2017 Season - E11 - Sandilands Provincial Forest to Winnipeg

[@JJAcrosstheUSA]

Nice presentation! There's nothing better than driving down a divided highway with a wide forest for a median. And what a transition: one second you're in a forest, then all of a sudden you're not!!

[@TransCanadaPhil]

yeah it's great driving at night through there surprisingly. You can turn your brights on and not worry about blinding the other drivers, and since the area has very little light pollution, your own headlines end up lighting up the forest nicely at night.

[@KCWanderlust]

Loved it, Phil! The transition from forest to prairie happens pretty quickly!

[@TransCanadaPhil]

yup, basically 300 metres east of the Steinbach interchange is the exact spot it seems.

[@billdang3953]

If you travel this stretch of road enough times, you notice that the tree line is only about 30 kM or so east of the Perimeter Highway.

[@ryanmcneiltrains1305]

Once again, what exact day did you film this?

[@stephencramer4389]

As always you manage to capture the beauty of Manitoba that people don't know about! Great job!

[@cammy85]

Very cool as always, Phil!!! I haven't been that way in forever!! Boy, that stretch is sure in rough shape!!

[@TransCanadaPhil]

yup, but I think it's been repaved now. This was recorded last August. I'll have to head out again that way in a few weeks to check it out!

[@micheal124557899]

i live in the Netherlands, me and my girlfriend are going to Canada in September. Gonna drive from Vancouver to Calgary, really getting excited watching your vids 😉

[@TransCanadaPhil]

Yes that's a very scenic drive.

[@cammy85]

Have a great trip!!! :) The mountains may seem long, but the scenery is excellent!!

[@micheal124557899]

Cam Farr thanks for the reply, planning the trip and watching these vids is a great thing to do.

[@micheal124557899]

Trans Canada Phil ive been watching your other videos also, we travel from Vancouver, then Victoria, Tofino, Whistler, Banff, Jasper, Calgary. really looking forward to it. 😉

[@TransCanadaPhil]

I actually had to look up Tofino myself, I haven't been there, same with Whistler. I've been the other places you mentioned though :-D

[@westerncanadaroads9795]

I've always wanted to see Manitoba. The landscape reminds me of northern Alberta.

[@TransCanadaPhil]

One thing I notice when travelling west to Alberta.... Manitoba is a LOT more Green. Alberta seems very Brown/Red, Saskatchewan is very Yellow. Manitoba is much Greener you'll notice. Also the tall-grass prairies here have a lot more trees intermixed everywhere. Often the landscape of Saskatchewan and Alberta seems a lot more barren (tree-wise) when driving out west.

[@EuropeanRoads]

It's interesting how the trees suddenly give way to prairies, there is no 'aspen parkland' there: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspen_parkland

[@TransCanadaPhil]

the Aspen Parkland region is further west in Manitoba.

[@highwaysbyways4281]

Nice video Phil Reminds me of the drive east from Edson homebound to Edmonton. Wide centre median, and the trees look similar, that change from forest to prairie is more abrupt though.

[@TransCanadaPhil]

Highways & Byways yes the start of the Canadian shield shifts more southward as u go further east from Alberta to Manitoba, so that by the time u go just 30 min east of Winnipeg, the similar landscape that only exists in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan exists at the same low latitude as Winnipeg.

[@TransCanadaPhil]

YES it is EXACTLY like that stretch between Edmonton and Edson. I've noted that EXACT same thing to myself when I drive out to Jasper from Edmonton. That stretch feels EXACTLY the same as the stretch east of Winnipeg to Kenora. Same type of foliage, same kind of "camping style" roadside bait-stores along the highway, etc. Same kind of atmosphere where everyone is heading out to camping/cottage country.

[@miojobob]

Nice video as usual :). It's simply amazing the sudden change from forest to prairies.

[@TransCanadaPhil]

Luis Bomfim yeah the transitions are necer gradual here it seems. They are always very sudden. You can always find the exact spot where it all changes.

