A super-sized roads meet, a chance to meet with fellow roads enthusiasts from both sides of the border. Tours of the improvements on I-94 in Michigan and Hwy 402 in Ontario, plus other highlights on each side.
Depending on participant interest, the event will be set up with two tours, so anyone unable to attend both segments will not miss out.
Hope to see as many of you there as possible!
I'm saying "maybe." August is iffy for me right now. My wife will be gone for much of the month and I'll be on critter-sitting duty.
If I do come, I will be good for the USA portion only, as I do not have a passport.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 27, 2012, 07:06:58 PM
If I do come, I will be good for the USA portion only, as I do not have a passport.
Dude, that shocks me.
I don't know about the Commonwealth, but over here, most government employees (I didn't do it personally) get their boss to send them to some seminar in the Great White North and the state pops for the passport (which is then, of course, good for 10 years).
I'd normally be up for a meet north of the border, but I plan a long road trip to your Arctic territories (minus roadless Nunavut) and Alaska. Odds are I'll still be on the other side of the continent on August 11 (or any other weekend through Labour Day).
Maybe some other Canada meet later in the year? Ottawa was under discussion, which would let me do some Autoroute-snagging if the timing is right.
Quote from: SP Cook on May 27, 2012, 07:13:23 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 27, 2012, 07:06:58 PM
If I do come, I will be good for the USA portion only, as I do not have a passport.
Dude, that shocks me.
I don't know about the Commonwealth, but over here, most government employees (I didn't do it personally) get their boss to send them to some seminar in the Great White North and the state pops for the passport (which is then, of course, good for 10 years).
I had a passport photo taken a few years ago but that's as far as I got with it. I probably have time to get one by August, though.
Farthest they've ever let me go is Louisville, and they wouldn't even do that last year when there was something that I was actually wanting to and willing to go to Louisville for. (Takes a lot to actually make me want to attend something in one of the downtown venues there). I wanted to go to SASHTO and my boss was all for it, but the bigshots in Frankfort were tight with the permission slips and I didn't get one.
A maybe for me. That would allow me to finish clinching 401, 402, and potentially 407 (and use my 50 free kilometres thing). The issue is time, mostly.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 27, 2012, 07:06:58 PM
If I do come, I will be good for the USA portion only, as I do not have a passport.
If you can get a passport, or a less-expensive alternative like a passport card good for land crossings into Canada and back, you can use the meet to start snagging counties in Canada. Sarnia would give you one, and if you return to the U.S. via Windsor and Detroit, you'd pick up a second.
I have a full-fledged passport, which is overkill for my Canadian road-tripping, but was needed for a short trip to Europe last year. Less expensive options for travel within North America have been discussed at length elsewhere in this forum.
I am going to be working soon on the Passport Card issue I have at the moment because I want and likely will, attend this meet.
Quote from: oscar on May 28, 2012, 09:46:15 PM
If you can get a passport, or a less-expensive alternative like a passport card good for land crossings into Canada and back, you can use the meet to start snagging counties in Canada. Sarnia would give you one, and if you return to the U.S. via Windsor and Detroit, you'd pick up a second.
He'd pick up at least four according to mob-rule, since that seems to consider separated municipalities (such as Windsor) different from their surrounding counties. (If you go from Sarnia to Windsor the most direct way, you'll pass through Lambton County, the single-tier municipality of Chatham-Kent, Essex County, and the city of Windsor.)
I RSVP'ed on Facebook as a maybe. I am interested in attending, but this summer for me is getting to be pretty jam-packed. It's looking like Michael Koerner's Green Bay meet might be scheduled for August 4 (based on who voted so far in his poll). I'm not committing to that meet either, but I have to admit ... between this meet and the Green Bay meet, I am more interested in this one. I will not attend both.
I may end up going to this meet instead of Green Bay. I do have a passport and would consider participating in both the American and Canadian sides of the tour. Sounds like fun!
