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Chicago to Toronto...suggested routing? hints & kinks?

RichardCook

New member
I am planning on riding from Chicago to Toronto next Monday and returning on Wednesday. Any suggestions on routing? Any hints or kinks re: crossing the border or Canadian travel? Thanks, RIC
 
Try this

Port Huron/Sarnia is a good border crossing. I would strongly advise against the Detroit/Windsor crossing. Alternately, try I 80 + 90 S of Lake Erie and cross at the Lewiston/Queenston Bridge. Bring state issued photo ID. A passport is good but not yet necessary.

It is a good 8 hour trip if the traffic from Hamilton to Toronto is at its best. Can be much longer if the QEW is slow. I will pm you my email and phone number if you want to stop in the Hamilton area. Better than riding into TO at night when you are tired.

Holly
 

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I did most of that ride a couple of weeks ago, only we went up 196 toward Grand Rapids (bad move: several construction zones). We were also stop-and-go for about an hour in construction and merges and general nonsense just south of Chicago. If you live around there, you'll probably know how to get out of town better than we did (we took 94, probably shoulda taken 90).

Port Huron/Sarnia was a good crossing for us. I think there were two cars ahead of us at 7:30pm. There is a construction zone right before the border on the US side, but I think the delays are only at night.

Southern Ontario was pretty good. Not much construction, and what existed was pretty orderly, and the roads were much smoother than the freeway in Michigan (my wife's bike has a fairly stiff suspension, so the jointed pavement on 196, 96 and 69 was a bit tough on her lower back).

We split off toward Buffalo, so I can't say anything about the QEW Northbound.
 
A few questions:

1) Do you prefer interstate or two lane roads?
2) Are you looking to make time or see stuff?
3) Do you want to take the same route out and back?

Also if you don't have it, I would get an iPass for the toll roads around Chicago, they help an awful lot.
 
IPass and other thoughts

Thanks, all, for the thoughtful comments. I am on call in the hospital tonight and won't be on the road until around 9AM tomorrow -- actually a good time to start a ride towards Detroit as the morning rush into Chicago is slowing down about then. I live on the south side of town within shouting distance of the Museum of Science and Industry so it is very easy for me to get on the Skyway in Indiana and avoid much of the construction.

For those of you who travel this area, the Edens expressway (I-94 north of city) will be under construction for the next year. During the day this normally 4 lane arterial will be down to two lanes and at night and some weekends will be ONE LANE! Recommend you all take I-294 toll road around the city for the foreseeable future.

The IPass idea is an excellent one and I should get a unit for the bike. I am planning on doing this as a slab ride because I need to get there in time for dinner Monday nite. I spent much of yesterday going over the K100RS for the trip. I need to go to Toronto for a meeting but it is really a chance to ride the motorcycle for a few hours and relax. I might take the southern route back but I do like Canada and the Canadians and so will probably take the northern way both directions.

Really looking forward to it. Again, thank you for the helpful hints.
 
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