Hey Gary, your post was incredibly informative! Cheers! I have some quite specific questions, and hopefully it will be acceptable to all users to post them on the thread rather than PM you. :confused1: Apologies if not - just thought someone else might be able to use the info

Okay, so I am meeting a friend of mine in Alaska, around the beginning of August (next year - planning, dont y'know), with my bike (he is shipping his from Russia). The original plan was to ride across Alaska, and Canada, spending as much or as little time as we wanted in Canada - months infinitum.

We are a little concerned about weather and what limitations it will put on us. I really dont like the cold, and I absolutely hate riding in the cold (rain is not so bad so long as you have a hot shower to get in afterwards). By what time will it be impossible or not very comfortable to be riding.

To save money we were hoping to camp most, if not all the time, and again what would your opinions be on that during this time of the year. Both with regard to availability, and to weather conditions.

The thought we are going with now is that we ride until its not very nice and then bed down for 6 months over the winter, find jobs and a community to become part of. Then in the spring get back on the bikes and head to the Canada we havent seen, and south into the US.

What time will it become bearable in Canada to ride again?

Do you have any general pointers on finding temp jobs in Canada? Would I be right in assuming that most tourists find jobs in the skiing world at that time of the year?

On the other hand if you know of anyone that might be looking for a lawyer or an engineer/mechanic as a temp (or in fact any kind of job!) next year please let me know!


Thanks for any info!

Char

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Don't be scared your life may end,
Be scared that it may never begin.......

Hey Gary, am flying into NY on June 9th (hoefully picking up my bike on the 10th) I am riding up to Niagara then along north of Lake Ontario in order to hit Detroit and visit the Henry Ford museum at Deaborn, should think I will be in area around 13th June or thereabouts. I will have camping gear with me but cheap bed in area would not go amiss if you could suggest somewhere.

I will then be riding across to Seattle before turning back East and will cross back into Canada at Sault Ste. Marie before getting to Ottawa and Montreal before cutting down to Boston. Any suggestions of things to see, places to stop etc along route 17 would be appreciated.

Regards

Nick

hey Nick.

I live like 5 minutes from Detroit. I live in Canada though. Thats how close you are gonna be. Infact I was just riding yesterday in HELL michigan and vermontville Michigan with the Detroit Sport Bikers group for an annual ride. There must have been 500 bikes I am guessing of all kinds from harelys to sport, DS to adv you name it. We have some camping in this area. We are hoping to move by then to a house, and if so, I can hold ya up a couple days.

Hmm I would say you should hit BC as a whole, and Banff Alberta. from BC to Alberta , you will ride the most amazing routes. I would suggest north to Yukon NWT or Alaska if you have the time fi not Bc to Alberta, then zip over to Ontario, and check out Algonquin Park, you can camp there and use Yurts ( Permantnet tents on concrete pads, with bunk beds table and chairs, lights and heater. and are avail year round ) I would also say, on your way down to algonquin, toke the Lake Superior shoreline. if you have never been there, you will be amazed. it is am INLAND OCEAN, or so it seams. Summertime, Id definitely hit WASAGA BEACH, which is 20 mins from Barrie Ontario, off the 400 hwy. Id travel south ton 400 ( if you like amusment parks then Canada's Wonderland is visible from the 400, and you can spend a day of fun there.) and then into Toronto. id normally say go to Niagra but you were there, so head East to Ottawa from there.

NOTE: Its faster for you to cross the border at Niagra Falls into Canada and take the 427 to the 401 and head West till Windsor, My city, then follow that right over the bridge or through the tunnel to Detroit. You will see most people from NY and Michigan using th at route to save a few hours ride, and our highways are a little nicer, no tolls, and lots of places to stop.

East coast, You MUST do the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Also hit Montral goto Veu Montreal or old montreal. and hit Quebec City. beatuiful places.