Count me now as doubtful. My wife is going to be gone for about two weeks in August, and this meet is right up against the time she'd be leaving.
Can I have a link to the meet's facebook page, assuming it does exist?
This was on my radar at one point, but as fate would have it I'm going to be going to Detroit only a couple weeks prior, so making the trip for this would be awfully repetitive and I shan't be doing so. Besides, I have something else (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=6698) to burn my vacation days on instead.
Question ... how will we handle the border crossing? We will of course have our passports with us, but what will the Customs agent say if he sees a car or two full of roadgeeks that don't have any luggage?
What would we say is our reason for visiting the other country without looking suspicious?
I have to admit that I'm a little creeped out by doing roadgeeking that crosses the international border. I will probably participate but I will be nervous as hell during the interrogation. LOL
I wonder about customs and roadgeeking myself. I used the "visiting friends" excuse for the Montreal mini-meet and got referred to immigration... the customs agent seemed very unhappy that my trunk was mostly empty, though it also could have been the fact that it was my first time crossing on my own (and therefore dealing with customs... until 2007, I thought of the border checkpoints and glorified toll booths!), that my car is registered to Mom (it never seemed important to transfer the registration before), that I wasn't staying over night (never do for roadmeets at this point; lodging is expensive when you have little income), that my iTrip was on (though the radio volume was muted; does the radio transmission raise suspicions?), or that my last trip before that was three years ago when my AP Government and Politics class visited Ottawa (Canadian customs never bothered to even look at our passports, so there may have been no record of the trip when I was asked about it by the customs officer). Also, the visiting friends reason might not work any more; invariably, the follow-up questions from customs led to me having to explain what a roadgeek is.
The OP did say two tours, so you might be on your own as far as the crossing goes.
I just noticed in Google that Port Huron is a lot closer to Rochester than I thought it was (note: Google routes through Canada). Still outside of my range though (10 hour drive round trip).
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on June 01, 2012, 12:32:10 PM
Question ... how will we handle the border crossing? We will of course have our passports with us, but what will the Customs agent say if he sees a car or two full of roadgeeks that don't have any luggage?
What would we say is our reason for visiting the other country without looking suspicious?
I have to admit that I'm a little creeped out by doing roadgeeking that crosses the international border. I will probably participate but I will be nervous as hell during the interrogation. LOL
Shopping trip, entertainment. Port Huron and Sarnia, Detroit and Windsor, and Sault Sainte Marie and Sault Sainte Marie have a lot of cross-border trips for shopping, entertainment, etc. If crossing at Windsor, just claim you're going to the Windsor Ballet. Customs will believe a car full of guys doing that. :bigass:
I am careful with my paperwork. I have a passport, my DL, and I always get my agent to issue me one of those "your insurance is good in Canada" cards. Crossed the border lots of times, never an issue.
Until, one time I decided to do a road trip for no reason. Went up through New England, to Portland and took the overnight ferry (since closed) to Nova Scotia. Got there at like 6 AM. Long line at the dock. Had my stuff ready. Border guard asked me what I was doing and where I was going. Said I was just on an auto tour and wanted to visit each of the provences. He slapped a orange sticker on my windshield and told me to go over to this female colegue. She spent a half hour looking for stuff, all the time pretending to make small talk, but really trying to trip me up. I just stuck to my (true) story that I am just a nerdy guy who likes to drive around and see stuff I have not seen before. She finally gave up (there was nothing to find), stamped some kind of code number in my passport (normally you don't even get an entry stamp for Canada) and asked me if I wanted directions.
Probably should have told them I was going to a particular place, like "visiting friends" or whatever.
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on June 01, 2012, 12:32:10 PM
Question ... how will we handle the border crossing? We will of course have our passports with us, but what will the Customs agent say if he sees a car or two full of roadgeeks that don't have any luggage?
What would we say is our reason for visiting the other country without looking suspicious?
