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Tour Across Canada (and Back)


canadazuuk

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Posted (edited)

Hi all,

 

I'll be setting out for St Johns, NF on August 28th. Starting my journey in Victoria.

 

I'll be crossing Canada in my smart car, and the goal is to do it on $500 of fuel or less, and also achieve several tanks with fuel economy of 100 mpg or greater. (Imperial gallons BTW, of which my best thus far is 93.)

 

There is a travel bug activated for this special trip: http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=78856 (Thanks to the Love Bugs for the TB tag!)

 

At least 1 geocache will be done in every province, and hopefully Labrador.

 

You can learn more about my journey at my new website: http://www.100mpg.ca

 

Hopefully I'll be updating my site every day with photos and stories.

 

Already on my list to pack are a few geocoins to distribute, and also some TEAM KFWB GPS cd's and tapes. My car is easy to spot, so if you see it parked somewhere, come and introduce yourself.

 

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Edited by canadazuuk
Posted

That sounds like fun and I wish you a great trip. One question, though: MILES per GALLON?? I am trying to imagine how that correlates with vehicles and highways that are all marked in kilometers and gas pumps that dispense by the litre. And it's been this way for 30 years now, I think.

 

Litres per 100 km is the normal way we measure fuel efficiency, and it makes perfect sense.

 

L/100km is also psychologically geared toward conservation. As the fuel efficiency improves, this measurement shows LESS fuel being burned to go a fixed distance (which is what we want).

 

The calculations are also immediate and apparent, using your odometer and the meter on the gas pump.

Posted
Litres per 100 km is the normal way we measure fuel efficiency, and it makes perfect sense.

 

L/100km is also psychologically geared toward conservation. As the fuel efficiency improves, this measurement shows LESS fuel being burned to go a fixed distance (which is what we want).

 

The calculations are also immediate and apparent, using your odometer and the meter on the gas pump.

I still use MPG too. ;) L/100km just never seemed right (like the metric equivalent for wind chill). Maybe if it was km/L.

 

Good luck on your trip. I'll be checking the website to monitor your progress.

Posted (edited)

I will enter Labrador via the ferry from from St Barde to Blanc-Sablon, about a 1.5 hour sailing. Then I take the Relais-Nordik's 36 hour sailing from Blanc-Sablon to Natashquan where the highway begins (back to Montreal)... I hope to do some remote caches on short stops if we're allowed off...

 

Sure, L/100km is how you will find my economy listed as well, but calling the website 2pt8litresper100km.ca was kinda, well, not that appealing...

 

100 mpg is a bit of an urban legend. There's the 100 mpg carburetor conspiracy of course, and then we also have (in Canada) the price hitting higher than 100 cents per litre. And then there's the price of oil predicted to hit $100 a barrel. Anyway... the energuide still shows both numbers, and that's straight from the government. Canada has never fully made it to metric in the same way Europe did.

Edited by canadazuuk
Posted

Good Luck Zuuk and may the winds always be on your donkey. By the way if your timing permits you should try and drop in to GAGAFAP IV on Sept 17th. It is the event of the year with loads of fun. You could even put your name in for the travelled furthest prize.

For the benefit of you metric folk, 100 Miles per Imperial gallon is 35.6 kilometres per litre. For our U.S. friends its 83 miles per US gallon.

 

Cheers and have a safe journey, Olar

Posted

Stop by and log my "Forest, Forest Clump!!" cache on your way through Oromocto, NB (exit 303). It's right off the highway and there's a Timmies stop for you too!

 

Bzz

Posted (edited)

I'll be looking up that cache and event for sure. Dagg - I'll be in Victoria Sunday.

 

Okay - the event is out, as I will be on a ship in the St Lawrence on that day. However, the NB cache is on my route. Sept 10th will see me there as I head to Charlottetown. I think I'll have spent the night in Grand Falls, NB on the 9th camping, unless I get an offer of accomodations there.

Edited by canadazuuk
Posted

It seems that on the 5th 6th and 7th you will be in Bradford! Just down the road from us central Ontarians!

 

Let me know if you are looking for caches to do in or around Bradford. Heck I might even be able to join for one or two depending on the day!

Posted
There's the 100 mpg carburetor conspiracy of course...

Back in the late seventies when I heard about that conspiracy, it was a 500 mpg carburetor! I even had a friend who claimed he knew how to make one, but he didn't want to be disappeared.

 

Let me know if you are passing through Barrie and I will come out to wave.

 

Cheers!

Posted

Good Luck...... Hopefully all will go well. I will be watching your site daily to keep up to speed with your journey. Hopefully the winds around here help instead of hinder. I will try to make it out somewhere on your journey to meet ya.

 

parker2

Posted

Search for caches using the keyword "TCDN" or add a province such as "TCDNMB" to find quick easy caches located close to the TransCanada Highway.

If you are going to take the Yellowhead Route in Westren Canada, use "YLHD" or include province i.e. "YLHDMB"

 

There are 25 TCDN and 44 YLHD caches listed right now.

 

Have a safe trip!

