Solo Long Ride MB to BC, Nervous and Excited

Discussion in 'Trips & Events' started by A.M, May 3, 2016.

  1. digitallyhip

    digitallyhip New Member

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    I can help with this part! Once you get to Vancouver, there are ferries to Vancouver Island (where there is a beautiful one day ride to Long Beach on the West Coast of the Island - camping, whale watching, great food, stunning beaches, the whole shebang), and to the Gulf Islands (smaller, interesting, lots to see, B&Bs, camping, etc).

    I live on Bowen Island (right beside Vancouver) and commute on the ferry. You'd be welcome here (with Mrs Hip and my family, no weird offers), where you could camp out or sleep in.

    Also: the ferry to AK is VERY expensive. The alternative is to ride North from Vancouver up through the Caribou and as far North as you'd like. It's a beautiful option and gas, food and lodging are not an issue.

    If you had the time to go all the way to Yukon/AK, it's beautiful up there but the riding can be pretty straight and boring. We were planning to ride to Yukon last year, but a two bike crash one year ago today ended Mrs Hip's riding career (she's fine), so we drove. I was VERY glad that we drove.

    Let me know if I can help once you are out here!
     
  2. A.M

    A.M Moderator Staff Member

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    Awesome info, digitallyhip, thank you!! I'm working on my routes and this is so helpful!

    I'm sorry to hear about what happened to Mrs Hip though. :(

    I do want to do Yukon, but that will definitely have to be another time.

    I'll let you know if I head that way. Thank you in advance for your offers of help! :)

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
     
  3. A.M

    A.M Moderator Staff Member

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    No kidding...lol

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
     
  4. zombie

    zombie New Member

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    Consider that most of the bigger truck stops have full private shower facilities that are good if you feel the need.
     
  5. A.M

    A.M Moderator Staff Member

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    Great point, zombie! Thank you, I hadn't thought about that. :) I wonder about laundry there too.

    On another note, I've been after western Canada maps. No luck. Online maps are several years old. Are there free map/travel stations scattered about the provinces?

    On the last trip up east, my partner had a Garmin. I'll have phone data GPS when there is service, but other than that I'm navigating the old fashioned way.

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
     
  6. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    I don't know if they have them down in the States but am Sure they do. Rand McNalley makes an atlas for Canada and the USA. It should be readily available. I have bought a few over the last few years. My wife really likes following our RV travels with the atlas.

    You should be able to get fold up maps at most busier gas stations, and most likely for sure, at a truck stop as you go along. If you are traveling west and are in Western Manitoba, you should be able to get one from Manitoba/ Saskatchewan, and in western Saskatchewan, on for Saskatchewan/ Alberta and so on. I think they are Rand McNalley as well. In parts of the Rockies and Cascades, cell coverage is spotty but the signage is good here if you have a destination.
     
  7. Jeff_Barrett

    Jeff_Barrett Member

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    .... or just go to the Manitoba Tourism site (and corresponding sites for the other provinces you're passing through) and they'll send you a map for free in advance of your trip, along with attraction info. :)
     
  8. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    And this is my VFR survival kit:

    index.jpg
     
  9. VF1000Fe

    VF1000Fe New Member

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    Which Way is Up?

    AMA (Alberta Motor Association) has the best paper folding maps.
    Fold'em any way that fits in the Tank Bag Window.
    Each province would have the equivalent.
    I think they are based on the American AAA maps
    They are the best, and being a member I get'em free.
    Most important, they tell you definitively if the road is Paved (I like the Back Roads).

    Best get a GPS, find one for sale used, lots out there.
    It'll tell you how far to the next gas stop, When you'll get to your next Camp.
    The GPS will also log your trip, just dump the files when you get back.
    Apply a Password Lock to the GPS or a Law Enforcement Officer can query it, see if you been speeding.[​IMG]
    If it is Password Locked, they will need a Judge Signed Search Warrant (not likely).

    You may not realize that Kanada has a its own Cell Phone System/Billing System.
    If you use our Cell System from your USA account, you might get a crippling bill at home, we do if we go to the USA.
    Check with your provider and they may have a Plan you can purchase for Canada.
    Get another SIM card to put in when you cross the Border.
    Change back when you go South, keep what's left in the Kanuck SIM for another visit.

