Rural gas in Canada

[Alps]

I'm planning a loop relative to the Grand Forks meet and discovered that there is no gas on SK 18 west of Estevan. At all. For over 300 miles.


Except card lock.


Is it remotely plausible that people must have card lock to get gas? If I am clinching SK 18, will any of these stations have someone around during the day to help if I need gas? This seems an absurdly long distance through many towns without a hint of available gas. If someone more experienced in the matter could elaborate, much appreciated.

[triplemultiplex]

Bust out the jerrycans!

[oscar]

^^ Some Canadian cardlocks accept credit cards, even U.S.-issued cards. For example, one in Lynn Lake MB (about 300 km on MB 391 from Thompson, though gas is also available in Leaf Rapids -- I couldn't use that Co-op cardlock machine by myself, but the Co-op store across the street was able to help me).

In Yukon, there was a cardlock that didn't take credit cards. Fortunately, the guy behind me in line for the pump had the necessary card. I gave him a C$50 bill, for him to pump that much gas into my truck. (Not the only situation in rural Canada where Canadian cash came in handy.)

Expect cardlock pumps to be unattended, but Co-op pumps sometimes have someone available to assist, like the one in Leaf Rapids MB. Co-op seems to have pumps and a C-store in Coronach, though that is a long hike west from Estevan. And yes, Co-op will cheerfully sell stuff to non-members.

[Mapmikey]

I'm planning a loop relative to the Grand Forks meet and discovered that there is no gas on SK 18 west of Estevan. At all. For over 300 miles.


Except card lock.


Is it remotely plausible that people must have card lock to get gas? If I am clinching SK 18, will any of these stations have someone around during the day to help if I need gas? This seems an absurdly long distance through many towns without a hint of available gas. If someone more experienced in the matter could elaborate, much appreciated.

Google Willow Bunch Esso. On SK 36, 15 min north of SK 18. About 150 miles from Estevan. 

[Max Rockatansky]

Bust out the jerrycans!

Back when I had a truck and occasionally did some OHV runs a couple full jerrycans were an essential.  There was an adage about making sure to carry at least one or two if wherever you were going was 150 miles from a reliable gas station. 

[oscar]

Back when I had a truck and occasionally did some OHV runs a couple full jerrycans were an essential.  There was an adage about making sure to carry at least one or two if wherever you were going was 150 miles from a reliable gas station. 

That really depends on having a well-ventilated place to put the cans. When I used them (not often), I put them in the bed of my pickup truck, then opened the vent windows of my camper shell.

[Max Rockatansky]

Back when I had a truck and occasionally did some OHV runs a couple full jerrycans were an essential.  There was an adage about making sure to carry at least one or two if wherever you were going was 150 miles from a reliable gas station. 

That really depends on having a well-ventilated place to put the cans. When I used them (not often), I put them in the bed of my pickup truck, then opened the vent windows of my camper shell.

Which in my case I never had a camper shell.  Worked out for me since my truck (a 1997 CK Silverado) had an extended cab with a rear bench that I slept on in a sleeping bag.  Not having to unload often or set up a tent definitely was something that saved a bunch of time.

[Alps]

I'm planning a loop relative to the Grand Forks meet and discovered that there is no gas on SK 18 west of Estevan. At all. For over 300 miles.


Except card lock.


Is it remotely plausible that people must have card lock to get gas? If I am clinching SK 18, will any of these stations have someone around during the day to help if I need gas? This seems an absurdly long distance through many towns without a hint of available gas. If someone more experienced in the matter could elaborate, much appreciated.

Google Willow Bunch Esso. On SK 36, 15 min north of SK 18. About 150 miles from Estevan. 

I've noted a couple off my route but hoping to avoid detours like that. See what mileage my car gets. Thanks for the advice!

[dmuzika]

Just curious as to why SK 18? Most of it is thin membrane surface (especially west of SK 35) and I understand some sections are allowed to revert back to gravel. In other jurisdictions it would probably be a secondary highway.

The Official Saskatchewan Road Map shows thin membrane surface highways; https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/about-saskatchewan/travel-guides-and-maps.

[Rothman]

Just curious as to why SK 18? Most of it is thin membrane surface (especially west of SK 35) and I understand some sections are allowed to revert back to gravel. In other jurisdictions it would probably be a secondary highway.

The Official Saskatchewan Road Map shows thin membrane surface highways; https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/about-saskatchewan/travel-guides-and-maps.

Would you say that it would be insane to drive on the membrane?  Insane in the brain?

[Alps]

I see no issue with it.

[froggie]

"Thin membrane" to me sounds almost like bituminous...

[Alps]

"Thin membrane" to me sounds almost like bituminous...

It looked like chipseal when I looked it up.

[texaskdog]

Any Corner Gas fans out there?

