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Questions Concerning Canada

R

REBECCAV

Guest
I'm considering going to the Lunatic Fringe Rally before Spokane. I'd be crossing the border just south of Winnipeg. I understand that I'll need a certified birth certificate and my driver's license - how long should I expect the crossing to take there? Will they actually inspect my bike?

I would be spending a lot of time on Canada's hwy 1. Can anyone advise me on the road? Is it 2 or 4 lane? What is the speed limit?

Also, as far as converting money - is it like Europe in that there are exchanges all over the place or will I have to make a stop in a larger city to exchange lots of cash all at once? How much is a gallon of gas?

Anything else I need to know?
 
Passports usually work well for the border crossing.

Almost most places will accept 'Merican and pay you change in Canadian. The other thing I have done is used an ATM to take out cash in the local currency typically the fee for that is cheaper than a money changer. Worked great in Germany.

Oh yeah, I like Cuban Cigars, Cohiba Lanceros please:D

Of course I would never ask anyone to do anything illegal like trade with the enemy under US law by purchasing goods from Cuba.
 
OK, I'm writing this down....

c-o-h-i-b-a-l-a-n-c-e-r-o-s

Will they let me back into the country? Don't get me in trouble Brad!
 
A passport is nice, but a driver's license and your birth certificate is enough.

ATM's are your best bet for exchanging money. And I've used credit cards for getting the most current rate, though I've read lately that they may charge a conversion fee. Depends on the company.

Border crossings are usually pleasant. Stop. Remove sunglasses. Answer questions politely and they will send you on your way - usually in a minute or less.

Don't bring your pepper spray as you'll have to turn it in. Only then have I had had my stuff searched. Probably did it since I was stopped anyway ; )

Gas is sold by the liter. Usually the same price everywhere in a town, though sometimes you can find a station that is a cent or two less. By the time you convert to gallons and US dollars, it's expensive, but everything else is a deal so it's a wash.

Canada's highway 1 is posted at 100 and even 120 in places - but that's kilometers, not miles. Most enforcement is near towns. Part is two lane and part four. You can make excellent time pacing yourself with traffic.

You can get a free insurance card from your agent here to show you have coverage and that will be helpful if you have an accident. I've always gotten it but never needed it,.

A wonderful place to travel. See you at the Lunatic Fringe ; )

Voni
sMiling

 
boxergrrlie said:
Will they let me back into the country? Don't get me in trouble Brad!

Well they are considered contraband in the United States, and is illegal. However your mileage may vary.
 
Just a couple of things to add:

LEAVE YOUR GUNS AT HOME. Canadians are VERY sensitive on the gun issue. It IS possible to bring a gun in for hunting, but the paperwork nearly requires a forklift.

A Passport is still the #1 thing that the border folks want to see. A birth certificate will work, but do you really want to be carting that around with you?

cheers
RW
 
gambrinus said:
Just a couple of things to add:

LEAVE YOUR GUNS AT HOME. Canadians are VERY sensitive on the gun issue. It IS possible to bring a gun in for hunting, but the paperwork nearly requires a forklift.

A Passport is still the #1 thing that the border folks want to see. A birth certificate will work, but do you really want to be carting that around with you?

cheers
RW

#1 - Right on! It's like a little Great Britain to the north.

#2 - There's a copy in my tankbag always.

Your time at a crossing is based on your attitude and dumb luck. It could be a new guy, a day with an alert, the boss is watching, etc.

MarkF
 
Also ask the border officer: "Would you like me to take my helmet off?" Every time I crossed they have answered Yes.
 
"anything else I need to know?"
...nope, just end all your sentences with "eh?" and you'll fit right in!
 
brooksie said:
"anything else I need to know?"
...nope, just end all your sentences with "eh?" and you'll fit right in!

Also that the Loonie and Toonie are 1 dollar and 2 dollar coins.
 
Pronunciation

The proper pronunciation of Regina is not like the vacuum cleaner but it is as indicated in the pronunciation key below. If you are not sure you are pronouncing it right, ping me off list and I will give you the ÔÇ£otherÔÇØ pronunciation guide.:p
 

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are Canadians as nice as everyone says? I talked to one guy, from somewhere in eastern Canada who says this is not true. What's the truth? :D
 
Just returned from six days in Montreal. I expected to hear some anti-American sentiments given the Iraq stuff but didn't really hear much from the locals. There were plenty of "Buck Fush" comments spraypainted around town but, in general, I found Canadians to be very friendly.

Now, I was in Montreal so they seem to have their own issues related to sovereignty and issues between French and English speaking folks so maybe that's why I didn't feel any flack about being a Yank.

It was also Euro 2004 time so having a discussion about Canadian politics while soccer/futbol was on wasn't a high priority for most folks.

My 2 cents.
 
Nice?

