Canadian Bicycle Touring Routes Canadian Routes (This is a collection of our major cycling trips taken over a number of years.) Destination Canada
Sharon and Neil say Two Thumbs-up to:
Canadian kindness -- a country where an entire room says bless you when you sneeze, diverse regional differences, spectacular fall colours, and great wilderness expanses.
Trip Summary:
Canada is our first and major cycling playground. We often began cycling trips from the back door of our home in Edmonton, Alberta. Now that we have moved to Coalmont, British Columbia, we have a whole new area to explore, with an emphasis on mountain bike trips. We never tire of the beautiful Canadian scenery, or the people we meet on our trips.
Ontario and Quebec, especially the Gaspe area, have some great cycle touring country. Over the years we have cycled Jasper to Banff; Edmonton, Alberta to Vancouver, BC, and the reverse; Gulf Islands; Vancouver Island; across Canada (Saskatchewan and Manitoba weren't nearly as boring as everyone had led us to believe), the Maritimes -- Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland; as well as various Western Canada National & Provincial Parks. We especially enjoy cycling in Jasper and Banff National Parks -- we've cycled it seven times now, and look forward to when we can fit it in again!
© Lonely Planet says:
Most people's conception of Canada goes little beyond appreciating its vastness, recognizing its flag and identifying a few well-known physical features. And while it's true that the majority of travelers are attracted by the opportunity to explore Canada's wilderness areas, natural wonders and low-key rural charm, there is a lot more to Canada than maple trees, Niagara Falls and wide open spaces.
It's the edginess between Canada's indigenous, French and British traditions that gives the nation its complex three-dimensional character. Add to this a constant infusion of US culture and a plethora of traditions brought from Europe, Asia and Latin America by migrants and you have, despite separatist Quebecois, a thriving multi-cultural society very much in the process of forming a national identity. Those expecting Canada to be a blander counterpart of its southern neighbour should check their preconceptions at the door - Canada's wild northern frontier, which has etched itself into the national psyche, and its distinct patchwork of peoples have created a country that is decidedly different to that of the USA.
Canada is the world's second largest country. It extends some 7700km (4775mi) east to west and 4600km (2850mi) north to south. Nearly 90% of Canadians huddle along the 6379km (3955mi) southern border with the USA. Though much of the land is lake and river-filled forest, there are mountains, plains and even a small desert. The Great Plains, or prairies, cover Manitoba, Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta. These former grasslands are now responsible for Canada's abundant wheat crop. Western Canada is known for its Rocky Mountains, while the east has the country's major cities and also its most visited geographic feature, Niagara Falls. The Canadian Shield, an ancient, rocky and glacially-sanded region, formed more than 2.5 billion years ago, covers most of the north of the country. The Arctic region, in the far north, is where you'll find frozen tundra merging into islands that are ice-bound for most of the year.
Canada has an incredible mix of native flora and fauna. It comprises eight vegetation zones, most of which are dominated by forest. Some of the common tree species include white and black spruce, balsam and Douglas fir, western red cedar, white pine and the sugar maple, one of Canada's best-known symbols - the maple's leaf appears on the country's flag. Endemic animals include the grizzly, black, brown and polar bears, beaver, buffalo, wolf, coyote, lynx, cougar, deer, caribou, elk and moose. There are also 500 species of birds, such as the great blue heron, Canada geese and many varieties of duck. Canada has over 37 national parks, over 129 national historic parks and 12 areas of such natural significance that they are on the UN World Heritage list.
Canada has four distinct seasons, although their arrival times vary across the country. The single most significant factor in climate is latitude. As a rule of thumb, it gets colder the further north you go, so it's no accident that the warmest areas in the south are also the most populated. The western and eastern coasts are both very wet, though much of the rain falls during winter. In Saskatchewan, Manitoba and eastern Alberta the prairies are fairly dry all year. Canadian winters are long: in more than two-thirds of the country, the average January temperature is a shivering -18°C (-0.4°F). July and August are the warmest months, when temperatures in the south are usually in the upper-20sC (low-80sF).
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