RE: What if you don't have a front License Plate?
In a similar vein, and with a touch of the ridiculous, once ran into a young Canadian group of travelers a thousand km into Mexico who had apparently taken the taken license plate issue to heart, added a bit of computer expertise and arrived at displaying two plates that had the outward appearance of being bonafide B.C. plates. On a second look, though, they were just very good copies of those plates. I didn't ask how they made them.
Since British Columbia rear plates are the location for the placement of two important insurance decals, and driving there is against the law without current ones on that plate, they had gone the extra mile to protect both.
For two years my tow bar had obsured the front plate and it was kept inside the car. But we were eventually pulled over by the RCMP. The officer was a bit taken aback when we produced it immediately when asked from under a floor mat. He wrote us out a fix-it slip and we again drive with two plates, the front one still invisible from one side of the road.
RE: What if you don't have a front License Plate?
If your home jurisdiction passes on requiring a front plate, you are still good to go. In Canada, the provinces of Quebec and Alberta don't issue them and they are hassel-free in Mexico and anywhere else on this continent.
RE: BC RV Sites
Don't let some of the Internet links limit the number of choices you have in a given area. Many of these links only describe RV Parks that are subscribed for, on a commercial basis, but some of the best have no little or no need to get on every website, or on any site for that matter.
When searching these I can see some obvious omissions, and some rather poor choices too.
Being specific about your planned destination on this forum can yield some gems that you would never otherwise know about.
RE: P-30 TH400/425
Mine failed when the piping carrying transmission fluid into the engine radiator developed a leak, inside the engine radiator, and the fluids of the engine and transmission mixed. Of course this was very quick to get our attention. The transmission was rebuilt and an external transmission cooler with a fan was installed, bypassing the engine's radiator.
RE: Happy Birthday British Columbia
Wow, I am in awe of anyone up on B.C. history. Yes do remember Fort Langley once having been a center of government, ditto the Royal City, which is New Westminster, taking on the role. But a question: when was B.C. first called "a province?" I had no idea that it was 1866. By the way, I do remember the centenial hoopla of 1958 (as a mere child of course). Still have the medalian given out in schools of the day.
We enjoyed the nice weather yesterday, and today's was even better! Hope we all can get out and enjoy it.
RE: When ya leaving? Where ya crossing?
Leaving Canada during the last week of October, crossing into Mexico at Nogales just before mid-November, and hope to be fully enjoying Mexico shortly after.
John & Angela,
for Puerto Penasco, crossing at Lukeville/ Sonoyta is better for most folks, I think.
RE: 10-year Hologram
Hi Ed,
I got mine December 1st, 2005. What has happened since then is, we stop at the border, we get our FM-T's, DW then joins another line for the importation of our towed car, and I get to clean the windshield of the motorhome, and wait. Somewhere in there we pay for our FM-T's together.
If you still have the same rig, with the hologram you bought attached, you should be good to go. Once into Mexico, beyond the border, we have never been asked for paperwork, nor even seen glances toward hologram sticker. That would change I am sure, if we had an accident. If you have the hologram you have already paid for temporary importation of the unit.
RE: Rockslide blocks hwy to Whistler
Try not to speed after they open it, while driving past the problem area, okay? Just because it dropped rocks the size of boxcars all the way down, over both the road and the rail tracks and some on into Howe Sound, one shouldn't worry. You just KNOW it could never happen again. Right?
Aren't we glad Department of Fisheries Canada has allowed highways people to simply push the slide into the water? Otherwise trucking it off (after blasting the big ones) would have taken nearly a month of Sundays.
RE: MX Speed Limits
In thousands of kms of driving Mexico's roads we have never been stopped, other than at the usual military or agricultural check points. I admit to allowing either the MH or the tow car to creep over the limit, but this is unusual, as the danger on these roads is actually omnipresent and, I find, on a long drive it is difficult to keep up with all the speed changes one drives through.
It is often surprising what one might see passing you sometimes. This winter it was a black Bentley, new and impressive, flying by on the road from Guadalajara towards DF with a just a siren on, travelling I'd guess at 130 MPH with a second vehicle a Chevy, perhaps a Suburban, trying to keep up. Farther down the road the drivers were taking a break, having a cigarette.
I have a different oppinion than some might of how Mexicans see northerers driving their roads. What I remember is how many waves (and waves in return) we are greeted with on our drives, especially in rural areas. We love it. I understand that there is another side to that but we, so far, will just keep enjoying, and smiling.
RE: Quality of the wifi at Tlaquepaque in Lo de Marcos
The item I saw was from a Chicoutimi, QC, manufacturer, much less expensive than Radiolabs' likely due to not having the base tripod come with it. I now own one but have yet to take delivery so haven't yet tried it, no reason to unless we're on the road.
Will try to contact our friends, Ed, and get better information on the Los de Marcos park. Obviously, the antenna needs an unsecured wifi site, not always available or even desirable to use if you are encroaching on personal sensibilities by doing it.
RE: Quality of the wifi at Tlaquepaque in Lo de Marcos
Gee, sorry Ed, we visit, but don't stay, there every year and I have never thought to ask. Knowing what the park charges, I'd expect it to be included, but thats another querry unasked.
