Stromette needs help in Canada

[STROMETTE]

Greetings Canadien Stromtroopers,

Stromette is planning on running from ME to WA thru Canada in August as part of a "Four Corner" ride. In the process of doing some preliminary planning and this seems like a good place to ask a few questions...

* What recommendations do you have for travel East of Quebec City and West of Ottawa re road conditions, lodging, etc?

* Of course we all know how reliable our Stroms are but just in case repairs are needed how easy/difficult will it be to find service?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Stromette

[The Shepherd]

West of Ottawa puts you in Ontario. Being the province in Canada with the most population (10 million of us) you'll find that at any given time you are really not too far from "civilization". We are no different than say....Ohio.

Road conditions are also the same though some states in the US have really nice roads while many of Ontarios are around the same level as Michigans.....tar snakes galore.

The bigger cities will all have various motel / hotel chains that you'll be familiar with as well at the standard Mom and Pop overnight type of motels, while smaller places will have only the latter. Same with food, big cities = McDonalds, small places = local greasy spoon.

As for bike dealerships the same in the States applies here. Big cities will have all the brands, smaller places might have one or two under the same roof. Go to www.suzuki.ca and you can type in the bigger places you are travelling through and write down the name, number and address of the Suzuki dealerships in Ontario....or anywhere else in Canada.

I'm not sure if AAA covers Canada or not, my CAA membership works in the US so I would imagine that you could get towed if needs be on an AAA card but it would be worth looking up.

Here is a map to help you possibly pick a route through my backyard, http://www.noinfo.com/ontario_bikeroads.jpg

Enjoy your trip.

[Heavy]

Are you looking to just "pass through" on the hghways or are you looking to get off the direct route and explore a little?

[STROMETTE]

Are you looking to just "pass through" on the hghways or are you looking to get off the direct route and explore a little?

Unfortunately, no flower sniffin' on this jaunt. It's a "go ride" - the "Four Corners" run is based on riding the 4 corners of the country... San Ysidro, CA --> Key West, FL --> Madawaska, ME --> Blaine, WA (they may be done in any order but this is my route) and doing so in less than 21 days. That said, plan is to push fairly hard the first 75% of trip b/c I'd reeeeally like to somehow get your Rockies in. As long as I hit the corner in Blaine, WA from ME it doesn't matter which route is taken.

This type of ride is unusual for Stromette as superslabs are usually avoided whenever possible and it's the journey not the destination that's the goal. This is the exact opposite and thus the challenge... it IS the destination (the corners) that counts and to do so w/in the time frame the slab will be used (hopefully to a lesser degree as possible though).

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions! :)

Stromette

[Heavy]

Slab it is then. You'll ride highway 401 through most of Ontario. Its pretty straight and moves pretty well. The big bottleneck is Toronto, specially around rush hour. Like The Shepherd said, you've not far from civilization along that route. Probably want to peel off, just past London, and take the 402 so you cross the border at Sarnia/ Port Huron and avoid Detroit.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g36/jjchonga/stromette.jpg

This might be interesting for you:

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/compass/camera/camhome.htm

[geralds34]

Cross at Quebec city, stay north and avoid Montreal, enjoy the ride into Ottawa.

http://geralds34.smugmug.com/photos/63269102-L.jpg

From Ottawa head towards Thunder Bay, avoid the 401(boring) and Toronto. Travelling thru Montreal and Toronto can eat a lot of time, depending on time of day. Jeez - travel all this way and not see Gaspe.
Pick up MS Streets and Trips and play with routes. should only be about $25.
http://geralds34.smugmug.com/photos/63269098-L.jpg

[STROMETTE]

Wow, fantastic! :D

Are radar detectors illegal in certain places in Canada? How common is "Instant On" used by LEO radar there? Any unusual laws I need to be aware of? What about safety in terms of leaving bike outside while at hotels (especially vandelism)? I reckon you guys don't have lane-splitting do you? :P

Any particular areas to be highly concerned with involving animals/big game on road that might be best to travel in daylight?

[Heavy]

No radar detectors allowed (our cops aren't very smart and they need all the advantages they can get :lol: ).

No lane splitting.

Stay on the Southern route, 401 & 402, and there is very little concern about wildlife. Head North and the situation changes. Depending on the season, deer, moose, bears and all those other, smaller, creatures are possible.

