{"id":2338,"date":"2011-10-11T15:31:12","date_gmt":"2011-10-11T18:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/?p=2338"},"modified":"2016-12-28T08:55:01","modified_gmt":"2016-12-28T13:55:01","slug":"12-tips-for-cycling-western-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/2011\/10\/12-tips-for-cycling-western-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Tips for Cycling Western Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t

1. Be Bear Smart.<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re cycling through Western Canada and up to the Yukon, your chance of coming in contact with bears is about 99.99%.<\/p>\n

Cyclists rarely encounter problems with bears, but you will want to prepare yourself before entering bear territory.<\/p>\n

A good place to start is on the Candaian National Parks bear awareness page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here are a few of our recommendations:<\/p>\n

Carry bear spray.<\/a><\/strong> And don\u2019t stuff it into the bottom of your back pannier.\u00a0 Ideally, attach it to your handlebars or strap it on to your body.<\/p>\n

NEVER store your food or toiletries in the tent.<\/strong> Hanging your food in a tree is much easier said than done.\u00a0 We found the best place for overnight food storage is in the bear-proof garbage containers.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s right in the garbage can.\u00a0 Just open up the back of the container and slip you food supplies in next to the plastic bag.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stock up at Discount Supermarkets<\/h2>\n

Food-wise, Canada is the most expensive country we\u2019ve ever cycled through.\u00a0 The further north you bike, the higher the prices.<\/p>\n

You can save a lot of money by doing your shopping at the Canadian Superstore, Walmart or Extra Foods in larger towns.\u00a0 You may have to carry up to a week\u2019s worth of supplies, but the difference in your bank account balance will be worth the extra weight.<\/p>\n

At the Superstore and Extra Foods look for the hot-pink 50% stickers.\u00a0 These products have passed their \u2018best-before\u2019 date.\u00a0 Remember, that doesn\u2019t mean \u2018no good after\u2019.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Camp at Rest Areas<\/h2>\n

Official campsites are pricey\u2026 $12 to pitch a tent in Yukon National Parks and around $16 in British Columbia\u2019s National Parks.\u00a0 RV parks charge around $25-$30 and showers are often extra.<\/p>\n

Up north, Rest Areas are an economical alternative.\u00a0 You\u2019ll usually have a picnic table, grassy area for the tent and bear-proof garbage receptacles in which to store your food.\u00a0 Unless you\u2019re close to a town (and less face it, there aren\u2019t many of those in the Yukon) there\u2019s no need to worry about a peaceful night\u2019s sleep being interrupted by a visit from the RCMP (the cops) or a truckload of bothersome drunks.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Protect yourself from the Mossies<\/h2>\n

Mosquitoes are often referred to as Canada\u2019s national bird.\u00a0 A swarm of them buzzing about your head on a long slog up a steep hill is enough for even the most zen-like cyclist to burst into a\u00a0barrage of curses.<\/p>\n

A head net is a good solution.\u00a0 Even better is a lightweight mossie-proof jacket.\u00a0 And don\u2019t forget the mosquito coils\u2026they\u2019ll make camping a whole lot more fun.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Try a few Backroads.<\/h2>\n

Veering off on to the path less pedaled will reap huge rewards in Western Canada.\u00a0 A detour up the Dempster Highway<\/a>--\u00a0even if it\u2019s just for a visit to Tombstone Territorial Park<\/a>,--should not be missed.<\/p>\n

Likewise, you\u2019ll want to ride over the Top of the World Highway<\/a> into Alaska and take in the stunning 360-degree views. The Cassiar Highway<\/a> will give you a true taste of the wilderness, bears to boot.<\/p>\n

True adventure can be found on the Robert Campbell Highway<\/a>.\u00a0 It\u2019s rough, remote and largely unpaved but worth the effort.\u00a0 Or so I\u2019m told by hard-core cyclist Jeff Kruys<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We wimped out in the end and still regret opting for the easy way round.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Riding the beautiful Dempster Highway near Tombstone Territorial Park.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Take a Tarp.<\/h2>\n

Rain was a constant companion as we biked Canada.\u00a0 Savvy cyclists will take along a lightweight tarp to protect themselves from the elements.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Touch Bases at the Tourist Information Centers<\/h2>\n

These are great places to relax and take advantage of the free coffee and clean restrooms.\u00a0 Tourist Information Centers are also useful for the free maps and as a place to recharge computers and other gadgets.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lighten your Load<\/h2>\n

In Western Canada, you\u2019ll hardly have a day without at least a couple grueling climbs.\u00a0 It\u2019ll pay off to trade in those 5 novels you\u2019ve been hoarding for a Kindle and leave the yoga mat at home.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Elevation profile of the Cassiar Highway from South to North<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Check out Warm Showers and Couchsurfing<\/h2>\n

There are many active members of Warm Showers<\/a> and Couchsurfing<\/a> in Western Canada.\u00a0 Why pitch the tent when you can enjoy a soft bed and a roof over your head?<\/p>\n

10.Get the Right Gear<\/h2>\n

Weather in Western Canada and the Yukon is notoriously unpredictable.\u00a0 You\u2019re likely to encounter lots of rain on your ride and maybe even a snowstorm or two if you tour in the shoulder seasons: \u00a0April and May or September and October.<\/p>\n

Good raingear is essential.\u00a0 You\u2019ll also want to pack cold weather clothing including a thick pair of gloves for those chilly Yukon mornings.<\/p>\n

11. \u00a0 Check out the Milepost<\/h2>\n

The Milepost<\/a> is the ultimate road trip guide through the Yukon and up to Alaska.\u00a0 Useful information about everything there is to see along the way.<\/p>\n

12. \u00a0 Allow yourself plenty of time<\/h2>\n

To get the most out of your ride, you won\u2019t want to rush.<\/p>\n

Bad weather can slow you down and some days you may just want to pitch your tent early and wander around in the great outdoors contemplating the incredible beauty which surrounds you.\u00a0 Setting yourself a goal of 100 kilometers per day\/ seven days a weeks will probably just stress you out and you\u2019ll miss the best Canada has to offer.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1. Be Bear Smart.If you\u2019re cycling through Western Canada and up to the Yukon, your chance of coming in contact with bears is about 99.99%.Cyclists rarely encounter problems with bears, but you will want to prepare yourself before entering bear<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[86,26],"tags":[87,108,109],"yoast_head":"\n12 Tips for Cycling Western Canada - Worldbiking.info<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/2011\/10\/12-tips-for-cycling-western-canada\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"12 Tips for Cycling Western Canada - Worldbiking.info\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"1. 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