Trans-Canada Trail?

[velomatt]

Has anyone seen this:
http://www.tctrail.ca/thetrail.php
"The Trans Canada Trail is a 21,500-kilometre recreational trail winding its way through every province and territory, from the Atlantic to Pacific to Arctic Oceans. When completed, it will be the world's longest recreational trail, linking close to 1000 communities and over 33 million Canadians. Today almost 70 percent (14,500 kilometres) is developed. Thousands of people are taking to the Trail to walk, hike, cycle, ski, horseback ride, canoe and snowmobile."

21,500-kilometers is 13,359.5 miles !!!

one more for the "bucket list"

[FeloniousDunk]

Holy sweet mother!!!  Adding that to the bucket list will fill my bucket right up! 

I love the vision and can't wait to hear some stories of finishers.

[velomatt]

I going to add a portion of it to my "big ride" that I plan to do in 2010 or 2011.
I'd like to use the sections in Alberta, British Columbia and The Yukon Territory with the goal of getting to Alaska.
Basically I want to start in Banff and ride to Anchorage.

From what I can tell a large amount of the YT is NOT yet completed.

Still working on a plan.

[DaveH]

Oh my.  Full GPX data available too - what a super resource. 

Canada is heaven on earth in summertime.  Lots of food for thought here!

[velomatt]

Speaking of food...
More bears than people up north.

[Chad B]

Wow...I just checked a few of the sections out in Google Earth, pretty amazing stuff. The website is uber useful with the GPX tracks and info.

Adding to the mix of things to do during summer vacation.

[Groundshine]

I rode a few hundred miles of this trail on my cross bike in July, 2009.  I started in the Mad River Valley of Vermont and took the Sentier Nature Tomophobia to Lake Massawippi.  I then rode around the lake and got on the Trans Canada Trail in North Hatley Quebec.  This section is called Des Grandes -Fourches.  There is a nice counter clockwise loop that can be done here - up to Sherbrook and back - very beautiful.  After leaving Sherbrook the trail follows the Bombardier Highway and Rail Trail to the St Lawrence - here I followed the bike route - mostly on road to Riviere Du Loup.  From RDL to New Brunswick the route is a very scenic and remote rail trail called the Petit Temis.  I saw the first legal campsite of the trip on this section.  Once the Petit Temis trail ended in New Brunswick - I lost the trail for a while.  I then picked it up along the banks of the St John River.  This part was absolutely stunning and much rougher than the Quebec sections.  Most of the NB trail was used by ATVs (they were banned on the Trans Canada Trail in Quebec) I only made it as far as Woodstock NB just outside of Fredericton when my kitchen pass expired and I had to rejoin the family on vacation in PEI.  I will post more details to www.audaxvermont.com soon.   I couldn't find detail info on this trail but found some nice maps along the way.  It would be nice to consolidate these.  For NB check out New Brunswick Backroad Mapbook outdoor recreation guide.  I would guess their entire series is good: www.backroadmapbooks.com

See my photos of the trip: http://picasaweb.google.com/parisbrestparis/TCT2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCO65rO7ir7DIVg#

[naked indian]

AWESOME TRIP, not quite what I expected, thought it would all be paved, but looks pretty freaking awesome.  Great set up too! Loved it thanks for sharing, Im motivated to get up there sometime and do it..

[Groundshine]

Thanks N.I. - it was a great trip.  But quite a bit different from what we are planning in Vermont: http://xvtmbr.pbworks.com/   as every state needs a cross the state trail... not to be confused with the Cross Vermont Trail which is mostly road and too much of that nasty Vt State Rte 2.
and here is the first (partial) test ride/report: http://www.studiozoic.com/adventures/2009/xvt1/index.htm

Would love to check out your cross Florida Trail... perhaps in February?

Oh and I forgot to mention... because I am not really sure what is the "official Trans Canada Trail" route;  I have been on most of the 400 km of the Confederation Trail system in Prince Edward Island, Canada.  All rail trail all the time.  Does not see a lot of traffic and thus the surface is not too fast - a bit too gravelly and soft.  Stunning scenery.  The Heritage Roads in PEI are much more fun - but not much on the island requires more than a cross bike with 32 x 700c.

[naked indian]

Any time!

Cross Florida route is more of a Forest to Forest route, but its alot of terrain and its pretty cool.

Bring some fat tires!

[bmike-vt]

groundshine (davidt?) and daveb - you should start a proper thread for XVT... it deserves its own slot on here so folks can track progress and see the good stuff you are up to...

[Newfydog]

I rode the BC portion this year, from Banff to Victoria.  Some nice parts, but lots of grinding rail grade plowed up by quads.  Banff to Elkford was spectacular.

[velomatt]

I rode the BC portion this year, from Banff to Victoria.  Some nice parts, but lots of grinding rail grade plowed up by quads.  Banff to Elkford was spectacular.

How long was that ride?