[STROMETTE]

Pick up MS Streets and Trips and play with routes. should only be about $25.[/img]


Thanks for the tips. We've decided to take a more traditional approach to the planning and have opted to research and plot our path by talking to people and using paper maps. My riding partner and I think meeting and interacting w/ people will be much more rewarding and memorable than strengthening a relationship (dependency?) with electronics. Aside from pre-ride planning, at this point I doubt either one of us will carry a GPS. Yes, run a 21 day jaunt covering over 10,500mi w/no GPS. We've reconsidered the flower sniff'n part and have decided to do a National Parks tour (collecting stamps from obscure places) simultaneously w/the 4C part. My riding partner is twice my age so he has MUCH more experience w/this "classic" approach than I do but since it was my idea I can't rag him too much! :wink: I was busy last wkend and will be on a BBG1500mi this wkend but as soon as he and I can get together and go over your recommendations I'd like to get back to you w/add'tl questions if that's copasetic w/you. Thanks again for your help.

Stromette

[Keith Falkner]

If you are going north of Lake Superior, you can choose the route that hugs the north shore of Lake Superior because it looks shorter than the looping route farther north, but I drove both by van in 2002 and I verified for myself that the route through Hearst and "Keep-us-cussing" is quicker than the shore-hugging route.

For scenery, follow the lake, but that will cost you a couple of hours.

Either way you go, you will pass through Ignace, ON. Try to do this at lunchtime, and stop at Captain Ron's for some delicious fish and chips. It's on the south side of the road, across from the IGA supermarket ... at least that is how it was in 2002.

Get a map from the government of Ontario, and study it. The little picnic tables denote rest areas, such as they are: some outhouses, some tables, and generally a stream that may or may not have water safe for drinking.

You will see little cairns made of stone atop every rock cut you pass through. Each of these is called an INUKSHUK and is a model of what you can find on some hilltops MUCH farther north, where one hilltop looks pretty much like another unless it is topped by one of these helpful sentinels. The temptation to stop and build another inukshuk is just about overwhelming. Succumb if you like; nobody will know unless you tell.

My trip starts and ends in Toronto, after visiting eight states and Vancouver BC, but I will go south of Superior both ways.

Good luck!
Keith Falkner
Sarasota FL

[Vordak]

Radar detectors are VERY illegal in all of Canada. The ticket is approx. $1200, plus we (I'm law Enforcement) will rip your vehicle apart to find it. Sorry, but it's the law! We do use radar detector-detectors. You've been warned!

Aside from Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal, you can pretty much expect your bike to be safe outside at Hotels throughout most of the country. You will want to bring in your luggage. As far as roads are concerned, Quebec's Roads are much worse than any other in Canada. Bad pavement and lots of potholes. You may find sand in some rural roads, always in corners of course. In the northern regions of each Province, or anywhere not in a city, be careful of deer/racoon/skunk traffic, especially at night.

Carry good clothing, as the nights do get cool all the way up until the end of June. Especially in the sticks.

If you come near the Kingston-Ottawa axis, please drop me a PM and I'll give you details on hotels/shops/food etc....

Cheers!

[Night_Wolf]

Can't speak for Montreal or Cancouver but the Strom is safe in Toronto. The thing is too ugly to worry about it being stolen :shock: Luggage yes should be taken inside and don't forget Handguns on your person or bike are ILLEGAL too


Aside from Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal, you can pretty much expect your bike to be safe outside at Hotels throughout most of the country. You will want to bring in your luggage.

Cheers!

[STROMETTE]

WaterWarrior was kind enough to post this for me in another thread. I'm moving it here to put it more on topic as well as hopefully get more feedback. The trip is indeed a bit away but any and all comments or suggestions are appreciated.
Stromette
===========================
re-posted from another thread:
Stromette, before anything else here is a warning. The Sept 4th Monday is a statutory holiday here and the last long weekend of the summer. That means everyone is trying to get out and have fun. Lots of traffic, lots of dummies out there making up for lost time. One last weekend before the kids go back to school.
If I remember correctly you will be travelling east to west in the GWN and assuming you will be on the Trans Canada Hiway ( # 1 ) coming across the prairies. That will put you in Calgary Alberta and headed to the Rockies and Banff Alberta, (Banff National Park). From there you could go north to Jasper (Jasper National Park) on hiway #93. It is a beautiful drive and an even better ride. About 200 miles of paved road and terrific scenery. From there you could ride west to British Columbia. Follow # 16 to Tete Jaune Cache, follow # 5 to Kamloops. From there I travel west on #97 to Cashe Creek and then head north about 8 miles to a junction for # 99 and head west again. From there it gets better and better. #99 will lead you to Vancouver eventually, after visiting Pemberton, Whistler and Squamish(home). Stomette, get a good road map and take a look at the route, it is all paved and a great trip to my thinking but you may want to travel an entirely different road(there are many choices overall). There are also great routes travelling across the Rockies farther south by just riding southwest from Banff on # 93.
I envy you doing the 4 C's, sounds great. Get maps and surf the net a bit. Hopefully other riders will kick in and make suggestions too. But these are some of my favorite roads and there are still many I need to explore. Ride On, Ride Safe.