I have to admit that I'm a little creeped out by doing roadgeeking that crosses the international border. I will probably participate but I will be nervous as hell during the interrogation. LOL
I wondered how long it would to for you (yes, specifically you) to ask this. :bigass:
I'm heavily thinking of booking a room somewhere on the other side of the border anyway. As usual, I'm open to having roomies. As far as logistics for the touring goes, it could be best if all the people sharing my room cross the border in the same vehicle, although it certainly wouldn't be required (having my party together before those who cross back would be, obviously). Hopefully the tour itinerary will get posted in the coming weeks, as where it goes through in Ontario will likely affect where I want to book and see the following day.
Quote from: rawmustard on June 02, 2012, 09:35:04 AM
I'm heavily thinking of booking a room somewhere on the other side of the border anyway. As usual, I'm open to having roomies. As far as logistics for the touring goes, it could be best if all the people sharing my room cross the border in the same vehicle, although it certainly wouldn't be required (having my party together before those who cross back would be, obviously). Hopefully the tour itinerary will get posted in the coming weeks, as where it goes through in Ontario will likely affect where I want to book and see the following day.
Sounds good to me. I'd be open to staying overnight somewhere in the Sarnia area.
If I do go, I'll most definitely need lodging too, and I'll be happy to share a room with whoever.
Regarding the crossing, I fully expect the "How do you guys know each other?" question to come up, as it has many times during trips organized on other non-roadgeek forums I'm part of.
Yeah, that's the part I always get tripped on. For Canada I gave the answer that we met on an internet forum. The regular customs officer wanted to know if we had met in person before (no), and immigration wanted me to tell them about AA roads (writing everything down on a piece of paper). For US I said we share a hobby which led straight to explaining roadgeeks.
I think I'm too honest for my own good. The only way to win seems to be to lie.
Don't worry about the border. I cross often enough that it was worth it for me to get a Nexus card. For a typical person crossing the border, they're looking to make sure you're not bringing in anything you shouldn't (drugs, firearms, etc).
Anyway, depending on how this all goes we'll see how we divvy up the car occupants. If you're concerned with that, then ride with someone who's familiar with that sort of stuff.
And if you are talking to a customs agent, just be polite, directly answer their questions, and you'll be on your way in no time. It's not a big deal at all.
For customs, don't volunteer any additional information - EVER. Just answer their questions, tourism usually works well as an answer for the "why you are here".
For those who haven't already seen the event update on Facebook and not knowing when the OP might be updated, lunch is at Quay Street Brewing Company (http://quaybrewing.com), 330 Quay St, Port Huron, MI (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=330+Quay+Street,+Port+Huron,+MI&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.357162,63.017578&oq=330+Quay+Street,+Port+&hnear=330+Quay+St,+Port+Huron,+St+Clair,+Michigan+48060&t=m&z=16). (It's just to the northeast of where the business loops cross the Black River. Also note that according to the website, lunch service starts at 11:30.)
I still can't find the facebook event for the meet.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on July 05, 2012, 11:31:54 PM
I still can't find the facebook event for the meet.
This is the event page link that I have.
https://www.facebook.com/events/104898526317485/ (https://www.facebook.com/events/104898526317485/)
Is it visible to the public? It redirects me to my "upcoming events" page, and when I follow the link in a browser that is not logged into facebook, it asks me to log in.
It may be private. Nothing has been said there that hasn't been said here. If you haven't met Chris or Dan they probably didn't know to invite you
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on July 05, 2012, 11:31:54 PM
I still can't find the facebook event for the meet.
Someone who is a common friend of you and the organizer can invite you. (I'd invite you but I'm not a common friend with the organizer and you :P). However I think you can crash *cough* invite yourself it if it's public (I doubt it) - https://www.facebook.com/events/104898526317485/
This Facebook event discussion highlights the need for meets to be broadcasted on many forums instead of being narrowcasted in only one place.
I'm free that weekend, and it's striking distance, but I've already seen the US side. Anyway, since I was invited, I'll be happy to pass along the information to anyone who I trust. You'll have to ask me personally, though, I'm not blabbing details here.
