[MRC2K6]

My co-pilot (does that make her my navigator?) and I are planning a trip from Calgary through Crowsnest (Fernie, Cranbrook, Creston, Castlegar, Osoyoos) to Vancouver and pick up our daughter @ the ferry from Nanaimo. Back Through Whistler, Lillooet, Cache Creek, Kamloops and then the Number One. Leaving on August 17th and back by the 22nd.

If anyone knows of any of these roads being closed or tons of construction anywhere, can you please let us know.

Also - does anyone know if it is OK to have a radar detector sitting on your dash in B.C.?

So if you see us drive by, honk and wave lots and we'll try to stop and say hello.

Anyone can recognize my black and white # 57 "race car" - flags along the roof and large MINIRUN CALGARY and Crowfoot MINI decals all over the sides.

See you on the road ...

[xtremepsionic]

Other than a bunch of constructions on Hwy 1 near Lake Louise every where else seems alright. A month ago when I went on my BC trip, there were some limited constructions near Lillooet as well. And yes Radar Detectors are legal in BC. You're gonna have a ton of fun on some of those roads I suggest that you leave early to avoid traffic and drive the road between Castlegar and Vancouver, boy, those are some extremely fun and fast roads.

[faster,Tobias!]

Make sure you take the Creston - Kootenay Ferry - Castlegar route. It will add about two hours to the drive, but is more than worth it.

[beken]

Radar detectors are legal in BC. But I think they may be using lasers now.

Also, I wouldn't leave it on the dash when not driving. I had a break in in one of my previous cars even with the detector hidden and that's what they took.

Have a fun and safe drive!

[MRC2K6]

Quote: Originally Posted by xtremepsionic

Other than a bunch of constructions on Hwy 1 near Lake Louise every where else seems alright. A month ago when I went on my BC trip, there were some limited constructions near Lillooet as well. And yes Radar Detectors are legal in BC. You're gonna have a ton of fun on some of those roads I suggest that you leave early to avoid traffic and drive the road between Castlegar and Vancouver, boy, those are some extremely fun and fast roads.

Thanks. Your trip is the reason we are going. After reading about it we decided to drive some of your route instead of just giving my daughter the money for the return flight. Fun ... fun ... fun ...

Quote: Originally Posted by beken

Radar detectors are legal in BC. But I think they may be using lasers now.

Also, I wouldn't leave it on the dash when not driving. I had a break in in one of my previous cars even with the detector hidden and that's what they took.

Have a fun and safe drive!

My detector is peachy with lasers, but I'll keep in mind what you say about theft. I never really think about it here at my house or work. I have an alarm installed by MINI (very loud) which has never gone off (except when I've tested it). Thanks.

[MRC2K6]

Quote: Originally Posted by faster,Tobias!

Make sure you take the Creston - Kootenay Ferry - Castlegar route. It will add about two hours to the drive, but is more than worth it.

Thanks, I think that's the way we have drawn the route on the map. But I didn't know anything about a ferry ...

[faster,Tobias!]

Quote: Originally Posted by MRC2K6 (original)

Thanks, I think that's the way we have drawn the route on the map. But I didn't know anything about a ferry ...

It is the longest free Ferry route in B.C. The boat isn't that big.
Here are a couple of pics of that road, to whet your appetite;







Reportedly the scenery is very nice as well. Must try and take it in sometime..

[xtremepsionic]

Yeah, if you are careful you can time it right and get there about 30 minutes before the ferry leaves, then you should be able to get on the ferry without waiting. It was a long weekend Friday when I went on the ferry last time, and the ferry was totally full. Actually I think there were 2 ferries going back and forth between the harbours, one of them bigger than the other. I was on the bigger one I think.



The one thng I didn't like about that road was the amount of traffic, way too many slow moving vehicles. I stopped atleast 6-7 times along the way so I don't have to follow them, but I think atleast 40% of the way I was stuck behind someone else. Oh, there are tons of "art galleries" on the side of the road as well.

[British SD]

Quote: Originally Posted by MRC2K6 (original)

If anyone knows of any of these roads being closed or tons of construction anywhere, can you please let us know...

BRITISH SD Says:
Just got back from Osoyoos last night after a week in the Okanagan. 97 and 97A is clean up to Sicamous, As extreme says, Hwy 1, Lake Louise is still slow both ways for road construction as can Golden/Kicking Horse canyon during weekdays in yr 4 of that project. (I think they are moving a couple of the mountains 100 ft to the left).

Oh by the way, do not get gas at Rogers Pass. $1.379 Litre for reg 97 plonk today. Premium was $1.479 but pump was dry.

[faster,Tobias!]

Quote: Originally Posted by British SD (original)

Oh by the way, do not get gas at Rogers Pass. $1.379 Litre for reg 97 plonk today. Premium was $1.479 but pump was dry.

