Road trip question

[FRiSson]

Bad idea carrying jerry cans on a long trip. They are designed to vent gas vapors. If you are that worried, get some octane boost you can use if you can't find premium - but that is unlikely.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by chanomatik

So what's your route? I just drove from Alaska through Canada to Washington, then to Southern California, over to Colorado and up to Alberta and back home. I'm full of input. Road trips rock!

I'm coming from eastern Canada and thinking of taking number 3 most of the way and then 33 through Kelowna. I have a lot of planning to do yet and i'm thinking of doing some backroads along the way if my fuel mileage permits it.

I'm most worried about my tire choice. I will have to look into the winter tire rules in BC as we don't have rules for that in Manitoba yet.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

If you're on the highway you should be able to hit 300 miles per tank if needed. At this altitude, you don't need 93+ octane. The reduced air density allows for lighter octane, 91 is typically the max you'll find here.

Have you been calculating your ACTUAL mileage? (fill tank to full, then use as much as you can, then divide the miles driven by gallons required to refill).

October in the Rockies is a crapshoot, my snow tires are usually on before October ends. October is typically when the first snow hits the Denver area, but the hills may already have coverage by then. Usually the ground and climate are not yet cold enough for it to really stick to the roads around Denver, so they might be wet and slimy and sandy from mag chloride, salt, and sometimes small grain gravel.

If you're sticking to highways and major roads, I wouldn't worry about it. You can always plan a SAFE route, and then a FUN route (if time and conditions permit). If you're going to be travelling over any passes (Independence Pass or Loveland Pass for example) definitely check conditions of the pass before attempting the drive. Weather may be beautiful until you hit the pass at high altitude, then suddenly you' find yourself in blizzard conditions with 50mph winds.

What part of the Rockies will you be driving through? If you're interested, I may be able to recommend some roads if you'll be in any areas I'm familiar with.

Thanks for all your helpful input! I'm coming from Manitoba and so far my plan is to take the number 3 across and then the 33 up through Kelowna.

I forgot about the winter tire rules in other provinces thanks for the heads up. I guess it would be best to have them on just in case. Is it true that they wear out quickly when driving on dry pavement though, or should i just not worry about it?

Again I appreciate all the advice.

[Chad]

Thanks everyone for the input, It's all really helpful as I'm a newbie with cross-country road trips. I will bring some octane boost just in case and forget about the jerry can idea lol. I will do some research on the roads that I'm taking to see if they all offer 91 no ethanol.

[FastWhite]

If you are coming from Winterpeg, then you know winter. ALWAYS take something for the worst.
Lived in Kelowna for 7 yrs. weather is unpredictable.
Pick up a set of chains, that gets you by the winter rule. Prefit them as you could be putting them on in the snow.
Standard winter survival gear, shovel scrapper
When winter and mountains involved, never take chances.
May be over kill but. I'd rather have than not.


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[Chad]

Originally Posted by FastWhite

If you are coming from Winterpeg, then you know winter. ALWAYS take something for the worst.
Lived in Kelowna for 7 yrs. weather is unpredictable.
Pick up a set of chains, that gets you by the winter rule. Prefit them as you could be putting them on in the snow.
Standard winter survival gear, shovel scrapper
When winter and mountains involved, never take chances.
May be over kill but. I'd rather have than not.


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LOL yes I do know winter but I don't know mountains and much snow before the end of November. Would you recommend chains or just using winter tires for the whole trip?

Good call with the survival gear, I will make an exhaustive list to make sure I'm covered for worst case scenarios.

[FastWhite]

Oh ya, watch out for deer, elk, moose. Any critter. In the fog, heavy, saw the full size duel wheel pick up, front end completely smashed from love tap by an Elk. I had an 82 Supra and I felt tiny.


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[FastWhite]

You could probably do all seasons with a set of chains. Still have some fun factor.


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[Chad]

Originally Posted by FastWhite

You could probably do all seasons with a set of chains. Still have some fun factor.


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Thanks, I will keep an extra eye out for the wildlife.

My options for tires are:

1. Summer tires with chains in the trunk in case
2. Winter tires for the whole trip

What do you think would be the best of the two?

[FastWhite]

If you have a set of winters then winter tires and save on the money.
You will drop some mileage with winters.
It just occurred to me, call up the RCMP or CAA and ask them. They would give you the best advice as I haven't been thru there for a least 10 yrs.
I know that going up 33 from Kelowna is twisty with hills. It's on the way out to Big White ski hill.
The road thru Kelowna over the bridge is the trans Canada and can get steep for like 27 miles, I think.



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[felixtheswordsman]

It's not the end of the world to not have 93 octane fuel. Half the country doesn't have it. I wouldn't bother with the octane booster. The car runs well enough on 91, you're just down on power a bit. The car has to be safe on 91 since that's the most common premium in the country.

Having driven across the country, I wouldn't worry about gas until you hit 300 miles on a tank. I've squeezed out just over 420 miles from a single tank. I was down to half a gallon of fuel (that Mojave desert... No gas out there...)

For tires, I'd say bring cables. Unless you're planning on living in snow, snow tires would be an excessive purchase.

[5th 86]

Originally Posted by Cyau

how sure are you on this??..

If this is true, that means we will still have 2 full gallons of gas at red line... which is another 40-50 miles of driving! that's...alot...

Can you prove this calculation of yours? It'll be awsome if it's true!

Almost all cars have about 80km or 40-50 miles reserve after you hit the line or the light comes on.

[5th 86]

Originally Posted by Chad

LOL yes I do know winter but I don't know mountains and much snow before the end of November. Would you recommend chains or just using winter tires for the whole trip?

Good call with the survival gear, I will make an exhaustive list to make sure I'm covered for worst case scenarios.

Dont do chains, winter tires good nuff, if you still want more get studded ones. Think chains are illegal in some areas and cant be good for your rims or suspension.

[Cyau]

Originally Posted by 5th 86

Almost all cars have about 80km or 40-50 miles reserve after you hit the line or the light comes on.

40-50 miles left when the light comes on, that's definitely true, but there's a big difference when the light comes on, and when it hit red line, theres like about half an inch difference on the reader.