Hedgehog - 2nd leg of round the world - North & Central Americas

[SteveS]

Finally got the truck out of the container. Everything fine except the main starter battery was very flat.....4 weeks in the container saw to that. I think I'll disconnect it next time like I did the leisure one. Once the starter battery was jumped she started up right away with no other issues. Getting 23MPG at full GVW on mixed motorway and A-road type driving. Diesel here is CAD$0.82/litre - that is approx 45p/litre - so MPG not so important. But when you're planning on doing 26k miles it all adds up. Some petrol stations don't stock diesel, particularly city centre. Also diesel is about 15% cheaper than petrol/gas. Already clocked 1000 miles and now in Bay of Fundy. Pictures to follow

 

[GeorgeG]

Great! Can't wait to see some pics.

 

[Beau]

Just a precaution, be careful where you fill for diesel as some places don't refill or clean there tanks out often and it's very common for bad diesel to be about which can cause havoc for blocking fuel filters ect. Main stations will generally have good diesel.

 

[SteveS]

Just a precaution, be careful where you fill for diesel as some places don't refill or clean there tanks out often and it's very common for bad diesel to be about which can cause havoc for blocking fuel filters ect. Main stations will generally have good diesel.

Thanks Beau - we will be sticking to main roads/stations for fill up....but when we get down to less frequented/dodgy areas we have a Mister Funnel diesel filter to put the water/dirt/diesel mix through before it goes into the tanks

 

[SteveS]

Some pics....we're still quite early in the season so there is still some ice and snow about. Stunning scenery though!


Peggy's Cove Lighthouse

Peggy's Cove

An ice-bound lake at Fundy National Park

St Johns River with ice

The largest axe in the world at Nackawic New Brunswick

 

[SteveS]

We're a bit farther into Canada now. The scenery is stunning. Still s lot of snow and ice about but today the temp got to 24C near Montreal on our way towards Niagara

 

[SteveS]

Next major stop on our journey is Niagara Falls....a highly developed place for the 12 million annual tourists that flock here. At this time of year there were no queues but it was obvious from the snaking queue management systems that they get a LOT of people here....An impressive amount of water flowing but I could not help but contrast to Icelandic waterfalls in their natural settings.....much more impressive. Anyway, you couldn't come all this way without seeing the falls. Despite the 'disneyland' type of approach to the falls, just along the river is a very nice Canadian community of Niagara-by-the-lake....worth a visit as voted best Canadian town


The horseshoe (Canadian) Falls are the most impressive - the USA Falls are OK but not such a spectacle. Note the Maid of the Mist boat in the spray

Standing on Table Rock next to the Horseshoe Falls

Taken from the Skylon Tower, itself now 50 years old

 

[SteveS]

For the last few days we have been clocking up some serious mileage and have now arrived in Winnipeg. The drive here, whilst beautiful, is in essence 100s of miles of tree lined roads punctuated often by small ice covered lakes.....a bit samey. The trip from Niagara along the northern side of the great lakes was initially disappointing as the road was some way back from Lake Huron but as we got to Lake Superior we were afforded some spectacular views of the lake (big enough to be a sea in my view....). However, this lake system is the heart of US and Canadian industry and thus many of the larger cities along the way have enormous oil refining, paper mills and related process plants to remind you that we are in the 20th century. We are now just a little over 50% of the way across Canada, having passed the Canadian Line of Central Longitude at 96deg 48min 35sec W. Having spent the last almost 3 weeks staring at passing pine trees we suddenly popped out onto the Manitoban prairielands. These are flat, really flat, as the change in altitude along this road was only 40ft in over 20 miles on the run into Winnipeg...Oh, and completely straight too. The prairies extend for many hundreds of miles westward yet so I guess we'll have to just get used to it




North Shore Lake Superior

North shore Lake Superior

Kakebeke Falls



Long, straight and very flat near Winnipeg

 

[SteveS]

This is where we are presently near Regina Saskatchewan after approx. 4000 miles from Halifax.....still a very long way to go to even get to Alaska

 

