For the most part, you don't need to set a tire on Hwy 1 if you don't want to. I'm in the middle of packing, and my maps are all packed, but I'll briefly give you a possible route from memory and an old version of Streets and Trips ...

From Vancouver - 0 Avenue to Chilliwack (you sort of angle up to Chilliwack on backroads from 0 Avenue). I've ridden all that, and it's a good road. Then I'd take 7 over to where you can get onto 3. Take 3 across to 93. I've driven 3 recently, and it's not bad, although a little hilly. 93 is a nice road. Keep on 93 to Castle Junction.

Then you've got a choice. You can do a middle route across the prairie or a southern route.

The middle route would involve staying on 93 (Icefield Parkway) to Saskatchewan River Crossing and Hwy 11. Ride Hwy 11 to Red Deer - gorgeous highway, one of the nicest you'll come across. Then I'd do 12 as far across as it is paved, and head down to 9 close to the Saskatchewan border. You don't want to hit 9 any sooner than that. 9 turns into 7 and heads up to Saskatoon if you'd like to go that way. Saskatoon is pretty. Then you can hook up with 16 the rest of the way to Winnipeg. If you're going that way, I highly recommend visiting the Riding Mtn National Park, and maybe even going up and around the RMNP to Dauphin (83 > 5 > 10 > 357 > 5 into Neepawa and 16 into Portage La Prairie, and then of course 26 into Winnipeg).

The south route would have you coming down the Bow Valley Parkway into Banff. Then I would recommend taking Hwy 1 into Calgary, but Hwy 1 is good there. In fact, you could probably stay on Hwy 1 right to Saskatchewan because there's a decent shoulder to work with. Once you get into Saskatchewan you'd want to start looking for something else. 13 might be a decent choice, and 13 turns into 2 in Manitoba. You could stay on 2 or go down to 3 in Manitoba, either one is fine ... very quiet. In fact, it puzzles me why anyone would want to ride Hwy 1 in Manitoba where there are several perfectly good alternatives. 2 sends you right by Spruce Woods which is an interesting area.

I'd stay in Bird's Hill Park in Winnipeg, and then get down to 15 to Elma. Then probably 44 to West Hawk Lake ... especially if it wasn't a Friday night.

If you want to stay in Canada, then you're stuck with Hwy 17 across Ontario, but I'd recommend heading down to Michigan. If you're going to do that, get onto 12 down to the Minnesota border.

Then come back into Canada at Sault Ste. Marie. I've driven 17 to Montreal, but I haven't ridden it so I can't comment on it's conditions for cyclists.

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There are heaps of fascinating paved roads across the Canadian prairies. A person could spend a year or more just riding them all, and visiting the little towns, and chatting to the people, and looking at the neat things they put up in their towns. I've given you some fairly direct routes, but you could meander all over the place. Get some good maps from CAA and explore!!


If you have a look through my Flickr photos, you'll see some of these lovely Canadian roads:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14302884@N04/sets/