Recommendations for trip stops and sights? - Diesel Forum

RobertWebb · 07-29-2009, 01:23 PM

Next week I will be driving from central Texas to St Maries, Idaho (grandkids) and then to Yakima, Washington to Grand Coulee, Hwy 97/5 to Jasper Nat Pk. in Canada and down the Ice field Hwy to Lake Louise, Banff and then to Calgary . We will make stops in Glacier Nat Pk., Yellowstone, Tetons, Estes Park, and Palo Duro Canyon and Back home to Marble Falls.

Does anyone have any recommendations for places to stop/sights along the way that we need to not miss on the trip? Any roads we should avoid? Is crossing the border any problem into Canada (have passports, no guns but have bear spray)?

chuckster57 · 07-29-2009, 06:40 PM

I can't make any recommendations on roads to avoid or places to see. Only recommendation I can make is to start early in the morning with a finish point in mind, then you can make stops along the way as "local" stuff jumps up at you. and then you can arrive at your stop early enough that a short rest will allow you to go out sight seeing. I have found on this road trip that sometimes the garmin and mapquest don't agree, but the garmin wins most of the time and it has taken us on some non interstate roads that have made the trip more scenic.

RobertWebb · 07-30-2009, 05:24 PM

Chuckster57
The method you described is how we normally make our longer trips. We try to get into a town and find a place to stay so we can see the sights. If we decide to stay for a day or two we usually do that. We have a Gramin that we used on a 7000 mile trip a year ago last May and it was a lifesaver. It has been a long time since we were in Canada (pre 911) so I was wondering how it was crossing since then. We have run across some great things to see just by stumbling across them.
Thanks for your info.

chuckster57 · 07-30-2009, 05:29 PM

have a safe trip and enjoy yourself

Post up how the border crossing went. We might like to take a trip to BC and I would be interested in any tips/concerns you run into.

Bill1013 · 08-01-2009, 12:33 PM

Went to Alaska last summer for 3 month's up thru BC and the Yukon pretty trip but damn expensive fuel, 15,000 RT, $6500 fuel. Came back thru the Jasper Nat. Park then down thru Calgary, 2 out of Calgary to 4 then I-15 in the States. Just be aware that there is a charge ($20 ?) for Jasper Park on down to Calgary. Best to stop at a Bank for money exchange to Canadian. Most places it's even money in Canada. Didn't have any problem in or out of Canada, course that was last year. If your taking any animals, they might ask for a Vet's certification. Had two cat's and a dog along , they never asked for the Vet's Certif. You don't say if you have an RV.

RobertWebb · 09-09-2009, 10:07 AM

Were Back!!!!!!!!!
We got back September 2 from the trip. Fuel, food and Motel costs increased the farther north we went. We carried a laptop and small printer and looked at the availibility of rooms at our next planned stop. If there were only a few available we would make reservations and if there were many rooms available we would just drive to our planned stop. The Garmin GPS has a function that lists all of the lodging as you are driving down the road and how far they are away from the truck. My wife (and GPS expert Navigator) would click on the motels we liked the look of and called on the phone number shown on the GPS to check rates. Since most of the motels are clustered together we could get a good idea of costs and then make a decision on where to stay. This worked out well. The areas that were high tourist traffic areas we looked ahead on the internet the night before and made reservations. There is a site called Traveladviser that lists reviews that were helpful in in making a decision even though you need to keep in mind that most of the people writing the reviews usually had negative experiences. The GPS went crazy twice when we were driving and I had to reboot it to get it to settle down though overall the GPS made our navigation much easier and it has much information on it that a long trip allows one to access. We stayed in many different types of motels - some very nice and some not so nice.

We were in Yellowstone in May of 2008 and enjoyed that time of the year for touring Yellowstone better than August. The crowds were much less and we saw many more animals in May.

Chuckster57
Going thru Customs both at the Canadian and US sides was very easy. On the way up the Canadian Customs officer saw that I was from Texas from my passport and made a point of asking if I owned firearms at home and I told him yes. At that point he grilled me asking if I had firearms, parts of firearms or ammunition with me. At Waterton Park Canada (north of Glacier) we took a cruise to the end of Waterton Lake and crossed on foot into Glacier National Park. The US Customs station was two officers and a podium beside the trail. The two guys were very friendly and stamped our passports with the Goat Haunt Customs Station stamp. We then hiked to a small lake and took photos of Moose feeding on the grass on the bottom of the lake and then took the next boat back to Waterton Park.

