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[Eqcons]

My wife and me, and another couple, long time friends, plan to fly to Seattle, rent a couple HD Fly and Ride bikes, and head up to Canada.  We'll do a bit of the Northern US too, but I've been there lots of times before, and never been to Canada, so want to see as much as we can of that. 

I hope I'm correct in assuming that we will be able to take Fly and Ride bikes from Seattle into Canada! 
 
Plan is that we will have just over 2 weeks, and it'll either be from roughly the 18th June on, or the 16th July on. I'm finding that June flights are a lot cheaper than July ones, and wondering why!  Which is better for us to be there - weather and local holidays taken into account?
 
What are the "must see" things for us?  We have a *very* rough tentative idea for a general route, but not knowing the country, we might not be doing it right at all!  Very roughly, we thought something like the attached map (though I think we'll have to cut the Eastern bit shorter!)
 
Although it shows start and finish in Vancouver, it'll be Seattle instead, as we can't do the Fly and Ride anywhere else. (The numbers on the map don't represent anything - just points I stuck in to navigate to!)
 
Now as I say, it's Canada that we really want to see, so chopping chunks out of the US part in order to see more of Canada is not a problem!  But we're blundering around blindly, not knowing what are the "Must See" places.  Any advice?
 
Next question would be hotels - we need to budget, so what would be the approximate cost in C$ of a night in a decent (mid range, not high end - each will be only for a night!) hotel in Canada?
 
And fuel - I think in Canada they do it in litres, like us?  What's the current cost for unleaded, roughly?
 
Finally eating - what do you think it'll cost per head for lunch and dinner, again assuming decent fare, but nothing grand?  We have to budget carefully as the £ is worth slightly less than a sheet of toilet paper these days!
 
That's about it really - hoping some of you guys can give us some good advice!   

Jim

[geezerglide]

My wife and me, and another couple, long time friends, plan to fly to Seattle, rent a couple HD Fly and Ride bikes, and head up to Canada.  We'll do a bit of the Northern US too, but I've been there lots of times before, and never been to Canada, so want to see as much as we can of that. 

I hope I'm correct in assuming that we will be able to take Fly and Ride bikes from Seattle into Canada!    Check with the Rental Groups that they have all of the paperwork in order for you to bring bikes into the Canada and back into the US. Have passports etc with you.
 
Plan is that we will have just over 2 weeks, and it'll either be from roughly the 18th June on, or the 16th July on. I'm finding that June flights are a lot cheaper than July ones, and wondering why!  Which is better for us to be there - weather and local holidays taken into account?
 
What are the "must see" things for us?  We have a *very* rough tentative idea for a general route, but not knowing the country, we might not be doing it right at all!  Very roughly, we thought something like the attached map (though I think we'll have to cut the Eastern bit shorter!)
 
Although it shows start and finish in Vancouver, it'll be Seattle instead, as we can't do the Fly and Ride anywhere else. (The numbers on the map don't represent anything - just points I stuck in to navigate to!)
 
Now as I say, it's Canada that we really want to see, so chopping chunks out of the US part in order to see more of Canada is not a problem!  But we're blundering around blindly, not knowing what are the "Must See" places.  Any advice?
 
Next question would be hotels - we need to budget, so what would be the approximate cost in C$ of a night in a decent (mid range, not high end - each will be only for a night!) hotel in Canada?

Hotels, most expensive will be in Jasper Park, check with Beckers Bungalows opening May - October have Chalets for at  CDN $165 for two other larger chalets check their website www.beckerschalets.com also google jasper Accomodations

In Calgary, Kamloops, Vancouver (more expensive) all have Holiday Inns, Best Westerns etc. go online and check their rates and make reservations. Saskatoon and Regina same. Saskatchewan
 
And fuel - I think in Canada they do it in litres, like us?  What's the current cost for unleaded, roughly? Today Premium Gas is 96.9 cents a litre (92) octane.
 
Finally eating - what do you think it'll cost per head for lunch and dinner, again assuming decent fare, but nothing grand?  We have to budget carefully as the £ is worth slightly less than a sheet of toilet paper these days! Lunches will average CDN $12.00 - $16.00 Dinners CDN $24.00 - $30.00. Try and find Buffets. Local Beer is about CDN $4.50 - $5.00 Import Beers are about $6.00 - $8.00 highballs are from $5.00 to $7.50
 
That's about it really - hoping some of you guys can give us some good advice!    If I was not going to be at the SW Get Together. I would get together with you guys.

