Waaaayyyyy OT: Travel

Re: Waaaayyyyy OT:  Travel

Pete in Holland MI

Until the governor's stay-at-home order is lifted (currently now May 15), there are no homes being shown by realtors (per my realtor friend).

According to him, if you find a place on line, you can request a video call of the owner and have him show the house electronically. You can then place a formal offer on the property. Once the order is lifted, you have 5 days to arrange a personal inspection.

Regarding travel, it is recommended not. Gas stations here in Michigan are open, but resturants are not, other than for take-out. That includes using their bathrooms.

Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

Ellis Walentine

I can't help on the Michigan question, but here's another travel-related one: What's the best strategy for car travel from Florida to Vancouver BC in light of the pandemic? Are the interstates open? How would you feed yourself en route? Are motels safe to stay in? Could you be made to quarantine at state borders? Or be denied passage? Or fined or arrested? And even if you get to the Canadian border safely, what are the odds it will be open on May 19 as Trudeau has decreed? And how is the Canadian quarantine enforced?

We normally go through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington and on into BC. Are there specific issues or restrictions with any of these states?

Seems like "wait and see" is the way to go, for now at least. Can anybody shed any light on this?

Ellis

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

Ryan

Don't know about the US states, but as a Canadian citizen you can cross the border. Once you get to BC you have to self isolate for 14 days - no trips to get groceries or visit friends, go straight to where you will stay and no contact for 14 days. They're really strict on this!! Good luck!

Therefore

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Get all your groceries and intoxicants on the way in

Thanks Ryan

Ellis Walentine

We're actually Americans, so we'll still be subject to the border closing order. I would be so glad to isolate in Canada instead of Florida.

Ellis

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

Bruce, a MN Galoot

Don’t know about the motels, but gas stations are open no matter where you go. Most towns have drive-through fast food places, or, if you can plan ahead, many restaurants have curbside pick-up service. I would think motels would be the hardest to find.

Besides, in a couple of weeks, many states will start to lift restrictions. South Dakota,e.g., has virtually none. It’s speculation whether that’s a source of comfort or not.

Bottom line: plan ahead.

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

Mark Nowicki

To clarify, you would like to do during May?

In the province of Quebec, we have police checkpoints between Montreal, which is the epicenter, and other regions of the province.

I cannot drive from Montreal to Ottawa without a valid reason.

In addition, I am willing to bet that having Georgia and Tennessee on your travel resume will not put you in the good graces of the Canadian border authorities.

Canada is similar to the US , the borders are Federal but almost everything else,

including public health policy, is subject to Provincial law.

Re: Thanks Ryan

William Duffield

I hope you find a manageable answer, because I know, after about 40 of them, that summers in Florida are not fun.

Hadn't thought of our travel resume

Ellis Walentine

We could avoid Georgia and Tennessee, but then we'd have Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas in our resume, not to mention an extra several hundred miles. Cheap gas is a bonus, but more miles means more days on the road.

I'm going to try to contact Canadian immigration and see if they can shed some light on the issue of whence you came.

Thanks,

Ellis

US Embassy?

John K Jordan

I would contact the US Embassy in Canada and ask. They appear to be open for now. There is a lot of travel information on their web site but I didn't read it all.

https://ca.usembassy.gov/

The interstates are open in TN. Most of the fast food places are open or, as my mother would do on a trip, stop at a grocery store and buy fruit and things to make sandwiches.

If you get this far you can rest stop at our place.

JKJ

Re: Hadn't thought of our travel resume

Mark Nowicki

This is just an idea, and there is some woodworking involved :-)

https://www.wildmountainechoes.com/equipment/how-i-converted-my-honda-cr-v-into-a-camper/

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

John McGaw

Dispatch from Eastern Tennessee: Motels, at least the ones I drive past on the way to the track and back through Starbucks drive-through in the morning, seem to be operating although the number of vehicles seems way down from normal. Most fast food places are open for take out as are many "normal" restaurants. Fuel should be no problem -- it is even super cheap. As for motel safety, I can't comment -- I've stayed in some that were probably pretty unsafe even under favorable conditions (hint: if the motel has a 10-foot spiked fence around the property and a bullet-proof window at the check-in as did one I stayed at in Las Vegas you might want to reconsider).

Officially, some sort of new regime is going into effect statewide announced today and starting (supposedly) on Friday but the rules are different in those counties that are populous enough to support their own health departments and the synchrony of the sets of rules is, well, confused right now. So you might find a sit-down restaurant operating in one place and five miles down the road such might be verboten. But maybe you can get your nails done and a tattoo in the next county...

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

Mark Nowicki

"(hint: if the motel has a 10-foot spiked fence around the property and a bullet-proof window at the check-in as did one I stayed at in Las Vegas you might want to reconsider)".

There is a similar one in Kissimmee, must be part of the "Motel 40 to Life" chain.

How was the free breakfast?

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

Buck Nall

I don't watch news or keep up, so what's this about Ga.& Tenn.?

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

jergle

Not sure the Canadian border will open 5/19. My son (senior in HS) was scheduled to go to Canada with his class for his senior trip after graduation, leaving on 5/23. His trip was cancelled last week. From what I've read, the border closing was extended through 5/19, but Trudeau has apparently said he expected it would be "weeks" after that before it was actually opened.

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

Mark Nowicki

So watch the news or keep up.

Re: US Embassy?

Don Stephan

Careful Ellis, JKJ always has lots of projects to be completed (lol).

Too late

John K Jordan

>>>

Careful Ellis, JKJ always has lots of projects to be completed (lol).

Too late, the llama and alpaca shearing was completed today. Instead of doing it myself I decided to support the local economy.

This is a before and after picture of a similar alpaca a few years ago:

But there is always manure to be shoveled...

JKJ

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

John in NM

Both states have either started or planning to start on phasing back into normal life. Those that worry will worry a lot about that if you've passed through recently.

Re: Apropos of that, while we're off topic...

buck nall

Thanks John, MARK U KNO WHERE U CAN GO!!!!!!

Alternate Route

Jim in Burlington Ont.

Hey Ellis,

You could always cross at Buffalo and drive mostly across Canada to BC, the population density along that route is very low and you'd see some beautiful places... The Tim's are all open so no worries for coffee or service. Like was mentioned earlier, any one returning to Canada is requested to self isolate for 14 days etc... not sure what the current status is at the border for non Canadians... you might want to check with the Canada Border Services Agency https://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html

Take care, Jim

Re: Hadn't thought of our travel resume

Gerry in North Surrey

Ellis, I'd make damn sure that the Cdn Border Services people are going to let you in, the US/Can border is shut down to all but essential crossings. Even if you are permitted entry you are faced with a 14 day isolation period, no shopping, no stopping, straight to isolation. You may be spending your summer in Washington state. Just sayin'.

To an ESL class?