Canada and USA this August

"MI" schrieb

One thing we all have to remember. This is an Englishman who drives on the
left side of the road. He will not be familiar with any of the roads we
are talking about and in a tight situation could turn the wheel the wrong
way.

I've been driving in the UK several times, and you get used to the "wrong"
side fairly quickly. And if at all, it's the towns that are a problem, not
the roads in the countryside.
Biggest problem for me when driving on the left side: To shift gears with
the "wrong" hand, but since all rental cars are automatic in Canada:
Problem solved. He will probably sit on the right front seat occasionally
when starting off in the morning, wondering who stole the steering wheel.
Happened to me a few times in England vbg

Jochen from Germany

On Jan 29, 9:00*am, "Jochen Kriegerowski" wrote:
"MI" schrieb

One thing we all have to remember. This is an Englishman who drives on the
left side of the road. He will not be familiar with any of the roads we
are talking about and in a tight situation could turn the wheel the wrong
way.

I've been driving in the UK several times, and you get used to the "wrong"
side fairly quickly. And if at all, it's the towns that are a problem, not
the roads in the countryside.
Biggest problem for me when driving on the left side: To shift gears with
the "wrong" hand, but since all rental cars are automatic in Canada:
Problem solved. He will probably sit on the right front seat occasionally
when starting off in the morning, wondering who stole the steering wheel.
Happened to me a few times in England vbg

Jochen from Germany

Actually, my worst times driving on the "wrong side" experiences are
in parking lots where there are no center stripes and you are only
concerned about parking and tend to forget the driving.
In my original post I recommended driving from Lillooet toward the
coast on Hwy 99 instead of the opposite direction because then the
dropoff is on the other side of the road when you proceed along the
long cliff face, and I'm sure a person wouldn't be comfortable driving
on the "wrong side" of the road in that situation next to the dropoff.

George

"george" schrieb

In my original post I recommended driving from Lillooet toward the
coast on Hwy 99 instead of the opposite direction because then the
dropoff is on the other side of the road when you proceed along the
long cliff face, and I'm sure a person wouldn't be comfortable driving
on the "wrong side" of the road in that situation next to the dropoff.

But if you drive from Lillooet towards the coast, the dropoff *is* right
next to you, on the right side, between Whistler and Britannia Beach.
Or are you talking about some other cliff along the route?

But still it is the nicer direction because of the view. If you drive north,
the most spectacular scenery is only visible through the rear vier mirror.

Jochen from Germany

On Jan 29, 11:24*am, "Jochen Kriegerowski" wrote:
"george" schrieb

In my original post I recommended driving from Lillooet toward the
coast on Hwy 99 instead of the opposite direction because then the
dropoff is on the other side of the road when you proceed along the
long cliff face, and I'm sure a person wouldn't be comfortable driving
on the "wrong side" of the road in that situation next to the dropoff.

But if you drive from Lillooet towards the coast, the dropoff *is* right
next to you, on the right side, between Whistler and Britannia Beach.
Or are you talking about some other cliff along the route?

But still it is the nicer direction because of the view. If you drive north,
the most spectacular scenery is only visible through the rear vier mirror.

Jochen from Germany

I'm talking about the big cliff face which you ascend right after you
leave Lillooet heading for the coast long before Pemberton or Mt.
Curry. The beginning of the stretch which is two lanes wide which
then narrows to one lane bridges several times. It's been a few years
since I driven that route, but I can't remember any other place along
that road that I would be leery of driving, or anywhere else in the
route I had described. Britannia Beach is way on the other side of
Whistler.

Ba the way, where do you live in Germany?

George, living in Stuttgart

"george" schrieb

I'm talking about the big cliff face which you ascend right after you
leave Lillooet heading for the coast long before Pemberton or Mt.
Curry. The beginning of the stretch which is two lanes wide which
then narrows to one lane bridges several times. It's been a few years
since I driven that route

It's been several years for me too so I had a look on the map to
remember - and yes, I thought there might be some dropoffs where
you describe them, but I wasn't sure.

Britannia Beach is way on the other side of Whistler.

True. But it's quite steep, down to the Pacific, at some points as far
as I remember.

Ba the way, where do you live in Germany?

Potsdam

living in Stuttgart

Oh, right.
....almost next door, if you think about Canadian distances! ;-)

Jochen

On 1/29/08 12:00 AM, in article , "Jochen
Kriegerowski" wrote:

"MI" schrieb

One thing we all have to remember. This is an Englishman who drives on the
left side of the road. He will not be familiar with any of the roads we
are talking about and in a tight situation could turn the wheel the wrong
way.

