Road trip to Calgary!
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore, Rudder Bug
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WindSailer
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- Joined: Sun May 21, 2006 12:33 pm
- Location: GTA
Road trip to Calgary!
Hey guys I'm going on a road trip to Calgary to visit family on monday and was wondering if anyone could sugest places to check out on the way for bush flying jobs.I will be stopping by Red Lake, Kenora, the Soo. I've just graduated with my AME diploma and am planing to have my CPL and float rating done in time for next years float season. I figured this would be a good time to go and get to know some of the ppl out in theindustry. Any suggestions on cheap places to stay would be great as well. Thanks in advance.
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Redneck_pilot86
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Windsailer,
First of all, let me know how long the trip takes, would you? I'll be driving out to cowtown in the fall, I'm figuring on 4 days easy driving, I'm curious how close I am.
As for places to stay, if you have CAA then the Best Westerns are the best bet. You can make Thunder Bay in one day, but its a long drive and you want to be really well rested if you are going alone. I have done that leg quite a few times, I usually plan on 17 hours, I've done it in as little as 14, and as long as 21.
As far as I know, there arent many outfits between the GTA and TBay, most everything is west of TBay. From TBay, I would go west to Atikokan, then to Fort Frances and up through Nestor Falls, then Dryden. Sioux Lookout would be a good bet, and if you go up to Red Lake make sure to stop in at Ear Falls.
Whatch out for cops when you are comming west out of Nipigon, it looks like a 90 zone but its not for a long time...I've been stopped a few times. Any farther west than this, I cant help you.
drive safe
ST
First of all, let me know how long the trip takes, would you? I'll be driving out to cowtown in the fall, I'm figuring on 4 days easy driving, I'm curious how close I am.
As for places to stay, if you have CAA then the Best Westerns are the best bet. You can make Thunder Bay in one day, but its a long drive and you want to be really well rested if you are going alone. I have done that leg quite a few times, I usually plan on 17 hours, I've done it in as little as 14, and as long as 21.
As far as I know, there arent many outfits between the GTA and TBay, most everything is west of TBay. From TBay, I would go west to Atikokan, then to Fort Frances and up through Nestor Falls, then Dryden. Sioux Lookout would be a good bet, and if you go up to Red Lake make sure to stop in at Ear Falls.
Whatch out for cops when you are comming west out of Nipigon, it looks like a 90 zone but its not for a long time...I've been stopped a few times. Any farther west than this, I cant help you.
drive safe
ST
The only three things a wingman should ever say: 1. "Two's up" 2. "You're on fire" 3. "I'll take the fat one"
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WindSailer
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- Joined: Sun May 21, 2006 12:33 pm
- Location: GTA
Thanks Redneck
The Red Lake Inn is pretty cheap at $56 a night. I plan to drive straight to Thunderbay and spend the night there. I just went to Buffalo yesterday and picked up the latest radar detector so I hope to me burning it up on the road. Thanks for the tip on CAA, I do have it but never new about the Best Westerns. I was gonna stay at Super 8 in TB but it's all booked up. Thanks for the advice. I'll make a post about my trip when I get back.
The Red Lake Inn is pretty cheap at $56 a night. I plan to drive straight to Thunderbay and spend the night there. I just went to Buffalo yesterday and picked up the latest radar detector so I hope to me burning it up on the road. Thanks for the tip on CAA, I do have it but never new about the Best Westerns. I was gonna stay at Super 8 in TB but it's all booked up. Thanks for the advice. I'll make a post about my trip when I get back.
If you're in Ignace around breakfast time, there's a joint right across the road from the Beech 18 on a pedestal... Best food I had on the entire trip across the country!
have a safe drive!
have a safe drive!