Quote from: hbelkins on July 12, 2012, 11:27:20 AM
This Facebook event discussion highlights the need for meets to be broadcasted on many forums instead of being narrowcasted in only one place.
It would help also if Facebook events pages were set to be "public" (as I understand is an option), that is accessible on a read-only basis to those of us who refuse to join Facebook. Also putting the relevant info here is usually good enough for me, but if the Facebook page isn't public and contains content not posted here, that leaves non-Facebook users out in the cold to some extent.
This is a generic gripe rather than one focused on this event, since I have a double schedule conflict that weekend (if I'm not still out west, I'll be at a music festival in West Virginia).
The problem with public events is that trolls will often spam themselves in and post a lot of crap.
I guess this meet is invite-only. A bit far for me anyways.
Quote from: deanej on July 13, 2012, 04:41:44 PM
I guess this meet is invite-only. A bit far for me anyways.
I thought all of us on the AARoads forum were invited, per the top message in this thread. Isn't the "invite" business just limited to the Facebook events page?
That's kinda where the details of the meet are advertised (unless you PM Steve); I assume the RSVP is all there too since nothing was posted here on that subject.
Cheese with your wine?
If you want to go, then say your going to go here and stop bitching about it. This conversation line certainly doesn't make me want to attend.
It's a bit far for me in any case (nearly five hours from Rochester, not including customs; the route through the US is eight), but I'm trying (and obviously failing) to make the point that event details should be posted in more than one place.
In the sake of full disclosure, it was:
http://finance.dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/ontroads/message/21100
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/greatlakesroads/message/16795
Quote from: oscar on July 13, 2012, 07:50:21 PM
Quote from: deanej on July 13, 2012, 04:41:44 PM
I guess this meet is invite-only. A bit far for me anyways.
I thought all of us on the AARoads forum were invited, per the top message in this thread. Isn't the "invite" business just limited to the Facebook events page?
That was always my assumption when it is posted here on AA Roads. Between AA Roads and Facebook, that covers most folks. The Facebook count, IMHO, is just to get an estimate of the number of people coming to an event.
Hey everyone - It's been a long time, work and other obligations in recent months have kept me extremely busy, but I'm ready to get back into the swing of things here, and on the roads web. (Stay tuned in the coming weeks.)
For the Facebook question, the event page as an invite-only event. I have just converted it to public, so hopefully the link above will now work. (I usually create the meet pages through the GribbleNation page.) Obviously, anyone and everyone who is able to make the trip, we hope you'll head up for it!
If possible, please try to RSVP by Friday, 8/10, so we can have a proper headcount for the Quay Street Brewing Company. The tour is going to be set up such that we will tour the U.S. side first, check back in at Quay Street Brewing for those who are only doing the U.S. portion, and then from there Chris will take the lead as the tour heads into Sarnia.
As far as getting a headcount goes, please also let us know if you're planning on which leg you're doing- ONLY USA, ONLY Canada, or BOTH legs.
That is so when I plan the second half I can best accommodate the group.
Thanks, hope to see as many of you there as possible!
Can we also make sure the group photo is on the US Side?
Quote from: Roadgeek Adam on July 20, 2012, 12:00:26 AM
Can we also make sure the group photo is on the US Side?
One on each side would seem to make the most sense.
Quote from: Steve on July 20, 2012, 12:29:46 AM
Quote from: Roadgeek Adam on July 20, 2012, 12:00:26 AM
Can we also make sure the group photo is on the US Side?
One on each side would seem to make the most sense.
Yes, the taking of multiple photos is permitted at this meet. :-D
Quote from: cbeach40 on July 19, 2012, 11:32:14 PMAs far as getting a headcount goes, please also let us know if you're planning on which leg you're doing- ONLY USA, ONLY Canada, or BOTH legs.
Both legs, unamputated meet here.