Hope that helps.

gary

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Gary
CANADA
www.myspace.com/intrepid_cdn

I do not have quite as much energy as Gary. However, I've spent a lot of time traveling in Canada, west and east, north and south. My personal preference is for the west, where scenery and wildlife are more spectacular and people are far fewer. The east is smaller-scale and more intimate, with a lot more history (in terms of European colonization and development, at least) but a lot more crowds. Algonquin seems like a good place to see moose, bears and wolves until you get to Alberta and B.C., where all are relatively quite common. Toronto seems a liveable city until you have alook at Vancouver. Etc.

Having said that, the Maritimes, including Newfoundland, are a place unto themselves and entirely worth a trip. Once done there, most people treat everything from Manitoba to the Rockies as worth transiting as quickly as possible, and I tend to agree (although the far northernmost roads hold some intermittent interest). I wouldn't go looking for polar bears in summer, since they're widely dispersed until the pack ice begins to form again, but there are also vast numbers of beluga whales in Churchill, also reached by train.

I'd add only that warnings about bugs are to be taken seriously. I've had trips where problems were minimal, but I've had times where I was driven right to the edge of sanity. There does not seem to be any predicting when or where it'll get intolerable. On a motorcycle DEET and a headnet, kept handy, will save you in the event of even minor mechanical issues along the road. Remember that blackflies, unlike mosquitoes, like to burrow into your cuffs or around your neck and hang out, chewing holes which will then itch like crazy for days; tight-fitting cuffs, neck scarves and, in the worst cases, duct tape are your saviors.

Steve, how are you shipping your bikes so cheaply? Do I understand correctly you're paying 1200 Canadian dollars for the two, one-way? Thanks for any information about this.

Hope that helps! Give a shout if you're far, far west (just south of Vancouver, B.C.).

Mark

Folks....Derek Fairless (UK) (see http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/fairless/) visited here last summer and picked up a year's insurance for his F650 from Nordic insurance for $250C. Used a local agent (Ing and McKee) here in Red Deer (403) 346-5547 but there are many others.

Steve I'll be heading to HU Canada West from Red Deer (1.5 hrs north of Calgary) around June 15-16 using mostly backroads (3-4 days). Let me know if you'd like some route suggestions.....or if you're in the area can offer accomm and inside storage. Send a note through the Red Deer Community....or reply here.

Just a teaser....

Red Deer Alberta Sept 07 (Derek having a relax..)



Red Deer Alberta April 20 2008.... Same Yard...Beer would be colder....



Summer may be warmer...

Cheers
Stephen

Attached Images

  

I cant remember if I posted it in the initial post or not. but the bugs mark mentions is correct. On average you get black flies that will drive Moose right out of the bush in may and June. You need about 3-4 days of 30C+ weather to get rid of them. And once they are gone, you get to deal with the mosquitos. hehe. Dusk and dawn are the worst cases. Camp on a hill so the wind keeps them away.

There are a ton of things to do in BC Alberta and even more in Ontario and Quebec. And the east coast has the feel of Ireland, especially Cape Breton.

Also, consider this, if you are riding in the snow, or in the spring after the snow is done, ALOT of deer and moose and bear will come out onto the highways and lick the salt from the salting of the roads. They are stoping the use of salt soon and using a chemical instead. But some communities might be slower then others. ALWAYS watch for Wildlife on the roads, especially them damn rascals the racoons.

Gary

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Gary
CANADA
www.myspace.com/intrepid_cdn

Hello All, I must thank Gary for his indepth posts, and he is a hard act to follow. I live just outside Calgary Alberta,

Steve, I am heading to the HUBB rally in BC. If you are in the Calgary area on June 15-18 I should be home, then leaving on the 19th to head to Merrit. If you want to borrow my garage for maintenance, let me know and if you need a tire or two I can arrange some for you. Alberta Cycle in Edmonton is the cheapest place in Alberta for rubber. I can get some down here if you need.

Happy to help if I can.

