crimmin@tle.DEC (DTN 1-2015) (11/01/85)
Thanks for the recent suggestions on routes and tips for long trips. Does anyone want to discuss the amt of time it can take to go from, say, Boston to Seattle and back? How does 10 days going, 10 days there, and 10 days back sound? Too fast? What is the maximum non-burnout distance for one day on a BMW R80/7? 400 miles? Are there any special, must-see places along a more northerly route between here and there? For starters, I was thinking of passing through Toronto, and taking ferries to Chicago. From there either NW through Wisconsin, Minnesota, N.Dakota, Montana, and Idaho; or W through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. Never been there before, just give me time. Piter (New Hampshire)
pag00@amdahl.UUCP (Pria Graves) (11/04/85)
> Does anyone want to discuss the amt of time it can take to go > from, say, Boston to Seattle and back? > > How does 10 days going, 10 days there, and 10 days back sound? > Too fast? What is the maximum non-burnout distance for one day > on a BMW R80/7? 400 miles? > Ten days each way should be nice. It can be done in five and a half (S.F Bay Area to Washington D.C.) but you don't get much time for stopping. Again, the maximum number of miles in a day depends on your purpose. A roomate of mine rode from Vale Colorado to home straight through (25 hrs) but he was nuts. My top days are around 650 miles on my R100S and only when I am not sight seeing (mid-west or southern Idaho to home). 200 - 500 is fine for sight seeing depending on the area and your stamina. You will find that you have much more endurance after 4 - 5 days on the road. My wrists and rear end always get tired the first few days (of course that's usually long days across Nevada or Arizona.... hmmmm .... maybe it's attitude too!) > Are there any special, must-see places along a more northerly > route between here and there? For starters, I was thinking of > passing through Toronto, and taking ferries to Chicago. From > there either NW through Wisconsin, Minnesota, N.Dakota, Montana, > and Idaho; or W through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, > and Oregon. > I liked the Michigan penninsula and Wisconsin as well as Glacier park in far northern Montana. While I am glad to have seen Yellowstone, next time I will go in winter: the Winnabegos are the pits. The Canadian rockies (at least the southern part) are also nice and the roads west toward Vancouver are spectacular. Just remember if you go that way that you MUST remember to slow down again when you get back to the States! While you are in Seattle area, be sure to take a ferry out to some of the islands to the west. There are lovely small, deserted campgrounds on many of them and the Olympic Penninsula is magnificent! Enough of this rambling..... best of all just enjoy! Pria (amdahl!pag00) > Piter (New Hampshire) -- Pria ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,amd,nsc}!amdahl!pag00 (408) 746 7539
hsc@mtuxo.UUCP (h.cohen) (11/04/85)
This article prompted me to recall (oh so happily) some places we've been on our bikes that I consider "must see" because they are no other places that are really like them: - Mt. Rushmore - Crazy Horse (statue near Mt. Rushmore, and many times bigger, with excellent small museum of the sculptor's other works) - Going to the Sun Highway (Glacier Natl. Park, Montana) - Lake Louise (British Columbia) - Victoria, BC (on Vancouver Island, including the ferry from Tsawassen and the ferry to Port Angeles) - Highway 1 in northern Oregon. - Carlsbad Caverns, NM (the Grand Canyon of caverns) - Grand Canyon - Great Sand Dunes, Colorado - Yellowstone (including the empty northern half) - San Francisco (including **everything***, but remember to drive up to the hilltop with the big TV tower for the view) - Mesa Verde (pueblos) - Hot Springs, Ark. - the FL Keys (including Pennekamp Natl Park, underwater) - Skyline Drive (take it slow and enjoy) Some of these are more seasonal than others. Try a few if you can. Ride safe, Harvey S. Cohen
alanj@orca.UUCP (Alan Jeddeloh) (11/05/85)
In article <1085@mtuxo.UUCP> hsc@mtuxo.UUCP (h.cohen) writes: >This article prompted me to recall (oh so happily) some places >we've been on our bikes that I consider "must see" because >they are no other places that are really like them: >[...] >- Highway 1 in northern Oregon. ^^^^^^^^^^ ??? US 101 (the coast highway) maybe? >[...] >Ride safe, Harvey S. Cohen May I suggest also the Columbia River Gorge? The Oregon side is I-84; the Washington Side is Washington 14; both provide spectactular scenery. Note: Most of the bridges that cross between the states are toll bridges and several have steel grating (5000 feet of it) for decks. -Alan Jeddeloh tektronix!tekecs!alanj
animal@ihlpa.UUCP (D. Starr) (11/05/85)