I've only visited two provences - Ontario and Quebec. I can honestly say every single person I've met in Ontario has been friendly. Most have a great, dry (very dry) sence of humor I can relate to. The other place was more like here. Some great some not so. Like previously said, Quebec has plenty of other issues with both the US and the rest of Canada.

MarkF
 
I have been there a few times. Have not had any problems. A few friends of mine who are Canadian have said the thing that ticks them off is when us 'Mericans forget that it is a different country. Just cause they talk English.... well you get the idea.

MMMMM Molson.
MMMMM Cigars.
 
You won't have any trouble in Western canada.Except that the prevailing wind is against you going west.If you are stopping over in Winnipeg,let me know if you would like to stay at my sister's.
Are you coming all the way to Vancouver before heading to Spokane?If not,let me know when / where you are turning south.My friend from Michigan is coming to my place for a visit and then we are going to Spokane,so we could go south from Vancouver then east or east to the borders of BC and Idaho then south.Would be cool to gather up a gang.
 
From all the posts on the need to carry a passport I guess I have been cavorting with the legal system up there as I have been there about 15 times over the past 20 years and have never carried any ID but the driver's license and a voters reg. card. Perhaps am a little soft on this issue as I never had an occassion to produce either. They get a little humpy about the"another country issue". Maybe could stem from a few various incidents; I well remember a number of years ago when we were building the Alaska oil pipe line south, well they had passed construction some 75 miles south through the Canadian border- never received permission from the Maple Leaf government. I do think some noses were rightfully out of joint. All in all my impression of the place is clean but not as much now as 15 years ago and very accomodating folks. Just a note here the Montreal police can be a pain in the A... much more so than Toronto/ottawa etc. They are accomodating but would prefer that tourist s took a dive. Great country with very nice folks who are suffering the results of a give away socialized system which is now straining and beginning to be much less efficient therefore costly therefore highertaxes and resentment is raising its head. Have a great trip.
 
We Canadians are generally quite hospitable to our American neighbors (and their tourist dollars). I will be at the Lunatic Fringe rally too as it's my local club. You will also be in Calgary just in time to take in the Stampede if you are so inclined. Bring your cowboy hat and western garb, Yeehaw! Be forewarned that if you plan to arrive here early, accomodations will be at a premium.

To cross the border, as long as you are an American citizen, a birth certificate and photo ID are good enough, or a passport is good on its own. I've never crossed over south of Winnipeg, but unless it is a major highway crossing point, the waits are usually minimal or non existant.

Highway #1, the TrashCan, I mean the Trans Canada, is a mixed bag for conditions, Most of it that you will be on is decent. Manitoba's part is good, then the quality falls off somewhat through Saskatchewan. They were working on it last year in areas twinning it, so some of that may be open now. The speed limit once you hit Saskatchewan jumps from 100 Km/h (60 mph) up to 110 Km/h (70 mph). Usually an extra 10 - 15 Km/h is acceptable (expected?). Once you cross into Alberta the road condition is a bit better again. The ride across the prairies is rather dull for the most part. There is little variation in the straight line of the road, and the scenery is monotonous. Once you get close to Calgary though, the mountains appear on the horizon to warm the heart of any motorcycle rider with the promise of twisty roads to come.

If you plan to head directly to the rally site, you won't have to deal with too much of the city congestion here. Just stay on the #1 until you get to Deerfoot Trail (hwy #2), and then head south on it to High River where the rally is being held. Just try to avoid rush hour while the Deerfoot 500 is being held daily. The morning rush will be less trouble than the afternoon as the traffic is mainly headed north into downtown in the morning. Unless you have a really new map, it will not show the new Deerfoot extension on the south end of Calgary. It extends from Hwy 22X down to Okotoks where it rejoins the original highway. This just opened late last year, and makes the trip south out of Calgary much easier.

To exchange your money, any financial institution will handle it. Most retailers will take US currency, but the exchange rate is usually not the best. Most will not take large denonminations (over $20, and not even that sometimes) due to the widespread counterfit bills that tend to arrive during Stampede week.

Gas prices here are currently around 82 cents per Litre for regular, with premium at about 92. Alberta usually has a bit lower prices than most other parts of the country too, so it will likely be higher than this in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. There are 3.78 litres per US gallon, so with the dollar exchange factored in it works out to.... well, lots!

Looking forward to seeing you here. If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to try and answer them.
 
BG-Don't worry, it's a lovely place and the folks are great. You'll probably have much more trouble getting BACK into the US than going to Canada. I always do. Use your ATM, they calculate it (at least my Bank of America Visa does) at the lowest exchange for the 24 hour period you used it.
Most vendors, especially close to the border, will take US money (although at a lower exchange rate as previously mentioned).
Spend some time in the .Nelson area if you can, some phenomenal riding. As is any road on Mike's maps .
 
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