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Take Care
Stew and Brenda

Hi Everybody,
I plan to go with my wife on our BMWs across Canada (entering by Niagara Falls) then traveling across up the Alaska Highway. We will go on separate bikes. Any information about lodging, must see, must avoid, must take, must travel on roads, etc. would be greatly appreciated. We are taking tents & camping gear. Thanks, Jonny

Hey Johnny,
See the previous posts I placed in this thread. Alot of that is covered. I will also try to reply to ya a bit later on, as I have one of the guys from Wales here staying at my place for a week or 2, so I am playing host. I thinik it was your email I got today, I havent had time to read it but I will get to that as well asap.
Gary

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Gary
CANADA
www.myspace.com/intrepid_cdn

Hi Gary,
On July 2009 I intend to enter Canada, with a bike borrowed from a US Resident. It is a legal vehicle, brand new, in perfect conditions, with proper documents, etc.
I`d like to know if I have to get some special document for the fact I am not the bike`s owner (other than the motorcycle property certificate). My personal documents are in order (multiple entries Visa, passport, etc).
Also, need want to know if motorcycle insurance is necessary in US and Canada.
I`m a brazilian citizen.
Thanks,

Ricardo Rauen
Florianópolis SC, Brazil.
Visit my website: :: RAUEN - Aventuras de moto ::

Hey Nick, I never did hear how your trip went. I just bought a house in August. its a shame that you werent coming up around then, Id have had a place for you to crash and such. If you are back this way, consider it a done deal. A place for you ro crash and rest up, and a garage to store the bike safely and do any work needed. If you are still around the area in Sept/Oct. hit me back at gdunne70@hotmail.com

Sorry I wasnt able to extend that offer when you were down, h owever I was in a 2 bedroom apt. with a Wife and son, so there was no possibility.
My apologies!
Gary

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Gary
CANADA
www.myspace.com/intrepid_cdn

USEFUL LINKS for ONTARIO and CANADA and N.A.

I hope these links help you while in North America. Most are geared to Canada, but many have links to USA and Mexico.
GARY!


OFFICIAL ROAD MAP of ONTARIO and more info.
The Official Road Map of Ontario

Tourism Canada
Canada.Travel - Canadian Tourism Commission | la Commission canadienne du tourisme

Canadian Offices Abroad ( Embassies )
Canadian Offices Abroad

Canadian Embassies WorldWide and Foreign Embassies in Canada, Maps, Reference materials, Etc
Embassies Of Canada - Consulates Of Canada

Tourism Ontario
Official Website of Ontario Tourism

Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Ontario Ministry of Transportation Home Page

The Weather Network
The Weather Network - Your Source for Weather Forecasts and Current Conditions

Foreign Embassies in Canada
Foreign Representatives in Canada

List of City and Highways Speedtraps!
SpeedTrap Exchange

HOSTEL LIST for CANADA

Canada Hostels

Nice Hostel outside of Hunstvile near Algonquin Prov. Park
Great prices, nice staff, good location and very nice accomodations.
Algonquin's Wolf Den Backpackers - Algonquin Park, Canada

CANADA 411
Info on Phone Numbers, Addresses, and also Reverse searches as well for People and Business.
Canada 411™ for TBAYTel - Canada’s People Directory

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Gary
CANADA
www.myspace.com/intrepid_cdn

Hi Gary, nice list but Zoom went bust start of Sep. '08. I know I'm still trying to get my CC company to pay me my money. Canadian Express provide a service similar to Zoom's at least when they were working. Ride safe.

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Mike
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Mike is riding the twisty road in the sky

Cool, thanks for the heads up, I didnt hear that. I heard of another airline going bust around then, maybe it was that one and I got the name wrong. Eitherway, thanks, and I edited the list to delete it.
Gary

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Gary
CANADA
www.myspace.com/intrepid_cdn

I have recently added a Community for Windsor, Ontario. So anyone from around the area, plz join, as well as anyone needing info please feel free to ask.


I also noticed that there is a new community for London Ontario as well.

Fenian

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Gary
CANADA
www.myspace.com/intrepid_cdn