"The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side. -- James Baldwin "
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Redneck_pilot86
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- Location: between 60 and 70
Windsailer
If you are using a Radar detector, and taking highway 11, shut it off from northbay up through temagami and into new liskeard. The cops cheat there, they come right up behind you before they use it. I have been caught there twice, ticketed once and had it confiscated both times. Luckily wasn't speeding too bad along the way.
if you are taking 17, the cops never seem to be more than about 15 miles out of town unless they are going somewhere. I usually did 120-130 between towns, and back to 105-110 at the 20 mile marker, never had a problem there.
Best way to do that trip in one day is to go to bed early, with your vehicle packed, and hit the road at about 3 am....that way you are well out of the traffic by the time the sun comes up, and you can get into tbay about supper time.
There are 3 Best Westerns in town, the best one from what I have heard is the one on Arthur St, its either the fifth or sixth set of lights, and turn left. If you miss it, you will see the airport on your right shortly after it, then you have gone too far. From that hotel it is an easy 15 minute walk to the airport, either along the highway to the main terminal, or west on arthur st to the ACE building, part of Confederation College.
Any other questions you have about Tbay or the drive that far, post or PM me. I lived in Tbay for 2 years, and I've done that trip probably 15 times.
ST
If you are using a Radar detector, and taking highway 11, shut it off from northbay up through temagami and into new liskeard. The cops cheat there, they come right up behind you before they use it. I have been caught there twice, ticketed once and had it confiscated both times. Luckily wasn't speeding too bad along the way.
if you are taking 17, the cops never seem to be more than about 15 miles out of town unless they are going somewhere. I usually did 120-130 between towns, and back to 105-110 at the 20 mile marker, never had a problem there.
Best way to do that trip in one day is to go to bed early, with your vehicle packed, and hit the road at about 3 am....that way you are well out of the traffic by the time the sun comes up, and you can get into tbay about supper time.
There are 3 Best Westerns in town, the best one from what I have heard is the one on Arthur St, its either the fifth or sixth set of lights, and turn left. If you miss it, you will see the airport on your right shortly after it, then you have gone too far. From that hotel it is an easy 15 minute walk to the airport, either along the highway to the main terminal, or west on arthur st to the ACE building, part of Confederation College.
Any other questions you have about Tbay or the drive that far, post or PM me. I lived in Tbay for 2 years, and I've done that trip probably 15 times.
ST
The only three things a wingman should ever say: 1. "Two's up" 2. "You're on fire" 3. "I'll take the fat one"
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Boss Hawg
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The cheapest motel I ever stayed in was in Wolsley, Sask which is on the trans Canada a couple hundred KM east of Regina if I remember correctly. It's called the Wolsley Inn and is right on the highway. It was like $25 or 30 a night, kinda dumpy but had everything you'd need for a good night.
The Barrell Inn in Terrace Bay is another cheap place if you can't make it to T Bay in one day. Or you can always take a tent and sleeping bag and camp every night or every other night or whatever to save some bucks.
Have a great trip and take some time to enjoy it if you can. people always rag on the prairies but I always liked driving through there, especially in summer. The Qu'appelle valley in Sask and the Drumheller area in AB are well worth checking out just for a bit of variety and not too much of a diversion either. There's lots of great scenery in northern ontario too.
The Barrell Inn in Terrace Bay is another cheap place if you can't make it to T Bay in one day. Or you can always take a tent and sleeping bag and camp every night or every other night or whatever to save some bucks.
Have a great trip and take some time to enjoy it if you can. people always rag on the prairies but I always liked driving through there, especially in summer. The Qu'appelle valley in Sask and the Drumheller area in AB are well worth checking out just for a bit of variety and not too much of a diversion either. There's lots of great scenery in northern ontario too.
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scubasteve
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Another option since its the summer is staying at the college in TB. They run the dorm as a hostel and is very reasonable or pack a tent and camp. I've done BC interior to Nakina and back in 4 days but I dont recommend it. 3 days staying in Canada the whole is pushing it, more like 4 and you can probably cut some time off by cutting thru Michigan to the Soo. I dont think there are too many places to stop before there anyway in terms of looking for work. Good luck!