[STROMETTE]

Radar detectors are VERY illegal in all of Canada. The ticket is approx. $1200, plus we (I'm law Enforcement) will rip your vehicle apart to find it. Sorry, but it's the law! We do use radar detector-detectors. You've been warned!

Hmmm, not exactly sure how to respond to this but to say it's one of the strangest things I've heard. Here in the US we have "legal" and "illegal" and there is no such thing as "VERY illegal" or "Kindof illegal" or the like. By saying something is "VERY illegal" that implies other actions which are not quite as illegal or that there are varying degrees of legal. So, I guess my questions is what behavior in Canada is "somewhat illegal?" With all due respect to you, Vordak, I find it equally strange that you come across with such energy about radar detectors (the "ripping apart" implies this). My only guess is that this must be a language/word useage issue. LEO's here "rip vehicles apart" when they are looking for drugs or weapons or other contraband. I personally don't know another LEO here in the US that would be willing to face a judge and justify that a radar detector qualify as contraband and that the warrantless ripping apart of a a vehicle for said radar is acceptable under US 4th Amendment and valid search and seizure laws. If what you are saying is that in Canada you don't have issues w/drugs and weapons so radar detectors are the top issues on your roadways then maybe I should consider relocating to such a safe place. I just can't think of what else could explain such a fervent response to my question of radar detectors and a "you've been warned" reply. By the way, perhaps if speeding is such an issue Canada could always consider what's happened around here with the fixed site photo enforcement program (yes, you read that correctly, go here for more:http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/photoradar/default.asp) that way the issue of radar detectors is mute (no pun intended). I'm actually very surprised that it was my question of radar detectors, not lane-splitting, that generated such an energetic response since lane-spiltting is viewed by most as a traffic & safety issue. This kinda makes more sense now:
No radar detectors allowed (our cops aren't very smart and they need all the advantages they can get :lol: ).

[Heavy]

I knew that was going to come back and haunt me. :)

[water warrior]

Heavy, never lean into a left hook. lol.

[water warrior]

Hey guys and gals, Stromette needs suggestions about Eastern Canada and what not. Is the Trans Canada the most logical piece of road with some variations thrown in for good measure ? Also, any roads to avoid ?

[gbart951]

Stromette, I think Vordak was just trying to emphasize how seriously the Ministry of Transport looks at RADAR detectors by using the words "Very illegal". Bottom line is that they are illegal in Canada. In Ontario, and other provinces, the Highway Traffic Act is very powerful. So much so, that if, for example, a police officer using a RADAR detector detector, detects a RADAR in your vehicle, he/she can actually search to the point of disassembly till it is found. NO WARRANT REQUIRED. Or if it is on the dash and hardwired/built-in the RADAR detector can be removed by said officer using whatever tools he/she has at hand. That is why he said "Be warned" because if for some reason your vehicle happens to not run after the RADAR detector is removed it is YOUR problem.

Now that is the extreme case scenario, of course, and I think a pretty hard core police officer to go to that extreme. A person would probably just be asked to hand it over and be charged for using it. Generally I think most people would have the RADAR detector mounted on the dash or somewhere where it has a clear view of the road, so removing it is pretty easy and at worst probably just a matter of snipping a few wires, and not stripping your vehicle down at the side of the road.

You do forfeit the RADAR detector though and don't get it back.

I know the laws are weird and wacky, and not only in Canada either.

[STROMETTE]

Bottom line is that they are illegal in Canada.

Thanks, gbart951. When I asked my original question that reply (which Heavy gave) was sufficient. I could have done without a LEO attitude of "you've been warned" and ripping apart vehicles. I'm a law abiding visitor and will respect what customs are in your country (when in Rome does as the Romans do, rt?). As with most people (at least the Americans I know!) I don't respond well to threats or intimidation, especially when I
'm the one who asked the question so I could indeed do the right thing. Now, if we may get back to the actual topic of Stromette visting Canada, of course, that'd be visting Canada w/her V1 turned off .....

Can someone give me more specific info on the Canadian Rockies as far as what is a "must do"? Like Water Warrior mentioned above, traffic is a concern since time is an issue.

BTW, how easy/difficult is it to get a tire for my Strom in Canada should I run into real problems?

Yes, we'll be coming from east though the route has not been decided.

Thanks again for the help. Any of you planning trips this direction I've got your back. You're welcome to bring your radar detectors too. :wink:

Stromette

[The Shepherd]

Bottom line is that they are illegal in Canada.


BTW, how easy/difficult is it to get a tire for my Strom in Canada should I run into real problems?



Stromette

Well it matters where you find yourself when you need the tire. If you shredded a tire in any decent sized city you can be fairly confident of finding one somewhere. If you are in the sticks well off of the beaten path you can call a bikeshop and have it sent to you via courier I suppose.