I almost feel sorry for those guys in Navigators, Escalades, Hummers and other unnecessarily large vehicles. Almost.

[British SD]

Quote: Originally Posted by faster,Tobias! (original)

I almost feel sorry for those guys in Navigators, Escalades, Hummers and other unnecessarily large vehicles. Almost.

Funny you should say that. I shared the pump with a H2. At that price, everyone who gets gas at the top of Rogers Pass is running on fumes and just getting enough to get them down the 75km drive to the bottom of the mtn. where gas was a bargain $1.18/L in Revelstoke & Golden.

He put in $40 worth verses I put in $10. nuff said!

[Wanda]

Our petrol in the UK has gone up to 2.14 CAD per litre...

I'm glad to hear that prices are cheaper in Golden/Revelstoke, so I'll be sure to fill right up there.

[velveteen_mini]

If you take the Sea to Sky route from Vancouver to Whistler, through Squamish, there may be some road construction. They are cleaning up and widening the road for the 2010 Olympics. Last time we travelled it, it was fine.

[xtremepsionic]

Quote: Originally Posted by velveteen_mini (original)

If you take the Sea to Sky route from Vancouver to Whistler, through Squamish, there may be some road construction. They are cleaning up and widening the road for the 2010 Olympics. Last time we travelled it, it was fine.

Oh yeah, thats right. I heard there are cops on that road frequently as well.

[MRC2K6]

Quote: Originally Posted by velveteen_mini (original)

If you take the Sea to Sky route from Vancouver to Whistler, through Squamish, there may be some road construction. They are cleaning up and widening the road for the 2010 Olympics. Last time we travelled it, it was fine.

Quote: Originally Posted by xtremepsionic (original)

Oh yeah, thats right. I heard there are cops on that road frequently as well.

I just got my new tires put on today for the trip. Hope the construction is minimal and the cops are @ the local Timmy's ....

[xtremepsionic]

Quote: Originally Posted by MRC2K6 (original)

I just got my new tires put on today for the trip. Hope the construction is minimal and the cops are @ the local Timmy's ....

Other hot spots I've heard from my BC friend and from what I saw were anywhere on Highway 1, and also the wide open sections on Highway 3 between Hope and Vancouver.

[faster,Tobias!]

Xtreme,
You mentioned in a post that city (Calgary) police don't use speed cameras. When did they stop using them? I haven't seen a van in a while..

[xtremepsionic]

Oh, what I meant was that they don't use speed cameras on a post like in England... oops. Actually I haven't seen those speed camera vans in a long while either. But a while ago I did see a white Chrysler minivan with white out side windows flashing its hazards on the side of Deerfoot with a camera in it.

In related news a British man was arrested for "blowing up a speed camera"
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

A guy threw rocks or something at a Calgary speed camera van last year IIRC, maybe thats why there are fewer of them out there on the road? Just a wild guess.

[faster,Tobias!]

Quote: Originally Posted by xtremepsionic (original)

In related news a British man was arrested for "blowing up a speed camera"
[url]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=399844&in_page_id=1770[/url.

Haaha. The fella is from my home town..

[MRC2K6]

Well, we made it back on Monday night ... and still flushed with excitement as well.

Man those twisties in BC are great. I would recommend that trip to anyone in a MINI (or any small sports car for those less fortunate).

1st day - Calgary down # 22 and across # 3 to Creston.
2nd day - Up to Kootenay Bay, over ferry to # 3A. Along # 3A and # 3 to Princeton.
3rd day - Drove around Vancouver, went to Granville Island and then ferry @ Horseshoe Bay across to Nanaimo.
4th day - shopping and site-seeing in Nanaimo (actually a neat little place).
5th day - back across ferry and then up to Whistler, Pemberton and Lillooet. Then Cache Creek and on to Kamloops.
6th day - # 1 highway (only crowded place on trip) and then Bow Valley Parkway to Banff. (We would have then taken the # 1A to Calgary but we were in a hurry for dinner @ the Keg - yummy).

Almost 2500 kms and way too many dollars later - I'm still smiling. More than 3 years now as a MINI owner and I still love driving my car. Glad I put my new tires on though ...

A real hoot on the small roads (110 and up) and faster on the main ones (140 - 150 and up). My wife didn't take any pictures while we were driving - she claims that she had to hang on the whole entire time! But we both agreed that there was so much to look at and such interesting roads that time just flew by. And we didn't even notice that we were driving some days for a few hours each stretch (we were both kind of pleasently surprised that the MINI was so comfortable to sit in for that long @ a time ... way better than any other vehicle we have been on a road trip in).

Hope to see all you guys on Friday @ the track and Sunday for the Kan. drive.