<do not drink battery electrolyte--unless you are a lawyer> One not-so-pleasant note about cross-country travel: Generally, the people you meet when traveling across the country are pleasant and helpful. There is one consistent exception, and you apparently are going to hit it. That is U. S. Customs, upon returning from Canada. Customs people seem to be surly and obnoxious pretty much all the time, but go out of their way to annoy people traveling on two wheels. This summer, for instance, before we even came to a full stop at the border, the customs agent was filling out the paperwork for a complete vehicle search. We wound up wasting about an hour in beautiful Buffalo before being allowed to re-enter the Land of the Free (feeling not all that free at the time). The monthly AMA magazine printed a story this month about a couple that was not only detained and searched for no apparent reason, but also had their exposed film stolen (confiscated is the official term, but that word conveys a legitimacy the customs people don't deserve). That didn't happen to us (this time), but on future trips I'm going to have my film developed in Canada and mailed home. If that further hurts the balance of trade, T. S. Pack carefully, Dan Star
gadfly@ihuxn.UUCP (Gadfly) (11/06/85)
-- > Generally, the people you meet when traveling across the country > are pleasant and helpful. There is one consistent exception, and > you apparently are going to hit it. That is U. S. Customs, upon > returning from Canada. Customs people seem to be surly and obnoxious > pretty much all the time, but go out of their way to annoy people > traveling on two wheels. This summer, for instance, before we even > came to a full stop at the border, the customs agent was filling out > the paperwork for a complete vehicle search. We wound up wasting about > an hour in beautiful Buffalo before being allowed to re-enter the > Land of the Free (feeling not all that free at the time)... > > Dan Star I had the same experience, repeatedly, in Detroit. Both the bridge and the tunnel. Once I figured I could avoid it by going further north and taking the ferry across to Sarnia. Boy was that a mistake-- it's not that popular a route, so the customs folks had all the time in the world. That was the first time anyone in the US ever made me prove I was a US citizen. I got so mad I kept hoping they'd reject my proof (a voter registration, which is supposed to be as valid for that purpose as a passport) so I could go back into Canada as a political refugee. That was in 1972, by the way. I have since ('76, '80, '82) taken the tunnel and taken my licks. I travel light, so it doesn't take more than 15 min. for them to search my pack and gear. When they get around to it. -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 06 Nov 85 [16 Brumaire An CXCIV] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7753 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!iwsl8!ken *** ***
jerem@tekgvs.UUCP (Jere Marrs) (11/06/85)
In article <857@ihlpa.UUCP> animal@ihlpa.UUCP (D. Starr) writes: ><do not drink battery electrolyte--unless you are a lawyer> However, I find that Diehards have a nice bouquet. > >One not-so-pleasant note about cross-country travel: > >Generally, the people you meet when traveling across the country >are pleasant and helpful. There is one consistent exception, and >you apparently are going to hit it. That is U. S. Customs, upon >returning from Canada. > Dan Star I'm not sure where Buffalo is, but I thought I would provide some additional experience for the net readers. Having travelled to and from B.C. and Alberta a number of times (the more the better), I have had minimal hassle with the U.S. Customs upon reentry to the U.S. True, they are somewhat less courteous than the Canadian Customs upon entering Canada, but I've had no inordinate problem. I cherish my experiences in Canada and I would find a surly U.S. agent a real downer after a wonderful visit. I hope it's localized to Buffalo. (Where's Buffalo?) Jere M. Marrs Tektronix, Inc. Beaverton, Oregon tektronix!tekcrl!tekgvs!jerem
pag00@amdahl.UUCP (Pria Graves) (11/08/85)
> >One not-so-pleasant note about cross-country travel: > > > >Generally, the people you meet when traveling across the country > >are pleasant and helpful. There is one consistent exception, and > >you apparently are going to hit it. That is U. S. Customs, upon > >returning from Canada. > > Dan Star > > I'm not sure where Buffalo is, but I thought I would provide > some additional experience for the net readers. > > Having travelled to and from B.C. and Alberta a number of times > (the more the better), I have had minimal hassle with the U.S. Customs upon > reentry to the U.S. True, they are somewhat less courteous than the > Canadian Customs upon entering Canada, but I've had no inordinate problem. > > I cherish my experiences in Canada and I would find a surly U.S. > agent a real downer after a wonderful visit. I hope it's localized to > Buffalo. (Where's Buffalo?) > I have also been back and forth across the border to B.C. a number of times without more than the most cursory of questionings. And that's both at the microscopic boarder stop of Eastport, Idaho, and at the larger ones on I-5 and the ferry from Victoria. Further east, I've crossed north on I-81 (opposite end of Lake Ontario from Buffalo) and at Sault Ste Marie and back to the States in BUFFALO. This last was with two other bikes..... both from Ohio. Mine was loaded with full gear for a three week solo trip. Again, we just got a couple of questions; didn't have to prove anything! I don't know how to explain the difference. Maybe surprise at seeing a solo woman cyclist a long way from home? But the two local riders were both men. Maybe it was the bikes? (all BMWs) I don't know! (By the way, Buffalo is in northwestern New York, near Niagara Falls.) Pria (!amdahl/pag00) -- Pria ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,amd,nsc}!amdahl!pag00 (408) 746 7539