[Heavy]

Can someone give me more specific info on the Canadian Rockies as far as what is a "must do"? Like Water Warrior mentioned above, traffic is a concern since time is an issue.

Stromette

I don't have first hand experience to give you but I am planning on riding out West myself this summer and some early research turned up these links.

This might be a worthwhile investment:

http://www.destinationhighways.com/whatisdh.htm

and you might get something of interest from here:

http://members.shaw.ca/bjs1/interesting_roads_main.htm

[water warrior]

Heavy, you found a path to biker paradise. The DHBC is good from my limited experience in B.C. on a bike. Mostly cages over the years but this book seems to tell it like it is. Definitely on my wish list but not for long. I am getting that book. Ride On.

[Vordak]

Hello Stromette,

I can see that my "very" illegal and my "ripping apart" caused you undue stress. You must excuse me if my tone wasn't as positive as I was really trying to make it sound.

The fact is that radar detectors are illegal, period. Not very, or a lot, but just plain illegal. Gbart951 replied to you and was quite good at explaining my train of thought. There are LEO who are good at their job and others who go that "extra" mile. The fact is that, in most cases, the Highay Traffic Act of most Canadian Provinces is very powerful. The law says that if a radar detector is "detected", suspected, seen, then it must be confiscated. Police Officers follow the law, as do you I'm sure. The law says confiscate it, so we do. The problem lies in the fact that some of our esteemed U.S. visitors are under the belief that by turning the thing off and "not" using it, they are following the Canadian laws. Nothing could be further from the truth. You must remove it. If it is seen, suspected or generally thought that you may have one on board, it will be confiscated.

I was just trying to make my point clear so that you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of our country in peace. I was certainly not giving you "LEO attitude" and since I am a frequent visitor to the U.S. of A., I thought you would appreciate the warning as I appreciate it when someone informs me of particular regulations of a place I plan to visit in your wonderful country.

Also, please keep in mind that I do not write the laws, I simply put my life on the line every day to enforce it. My job is not to question on what laws I agree with or not; it's to make sure they are followed.

Again, when you come anywhere near Kingston, Ontario, feel free to contact me and I'll show you some of the most beautiful roads around. You can also contact me if you have a problem as I have a full workshop, with air tools, to help any needy traveler. There is also a Suzuki Dealer not far that is under fantastic new owners and they can overnight pretty much any part!

I hope you enjoy yourself in our country.

Cheers

V.

[water warrior]

Vordak, from the sounds of things a person would have to keep their detector at home to own it legally. Makes a lot of sense to me, of course I have never owned one and never felt it neccessary. I think detectors give some riders and drivers a false sense of security and then they speed, quite often with smashing results. But what do I know really, I actually like going slow. Ride On, Ride Safe.

[IVK]

Just FYI, radar detectors are legal in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

Imants

[Vordak]

Well, there you have it!

Thanks for the clarification! I thought they were illegal in those parts of Canada, but I'll take your word for it!

Cheers!

V.

[TonyT]

If I were a US visitor to Ontario, I think I'd find that traffic enforcement was pretty light compared with places like New York State. I reguarly drive from Oakville to Smiths Falls, which is four to five hours depending on traffic, and frequently never see a cruiser.
If I was from away, I'd also feel constrained to point out to Constable Diligent that the signs welcoming me onto the King's Highways state that USE of radar detectors is illegal, no mention of possession.
It would be a very heavy-handed officer who confiscated a detector from a US visitor, surely?
Cheers,
Tony

[The Shepherd]

If I were a US visitor to Ontario, I think I'd find that traffic enforcement was pretty light compared with places like New York State. I reguarly drive from Oakville to Smiths Falls, which is four to five hours depending on traffic, and frequently never see a cruiser.
If I was from away, I'd also feel constrained to point out to Constable Diligent that the signs welcoming me onto the King's Highways state that USE of radar detectors is illegal, no mention of possession.
It would be a very heavy-handed officer who confiscated a detector from a US visitor, surely?
Cheers,
Tony

Wether you are using it or not it is still illegal. I watched an OPP officer set my friends radar detector on a curb and stomped it into pieces right infront of us....he then handed him a ticket. Not much you can do about that really. I guess like any other traffic violation it matters on the mood of the officer at the time.

[TonyT]

[ I watched an OPP officer set my friends radar detector on a curb and stomped it into pieces right infront of us....he then handed him a ticket. Not much you can do about that really. I guess like any other traffic violation it matters on the mood of the officer at the time.[/quote]

Is your friend a visitor or an Ontarian? I've heard of this, but never having had a detector, haven't paid much attention. If you're from this province and get nabbed with one, well, too bad. But if you're a visitor, I would have thought a warning and watching it being disconnected should suffice. We need tourists more than they need us.

[O.T.]