I've been driving in the UK several times, and you get used to the "wrong"
side fairly quickly. And if at all, it's the towns that are a problem, not
the roads in the countryside.
Biggest problem for me when driving on the left side: To shift gears with
the "wrong" hand, but since all rental cars are automatic in Canada:
Problem solved. He will probably sit on the right front seat occasionally
when starting off in the morning, wondering who stole the steering wheel.
Happened to me a few times in England vbg

Jochen from Germany

When driving back from Port Arthur to Hobart, our driver mentioned that
there are a lot of accidents in the evening. Nearly all them caused by
Americans suddenly confronted by a kangaroo and turning the wheel the wrong
way. That was my point at the time. Driving under ordinary conditions people
usually do well. I had a fried who drove all over the British Isles and got
into an accident less than a mile from the rental agency. Tight squeeze and
instinctively turned the wheel the wrong way.

--
Martha T2 Canada
1500mg. Metformin, 4mg. Avandia

On 1/29/08 2:52 AM, in article , "Jochen
Kriegerowski" wrote:

"george" schrieb

I'm talking about the big cliff face which you ascend right after you
leave Lillooet heading for the coast long before Pemberton or Mt.
Curry. The beginning of the stretch which is two lanes wide which
then narrows to one lane bridges several times. It's been a few years
since I driven that route

It's been several years for me too so I had a look on the map to
remember - and yes, I thought there might be some dropoffs where
you describe them, but I wasn't sure.

Britannia Beach is way on the other side of Whistler.

True. But it's quite steep, down to the Pacific, at some points as far
as I remember.

Ba the way, where do you live in Germany?

Potsdam

living in Stuttgart

Oh, right.
...almost next door, if you think about Canadian distances! ;-)


Jochen

Guys. Your information is good except between Vancouver and Whistler and a
little beyond. The Sea to Sky Highway is being converted to a 4 lane highway
in time for the Olympics. It's not finished, but is nearly there.
--
Martha T2 Canada
1500mg. Metformin, 4mg. Avandia

Hello all,

Many thanks for all the responses. On reflection I have to agree that
10 days will not do justice to the area. We don't want to spend all
day everyday stuck on the seat of a car.
So to plan B.
First night after landing at Calgary drive and stay in Lethbridge.
Next day on to Waterton Lakes and drive along Akamina Parkway and Red
Rock Parkway.
Maybe a short hike.
Then onto Swiftcurrent for a couple of days. Iceberg trail a must.
When finished on to the Going into the sun highway.
Any recomendations for Trails, hidden gems along this road. Plan to
stay somewhere between Logan Pass and Lake McDonald for a night or two
then backup to the Icefields and Yoho National Park as per sharx35
suggestion.
With so much to see and do I think this will be just the start of many
visits over the coming years.
Feel free to suggest Plan C D E. ..........
Thanks again.

In article ,
wrote:
Hello all,

Many thanks for all the responses. On reflection I have to agree that
10 days will not do justice to the area. We don't want to spend all
day everyday stuck on the seat of a car.
So to plan B.
First night after landing at Calgary drive and stay in Lethbridge.
Next day on to Waterton Lakes and drive along Akamina Parkway and Red
Rock Parkway.
Maybe a short hike.
.....
Any recomendations for Trails, hidden gems along this road. Plan to
stay somewhere between Logan Pass and Lake McDonald for a night or two
then backup to the Icefields and Yoho National Park as per sharx35
suggestion.

I found the guide "Don't waste your time in the Rockies" to be very useful
back in 2003. They appear to have an updated version available:
http://www.hikingcamping.com/time_canadian_rockies.php

Looking through the hikes should give you some idea of where you want to
visit.

A lot of the hikes are pretty stenuous, because you're going up mountains.
But the views and experience is worth it I think.

The best hike in the Rockies that I've been on was in Waterton Park. Take
the Rowe Lakes trail, and then continue up to the big ridge overlooking
Lineham Lakes. This was one of the "premier" hikes in the "Don't Waste your
time" book, and it sure lived up to it. Not for agoraphobics, though.

.....Ed

wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Many thanks for all the responses. On reflection I have to agree that
10 days will not do justice to the area. We don't want to spend all
day everyday stuck on the seat of a car.
So to plan B.
First night after landing at Calgary drive and stay in Lethbridge.

Why bother with Lethbridge? Waterton is only a couple of hours south of
Calgary.


Next day on to Waterton Lakes and drive along Akamina Parkway and Red
Rock Parkway.
Maybe a short hike.
Then onto Swiftcurrent for a couple of days. Iceberg trail a must.

WHICH Swiftcurrent? Surely NOT the place in Saskatchewan. Nothing there.


When finished on to the Going into the sun highway.
Any recomendations for Trails, hidden gems along this road. Plan to
stay somewhere between Logan Pass and Lake McDonald for a night or two
then backup to the Icefields and Yoho National Park as per sharx35
suggestion.
With so much to see and do I think this will be just the start of many
visits over the coming years.
Feel free to suggest Plan C D E. ..........
Thanks again.