Posted

Good Luck Keith, I wish I was going along with you. Canada is a great country and I have not been across it in over 25 years. Make sure to take some time to see some of the wonders of this great country. We will be watching your progress across Canada. Be safe and have a great time.

 

Love Bugs

Posted
What route are you taking between the Saskatchewan borders while going East?

 

parker2

From Birch Hills, it looks like 3, 6, 5, 35, 16... then I'm in MB heading to WPG... this is the eastbound journey... depart Birch Hills on Sept 1 in the am.

Posted
Search for caches using the keyword "TCDN"

There are 25 TCDN and 44 YLHD caches listed right now.

 

That's handy - I'll be trying that too.

 

I have 10 PQ's run already for key places I'll be. I even came across a very very remote cache in Quebec that has no finds and you can only get there by boat... and I'm on that boat... with an hour stop there roughly... but I don't know if I can get it... will be interesting. I will however get that new cache in Natashquan.

Posted

I'll be most likley working on the 1st, so I don't think I'll be able to catch ya near yorkton.... but .....

I've been trying to get a TB drop™ cache setup in Yorkton. Hopefully I'll get it up before the 1st. I'll post it here if I get it in place on time.

 

parker2

Posted

Don't forget here in Ontario, if you take Highway 401 almost all the rest stops have a cache in them. Just search HERE.

 

I highly recommend taking the 1000 Islands Parkway between Gananoque and Brockville Ontario, great caches and fantastic views.

 

Good luck on the drive.

 

Binrat

Posted

Zuuk, message me. If you can make it to Oromocto (about an hour and half past Grand Falls), you have a place to stay here. I am heading to Kingston on the 11th but you can stop and camp/stay in my VERY humble abode. I drove across Canada this summer and I know that you must be very flexible with your schedule especially with camping in the plans. Be aware, Manitoba/Ontario border has the most mosquitoes in the world!!! Ontario has AMAZING showers in their Provincial parks! Msg me for any other details!!

 

Bzz

Posted (edited)

I am in EDM right now, near downtown, right beside a Tim Horton's - departing in the AM. I hope to do 1 cache here at least. Have only 30 minutes to do this.

 

Thank you for all your help folks, I will be utilizing many of these ideas and offers.

Edited by canadazuuk
Posted (edited)

I'm in Thunder Bay - caching has been a bit tough... I'm sure I've driven right by tonnes... LOL

 

Leaving here by 10 am eastern for Sault Ste Marie.

 

No modifications. stock in every way, and no cruise control either. Air pressure was bumped up a bit on Sept 1 - and I achieved 113 mpg (imperial) on two fills while on the way from Prince Albert to Yorkton - and that's with 125 kg+ of cargo and 'stuff'. I'll be going for 100 miles per US gallon on the return trip I think. I need a couple boxes in Winnpeg for packing stuff into. :laughing:

Edited by canadazuuk
Posted
Wouldn't you know... Trying to go across Canada on 500.00 or less of fuel, and gas prices go up 30-40% this week! :laughing:

 

Good luck, and safe travels...

 

MaisOui

:0)

Well to make up for it Zuuk will just have to slow down to the posted speed limits. No more 140 on the Trans-Canada. :laughing:

 

Olar

Posted

I finally did a cache near Bradford last night. Left a few X-TREME GPS TEAM cd's and tapes, and a geocoin - took a TB.

 

I also left Bradford one GPS lighter than when I arrived, but you have a family of 4 cachers now (JAMBoree).

Posted

I did three caches today - 2 in NB with Bzzliteyr, and 1 in PEI. I'm downtown Charlottetown right now updating website stuff since my arranged motel, well, didn't have anything... aargh...

Posted

I've made it to almost Labrador now... I'm in Flowers Cove. In the AM, I'll attempt a FTF in near the ST Barbe ferry, which I must be at by 9:30

 

After that, I'll hopefully do a few in Labrador and maybe one in an isolated village in Quebec when the ferry stops for 1 hour.

 

And in typical zuuk fashion, there's always something bizarre going on:

 

http://100mpg.ca/?p=64

 

Oh, and the TB I picked up is now dropped off in Corner Brook. I was unable to locate the cache at Cape Spear - although that was a spectacular spot!

Posted

Now in Marathon ON. Tried to log a find tonight. Ingenious hide - too many muggles though to get it. Will try again in the am.

 

Next stop will be the Fort Frances area... still working on my final week's itinerary.

Posted

Way to go Zuuk! I've work at the gold mine just outside of Marathon, even went down about 1km below ground a couple of times. I think you just missed the gold pickup. <_<

 

Terrace Bay is where the work shop was located and did a ton of work at the Kimberly Clark paper mill there. Heading further west you'll go through Schrieber then you'll wizz by Rossport where I lived, there's a circle route if you want a quick peek at it, used to be a fishing village way way back.

 

Seen any moose yet?

Posted

Never saw a moose- anywhere. I did get some photos at Rossport though. My site is in need of a few updates, which I will tend to now.

 

Oh - I am back. I didn't end up doing any caches in MB, SK or AB on this trip.

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