Stromette,

I recently posted your trip in reverse (from Vancouver eastward to Ontario) on another list. You will forgive my laziness...however, I will send it as is - you may want to read it backwards :wink:

I have read others recommend Desitnation Highways to you for British Columbia - I have the book and agree completely. The original was printed for Washington State, also a recommended read. I also have some recommendations for Washington State if you care to hear them.

Now, for my described route, it is not the most direct, as you will veer off of the TransCanada Highway (1), if you are short of time, stay on Highway 1 (except for Highway 5 between Kamloops and Hope, BC - new superslab, which is faster).

Good luck, and don't hessitate to ask for more help.

O.T. Vancouver, BC
91 Suzuki VX800
05 Black Strom 1K


____________________________________________

Once you are in Vancouver, I highly recommend riding north on the "Sea to Sky" Highway (Hwy 99) through to Whistler until you reach Cache Creek. The call this road Sea to Sky because you drive from the sea-side in Vancouver along Howe Sound up to the mountains in Whistler - beautiful and twisty - (if you have time to stay there, I highly recommend it - resort town world renowned for skiing, hiking, lakes, mountain biking, golf, and many other outdoor activities). Much of your riding in British Columbia will be through valleys, as we are covered with several mountain ranges until you reach Alberta. This makes much of British Columbia riding quite scenic and twisty.
- North from Whistler is even nicer roads on Hwy 99, until you reach Cache Creek,
- Head east on Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) until you reach Kamloops (very short ride),
- From Kamloops, head north on Hwy 5 (Yellowhead Highway). This will take you to Jasper, Alberta, instead of Banff, Alberta. Once reaching Jasper, you will likely need to sleep there.
- In the morning, you will ride south on Hwy 93 (Icefields Parkway) to the town of Banff. This is a highly recommended ride as well. Take the time to stop and see the Athabasca Glacier - if it interests you, climbing for a few hours is available. If you wish to keep your visit short, you can take a large track vehicle on the glacier, if you have never been on one before. A little touristy, but interesting nevertheless for those who have not spent time in the mountains. The rest of this ride is through one of the most beautiful valleys in the Canadian Rocky Mountains with lakes and ridges along the way.
- Arriving in Banff/Lake Louise area. Stop and see Lake Louise, Moran Lake, and Sulfur Mountain if you have time. Breathtaking.
- Leaving Banff, you will ride through Canmore on Hwy 1, and exit the Rocky Mountain range. One hour later you will reach Calgary, Alberta.
- From Calgary eastward, your choice is Hwy 1(Trans-Canada) to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, or Hwy 9 to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. One way or the other, you will be on Hwy 1 for much of your way through the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba – unfortunately both are flat, thus roads tend to be straight. Ontario's topography changes, as you enter the geographic area called the Canadian Shield. When I used to live in Ontario, I did not ride, so I will leave it up to my Canadian brethren from Central Canada to inform you of the appropriate roads.

[water warrior]

O.T.

Excellant.

[Chopper]

I think he was just trying to stress the fact that radar detectors are not a good idea here in Canada. IF they think you have one they can and will dissmantel your bike to look for it. You have to put it together youself. on top of the fine you get for having one. They are just a bad idea up here. The rule of thumb is to just stay at the same general speed as everone else. And everone else speeds ( mostly in the big city areas ) The little out of the way towns are the ones you have to watch out for. I live in Toronto and generally you are safe most places, like everywhere else just take a few precautions and of course don't go down dark alleys at night, who would want to?? It really sounds like you will have to sick to the major through highways in Canada if you are doing a 21 day trip. Remember we are a linier country, everthing is mostly east -west just north of the 48th . If you want to explore beyond that you really have to plan your trip and have alot more time. Take it from a Canadian truck driver.

[Chopper]

I should have read further but if you need info for the east coast that depends on where you are trying to go and how? the eastern provences are not really set up for straight through riding more like touring around but they are all very beautiful places lots to see, do and great riding. Just check with AAA for a triptik BTW you can use AAA up here they will forward you to CAA

[Chopper]

Darn I keep forgetting things to add to my relpys Don't worry about service or parts or just about anything, you will hardly notice the diff. in the two countries. The same rules apply up here for all that stuff as they would in the States

[rider-geek]

Can someone give me more specific info on the Canadian Rockies as far as what is a "must do"? Like Water Warrior mentioned above, traffic is a concern since time is an issue.

Stromette

I don't have first hand experience to give you but I am planning on riding out West myself this summer and some early research turned up these links.

This might be a worthwhile investment:

http://www.destinationhighways.com/whatisdh.htm

and you might get something of interest from here:

http://members.shaw.ca/bjs1/interesting_roads_main.htm

The Destination Highways books are great, I have the BC and WA state ones. Much fun! :)

The interesting roads link is a good one too. Myself and several other riders here in Vancouver make use it for suggestions.

