Best route to Calabogie from Boston?

[denndy]

Looking on the map (I'm an old fashioned guy), it looks like there are number of choices that are about equidistant, but without knowing the roads it's hard to tell what might be best.

I-93 to I-89 looks most direct, but then getting up and thru Montreal is kind of a pain. I considered taking the Pike out to I-87 to avoid the Montreal congestion, but thought it could be better to take Rt. 78 north of Burlington, VT west through Swanton and Alburg to Champlain, NY to connect to I-87 and then Rt. 15 into Canada. Even have toyed with the idea of continuing west onto Rt. 11 thru NY to Rt. 37 and then crossing into Canada at Rooseveltown to Cornwall and taking Rt. 138 to the 417 and thru Ottawa. It seemed to me to be too far west to go thru Watertown, NY as I did on the way to Mosport.

I'm not towing, so 2 lane roads are not a problem per se, so I'm open to ideas and particularly anyone who has familiarity with these roads.

Couldn't make it to Watkins Glen, and I'm looking forward to what looks like a great track.

Thanks,
Dennis

[boltonite]

Fwiw, I've never towed there but a Canadian racer said the best/fastest route from new england was to go north to Montreal (i.e., the Mt Tremblant route) and pick up 40 (aka 417) west. I was told that going north from I81/401 (i.e., the Mosport route) might be shorter but would be much slower.

I'm taking 89N to 133/Aut 35N to Montreal, Aut 10 W, which merges w/ Aut 15 and then Aut 40, aka Transcanadian Hwy, to Rt 508S to Calabogie.

FF.

[brucesallen]

NEVER go through downtown Montreal.

[boltonite]

Well Bruce, the last time I went to Mont Tremblant I tried your Montreal "bypass" and hit a lot of traffic (near the airport). Thanks, but the Aut 10/15 traffic outside Montreal is just not that bad, or the bypass has been "discovered" and is not any better. YMMV.

FF

[StephanAlfa]

OK folks calm down. Coming from a Brazilian-Dutch-Canadian who lived 18 years in Montreal and travelled extensively on Hgwys 87-89-93 etc.
Fred is right, take 93N to 89N to the CDN border (last gas stop before CDN border is in Swanton right off the exit) then 35 to Eastern Towships 10 (west, direction Montreal) than look for the sign (via Hgwy 20) to DORVAL Airport (or get a cut off on hgwy 13 North to Hgy 40 - the TransCanada "T-Can") and follow and sign to Toronto-Ottawa, take 417 to Ottawa, pass Ottawa and then head for Calabogie.
You only get into Montreal if you want to make a pit stop on Ste-Catherine Street ... eh!
Alors maintenant les information en Français ... never mind ...

[skivittlerjimb]

There's a 4 or 5 car contingent coming from the Burlington, VT area. If anyone coming from Beantown or other parts of New England want to caravan, let us know. Dave G. and 2 other guys that are likely trailering Spec. Miatas and myself with the GVR4 are likely driving up on Sunday afternoon. Still trying to convince a Mini Cooper owner and others to come as well.

That same Mini owner did the Bimmershop track day there on April 30th said the Montreal route described above only took him about 4:15 to get there from Burlington, VT and about 3:45 to get back. (Found some folks to run as RCMP scouts in front of him on the Trans-Can on the way back...) Not very familiar with the route past Montreal, but I'm sure going over to Cornwall and crossing the border there is a much slower route.

[enjoythemusic]

There's a 4 or 5 car contingent coming from the Burlington, VT area. If anyone coming from Beantown or other parts of New England want to caravan, let us know.

Am coming from Keene NH (Brattleboro VT) and want to join a caravan for sure. While i have GPS, don't feel like being the only guy trailering a car in an enclosed trailer going through the boarder, so as to avoid any Canadian @nal probing.

[StephanAlfa]

the probing will more likely be on the US side coming back.
Since I have Canadian passport if I catch up with the caravan make sure you give me a "point-by" because I am not expected to take long at the border crossing ...