Bill1013
The charges for going thru the parks in Canada were very expensive. We have an Ole Farts Pass for the US National parks so those were cheap. We did not have an RV so stayed in Motels most of the time when we could not stay with relatives. Some places would not take US money so we used credit cards and when they took US money the exchange was 1:1. For us the exchange on American Express worked out best.

We had a great trip and want to do the East coast next time. Our F150 was very comfortable (more so than most cars) and gave us lots of room to take loot up to the grandkids in Idaho. The "Undercover" top for the bed also worked well. The gas milage never got below 20mpg on the dash computer and was as high as 21.4mpg.

chuckster57 · 09-09-2009, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Chuckster57
Going thru Customs both at the Canadian and US sides was very easy. On the way up the Canadian Customs officer saw that I was from Texas from my passport and made a point of asking if I owned firearms at home and I told him yes. At that point he grilled me asking if I had firearms, parts of firearms or ammunition with me. At Waterton Park Canada (north of Glacier) we took a cruise to the end of Waterton Lake and crossed on foot into Glacier National Park. The US Customs station was two officers and a podium beside the trail. The two guys were very friendly and stamped our passports with the Goat Haunt Customs Station stamp. We then hiked to a small lake and took photos of Moose feeding on the grass on the bottom of the lake and then took the next boat back to Waterton Park.

Thanks for the info. We are thinking of a west coast tour next summer including B.C and then dropping back into the states after Glacier Natl park. into Yellowstone.
Even though I am retired LEO and have a CCW, I guess Smith & Wesson would have to stay home.

Sounds like you had a good time.

Bill1013 · 09-16-2009, 07:07 PM

About firearms going into Canada, they are real sensitive about that as you found out. Never ask about DRUGS only the Rat-A-Tat's. Oh-- How much tobacco or Liquor do you have?
Sounds like you had a nice trip.

drcampbell · 09-17-2009, 09:15 AM

You can carry all the alcohol or tobacco you want into Canada; you just have to pay an import duty if you're carrying more than the personal exemption amount.

Since Canada trades with Cuba and doesn't subsidize its corn farmers, Canadian soda pop has real sugar in it, not chemically-altered high-fructose corn syrup. If you're a pop drinker (and even if you're not) it's a delightful change of pace. To get real sugar in American pop, you have to buy either a designer-label microbrew ($$$!) or Kosher Coke. (limited availability, both region & season)

Almost every business in Canada accepts American currency, but they're free to set their own exchange rate. Around here, (southwestern Ontario) it's common to charge one or two percentage points more than the official rate but you occasionally find someone charging a lot more. Charge cards usually tack on an additional one or two per cent for international currency conversion.

I suggest you double-check the rules on bear spray. I don't know about western Canada, but pepper spray and Mace are prohibited here. But who knows? Maybe the same substance in the same can with a label saying "for bears" is perfectly OK.
Start here: Non-Canadians

LMJD · 09-17-2009, 09:42 AM

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We might like to take a trip to BC and I would be interested in any tips/concerns you run into.

Listening to people who actually know what their talking about and have to cross a lot in BC, it appears they give you fits in BC but they're not near as bad at the other province crossings. A few people were discussing that just the other day. One friend is in law enforcement, transports inmates, provides security for traveling high-dollar individuals, etc, and he says it doesn't matter if you have an LEO background or not.

My wife's cousin (who's a civil engineer--class guy) used to go up yearly with a group of teachers to salmon fish. Being a slob like me as far as the interior of his pickup is concerned, he did the unforgivable, had some 22 shells in his ashtray, and had a shotgun shell or two rolling around under the seat. After they got done tearing his truck apart, he asked why they have to treat him like they did. They're answer, "We like to make an example out of people". I'm half Canadian, but it'll be a cold day in Hell before I ever go up there.

drcampbell · 09-18-2009, 02:26 AM

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Originally Posted by LMJD

... he did the unforgivable, had some .22 shells in his ashtray ...

American Customs will do a lot worse than make an example of you if you try to enter the US with half a joint in the ashtray, or gawd forbid, a Cuban cigar butt. (neither of which perturb Canadians a whit)

It's a different country and they do things differently. Not worse, just differently.