[leostrom]

Hey Stromette if you plan on staying in Ottawa for one night, there is a nice motel in Gatineau called MOTEL ADAM which is just 5 minutes from downtown Ottawa very nice and affordable. This is there is a nice outdoor
pool and the owner ride a V-strom himself. I'm sure he would give a good
deal. There is a suzuki dealership 5 minutes from the motel and lots of restaurants. Good luck on your journey :D

This is his website www.moteladam.com

[STROMETTE]

Ok, so I started this thread a while ago and have since been into Canada. However, now I'm coming back in about a month and will be staying a few hours longer than the 7hrs I stayed the first time. :lol: RTJohn and I have come to as official decision as can be made at this point to hit Sault Ste Marie and run thru Canada to Madawaska, ME, which is one of the "corners." If there are specific issues on this route that we need to know please post them here. Any traffic concerns, weather, construction issues (likely better known as time nears), etc--anything would be helpful. At this stage we don't know exactly when we will be there or where, if anywhere we would need to stay in Canada overnight. As Stromuer650 can attest, RTJohn is VERY apprehensive about this leg of the ride as he says "I have enough trouble in my own country with my own language." Plus, seeing pics of gas station pumps being all in French freaked him out (hey, he is 73 ya know). Thanks in advance for any suggestions, tips, etc.

Stromette

p.s. Yo, Stromuer650, you still up for riding a bit with us? RTJohn wants to know if you have dried out by now?

[Martin]

Hey Stromette!

Sault Ste. Marie is my hometown so here's my scoop...

You should have pretty clear sailing going East from here (although things could be different in a month).

My sister-in-law just drove here from Ottawa along Highway 17 and reported only one significant (10-minute) construction delay. It's a nice ride, and no French language skills are required until you hit Quebec and you can pretty much guess at the meanings of most standard road signs. Anyway, the people in the tourism trade there are usually very friendly, helpful and English-speaking so tell RT John to not sweat it and welcome the adventure of it all! We drove through Quebec on our way to the East Coast four years ago and had a wonderful overnight stop in downtown Quebec City (can't remember where we stayed but it was one of the big high-rise hotels downtown).

If you're coming up I-75, you might consider taking a break by going to Mackinac Island (http://www.mackinac.com/). There are no motorized vehicles on the island which makes it relatively quiet and peaceful (except for the crowds). There's an annual jazz festival that runs over the Labour Day weekend so it will be a busy place around that time. Our fav lunch spot is the Pink Pony just up the street from the ferry terminal where you can sit outside on the shaded deck overlooking the marina where you can admire all the yachts. Beautiful spot.

After you cross the International Bridge to the Soo, the wait at Canadian Customs is seldom more than a few minutes if anything (don't be put off by a huge lineup going the other way to the American side).

If you end up staying in the Soo overnight there are a few decent hotels downtown. The best location is probably the Holiday Inn on the waterfront where you can step out the door and stroll down the riverfront boardwalk to "Docks" restaurant by the marina. Jazz night there is every Thursday from 9-12 and Yours Truly plays bass in the band every second week.

Enjoy your trip and PM me at any time if you need any wrenching assistance or anything else here (but I live about 12 miles West of the city).


- Martin

[STROMETTE]

Hey Stromette!

Sault Ste. Marie is my hometown so here's my scoop...

You should have pretty clear sailing going East from here (although things could be different in a month).

My sister-in-law just drove here from Ottawa along Highway 17 and reported only one significant (10-minute) construction delay. It's a nice ride, and no French language skills are required until you hit Quebec and you can pretty much guess at the meanings of most standard road signs. Anyway, the people in the tourism trade there are usually very friendly, helpful and English-speaking so tell RT John to not sweat it and welcome the adventure of it all! We drove through Quebec on our way to the East Coast four years ago and had a wonderful overnight stop in downtown Quebec City (can't remember where we stayed but it was one of the big high-rise hotels downtown).

If you're coming up I-75, you might consider taking a break by going to Mackinac Island (http://www.mackinac.com/). There are no motorized vehicles on the island which makes it relatively quiet and peaceful (except for the crowds). There's an annual jazz festival that runs over the Labour Day weekend so it will be a busy place around that time. Our fav lunch spot is the Pink Pony just up the street from the ferry terminal where you can sit outside on the shaded deck overlooking the marina where you can admire all the yachts. Beautiful spot.

After you cross the International Bridge to the Soo, the wait at Canadian Customs is seldom more than a few minutes if anything (don't be put off by a huge lineup going the other way to the American side).

If you end up staying in the Soo overnight there are a few decent hotels downtown. The best location is probably the Holiday Inn on the waterfront where you can step out the door and stroll down the riverfront boardwalk to "Docks" restaurant by the marina. Jazz night there is every Thursday from 9-12 and Yours Truly plays bass in the band every second week.

