on Vancouver Island via a ferry from Port Angeles WA or Vancouver BC.

From Victoria meander up the coast hwy to Port Hardy taking in the seaside charm.
Catch the Port Hardy ferry to Prince Rupert – this takes you through the Inside Passage of West Coast Rainforest.

https://www.bcferries.com/schedules/...ip-current.php


From Prince Rupert, perhaps after a visit to the Queen Charlotte Islands, head North on the Nisga’a Hwy through the Nisga’a Lava Bed Park taking in the hot springs, Vetter Falls etc.

Meet up with Hwy 37 and make for Stewart/Hyder and/or Watson Lake.
From Watson Lake its an easy ride down the Alaska Hwy to Dawson Creek and into Alberta.

IMHO the scenery along the Jasper Parkway and Banff et al are worth the tourists and ‘business’ and not to be missed.

East of Alberta the mountains, glaciers and forests are replaced by rolling grasslands and the road network becomes more checker board in nature.

HTH and enjoy your trip!