[SteveS]

We've made it across the flat featureless expanses of Alberta and got to the 60th parallel AKA the Northwest Territories. We're based at Hay River on the southern side of the Great Slave Lake. Winter is still releasing its grip here even though daytime temps are up to 20C in a cloudless sky

The Hay River almost like a glacier but with those chunks of ice flowing past. The Alexandra Falls and the sign on entry to the 60th/NWT

 

[froggy Steve]

That ice river is amazing!Thanks for sharing

 

[SteveS]

That ice river is amazing!Thanks for sharing

Yes that river ice was totally unexpected......we watched it visibly increase in speed, as if a cork had been taken out of a bottle, and then when we returned to it after dinner it had completely stopped moving. In the morning much of the ice had cleared downstream leaving a few bits floating gently by. As it flowed it gave out a slightly creepy creaking, slushy sound

 

[SteveS]

Off roading today on some easy tracks in Wood Buffalo National Park. Saw a Black Bear and got into low box for a couple of water hazards. Getting stuck out here could have very serious consequencies - no phone, no people, no civilisation, hungry bears....you get the picture. Tracks are mainly sand here but quite boggy/energy sapping....I approached the water cautiously (I should have walked it first of course) but the deepest we found was probably 2-3 feet, enough to get a good bow wave going

An inquisitive (and probably hungry) spring bear......we thought he could smell either us or our fruit gums in the car

Long but not very deep

Salt Plains in Wood Buffalo National Park - 2nd largest NP, the size of Switzerland

 

[SteveS]

Current location

 

[thelal]

spent many years in USA and traveled Canada a bit. Also spent 1 yr on 29K trip Alaska to Argentina (back to IRL) with family (TLC 80 with trailer + RTTs). If I can be on any help let me know.
Ensure you're posting on i8hmud forums as will get good response (+offers for trips, B&B) from fellow 4x4ers also ExpoPortal , iOverlander.com for campspots etc. FB overland forums good to see who is coming up from South (to Alaska) to get more up2date info

 

[SteveS]

spent many years in USA and traveled Canada a bit. Also spent 1 yr on 29K trip Alaska to Argentina (back to IRL) with family (TLC 80 with trailer + RTTs). If I can be on any help let me know.
Ensure you're posting on i8hmud forums as will get good response (+offers for trips, B&B) from fellow 4x4ers also ExpoPortal , iOverlander.com for campspots etc. FB overland forums good to see who is coming up from South (to Alaska) to get more up2date info

Thanks Thelal - i do post on ih8mud and am linked in with a number of FB groups, the Hubb, ioverlander etc - all of which are fabulous resources. I recently used my contacts on those sites to find a suitable service/land cruiser expert in Alaska. I will be meeting up with the ih8mud guys in August in Colorado on the 100's annual event

 

[thelal]

Thanks Thelal - i do post on ih8mud and am linked in with a number of FB groups, the Hubb, ioverlander etc - all of which are fabulous resources. I recently used my contacts on those sites to find a suitable service/land cruiser expert in Alaska. I will be meeting up with the ih8mud guys in August in Colorado on the 100's annual event

Seems you have it all sorted. Nice
Say hello to Tim (Nakari), Robbie, and the rest of the Rising Sun 4x4 Clib for me.

 

[SteveS]

A quick update on where we are at the moment. So far we've covered 16,000 fault free miles and are just about to enter Yellowstone. I will post some photos by way of update over the next few days. Got to buy some new front tyres - they have covered over 36000 miles and are nearing the end of their life. Of that we have covered 4500 dirt miles on this trip alone. I can honestly say overlanding in a 100 is perfect - just eats up the miles and the punishment. Only changes to be made are minor: not happy with the voltage sensing circuits of the DRLs, one DRL has lost 3 out of 9 LEDs and a fuse blew on an ancillary 12V feed with a suspected short to earth - will fix on return to UK

 

[clivehorridge]

Amazing!
Bit short on photo's though Steve...

 

[AndyCook]

Enjoying your photo updates on FB

great campfire !