Traveling in Canada

BRADFORDBENN · Feb 2, 2006

My favorite question from a crossing guard... when BoxerGrrlie and BMWRTRider were travelling around Canada, "Lemme get this straight, you are travelling with two attractive women, neither of which is your wife, and you are still married?"

tuber1 · Feb 2, 2006

We don't tear anyones bike apart, however that might happen when you go into Canada. Helmut comes down here alot, and told me he never has problems. definitely don't cross at Champlain, Highgate isn't so bad late afternoons/early evening on an early weekday. But Alburg or Rouses Point would be better, or come in at W.Berkshire(that's Frelighsburg in Canada), it's close to Lake Carmi if your camping there, if I'm here I can give you good directions. Wish you guys would get the facts straight, you can have citrus IF you can prove you bought it in the US, but why would you carry citrus in July???

KerryMBurrage · Feb 2, 2006

Route suggestions

Once you're south of Sudbury, get out your map (available at travelontario.whatever) and have a look at the gray roads in the Kawartha Lakes area. They are good pavement and not flat or straight. There is some great riding in the area north of Belleville. This will put you in line for crossing into New York at the Thousand Islands. From there I would suggest a route through Gouverneur, Tupper Lake, Lake Placid and around the bottom of Lake Champlain. Unless you want to mix it up with all the lunatics on the slabs in and around Toronto, I would suggest you stay north where the roads are curvy, the people are friendly, and the traffic is a lot less congested.

YB in IN · Feb 3, 2006

KerryMBurrage said:
Once you're south of Sudbury, get out your map (available at travelontario.whatever) and have a look at the gray roads in the Kawartha Lakes area. They are good pavement and not flat or straight. There is some great riding in the area north of Belleville. This will put you in line for crossing into New York at the Thousand Islands. From there I would suggest a route through Gouverneur, Tupper Lake, Lake Placid and around the bottom of Lake Champlain. Unless you want to mix it up with all the lunatics on the slabs in and around Toronto, I would suggest you stay north where the roads are curvy, the people are friendly, and the traffic is a lot less congested.

Aye, I agree. I took the northern route to Trenton and had a blast just riding on 17. The scenery was great, and traffic cops were non-existent for the most part. Also, camping via the OPP (Ontario Provincial Parks) was readily availiable. I think that I stayed somewhere around Deep River or something like that and the park ranger cut me a deal on the camping fee since I was just on a bike.

globalrider · Feb 3, 2006

Simple enough...same as when I head to the US or Europe...

- Have recognized photo ID.
- Answer questions asked.
- Don't bring a gun.

More info at: Canadian Border Services Agency - Visitors to Canada

iRene · Feb 3, 2006

YB in IN said:
The scenery was great, and traffic cops were non-existent for the most part. Also, camping via the OPP (Ontario Provincial Parks) was readily availiable.

I get it:

OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) eschew
OPP (Ontario Provincial Parks) embrace

burnszilla · Feb 3, 2006

tourunigo said:
...ya, that's what I said to Mary..."don't take the cucumbers".... I wonder though, is that going both ways? -Bob

It's only cucumbers wrapped in tin foil!

tourunigo · Feb 3, 2006

Burnszilla said:
It's only cucumbers wrapped in tin foil!

....first, how did you get that picture of me back in '72? :dunno

(me on the receiving end of Tinkerbells wand). And second, is the tinfoil thing anything like my bean burrito in New Mexico that I heated at a gas fill up?

DaveH · Feb 3, 2006

Warning!!!

Last July, after the Lima Rally, my friend and I went to the Michigan UP for a few days, then crossed into Canada (no problem). We spent three days going East through Ontario and crossed back at upstate NY.
The only problem.....once you start riding in Canada, you don't want to stop. The lakes and roads in the Algonquin (sp?) Provincial Park are great. We are going back in May to do the Lake Superior loop. Then after this year's Rally, Nova Scotia. Then next year British Columbia.

