April 24, 2007
10:09am (MDT)
We're driving west, across Alberta on Highway 9 (approximately 150 km north of the TransCanada Highway (TCH). The 'chip and tar' highway's speed limit is 100 km/h with a workable 3-4 foot shoulder.
After our field RECON, we think we'll use highway 9 after Calgary when riding eastward instead of the TCH. Then continue on highway 7 into Saskatchewan ( a continuation of hwy 9). We haven't decided to then swing south to the TCH or north to Saskatoon and Highway 16 to Manitoba.
The TCH has a lot more traffic and the shoulders (our roadway surface) varies a lot in width. There are huge sectioins of the TCH in Manitoba with no paved shoulder at all. We're looking at available alternate routes noeth and south of the TCH. We do have roads we can take, so it's okay.
It's becoming increasing clear that wide transport trucks will be our greatest, on-going danger. Convoys are the most dangerous because even if the first truck veers past us, convoy trucks may not see us and understand the reason to give the shoulder of the road space. A lesser danger exists in the form of air turbulence from passing trucks - both from in front and behind. While the EcoRocket's forward and side aerodynamic design helps to move the air/wind around the Econauts, this is a stability issue that must be solved by the piloting and communication skills of both Econauts. Maintaining stability around transport trucks will be our greatest challenge.
Captain Utopia and I are planning various strategies and technical solutions to reduce these dangers. Looks like we're gonna have to learn our lessons the hard way on this one.
This should be a fun adventure!
-- Major Dude
A Saskatchewan farm after sunrise.Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network
1 comment:
Maybe get a CB radio?
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