Quote from: cbeach40 on July 19, 2012, 11:32:14 PM
As far as getting a headcount goes, please also let us know if you're planning on which leg you're doing- ONLY USA, ONLY Canada, or BOTH legs.
That is so when I plan the second half I can best accommodate the group.
Considering I'm overnighting in Chatham-Kent, I'm planning on both tours of course.
Quote from: rawmustard on July 23, 2012, 12:09:56 PM
Considering I'm overnighting in Chatham-Kent, I'm planning on both tours of course.
Me too. I'll be joining both tours.
I believe at this point I may be US only unless passport cards are quick (no I still haven't applied yet.)
ATTN: those attending only the Ontario portion
The Ontario half of the meet will start around 3:30, once the attendees have finished up on the Michigan side and made their way across the border.
I suggest meeting at the Tim Hortons on London Line, just east of Highway 40.
http://goo.gl/maps/AO1Wd
Please note that due to construction, access via Airport Road will likely be closed, so proceeding via Highway 40 is probably your best bet.
Unlike the typical meet, where we lunch and then tour, given the later start time we'll just do a smaller meet and greet, then proceed to the tour. When that concludes we can have a more leisurely meeting at a local restaurant.
Anyway, should be a good tour around the area, on both sides of the St. Clair River. Hope to see as many of you there as possible!
I am almost certain to be there for the US part.
I haven't the necessary documents to re-enter.
Even if I did, I would miss the Canada segment.
I must be back in Hastings by 6PM for a social function.
I'm aiming to be in the Quay Street parking lot by 11 AM or so.
--
Brian Reynolds
Hastings Michigan
Quote from: brianreynolds on August 09, 2012, 08:53:27 PM
I am almost certain to be there for the US part.
I haven't the necessary documents to re-enter.
Even if I did, I would miss the Canada segment.
I must be back in Hastings by 6PM for a social function.
I'm aiming to be in the Quay Street parking lot by 11 AM or so.
--
Brian Reynolds
Hastings Michigan
Actually, since you have a Michigan Driver's License, you do have the necessary documents as that is an enhanced driver's license. I believe the Illinois one is as well, IIRC.
Michigan and Illinois only offer enhanced licenses? In NY, you have to pay extra and show two proofs of residency (and citizenship, though that's required when first getting a licence but not renewal).
Quote from: Brandon on August 09, 2012, 10:13:58 PM
Actually, since you have a Michigan Driver's License, you do have the necessary documents as that is an enhanced driver's license. I believe the Illinois one is as well, IIRC.
Is this correct? I actually think that, in Michigan, having a regular driver's license is not enough. You have to apply separately for an enhanced driver's license, unless something changed in the past couple years.
I guess I'll find out soon enough because my license is up for renewal by September 1. I don't have an enhanced driver's license now, so I will of course be using my passport this weekend.
Michigan offers an enhanced license, but it isn't the default. I applied for one when they came out since my license was up for renewal that year anyway and I wasn't planning any trips which require a full-fledged passport. If you already have a valid passport or passport card, getting an enhanced license would be superfluous (although those documents are sufficient to prove citizenship if applying for one).
Another advantage is with an enhanced license is the convenience of not having to worry about remembering your passport, or having an extra thing to carry around with you when you're away.
My Nexus card stays with me whenever I'm out and about, and there have been plenty of times where I have made an impromptu trip across the border that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.
But yes, a reminder again to everyone, bring whatever appropriate documentation you have if you're planning on traversing the border tomorrow!
I got an enhanced licence even though I have a passport; I have my reasons for that (which Canadians in my situation are even more conscious of, as it's one of the only areas where the US is more liberal than Canada, at least right now).
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-prn1%2F533160_308987415866846_614443146_n.jpg&hash=b19c40d08847dfd5c96dd82b0ec8330efa87d723)
This is my group photo (one of 4 taken).