Enjoy your trip and PM me at any time if you need any wrenching assistance or anything else here (but I live about 12 miles West of the city).


- Martin

Hey Martin,

WOO-HOO!!! :) That was fantastic info!! Thanks you VERY much. It was exactly what RTJohn needed to see too. Our route is definitely taking us thru SSMarie. In fact, this time next month I'll be there! Expect a PM before then.

Stromette

[Martin]

Hey, we'd be honoured to have STROMETTE visit Our Fair City. I just hope I'm in town for the associated parade and Key-to-the-City presentation (I'll be in Toronto for the Labour Day weekend).

And now for a Northern Michigan travel update... We went to Mackinac Island on Sunday and encountered some construction activity on I-75. No delays, but that might have been because it was Sunday. It'll probably all be completed in a few weeks anyway.

Mackinac Island was very pleasant and we had a great day; it wasn't as crowded as it has been in years past. My Caesar salad at the Pink Pony was a disappointment though; floppy lettuce and bland dressing :(. Next time I'll go back to the 1/2-pound burger :wink: ...

- Martin

[STROMETTE]

Hey, we'd be honoured to have STROMETTE visit Our Fair City. I just hope I'm in town for the associated parade and Key-to-the-City presentation (I'll be in Toronto for the Labour Day weekend).

And now for a Northern Michigan travel update... We went to Mackinac Island on Sunday and encountered some construction activity on I-75. No delays, but that might have been because it was Sunday. It'll probably all be completed in a few weeks anyway.

Mackinac Island was very pleasant and we had a great day; it wasn't as crowded as it has been in years past. My Caesar salad at the Pink Pony was a disappointment though; floppy lettuce and bland dressing :(. Next time I'll go back to the 1/2-pound burger :wink: ...

- Martin

Thanks, Martin. :oops: The only "key" I hope for involves a checkpoint/corner (as in Key West)! :wink:

Regarding our jaunt from Slt.St.Marie to Madawaska, ME... is it best to take 17 - 417 - 40 - 20 - 185? Would taking 289 into Madawaska be better? What kind of time would would expect to make on this section? Any areas of known difficulty (like on-going construction)? What's the critter situation... any areas worse or shouldn't be done at night? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Stromette

[Martin]

Your route looks good to me except that I can't comment on that last leg as I haven't been down that way (maybe another Stromtrooper in that area can chime in here). It's been about 5 years since I went East so I have no idea what the construction activity is like now. It wasn't a big deal back then.

From the Soo to Ottawa along Highway 17 is about 10 hours. Ottawa - Montreal is maybe 1.5, from there to Quebec City is maybe another 2 and from there to your final destination, I dunno, 3-4 hours?

As for wildlife, around the Soo here, the main obstacle critters are moose, deer and the usual little critters like raccoons, skunks and porcupines. You shouldn't see too many of any of these during the daytime.

- Martin

[martin_montreal]

I gather stromette is on the road. Repairs will be no problem at Suzuki dealers but you could wait for parts... As for Quebec area where I am, there is a lot of choice. I own www.DomainLakeSuperior.com in case you decide to head up to the Laurentiens. Enjoy!

[STROMETTE]

Can someone plz advise re Sudbury traffic... rush hour? times? Ditto for Ottawa. Also, what is the area like between SSMarie, MI and Sudbury? What's the wildlife at night like on this path? Any particular issues I should be aware of? If all goes well I should be coming thru in less than 2wks. Thanks in advance for your help. :wink:

Stromette

[Martin]

Hi Stromette,

I was just in Sudbury 2 days ago... Traffic volume there is basically a non-issue, especially if you're staying on the Highway 17 bypass (i.e. going on to Ottawa). In the city, some of the main streets may get kinda busy but I've never heard of traffic-jam type problems there (I lived there for a year, albeit 23 years ago). Not sure about Ottawa; I suppose they might have a rush-hour slowdown but I've never had any problems the few times that I've been there.

Nighttime wildlife? Avoid the "Ledo" hotel in Sudbury. :shock:

But seriously, there might be deer, moose, bears and assorted smaller critters at night. It's not like the highway's overrun with them but it is a two-lane highway for the most part and the bush is not too far from the road so there can be surprises lurking around the corner.

I've never hit anything but if I were on my Wee at night on that route I'd be going slowly and cautiously for sure. In fact I'd probably stick to daytime riding but I know you're going to be on a schedule.

Good Luck!