[froggie]

"Thin membrane" to me sounds almost like bituminous...

It looked like chipseal when I looked it up.

Chipseal is often done on top of bituminous in the Upper Midwest.

[webfil]

Cardlock is ubiquitous in rural Canada, especially in the Prairies. I understand that for New Jersey fellows used to full service gas stations, it can be a non-sense 😜

Co-op cardlock stations ensure fuel availability to residents, farmers and businesses via a non-profit network of distributors. But getting a co-op account is quite the hassle for the non-resident, as it requires to fill an application and allow the co-op to inquire your credit status.

I'm not personnaly fond of the "members only" system. While co-op cardlocks can be found sparsely in Québec on the Sonic network, I've seen many off-brand cardlocks that work with the usual credit or debit card, especially in the eastern parts where tourism is abundant but workforce is not. Here's one in La Martre, off R-132 : https://imgur.com/6X27PVG

[dmuzika]

 

Any Corner Gas fans out there?

I've recently gotten into it. 

[dmuzika]

Just curious as to why SK 18? Most of it is thin membrane surface (especially west of SK 35) and I understand some sections are allowed to revert back to gravel. In other jurisdictions it would probably be a secondary highway.

The Official Saskatchewan Road Map shows thin membrane surface highways; https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/about-saskatchewan/travel-guides-and-maps.

Would you say that it would be insane to drive on the membrane?  Insane in the brain?

Some of the more out of the way Saskatchewan highways have an infamous reputation for not being in good shape; the "thin membrane" sections are more likely to live up to that reputation. Saying that, I haven't traveled on SK 18 so it might be fine.

[kphoger]

Just curious as to why SK 18? Most of it is thin membrane surface (especially west of SK 35) and I understand some sections are allowed to revert back to gravel. In other jurisdictions it would probably be a secondary highway.

The Official Saskatchewan Road Map shows thin membrane surface highways; https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/about-saskatchewan/travel-guides-and-maps.

I prefer to think of it as "New Mexico style" pavement.

https://goo.gl/maps/zaRXxp5R7tWq53dm9
https://goo.gl/maps/wL9AE2ZgB9JhRjiH6
https://goo.gl/maps/rSjeBG7HrBzHeSES8

Also reminds me of Missouri's lettered highways.

[texaskdog]

Any Corner Gas fans out there?

I've recently gotten into it. 

He's not "the" Taxman he's "A" Taxman!

[Mapmikey]

Any Corner Gas fans out there?

I've recently gotten into it. 

He's not "the" Taxman he's "A" Taxman!

I visited the Ruby/Corner Gas set in Rouleau right after they filmed the Corner Gas movie.  Now most of the locations have burned down or been torn down.

"What do you mean there's nothing to see...?  There's nothing to block your view..."

[CapeCodder]

Just curious as to why SK 18? Most of it is thin membrane surface (especially west of SK 35) and I understand some sections are allowed to revert back to gravel. In other jurisdictions it would probably be a secondary highway.

The Official Saskatchewan Road Map shows thin membrane surface highways; https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/about-saskatchewan/travel-guides-and-maps.

I prefer to think of it as "New Mexico style" pavement.

https://goo.gl/maps/zaRXxp5R7tWq53dm9
https://goo.gl/maps/wL9AE2ZgB9JhRjiH6
https://goo.gl/maps/rSjeBG7HrBzHeSES8

Also reminds me of Missouri's lettered highways.

Any of the floodplain roads, really

[Road Hog]

Just curious as to why SK 18? Most of it is thin membrane surface (especially west of SK 35) and I understand some sections are allowed to revert back to gravel. In other jurisdictions it would probably be a secondary highway.

The Official Saskatchewan Road Map shows thin membrane surface highways; https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/about-saskatchewan/travel-guides-and-maps.

I prefer to think of it as "New Mexico style" pavement.

https://goo.gl/maps/zaRXxp5R7tWq53dm9
https://goo.gl/maps/wL9AE2ZgB9JhRjiH6
https://goo.gl/maps/rSjeBG7HrBzHeSES8

Also reminds me of Missouri's lettered highways.

"Thin membrane" to me sounds almost like bituminous...

It looked like chipseal when I looked it up.

Chipseal is often done on top of bituminous in the Upper Midwest.

"Thin membrane" sounds like the linguistic gymnast sticking a 10. Nice spin.

Texas uses it all the time and even will do interstate highways in it, or did until recently. It's very common in Arkansas too.

Side highways can take their chip-seal and like it. But on more major highways, both states will do a proper asphalt resurfacing every 10-12 years or so, but they will follow at the 6-year midpoint with a chip-seal layer on top to "extend the life" of the asphalt beneath.

OK. But wouldn't the asphalt endure just as long without it?

EDIT: I'm done with the Canada thread for now. Saw two topics that interested me and I bit like a salmon.