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Old 04-05-2017, 11:31 AM   #1
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Canada 150 Cross Country

For years, while travelling all over the world, we've been saying that we really have to travel across our own country some day. So, with it being the year Canada turns 150 and a free National Parks pass, this is the year. From the look of it the pass is going to heavily used in the Maritimes.

We're leaving in the second week of May, pretty much driving to Ontario without much delay. We'll head to the Maritimes and Newfoundland as the first major part of the trip with the only goal of being in Ottawa on July 1st.

The City of Ottawa is a huge disappointment. We thought that they might help out travellers by allowing more relaxed rules about overnight parking during the celebrations. Well, they are. You can park at civic parks and parking lots. It only costs $542.00 for 3 nights. Cost recovery, the staff say. What a crock, I say. Fortunately the folks just across the river in Quebec are much more accommodating, so to speak.

So.... Anyone else doing any specific Canada 150 travelling?

Ron
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Old 04-05-2017, 11:55 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
For years, while travelling all over the world, we've been saying that we really have to travel across our own country some day. So, with it being the year Canada turns 150 and a free National Parks pass, this is the year. From the look of it the pass is going to heavily used in the Maritimes.

We're leaving in the second week of May, pretty much driving to Ontario without much delay. We'll head to the Maritimes and Newfoundland as the first major part of the trip with the only goal of being in Ottawa on July 1st.

The City of Ottawa is a huge disappointment. We thought that they might help out travellers by allowing more relaxed rules about overnight parking during the celebrations. Well, they are. You can park at civic parks and parking lots. It only costs $542.00 for 3 nights. Cost recovery, the staff say. What a crock, I say. Fortunately the folks just across the river in Quebec are much more accommodating, so to speak.

So.... Anyone else doing any specific Canada 150 travelling?

Ron
Hi: Ron in BC... Ottawa has to pay for all those "Free" National Park Passes somehow!!! Alf
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Old 04-05-2017, 12:12 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
For years, while travelling all over the world, we've been saying that we really have to travel across our own country some day. So, with it being the year Canada turns 150 and a free National Parks pass, this is the year. From the look of it the pass is going to heavily used in the Maritimes.

We're leaving in the second week of May, pretty much driving to Ontario without much delay. We'll head to the Maritimes and Newfoundland as the first major part of the trip with the only goal of being in Ottawa on July 1st.

The City of Ottawa is a huge disappointment. We thought that they might help out travellers by allowing more relaxed rules about overnight parking during the celebrations. Well, they are. You can park at civic parks and parking lots. It only costs $542.00 for 3 nights. Cost recovery, the staff say. What a crock, I say. Fortunately the folks just across the river in Quebec are much more accommodating, so to speak.

So.... Anyone else doing any specific Canada 150 travelling?

Ron
Hi Ron,
We are picking up out 19' on May 23rd and slowly meander back to Montreal. Here are the stops on our way back:
Hotel in Chlliwack, BC
Cultus Lake Provincial Park (BC)
Monck Provincial Park, BC
Dutch Lake Resort, BC (Clearwater)
Robson Provincial Park, BC (Valemount)
Jasper, AB (Wapiti Campground)
Banff, AB (Tunnel Mountain village 1 Campground)
Waterton Lakes National Park, AB (Townsite Campground)
Medicine Hat, AB (Gas City Campground)
Regina, SK (King Acres Campground)
Riding Mountain National Park, MB (Administration Office)
Whiteshell Provincial Park, Falcon Lakeshore Campground, MB
Aaron Provincial Park, ON (Kenora)
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, ON
Neys Provincial Park, ON
Lake Superior, Agawa Bay, ON
Chutes Provincial Park, ON
Montreal

Back home on June 23rd (knock on wood). Total 5383 kms.
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Old 04-05-2017, 12:28 PM   #4
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My brother and family will be in Ottawa for July 1st, though chose to fly and stay in a hotel for the week. Not sure what they paid for rooms, but I bet it was higher than normal. They did book about a year ago though.

We are staying in Ottawa for the Grey Cup this year, though got an AirBNB for for 14 of us for about $400 a night.