Jim

geezerglide

[Indenial]

Mid June may bring snow in Canadian Mountains. Not sure. Our Canadian friends should know best.

[BAKRDS]

Looks like geezerglide has you covered.Don't miss the Icefields Parkway.Don't have my maps with me.But think it,s in at least near Jasper Park.Also a nice German town South of it.

[BAKRDS]

Looks like geezerglide has you covered.Don't miss the Icefields Parkway.Don't have my maps with me.But think it,s in at least near Jasper Park.Also a nice German town South of it.

Memeorys not what it used to be.Icefields Parkway is From Banff to Jasper in Banff Park.German town we stayed in & ate in was Invermere.
Neat spot.Shared the sidewalk with a buck deer on the walk back to our room after dinner.

[Eqcons]

Thanks all!   Suggestions noted.  If anything else occurs to you, please post some more!

Particular thanks to Geezerglide - shame you won't be around when we are there, it would have been great to meet up!

We may yet fly to Calgary instead of Seattle, because of the bikes.  Although Fly and Ride is great, it turns out that (unlike elsewhere in the world!) the don't rent Ultra Classics in the US, only Classics.  We really want the CB etc., so really want Ultra Classics, so even though it's dearer, we may go for Authorised Rentals instead, to get a pair of Ultra Classics.  Need to work on that now....

Jim

[geezerglide]

Thanks all!   Suggestions noted.  If anything else occurs to you, please post some more!

Particular thanks to Geezerglide - shame you won't be around when we are there, it would have been great to meet up!

We may yet fly to Calgary instead of Seattle, because of the bikes.  Although Fly and Ride is great, it turns out that (unlike elsewhere in the world!) the don't rent Ultra Classics in the US, only Classics.  We really want the CB etc., so really want Ultra Classics, so even though it's dearer, we may go for Authorised Rentals instead, to get a pair of Ultra Classics.  Need to work on that now....

Jim

If you fly into Calgary you have two dealers to check out HDrentals Kanes HD (403-269-8577) close to city centre and Southern Alberta HD (403-398-3636) do not know f they rent ULTRAs.

geezerglide

[Eqcons]

If you fly into Calgary you have two dealers to check out HDrentals Kanes HD (403-269-8577) close to city centre and Southern Alberta HD (403-398-3636) do not know f they rent ULTRAs.

geezerglide

The only one that seems to is Gasoline Alley Harley - I've emailed them, though they've not responded yet.  However, I've had a great reply to an email asking about Ultras from Sound Harley, just north of Seattle, and they have a couple of Ultra Limteds :-)

Jim

[geezerglide]

The only one that seems to is Gasoline Alley Harley - I've emailed them, though they've not responded yet.  However, I've had a great reply to an email asking about Ultras from Sound Harley, just north of Seattle, and they have a couple of Ultra Limteds :-)

Jim

Jim,

Gasoline Alley is 140 kms north of Calgary, halfway between Calgary and Edmonton. They are great group of guys. You probably rent a car from Enterprse or others and simply drop off in REd Deer. If you rent in Red Deer simply go west to Saskatchewan Crossing to Columbia Icefiels Parkway then North to Jasper. From their you can head over to British Columbia south to Kamloops. You are not missing much if you bypass Edmonton.

If you rent is Seattle, wo they have paperwork to allow you into Canada and then back into the US. Basically what you will be doing is importing a bike into Canada and then reimportng into the US.

Leo

[Grizzly]

Sounds like a wonderful trip and I'm sure you'll enjoy yourselves.

With all due respect to our Prairie friends, (unless you have a reason to go there) I would stick to western Alberta and British Columbia and pass on the long trip through Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

Your map doesn't appear to include Glazier National Park in Montana which is a must and I would include northern Utah over to Oregon up the coast into Washington, then take the ferry over to Victoria and spend some time touring Vancouver Island.  Think about doing the States first and then head to Canada and hopefully your weather will be good.  I've traveled out there in September a few times and the weather was fabulous, so you should be good in June.  Although it can be hit & miss.