[denndy]

OK folks calm down. Coming from a Brazilian-Dutch-Canadian who lived 18 years in Montreal and travelled extensively on Hgwys 87-89-93 etc.
Fred is right, take 93N to 89N to the CDN border (last gas stop before CDN border is in Swanton right off the exit) then 35 to Eastern Towships 10 (west, direction Montreal) than look for the sign (via Hgwy 20) to DORVAL Airport (or get a cut off on hgwy 13 North to Hgy 40 - the TransCanada "T-Can") and follow and sign to Toronto-Ottawa, take 417 to Ottawa, pass Ottawa and then head for Calabogie.
You only get into Montreal if you want to make a pit stop on Ste-Catherine Street ... eh!
Alors maintenant les information en Français ... never mind ...

Sounds like there ae several "informed" votes for this as the best routing, and now that Stephan is running SSC rather than against me in SSB, I'm sure he has no ulterior motive for routing me through northern Labrador!

Thanks for the help, and see you all at Calabogie
Dennis

[Tripingram]

Anyone driving thier car up want to caravan there?

[StephanAlfa]

Anyone driving thier car up want to caravan there?

If all goes well I will be hauling the Alfa with my Jeep. I am getting organized.
I would hate to drive (like I did to the Glen), lost my kidneys somewhere between Albany and Springfield....

Hey Dennis: In the old days if they did not have enough cars in SSB-C class they used to merge it all together ... In case you are interested I DO know the road to Labrador ... can you Mini float???
Cheers!

[chaos4NH]

I just received a reprieve from the horse show!! Can now trailer up to Calabogie at a decent hour. I am probably 3 1/2 hours from Burlington towing the trailer, so it sounds like 8 hours total, about the same as Mosport. Making the trip to Montreal once a month or so, I prefer to stay on 91 up to Derby and cross the border there, run straight up to 10 west, then 15 north to 40 on the north side of Montral (Laval/Dorval). Is that compatible with your route, Stephan? Seems to work as we end up at the same place (15/10 merge).
Steve, I wouldn't mind convoying up, but would have to meet on the way, as I know going over to Keene is a pain when towing. If all goes well this week the Dodge Diesel will be back up and I will use my trailer to haul in. Let me know your thoughts.

[enjoythemusic]

Sam,

Can meet anywhere along the line and yes, Keene to VT is a bit hilly. According to Mapquest, seems i go to Brattleboro and take VT9 to BENNINGTON BYP becomes NY-7 W. Eventually i do get to:

Merge onto I-90 W / NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY S via EXIT 1W toward NEW YORK / BUFFALO (Portions toll) (go 128 miles).

Wow, felt this was going to be a 6 hour haul and not 9 hours! That track had better be darn good for a 9 hour haul and $$$ in gas. Let me know time/place as i love to leave earlier rather than later. If you let me know an address you want to meet at will be there at a specified time. Have GPS, will travel.

[chaos4NH]

Steve, my advice is to get on 91N in Brattleboro and then either continue to the Canadian border at Derby (91N), or if youwish to join the Burlington guys, take 89N in White River Junction then on up to Burlington. No way you would get me to haul over rte9 (the "hump") which is upward forever!
Doing the 89 or 91 run up to 10 in Canada will save you well over an hour compared to your route. Just my advice.

[Dave_G]

Wow, felt this was going to be a 6 hour haul and not 9 hours!

In this case, Mapquest is wrong. (I'm shocked!) If you come up I-89 through Burlington, I'd figure more like 7 hours. Like Jim said, it's about 3:45 from Burlington if you like taking your chances with the constabulary, 4:15 if you're more normal, and maybe tack on some extra if you're pulling a trailer. Keene to Burlington should be roughly 2:30 or so, so figure about 7 hours plus any stops.

I'm not sure yet where or when we'll be meeting up to caravan, but either the Milton (Exit 17) or Georgia (Exit 18 ) Park and Rides on I-89 just north of Burlington are usual spots.