Have fun, but be prepared to want more!!

marcopolo · Feb 4, 2006

Miscellaneous

No passport required (into US) until 2007 earliest. That said, having one makes it easy. If not, have a driver's licence with photo and a birth certificate. That's all I've ever used. Into Canada, you've seen the links posted earler which you can check out. It's pretty much the same as getting back into the US. As for your crosssing point back into the US, I'd avoid the Thousand Islands and instead go for either Prescott Ontario/Ogdensburg NY (long metal-grated bridge), or Cornwall Ontario into NY state (forget the name of the place in NY - not much of anything really, as you're in the midddle of the Akwesasne Indian Reservation). In an earlier post someone described the route to Cornwall. These two crossings are not too bad, even during the busy summertime, but don't expect it to take 5 minutes (the earlier in the day the better). I've had my bike searched once by US customs (I think the guy was showing off for a young woman in training), and have only ever been asked to take off my helmet once. I always turn off the ignition, though.

Enjoy the ride. Feel free to ask more questions.

Kenny2 · Feb 5, 2006

Passport required?

Here is what I found,
"Following a consultation period, they will be implemented in three phases:

* As of Dec. 31, 2005: All travellers must show their passport when stopping over in the U.S. during air and sea travel to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.
* As of Dec. 31, 2006: The rules take effect for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.
* As of Dec. 31, 2007: The rule applies to all remaining travel, including land crossings. "

This is at this site

iRene · Feb 6, 2006

tourunigo said:
...ya, that's what I said to Mary..."don't take the cucumbers".... I wonder though, is that going both ways? -Bob

Well, truth be told, the cucumbers are legal, but embarassing to explain for solo female riders.
The citrus fruit is legally a no-no from Canada re-entering the USA.

Grumpole · Feb 6, 2006

Road North of Ottawa

A friend and I are considering riding from the Adirondacks to Temagami, Ontario, where I went to canoe camp many, many years ago. I wondered if you could tell me what 417/17 is like from Ottawa up through North Bay? Those many years ago I took the train from Boston and my memory is of beautiful mixed wood scenery. Any other ideas on such a trip would certainly be welcomed.

tourunigo · Feb 6, 2006

iRene said:
Well, truth be told, the cucumbers are legal, but embarassing to explain for solo female riders.
The citrus fruit is legally a no-no from Canada re-entering the USA.

whoa there Maine Woman....info for a Vermont rally maybe?? Come join us for a bit o' Screech (aka Nfld Rum...blended import....for you purists) and share your tale(s). -Bob (ex-Portland lad) :dance

(note: would have put a Canadian flag but don't have the talent to create)

iRene · Feb 8, 2006

tourunigo said:
Come join us for a bit o' Screech (aka Nfld Rum...blended import....for you purists) and share your tale(s). -Bob

Ah, or you could join me here in Maine for a snootfull of Screech, as I have my own bottle for medicinal purposes...

tourunigo · Feb 8, 2006

iRene said:
Ah, or you could join me here in Maine for a snootfull of Screech, as I have my own bottle for medicinal purposes...

... dang that's nice of you! When we come down we're trying to touch base with our 78 year old bike buddy Mr. Harley Hopkins (...and yes there is a story about why his real name is Harley) down near East Port and then we do visit my family down in Portland. The road to Vermont clearly meanders through Maine. So. where's that other (aka "here") stop? :drink

-Bob

iRene · Feb 9, 2006

Cain't miss us, Brunswick area. No excuses, we're on your way.

tourunigo · Feb 9, 2006

iRene said:
Cain't miss us, Brunswick area. No excuses, we're on your way.

Perfect. You're right....no excuse at all. So, do we just show your picture around town to find you? :dunno

That could be fun. -Bob

macdonge · Feb 10, 2006

Great Ontario Bikeroads

Here's a link that will give you an idea of some of the best routes through Ontario. Perhaps you can sample a few on en route from Michigan.

http://www4.sympatico.ca/elhum/

BEEMERTOM · Feb 13, 2006

traveling in Canada

Just a quick note to thank all of you who have given me some input on traveling in Canada. What a great forum. :clap

Traveling in Canada

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