From left to right: Adrian Leskiw (MI), Brian Rawson-Ketchum (MI), AJ Bertin (MI), Sam Scholtens (MI), Brian Reynolds (MI), Chris Beach (ON), Howard Goldman (MI-holding the Send Help sign), Dan Garnell (MI), Carl Tessier (QC), Brandon Gorte (IL), Adam Moss (myself, NJ).
My group photos, one taken at the same place as Adam's.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi837.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz298%2Fmidamcrossrds%2F100_2484.jpg&hash=19cd6d65cc19cd16295153bb65f1bd8339100d24)
And then, across the river.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi837.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz298%2Fmidamcrossrds%2F100_2520.jpg&hash=e4ae03db83861eeb512abbbd6df1be77aa02b149)
Just for fun, Dan Garnell showing us the ever-so-rare "BEGIN" sign.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi837.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz298%2Fmidamcrossrds%2F100_2493.jpg&hash=c46a9404194c466783cb99e2dc1d3d8211afb54f)
And remember, if you drive...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi837.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz298%2Fmidamcrossrds%2F100_2509.jpg&hash=83215a9d7581069c0e58330a0e39c3a93134a977)
Did you guys actually end up crossing the border together piled into a few cars? How'd that work out?
I'm curious about how you decided to explain a road meet tour to customs as well. Should be interesting.
The one time we did a multi-car trip to Canada for an Honors trip the lead car just mentioned that there were multiple cars. The rest of us just got "where do you all live" "where are you going" "how long will you be in Canada" and "are you with the other car".
Quote from: Duke87 on August 12, 2012, 09:45:00 PM
Did you guys actually end up crossing the border together piled into a few cars? How'd that work out?
Sam and I carpooled as we were returning to Michigan that day. We split the toll as the bridge is tolled each way (no EZ-Pass). AJ and Brian (R-K) went together as they were spending more time in Ontario. Chris, Adrian, and Carl each went over separately. Carl apparently had a bit of fun with the Canadian border guard by using French. :-D They're supposed to be bilingual in some lanes.
Quote from: deanej on August 12, 2012, 10:20:36 PM
I'm curious about how you decided to explain a road meet tour to customs as well. Should be interesting.
The one time we did a multi-car trip to Canada for an Honors trip the lead car just mentioned that there were multiple cars. The rest of us just got "where do you all live" "where are you going" "how long will you be in Canada" and "are you with the other car".
Sam and I got asked where we were from, where we were going, how long were going to stay, and who we were seeing in Canada. No questions about firearms, oddly enough. Into the US, we got asked where we were from, how we knew each other, if we bought anything, how long we stayed, and she went a bit more in depth on me. She asked if the car was mine (yes), and why a person from Illinois would drive all that way to spend a day in Sarnia. She asked what time I left (5:30 central), and seemed not to understand that one would drive to the far side of Michigan for the day (something I've done very often to see family for visit places like Greenfield Village).
I had the Nexus lane, so cheating a bit.
"What were you there for?"
"Lunch with friends"
"Bringing anything back?"
"Nope"
"Go ahead"
:D
For A.J. and me, the Canadian Customs officer asked where we were from, where we were going, how we knew everyone else (which A.J. answered well), if we had firearms, and then she sent us on our way. Coming back the next day, the U.S. officer asked where we were from, what we did while in Canada, how long we were there (at that point pretty close to 24 hours), if we bought anything, and then sent us on our way.
As for the trip itself, it went very well. After the meet, we did a Highway 40 clinch. The interesting thing to note about that was between Wallaceburg and Chatham there were several bridge reconstructions with temporary signals. If there was a private driveway close enough, that approach got signal faces with a NO RIGHT TURN ON RED symbol sign (hence my tweet about feeling a little sorry for those residents). That made me wonder whether those residents were forced to pay for their approaches of the signals by the MTO. (In Michigan, signals are typically paid for in this fashion.)