laura@l5.uucp (Laura Creighton) (11/09/85)
For Goodness Sake -- DON'T CROSS THE BORDRR AT DETROIT. IN *ANYTHING*. Buffalo is better, but there are smaller boarder stations within 20 miles. Go there. Detroit is where the new rookies at the border garding buisiness go. They go there because it is the hell hole and anybody with seniority will ask to work anywhere else, even Bufallo. The way you get to be promoted is to be industrious and to catch a lot of people. Besides, for most of these people, this is a first job. They are *EAGER*, people. And they can take your car apart and leave it in pieces on the side of the road and this is legal and you have to pay for putting it back together unless you can do it yourself. (Even if you *can* put it together, they did it to me in the winter, where it was *snowing*, and 20 below. I can put the panels back on my bus, adn that is what I did, but if they had left it in rubble it would have been cheaper to buy another car. Fuck you, Canada Customs. Stay away from Detroit/Windsor border. Stay away. Stay away. especially if you have long hair and are male or are wearing leather. They make you strip quite frequently, especially if you cross it by bus. Don't take any dope across the border at detroit especially. that is what they want to find. Stay away. Stay away. Stay away. -- Help beautify the world. I am writing a book called *How To Write Portable C Programs*. Send me anything that you would like to find in such a book when it appears in your bookstores. Get your name mentioned in the credits. Laura Creighton sun!l5!laura (that is ell-five, not fifteen) l5!laura@lll-crg.arpa
tjiang@Shasta.ARPA (11/10/85)
In article <253@l5.uucp> laura@l5.UUCP (Laura Creighton) writes: >For Goodness Sake -- DON'T CROSS THE BORDRR AT DETROIT. IN *ANYTHING*. >Buffalo is better, but there are smaller boarder stations within 20 miles. >Go there. > >..... >Laura Creighton >sun!l5!laura (that is ell-five, not fifteen) >l5!laura@lll-crg.arpa I have crossed the border several times at Detroit/Windsor and have never been given hassles. Typical scenario: Customs: Are you a citizen of Canada? Me: Yes Customs: what are you doing in Canada? Me: Visiting my Mom and Dad. Customs: Anything to declare. Me: Yea, a few T-shirts and a couple of records. Customs: How long did you stay in the US? Me: A year. Customs: Okay, go ahead. No hassles, no search, and they don't even look at my papers. I also have no problems when I cross back except that US Customs wants to look at my papers.
dave@rocksvax.FUN (Dave Sewhuk,840-5H,76248,2883513) (11/14/85)
I have been through U.S. Customs about 3 times in my bike riding
'career'. They were all weekend jaunts to Toronto, whose trolly tracks
make for some interesting riding!! I never had any hastles any of
those times through. I was wearing full leathers on all of those trips
even!! Only hastle I had was with the car. I always go through at Lewiston/
Queenston, which is known for a high hastle factor, but unfortunately the
quickest way back to Rochester from Toronto...
Dave
arpa: Sewhuk.HENR@Xerox.ARPA
uucp: {ihnp4,rochester,amd,sunybcs}!rocksvax!dave
ns: "Sewhuk:HENR801C:Xerox".ns@Xerox.ARPAlaura@l5.uucp (Laura Creighton) (11/14/85)
I dunno, Steve -- maybe you were lucjy or maybe you just look more repuable than I do. When travelling with my parents, I never had any trouble at this border. On the other hand, nearly every time I crossed it by bus I have been stripped and had the contents of my travelling case dumped on the floor. I have gone through hours of ``do you have a GREEN CARD?'' ``No, I'm going to CONFUSION - a SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION in ANN ARBOR. I don't NEED a GREEN CARD!!'' I have had my car searched for 4 hours on 2 ocassions. I had the panels removed from the truck I was riding in once. And I have been refused entry into the US twice because they wouldn't believe that I was only going to spend few hours in Buffalo. (Once was during another great Canadian Mail Strike. I had the 40 letters I was going to mail right there in the dash board. No sir, they weren't buying it.) I have come very clsoe to being refused entry because I didn't have a birth certificate or a passport (nobody told me I would need one -- I never had before). Quite often going through they have wanted to know the name of my employer (which often I didn't have) and something on official stationary from there. I don't know -- maybe I do something which sets them off. But I have been hassled twice at the Buffalo border, never at any other border station, and nearly every single damn time at the Detroit border. -- Laura Creighton sun!l5!laura (that is ell-five, not fifteen) l5!laura@lll-crg.arpa