There is another solution to your dilemma, the wi-fi antenna that's available for use to pick up unsecured signals, good for up to ten miles away, Line of Sight. Sound too good to be true? I've seen it in action at 6 miles away with excellent results.
RE: BC Ferries
B.C. Ferries will charge your truck and camper for "overheight" which restrick the parking opportunities for it once on the ferry. Travellers these days are all getting the "fuel surcharge" for all vehicles; this has been increased lately. I haven't got their faire schedule in front of me, but I suggest you acurately measure and note your vehicle's length and tell them that number once you get to a toll booth. Unless you have a pop-up, Alaskan-type camper the overheight charge will stand for the entire length of your rig. If you ask for a "Circle Pass" once you get to the first toll booth you are elegible for a discount that can also limit some backtracking that you might take to get you back on to the same ferry route. For instance, you can leave for Sydney on Vancouver Island and recross the Strait of Georgia from Comox on Vancouver Island. This would give you access to the Sunshine Coast on B.C.'s mainland and give you two additional ferry trips that skirt the fiords of Jervis Inlet and Howe Sound, terminating about 15 miles from Vancouver.
RE: Questions about Going into Canada and across Ontario
Have just returned from an across-Canada trip Vancouver to Montreal and found the roads, especially hwy 17 through to Sault Ste. Marie, good. The only construction happening on over 3,000 miles of roadway was taking place in Ontario.
West of Sault Ste Marie the hwy becomes a bit more difficult exhibiting a multitude of low but often steep hills so your plan on turning off is justified. Beautiful county, lakes and rivers abound, but rather slow going, until past Kenora. Enough fueling locations for most vehicles. Have fun while driving in Canada!
RE: Whale Watching Tours
Try going out of Telegraph Cove. Jump on Captain Bowerman's boat. This is the heart of B.C.'s whale watching territory, close to Robson Bight and a haven for Orcas.
RE: Two Questions about Canada
Once farther up the Island, try out the Telegraph Cove area, either the campground in town, where whale watching and kyaking are supreme, beyond the docks where a whale museum has been constructed or the one farther back out of town, but also by the water. The last one sports a spectacular view of cruise ship plying the narrow channel nearby. If you have the time, walk onto the ferry and visit the small island of Sointula, from Port McNeil before heading north to Port hardy.
RE: Harrison Hot Springs BC - Sasquatch
hywybnb, you could be in luck if you visit the region during Agassiz's Fall Fair and Corn Festival. This town is five miles from Harrison Hot Springs. The event is a small town fair you could like. Sweet corn from Agassiz is legendary.
One thing we used to do would be to canoe down the Harrison River on an afternoon and take out near the Harrison Mills bridge, or even paddle slightly farther, to the bar near Kilby's Museum. By this time you are in Harrison Bay. With luck the salmon will be running in the shallows portion of the the river, quite a sight. This river, easy to paddle as it is gently sloped downhill out of never dammed, 41-mile long Harrison Lake, enters the Fraser soon after the Canadian Pacific Railway bridge, and has one of the largest Chinook, or King, salmon runs in the world pass through. Tales of giant sturgeon traveling between the Fraser and the big Lake have been told for decades, some to 1,000 lbs or more, believe they are largely now protected. Harrison Lake also has harbour seals, at times, although it is 80 miles from salt water.
Harrison Hot Springs has a nice ambience, in the manner of a resort community. Shops and restaurants will still be active then. The "world sandcastle competition" is also held during early September, with contestants from literally across the continent making the trip and displaying some phenomenal sand sculpture. The sculptures stand for several weeks thereafter. Nearby Harrison Mills sports a fairly new golf course, with another course constructed many years ago and revamped since, just outside the Village of Harrison.
Harrison has been home to two promenent Sasquatch hunters, Rene Dehinden and John Green (who has written books on the subject). In years past the Harrison Hotel's dock was festooned with casts of Sasquatch feet. A local campground displays a huge wooden Sasquatch with all detail shown prominently. It has since be turned to face away from the highway out of modesty.
RE: We want to do Mexico but...
If going to mexico means going to Baja to you, crossing into Mexico will be easier. Going to the Mainland means temporarily importing your vehicle(s) and the Church's book will come in handy.
RE: why use a gas generator
After owning one class A with a generator for six years and living in it for over two years during that time we have added six (6) hours to its hour meter. Mostly for the generators well-being, of course. We use batteries and an inverter powered by the sun for anything pertaining to living in a motorhome, along with propane for cooking, and we can use the microwave, even a toaster, with the inverter.
I will grant you for us the winters in Mexico are particularly sunny; but maybe a wind turbine would be useful, although they can be a bit noisy. No generators allowed where we are wintering. We can hear even a Honda over the breaking waves on the beach, don't give us that totally quiet story.
Solar power doesn't seem to be on anyone's else's horizon these days. Maybe it should be.
RE: Class A snowbirds are we going south this winter?
We'll be away to usual Mexican locations and to discover new ones. With US gas prices still lower than Canada's have been for about three years, and our currency staying fairly close to the US dollar, fuel costs for us are more like they were on our first trip 6 winters ago.
But next week will cross Canada. Costs will be high.
RE: Snow Day in N.E. Oregon
Someone has researched south western British Columbia's weather records and declared the first ten days of June the coldest in 70 years. No snow, but we've been warmer in January!
