On Oct 29, 1:28 am, wrote:
I have cycled to Montreal a couple of times .. so I got to looking. Would a
route that goes, S NH to Montreal and then
across the continent in Canada be a good one?

You won't go wrong listening to Mike Vermeulen - he's done it all!

As Mike points out, prevailing wind directions don't always prevail.
But on average, your odds of favorable winds are slightly improved
going west to east.

On my two Boston - Milwaukee trips, I took US 20 as far as Albany.
From there, RT 5/31 toward Niagara Falls is much less hilly than US
20. I have never biked Canada from Montreal to Niagara Falls so can't
make that comparison.

From Niagara Falls to Chicago, I went through Cleveland one time, and
through Canada to Detroit the other time. Neither is real great.
Canada is slightly better if you take side roads.

Crossing Lake Michigan etc, here are your options:

1. Through Chicago. Not as bad as it might seem. I've done it
several times. but there is a lot of urban riding.

2 Take the ferry from Muskegon to Milwaukee. I've not done that
though I live in Milwaukee

3. Take the ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc. A colleague has done
that and it's an OK way to go.

4. Go up the Lake Huron shore to the Mackinac Bridge, or via the
Canadian side to Sault Ste. Marie, and then take US 2 or MI 28 across
the Michigan Upper Peninsula. I've done both and one of these would
be my choice: good roads, light traffic, and just enough towns to
find the needed services.

5. Go over the top of Lake Superior. I've done this. It's a rugged
area with few towns, cold weather, quite a few medium hills, and a few
short stretches with unsatisfactory road width. I'm glad I did it but
wouldn't be in a hurry to do it again.


I took US 2 from Spokane WA, all the way to Brule, WI, and believe
that's an excellent route. I've not been through Canada in that area.

I'll try to send relevant portions of trip reports to illustrate these
points.