Beautiful city. My wife is from there. She still has a sister and family there, as well as her father.
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Old 04-05-2017, 12:50 PM   #5
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Hi Ron,

Back home on June 23rd (knock on wood). Total 5383 kms.
Looks like we won't cross paths but that's a great route. Enjoy

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My brother and family will be in Ottawa for July 1st,
Oh heck. For a second I thought that meant that you'd be in Ottawa on July 1st. Oh well, somewhere down the road after you retire.

Ron
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Old 04-05-2017, 12:56 PM   #6
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Oh heck. For a second I thought that meant that you'd be in Ottawa on July 1st. Oh well, somewhere down the road after you retire.

Ron
Come back November 26 then.

Are you going to the Escape rally this year?
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Old 04-05-2017, 01:05 PM   #7
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I'm visiting Banff and Jasper National Parks for your 150th. I wanted to go to Vancouver Island as well but I was too slow in making reservations at the Pacific Rim NP. I would appreciate recommendations on campgrounds on Vancouver Island that might be available in the summer.
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Old 04-05-2017, 01:21 PM   #8
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Hoping to make it to Pacific Rim as well our 150 trip is MB SK AB and BC taking in some national parks, we have the pass, also taking in the Escpae Rally

Adrian
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Old 04-05-2017, 01:32 PM   #9
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Come back November 26 then.

Are you going to the Escape rally this year?
Ottawa, in the Winter , no thanks.

No Escape rally, hopefully we'll be in the Maritimes .

Ron
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Old 04-05-2017, 01:41 PM   #10
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I wanted to go to Vancouver Island as well but I was too slow in making reservations at the Pacific Rim NP. I would appreciate recommendations on campgrounds on Vancouver Island that might be available in the summer.
How things have changed at Pacific Rim. We used to decide on a Friday that we'd like to go to Long Beach. Go over, set up a tent on the beach. Been a long time since you could do that.

I'm sure someone will have some info for you.

Our trips to the island have diminished as the ferry costs have escalated. We did have friends from Holland come over and rent an RV. They headed to Pacific Rim without reservations in the middle of the summer. They ended up in one campground or another. That's sort of our style. We don't like to get too tied up to specific dates. We just hope for the best and know that, one way or the other, we'll be sleeping in the trailer. Maybe not where we were hoping for but we don't worry about it too much. But then we're the type that uses Walmarts, truck stops and rest stops to overnight.

Ron
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Old 04-05-2017, 02:08 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
For years, while travelling all over the world, we've been saying that we really have to travel across our own country some day. So, with it being the year Canada turns 150 and a free National Parks pass, this is the year. From the look of it the pass is going to heavily used in the Maritimes.

We're leaving in the second week of May, pretty much driving to Ontario without much delay. We'll head to the Maritimes and Newfoundland as the first major part of the trip with the only goal of being in Ottawa on July 1st.

The City of Ottawa is a huge disappointment. We thought that they might help out travellers by allowing more relaxed rules about overnight parking during the celebrations. Well, they are. You can park at civic parks and parking lots. It only costs $542.00 for 3 nights. Cost recovery, the staff say. What a crock, I say. Fortunately the folks just across the river in Quebec are much more accommodating, so to speak.

So.... Anyone else doing any specific Canada 150 travelling?

Ron
Not this year Ron. But I did similar in 2013 when I retired, Airdrie out to the Maritimes via Canada and back via the US crossing near St Andrews NB. Spent 3 months on the road and clocked 16,722 km door to door. The only place I didn't visit and wanted too was Labrador because the ferry from NF was down when I was there. Bucket list trip with >1000 photographs and lots of fond memories.
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Old 04-05-2017, 02:22 PM   #12
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I have my free parks pass - only took about five weeks to arrive - but we have a pass every year anyway. We are planning a trip most of the way across the country - Edmonton to Nova Scotia - but not specifically related to Canada 150 celebrations. We'll stop at whatever parks make sense along the way; I'm looking forward to whatever we discover.

