Trans Canada Trail planning

We were going to meet Daniel Alvarez today but that will get delayed a day. Instead I'll put some time into planning the Canadian segment of the trail. I know the general route but that's about it.

I'll follow the Trans Canada Trail from near the border crossing to Halifax. Or at least I'll follow it where it exists. The TCT is the longest proposed trail in the world. With about 15 years of development done, much of it is in place. But ,any other parts are still just lines on paper. 

I spend hours pouring over the trail route, adding each leg into a spreadsheet. It provides my first glimpse of the hike.

In most of the areas where the trail is not completed there are nearby road walks. The isthmus between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia lacks an obvious alternative, but Google maps shows some forest roads that might work. I jot down a tentative route. 

It breaks down something like this, nearly half being trail and half road walk, plus a few days of kayaking:

181 miles of trail

126 miles of rails to trails

  59 miles of kayak trail

  70 miles of gravel road walk

225 miles of paved road walk

This skeleton validates my earlier estimates, so I am on track for arrival in Halifax in early October. Much more detailed planning and validation remains to be done. For that I hope to contact local trail organizations and outdoor clubs.