- Martin

[STROMETTE]

Thanks, Martin. Can you (or anyone else) elaborate on what services are available after leaving SSMarie on 17? It looks to be very rural... do I either need to stay in SSM or plan on making it to Sudbury? Also, is there a better/worse weekday time to cross the border? Would 4-7pm be super busy (like a rush hour) and are there any unusual issue to this particular border crossing? Stromtrooper "oldgoat" had a very strange issue crossing in WA this past week, I quote him: "when we asked to use the washroom there we had to have a slip of paper from the US official & were told that we could not take pepper spray, cell phones, cameras (no mention of guns or knives)into the building containing the washrooms & we had to be buzzed into the washrooms as well!! The main Vancouver BC - Blaine crossing was frequently more than 2hr to cross into the US." :shock: :shock: YIKES!!!

One more thing, do people actually travel 17 at night? Don't laugh, I recently did a major US interstate (90) in the early evening and it was desolate.


Stromette

[Fearless Freep]

Hwy #17 is not desolate at night. There is always lots of traffic. There are plenty of motels right on #17 between SS Marie and Sudbury. In fact you never have to travel far between motels and gas stations all the way to Ottawa. Some of the gas stations in Northern Ontario are the old style ones that have working garages with service techs and towing service.
I would say crossing the border between 4 and 7 would be a bit busier but not a big issue.

[Martin]

Stromette,

There's no need to worry about a lack of "tourism infrastructure", there are the usual fast-food joints and service stations in the towns that pop up at least every hour or so; it is the Trans-Canada highway after all. There just might not be 24x7 service quite everywhere.

Sudbury is almost exactly 3 hours from the Eastern city limit of the Soo so factor that into your plans. There are a couple of 24x7 truck/bus-stop type places about an hour before Sudbury and probably a couple of others before there that I've forgotten.

The traffic on the International Bridge to Canada is usually a non-issue, especially after Labour Day (going the other way can be "post 9/11" PITA). I forget what the bridge fare is for a bike but it is certainly not more than $2. Gas is almost always cheaper on the American side so you might fill up there if you're pinching pennies. There are a couple of stations located off the last exit before the bridge.

A bit about the enthusiasm, or lack thereof, of our Ontario LEO's... on my recent trip to Toronto, I was zipping along in the RAV4 cage at 119 km/h on the slab/super-slab where the limit is 100 and 109 km/h on the two-lane (limit is 90). I passed a few LEO's at those speeds and they didn't seem too excited (YMMV!) despite several roadside signs warning of "increased OPP enforcement" (Ontario Provincial Police).

I hope you enjoy the Highway 17 portion of your trip; it's generally a pleasant drive and nothing to worry about.

- Martin

[sbdep]

Stromette, I see the map you linked to generated by SCraig shows you taking a route south of #17 after Sudbury?

The detail in the map is a little lacking :)

Anyways, I just returned from a trip myself today and rode 17 from North Bay to Ottawa. There were a few construction zones where it was down to one lane, with flag men as necessary. Overall it may have slowed me down by 15 minutes or so. Not too much. All along 17, keep your eyes peeled for deer etc. I never saw any, but there are occasional bodies left behind from other unscheduled meetings between vehicles and animals, same as any other road.

Ottawa traffic tends on the 417 tends to be slow heading into the downtown in the morning and to the outskirts in the evening, during normal commuting times. Same as any other city.

Good luck with your trip.

[SCraig]

The detail in the map is a little lacking :)

You're right, the detail is a little lacking and in truth it makes it difficult for me to plot her routes on it. But it's sort of a trade off. I initially started with a US DOT map of the USA that showed all major highways. By the time I reduced it to the size necessary for a screen it was a solid mass of lines because there was too much detail. The highway numbers were completely unreadable, and the roads all ran together. Remember that I'm reducing something 2,700 miles wide to fit onto a 1200 pixel image. That's a bit over 2 miles per pixel. Two roads that are two miles apart would apear as a single pixel in width.

Then I tried just using a big image. It was something like 5,000 pixels wide, or about 1/2 mile per pixel, and it looked pretty good. The file size was very big though, something like 3mb if I remember right, and that wouldn't be fair to people with dialup internet connections.

I hunted around for about a week trying to find one that was a compromise. You have to keep in mind that I had to find one that wasn't copyrighted, so that meant I couldn't just buy a US map and scan it or use something from the map shops.

I finally just set my screen resolution to 1280 pixels wide and did a screen capture from my GPS software zoomed way out. It isn't perfect, it does lack a lot of detail and really only shows the interstates, but it works for its intended purpose which is to show her general route. By the time she finishes the trip it will probably be covered with notes and "Callouts" anyway. Plus, knowing her idea of a straight line it will probably be covered north to south and east to west ;)

[sbdep]

I don't have a problem with the map at all. It just is a little difficult to tell details. I suppose the nearest thing would be if there was a method to plot arbitrary routes on google maps with all the detail available and the ability to zoom out and see an overview of the route. Sadly, they haven't made such a thing yet :( I would be really nice for trip reports.

In the meantime, I guess we'll have to make do with the tools we have. Thanks for the work you did on it!