We are planning a family gathering in Ottawa, and this has reminded me to suggest anything other than near July 1st, to make travelling easier for everyone!
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Old 04-05-2017, 03:14 PM   #13
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I'm visiting Banff and Jasper National Parks for your 150th. I wanted to go to Vancouver Island as well but I was too slow in making reservations at the Pacific Rim NP. I would appreciate recommendations on campgrounds on Vancouver Island that might be available in the summer.
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park is a nice location with a wonderful beach and some of the best shower houses I have seen, great use of tile on the interior. One downside, in my opinion, to Vancouver Island is the distances. Check how far the Pacific Rim Park is from where every you stay. Travel is slow on the island.
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Old 04-05-2017, 03:33 PM   #14
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Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park is a nice location with a wonderful beach and some of the best shower houses I have seen, great use of tile on the interior. One downside, in my opinion, to Vancouver Island is the distances. Check how far the Pacific Rim Park is from where every you stay. Travel is slow on the island.
Stayed at Pacific Rim for a week last summer and at Rathtrevor Beach PP for 2 nights. Bookings for both places were very quick to fill up. I booked on the first day that bookings opened (months in advance) in both cases and was lucky to get a spot at Pacific Rim as my first two choices were taken instantly by others and I was left scrambling to get whatever leavings were left.
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Old 04-05-2017, 03:58 PM   #15
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to the Maritimes via Canada and back via the US crossing near St Andrews NB.
We'll do some variation of that also. Some US and some Canada.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
We'll stop at whatever parks make sense along the way; I'm looking forward to whatever we discover.

this has reminded me to suggest anything other than near July 1st, to make travelling easier for everyone!
Pretty much our philosophy, let the journey evolve.

I expect that the sights to see in Ottawa will be jammed up around July 1. We're going to stop in Ottawa on our way East and do all our sightseeing 3 or 4 weeks before it gets really busy.

Ron
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Old 04-05-2017, 05:38 PM   #16
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We are celebrating the red neck way, travel across US, visit Osoyoos, Cn and then return back across US....
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Old 04-06-2017, 09:56 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
For years, while travelling all over the world, we've been saying that we really have to travel across our own country some day. So, with it being the year Canada turns 150 and a free National Parks pass, this is the year. From the look of it the pass is going to heavily used in the Maritimes.

We're leaving in the second week of May, pretty much driving to Ontario without much delay. We'll head to the Maritimes and Newfoundland as the first major part of the trip with the only goal of being in Ottawa on July 1st.

The City of Ottawa is a huge disappointment. We thought that they might help out travellers by allowing more relaxed rules about overnight parking during the celebrations. Well, they are. You can park at civic parks and parking lots. It only costs $542.00 for 3 nights. Cost recovery, the staff say. What a crock, I say. Fortunately the folks just across the river in Quebec are much more accommodating, so to speak.

So.... Anyone else doing any specific Canada 150 travelling?

Ron
As a resident of the city, I am embarrassed and disgusted by Ottawa's policy. I hope frustrated campers are letting their MPs hear about it. I don't think "cost recovery" and "government" belong in the same sentence...except for my making a point!
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Old 04-06-2017, 11:17 AM   #18
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As a resident of the city, I am embarrassed and disgusted by Ottawa's policy. I hope frustrated campers are letting their MPs hear about it. I don't think "cost recovery" and "government" belong in the same sentence...except for my making a point!
Thanks, glad to know it wasn't the citizens idea to keep the riffraff out.

Vancouver did provide for RV parking in the past at a major event. While not cheap it was much more reasonable.

Ron
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Old 04-09-2017, 06:32 PM   #19
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One major item on the "to do" list before setting off was to improve our bike situation. Electric was a no-brainer for us and as much as I like full size bikes, folding seemed more practical for our travels. I like that we can carry them in the back of the truck, out of the elements and more secure, than hanging off the back of the trailer.

Got a pair of them. 36 volt, 350 watts and gave them a good workout today. So much lighter than ebikes of yesteryear. The whole bike weighs about as much as the battery pack for our old bike.

The downside is I guess I'll have to repaint my car. I thought that I'd painted it about the brighest green around but the bikes are even brighter. At least folks will see us coming.
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Old 04-09-2017, 09:06 PM   #20
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What kind of bikes did you get? I just bought a rad mini . But now I have a broken foot so it will be a while until I get it out for a spin.
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