The scenery is far more impressive in previously mentioned areas listed above than in the Canadian Prairies and the Dakotas, withthe exception of seeing Crazy Horse & Mt. Rushmore, Devil's Tower and Cody Wyoming... Just saying.
Two roads that are a definite are Beartooth Highway coming out of the n/e corner of Yellowstone and along the Trans Canada Highway from Spence Bridge, B.C. south down through the Frasier River Valley... Awesome roads!  And don't forget Crow's Nest Pass & Kelowna!

JMHO.

[Eqcons]

Thanks Geezerglide & Grizzly.  We've redone the (still rough) route, and I've saved it on the HD Ride Planner site as "Canada 2" - a public ride - dunno how you find public rides though!  Would you care to have a look at the attached map, if you can't see the public ride, and let me know what you think?  It's currently just short of 4000 miles - we only have 16 days, so need to cut it down a bit from that.

[Grizzly]

I still think you would enjoy going south along the Oregon coast, checking out the redwoods near Eugene then head for Reno (Biggest Little City in the World) and Route 50 - Loneliest Road in America, going through Rocky Mountain National Park and coming out in Loveland, CO where one of my absolute favourite H-D dealers are located.  Continue north heading for Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse etc. then back west to Cody doing Big Chief Joseph Highway and Beartooth Pass.  Continue west into Yellowstone N.P. then north again to Glacier doing The Road to the Sun and up through Calgary to Banff N.P. After that head west for Spences Bridge and down to Chilliwack, check out Whistler (home of the 2010 Winter Olympics) catch the ferry over to Nanaimo, go out to Tufino (great roads) and back south to Victoria (beautiful city) catching the ferry to Port Angeles and back into Seattle.

I've made a map up, but I have never tried to attach to a thread... Hope it works, and if it doesn't come through possibly I could email it to you.

You know, half the fun is in the planning!  Enjoy!

Just so you know, this one is just under 5,000 miles.

[smiley1049]

I don't know how much you want to deviate from your trip but I would not take I90 through idaho and Washington There is nothing to really see if you can look at the map and come down from Canada to Kallispell MT and stay North take hyway 2 West to Washington and take the north cascade highway back to interstate 5 you would see some of the best country you will ever see.

[Eqcons]

I still think you would enjoy going south along the Oregon coast, checking out the redwoods near Eugene then head for Reno (Biggest Little City in the World) and Route 50 - Loneliest Road in America, going through Rocky Mountain National Park and coming out in Loveland, CO where one of my absolute favourite H-D dealers are located.  Continue north heading for Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse etc. then back west to Cody doing Big Chief Joseph Highway and Beartooth Pass.  Continue west into Yellowstone N.P. then north again to Glacier doing The Road to the Sun and up through Calgary to Banff N.P. After that head west for Spences Bridge and down to Chilliwack, check out Whistler (home of the 2010 Winter Olympics) catch the ferry over to Nanaimo, go out to Tufino (great roads) and back south to Victoria (beautiful city) catching the ferry to Port Angeles and back into Seattle.

I've made a map up, but I have never tried to attach to a thread... Hope it works, and if it doesn't come through possibly I could email it to you.

You know, half the fun is in the planning!  Enjoy!

Just so you know, this one is just under 5,000 miles.

Thanks Grizzly - that looks great.  Too far for us at 5000-ish miles though I think.  That sort of mileage in a fortnight is fine with my friend and I, but I suspect our BSRs might get a bit vocal on the subject! 

I've printed it out and we can look at incorporating some of it at least though.

I don't want to try to put too much into this one trip, so that we see a lot, just passing through, with no time to stop and enjoy anything though.  Main emphasis on this trip has to be Canada, as I've never set foot in Canada, but been to the US lots of times, so if we're having to shorten any part, it needs to be the US part, as I want to see as much of Canada as I can - might never make it there again....

Jim

[Eqcons]

I don't know how much you want to deviate from your trip but I would not take I90 through idaho and Washington There is nothing to really see if you can look at the map and come down from Canada to Kallispell MT and stay North take hyway 2 West to Washington and take the north cascade highway back to interstate 5 you would see some of the best country you will ever see.

Thanks Smiley  - happy to deviate as much as required to make this the trip of a lifetime, so will modify accordingly.  We need to try to trim the mileage a tad for the BSRs - need to get it below 3500 if we can, as experience tells us that's about as much as they can handle in a fortnight, and still be on speaking terms with us at the end!