The next morning, A.J. and I headed up to London mostly via local roads, first doing a loop through St. Thomas so he could see the Super 2 there (which I had previously driven at dusk). Doubling back through downtown St. Thomas, we caught Wellington Road and took that up to London, jogging over to Highbury Avenue to see that brief freeway (likely a quicker way into town than just driving in on Wellington). We parked in downtown London and walked around for a bit before leaving town via Fanshawe Park Road, which becomes Middlesex and Lambton counties 22. That route was taken back to Sarnia, where we lunched at a Swiss Chalet before heading back into Michigan. I ended up finishing the part of Old M-21 I didn't yet have from Port Huron to Lapeer before heading down to I-69 and taking that back to A.J.'s car.
Quote from: cbeach40 on August 13, 2012, 12:32:33 AM
I had the Nexus lane, so cheating a bit.
"What were you there for?"
"Lunch with friends"
"Bringing anything back?"
"Nope"
"Go ahead"
:D
what is the difference between Nexus and Sentri?
I was there for the Canadian side. Pretty fun stuff... never done anything like this before.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 13, 2012, 10:36:53 AM
Quote from: cbeach40 on August 13, 2012, 12:32:33 AM
I had the Nexus lane, so cheating a bit.
"What were you there for?"
"Lunch with friends"
"Bringing anything back?"
"Nope"
"Go ahead"
:D
what is the difference between Nexus and Sentri?
One's with Canada and the other's with Mexico. That's the only difference I can think of. There might be lower requirements for Sentri too though, since Canada has stricter entry requirements than Mexico does (at least for the border zone).
Quote from: haljackey on August 13, 2012, 01:24:09 PM
I was there for the Canadian side. Pretty fun stuff... never done anything like this before.
Just curious, did anyone get a group photo over on the Canadian side?
Yes, we have a group photo on the Canadian side.
I only got the routine questions when I crossed into the States. Citizenship, where, how long, go.
Like Brandon said, I enforced the official language law at the Canadian customs, hoping the guy wouldn't want to bother too much with trying to speak French; An odd strategy that has proven to work with some of my friends, but I still got asked about 6-7 questions (citizenship, where I live, how long I've been there, firearms, alcohol/tobacco/drugs, and WHY). Emphasis on the "why" because I got a comment in the form of "it's quite unusual that someone from Québec specifically goes to Port Huron". All in a slow and slightly broken French that reminded me of Stephen Harper's (considering the region, I'm not sure whether it's a good or a bad thing) I just said I had friends in the area and that were meeting up there.
On the way back from the meet, I drove on old Highway 21 (now the Oil Heritage Highway) from Highway 402 to Highway 401 (where Rawmustard, A.J. and I spent the night). I drove around and took photos in and around Petrolia, Enniskillen and Oil Springs. The first commercial oil well in North America was drilled there, back in the 1800s. Unfortunately, the museums and historic sites were already closed for the day.
On Sunday, on the way back home, I stopped at St. Thomas to visit their old – and huge, considering the size of the town – railway station and their old locomotive repair shop, both of which have been converted to museums (and office space). The town was located on the Canada Southern Railway (an American company despite the name) halfway between Detroit and Buffalo, so in the end it became a very important junction serving several large cities and over 100 passenger and freight trains per day, hence the station's large size and their huge railway complex with a roundhouse with over 20 (if not 30) stalls. Now everything except the station, repair shop and tower has been torn down, has burned, or has otherwise disappeared, including most of the yard trackage. The station is somewhat impressive and the museum has a very nice collection for its size. Also, there's the life size statue of Jumbo the Elephant, a circus elephant that was killed by a locomotive in the town's classification yard, and which inspired the current use of the word to mean something that is huge.
I made it home around 7:15 PM, doing the rest of the drive on Hwy 401, Hwy 403, 407 ETR (full clinch), RR 1 (Brock Street), Hwy 401, then the usual 20-201-132.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on August 13, 2012, 03:43:53 PM
Like Brandon said, I enforced the official language law at the Canadian customs, hoping the guy wouldn't want to bother too much with trying to speak French
I wonder how this works at a port of entry that does not have a French speaker on duty. I can imagine some of the more remote ones (say, Stewart, BC) might not be able to hire French speakers from among the local populace.
or do they just find someone in Quebec and tempt him with the promise of adventure, paid room and board, his very own pet bear, and a whole lot of additional beaver pelts beyond that, just if he agrees to move to sunny Yukon?