[@BrandonClaridge]

Interestingly enough, the longitudinal centre of Canada (96° 48' 35" W) passes very close to downtown Dallas when extended southwards into the USA, west of downtown and immediately to the west of Dealey Plaza (known as the place where JFK was assassinated). Essentially that line is at the Main/Commerce/Elm railroad underpass. The DFW Metroplex (where I live) and Winnipeg are at the same longitude. If you drew a line south from the Manitoba Legislative Building you would eventually reach eastern Tarrant County and the DFW-area cities of Southlake, Colleyville, Bedford, and Arlington.

[@itsalleternal]

I do think the section from Highway 12 to the Perimeter, at least, needs to be upgraded to freeway standards. The traffic light at 207 should be replaced by an interchange, and probably another one at 206 (combine them into a single access).

[@TransCanadaPhil]

My idea is that they should probably build a new freeway grade bypass right around the Steinbach interchange or the 207 junction (where the TCH takes a northwest bend to go up to Winnipeg) and just have the new bypass extend due west and around the City and then rejoin the TCH around Highway 332 near Dacotah/Cartier. I marked it on this map: imgbox.com/o1j5gbPe

[@brettthomas5605]

Guys, not in our lifetime. They been talking about major up grades to the Perimeter since the sixties. I lived in Winnipeg from 1961- 1971 and talk back then was that dangerous and obsolete roadway. Now in Calgary with the Stoney Trail and by 2022 all around the city and total freeway. Edmonton has their Antony Henday.

[@funcuzchris4466]

The south Perimeter highway will, in fact, be upgraded to freeway standard in the next few coming years. Plans are drawn up, consultations are done, just waiting for the government to commit. The plans also include a link from Kenaston past the Perimeter to bypass St. Norbert where it will meet up with 75. In the west end, there will also be the Headingley bypass to join the Perimeter with the TransCanada. This is all supposed to be done at the same time but we know that the Manitoba government thinks safe, efficient highways are only things you talk about, not actually build so we'll see.

[@BrandonClaridge]

That abrupt forest/prairie transition near the Steinbach interchange reminds me somewhat of the abrupt transition between a broadleaf forest interspersed with prairies and the Texas Piney Woods seen on Interstate 45 between Madisonville, TX and Huntsville, TX (anyone driving between Dallas and Houston will see this transition). The trees north of the transition along I-45 (in the forest-prairie section) are only about as tall as the "boreal" trees seen just before the forest-to-prairie transition in Manitoba (albeit mixed with farms and grasslands), and those in the Piney Woods are at least as tall as than those seen at the beginning of this video. Pretty much you cross a creek (Bedias Creek according to Google) and you have an abrupt change of scenery, albeit the prairie areas are by no means wide open (more savanna-like, as is typical of central Texas).

[@nature_photography_yukon]

Great video, haven't driven east of Winnipeg yet. Would love to see Whiteshell and Sandilands. Glad there is also Riding mountain and Spirit Sands in the south as contrast to the open prairies :)

[@bigbluemsp]

Every time I hear "Prairie" i think of the opening scene in the Pilot episode of Corner Gas "Lots to see, nothing to block your view." Hank

[@TransCanadaPhil]

i like that slogan, i should probably start using that. 👍

[@compdude100]

Wow, didn't realize gravel shoulders on a divided highway were still a thing.

[@TransCanadaPhil]

sadly there are still a few around here.

[@mattmoore2279]

It's Manitoba... nothing else to say. Though as Phil mentioned, paved shoulders are now being installed (slowly). I don't know how long it will take for the entire route to be completed though.

[@CatBoi649]

love your videos

[@TransCanadaPhil]

thanks! always fun putting them together.

[@rudysimmonds3252]

Love the videos as always Sir ! I'll be travelling that way on the TCH and (towards St.Pierre) in August 2019. Keep up the excellent work.

[@EuropeanRoads]

How did you manage to not get any bugs on video?

[@TransCanadaPhil]

as with all things...just good luck :-D

[@FreewayFranks]

That was great as always Phil !

[@TransCanadaPhil]

Freeway Franks thank u.

[@JJAcrosstheUSA]

Congrats on your 100th video! At least that's what YT says :)

[@TransCanadaPhil]

J & J Across the USA wow i wasn't even aware of that. 👍

[@Віталійкотик-ф9б]

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