    More nervous traveler buddies turn their CELLs Off completely when crossing the border, claiming the USA secretly Interrogates their phones when crossing.

    I don't own or use a Cell Phone, so I can't corroborate.
     
  10. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    I was wondering why you never answered my calls.

    Police checking your gps for potential speeding offense will not stand the test in court unless there is evidence that the gps was on a specific vehicle throughout the time in question, or who was actually driving, and a whole shit load of other proper and required evidence. That concept is purely someone, somewhere, sometime, starting fear mongering. You could float the USS Clinton through that.
     
  11. VF1000Fe

    VF1000Fe New Member

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    "Police checking your gps for potential speeding offense will not stand the test in ciurt inless there is evidence that the gps was on a specific vehicle throughout the time in question, or who was actually driving"

    Good Point,,.. unless All of us were Speeding with GPS,,.. still, coulda been someone else,,..
    Heard LEO once gave a guy a ticket, after looking at him, his bike, and said "I know you were speeding sometime today!,,.."
    More Urban Legend? Was a real long time ago.
    And if you're 1000 miles from home, ya gonna go back and fight it?

    I long for the days when there was only X-Band Radar, knew how it worked and could use other vehicles to run blocking for me.
    Heard now there are units that can track 6 bogies at once.
     
  12. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Ya. There are assholes out there and they give the rest of us a bad name. If one made a similar comment to me and gave me a ticket, I would be complaining to his supervisor and then to the civiliam overseeing agency. Don't know how much good it would do but in Canada, they have to investigate complaints against.
    A
    Radar detectors do work. But to rely on one could be a mistake. A good officer knows how to work around those. I have written hundreds of tickets to people with radar and laser detectors. Normally, my tolerance on speeding is quite high and discretion quite forgiving. That goes totally out the window when I get someone for speeding using one. Also. It is possible to ticket and convict several vehicles on one reading. If you have a good vantage point and see more that one vehicle travelling in a group all doing roughly the same speed, and yoi get one reading well over the limit from one vehicle, then they are all speeding. That will stand the test in court if the officer gives clear evidence on what he saw. Have done that ticketing wise many times and been to court on it a couple times siccessfully. But many LEOs are either too lazy to reallg work their radar and laser units, or where asleep when they werd trained on them.

    But that was my former life. Now I'm on fixed income and have to buy my meat in the pet isle.
     
  13. A.M

    A.M Moderator Staff Member

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    I'll buy you some real meat with my survival kit (card). LOL

    Thank you for the info.
    I've read some interesting accounts of Canadian crossings, but I'm not concerned. In went in and out 4 times east and never had the issues.

    I best plan on not speeding. I signed up to receive some map packets from the websites listed. Thanks!

    I'm not sure I'm willing to spend the money on a GPS...still thinking on it.
     
  14. Jeff_Barrett

    Jeff_Barrett Member

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    I had a GPS (lost in the crash) and I rarely used it. I mostly use the map in my tank bag map pocket

    Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
     
  15. zoom-zoom

    zoom-zoom Member

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    Being a member of BCAA I can get free maps for all of BC. If you're interested, shoot me a PM and I can mail them to you before you head out.
     
  16. A.M

    A.M Moderator Staff Member

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    Thinking of weather...

    What is the best way to receive weather notifications across Western Canada?

    NOAA weather radio?
    AM/FM radio?
    Radio recommendations that would pick up the frequencies needed?
     
  17. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Are you taking a phone witb data? Is so weathernet.com or could be theweathernet.com.
     
  18. Jeff_Barrett

    Jeff_Barrett Member

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    I use weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca for all my weather reports ...
     
  19. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    My bad. Checked my bookmarks. It is actually theweathernetwork.com. Jeff's site is a good one too. You can see an animated satelite map on what is coming your way. Play around with that one at home before you head out.
     
  20. A.M

    A.M Moderator Staff Member

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    Awesome! Yes, I am taking a phone with data.
    I'm on the North America plan with my carrier so I should be automatically connected to networks when coverage is available.
    I'm anticipating no coverage though in parks where I'll be setting up camp. Is that the case? What would be the best route to take in that situation?
     
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