I have been wondering too, but I haven't found out yet.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on August 13, 2012, 03:43:53 PM
Canada Southern Railway (an American company despite the name)
Specifically part of the New York Central Railroad, forming a cutoff between Buffalo and Detroit. But it was a Canadian company, just controlled by American companies for most of its life, like the Soo Line has long been part of the Canadian Pacific.
That's right NE2, thanks. In fact, its headquarters were in St. Thomas.
Quote from: DanTheMan414 on August 13, 2012, 02:37:29 PM
Quote from: haljackey on August 13, 2012, 01:24:09 PM
I was there for the Canadian side. Pretty fun stuff... never done anything like this before.
Just curious, did anyone get a group photo over on the Canadian side?
Look at my post above, Dan, second photo down.
I had such a great time on this meet. Brian summed up our experience very well. He met me in Lansing where I left my car. Our drive from Lansing to Port Huron was a breeze. We arrived in Port Huron around 10:45 or so, so we had plenty of time to see some things before going to Quay Street Brewing Company. On BL-94, we took pictures of the BL-69 signs with the directional tabs being backward. We also had a chance to walk around downtown Port Huron a bit.
After lunch, we battled some heavy rains for a while. The downpouring of rain came and went in spurts. When we were in the area under the bridge on the Port Huron side, I kept running in and out of Brian Reynolds' car to avoid the rain and then get out when the rain subsided. Despite all that, we all got pretty wet. Eventually, when it was time for the U.S.-only tour participants to leave, we went back to the restaurant where it was still raining very hard. Brian R-K and I had to stop for gas and then knew we needed to stop on the Canadian side and exchange currency before joining everyone at Tim Hortons. It took us close to a half hour to cross the bridge and get through Customs. Brian described our Customs experience well. I was surprised by how many questions the Canadian Customs agent was asking. (It was easier getting back into the U.S. on Sunday surprisingly enough!)
The Canadian side of the tour, led by Chris Beach, was great. We drove through downtown Sarnia and spent some time hanging out under the Bridge in Point Edward. (It had never occurred to me that there's a municipality separate from Sarnia on that side of the bridge.) The rain was pretty much gone by the time we crossed into Canada. The rain could not get through Customs! LOL
The rest of the drive down to our motel in Ridgetown (along Highway 40) was nice. I also enjoyed our tour on Sunday of the St. Thomas and London areas. All in all, it was a great time. Great people, and I believe I may have now gotten over my apprehension of crossing the border. :)
I often joke about how "there's no weather in Canada" when looking at weather maps because everything just
ends at the border, though I've actually seen snow storms that end on a county line or the Thruway before. Strange how weather follows roads and political boundaries.
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on August 14, 2012, 12:07:23 PM
I was surprised by how many questions the Canadian Customs agent was asking. (It was easier getting back into the U.S. on Sunday surprisingly enough!)
I suspect they do that if something doesn't look like ordinary tourism. When I went to Montriel for the mini-meet with AsphaltPlanet, I got a zillion questions and even sent to secondary; a couple months later when Honors went to Ottawa, we were practically waved through.
Never had an issue coming back; closest was going back to the US after a high school trip to Ottawa that took a long time, but that was because they were looking through each passport (or DL + birth certificate; this trip pre-dated the passport requirement, and I suspect matching DLs to birth certificates took a while) and one person was a dual citizen between South Africa and Poland. Not sure if I'm just lucky or if Dad and I just know how to talk to the US border guards (Dad's also the only person I've heard of who flies a lot to never have an issue with the TSA), but the other Honors students in the van I was driving were amazed at how fast we sailed through US customs.