CFR 2016 Registration is Open

[ionbeam]

...I am thinking about riding up through Sault Ste Marie and taking 17 east to Pembroke...do I need to worry about bears and moose and other large critters on the highway...neither of us much wants to wrestle a grizzly bear...if we could be heavily armed in Canada, as we are at home...is it recommended to carry bear repellent spray....

There will be animals, large and small. Like anyplace else, they will be most prevalent from dusk to dawn with the always present opportunity to have a surprise visit. What usually works best is to want to see a bear or moose and get pictures, this almost always keeps them away

If you are camping it's always good practice to manage where food is kept, if you aren't camping then 98% of your wild life concerns go away. Moose understand that they have the right-of-way and won't understand if you want to challenge them for that right. Bears will not chase you down as a dinner item as you ride along

Don't poke the bear. Don't tempt bears with food. Watch out for bear food deer, Canadian deer are no smarter than American deer, anticipate that they could do anything no matter how dumb. There are many USA states which have higher animal risks than Canada. Heck, there are some USA states where the people are a higher risk than the animals in Canada.

...is it recommended to carry bear repellent spray....

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bear repellent/pepper spray are = to a GUN at the border. I crossed the border once with a fellow FJR rider and the Canadian Border Agent found a tiny little can of bear spray he was carrying because he was camping. It might as well have been a nuclear device from the attention he got. It took him nearly a half hour to repack his FJR and put it back together again after the agents finished with the bike. While they were taking it apart he was inside while the Agent's were retrieving his life history from the US. There was a quick crunch as the agents slammed his radar detector on the pavement and ground it to dust with their feet. On the other hand, I know several people that say they cross the border with bear/pepper spray all the time and it's never been an issue. I know people that cross the border with radar detectors (hidden from sight) and they have never had an issue. It's your choice if you want to risk Imperial Entanglements. Also, not all border crossings are equal, some are easy, some are a little more tough going into Canada; border crossings are always tougher returning into the US.

If you have a passport you probably will want to bring it along, along with a Xerox of the passport stored in a different location from the prime document.

It would be nice if some of the Frostbacks could suggest better border crossing locations -- please

I'm familiar with the common ones along the Maine and Vermont borders, most are fairly easy.

 

[Madmudder]

https://www.facebook.com/davidspassage/photos/a.419095514843985.101170.288931594527045/968375869915944/?type=3

Data,

The animals are the same in Canada as they are in the U.S. they don't have passports

I have never seen a Grizzly bear in Ontario, they do exist but generally further north. I have ATV'd as far north as Timmins in the bush and camped out. If you don't leave food out they don't tend to bother you, they are a very inquisitive animal. I have seen black bears and moose in the bush & along the road but i have never been chased or felt I was in danger. I wont say it cant happen but in my opinion not likely to happen especially if only stopped for lunch along the rd. I would not recommend this after dark

"if one chooses to ride through the north woods on highway 17- is it recommended to carry bear repellent spray ?" Are you planning to hike in the woods? Most black bears run from motorized vehicles but if you are this paranoid having bear spray would not hurt. In my experience making a lot of noise sends them running.

https://www.thebearstick.com/bear-attacks/

 

[yamafitter]

It would be nice if some of the Frostbacks could suggest better border crossing locations -- please

I'm familiar with the common ones along the Maine and Vermont borders, most are fairly easy.

It is difficult for me as a frostback to tell you about border crossings for Americans since you will be treated differently than me since I am returning to my own country when I come back from the States. I just spent about 1/2 hour getting to the point where I could talk to a real person at Customs about Bear Spray. What I am being told is that the canister must state that it is for animals ONLY and you must declare it at the border but is allowed. Having said that, as soon as you declare that you have bear spray you are probably going to receive more scrutiny from the border people. It is also extremely important that you declare it. If you forget you are in for a very bad day.

There is a system to bring SOME firearms into Canada (mostly for sport hunting and competitions) but the hoops and paperwork are extremely involved. There is a small fee and you get a 60 day permit. It is not an open carry permit. Forget about it........ not going to happen. You will need to keep your weapon locked in the sidecase or truck in a locked case with a trigger lock. It might as well be encased in cement for all the good it will do you should a bear come after you.

 

[Bungie]

Come through SSM. You'll have a blast. If you have a time. Run up to Wawa (north) from SSM. It's only about 2.5hrs each way but the scenery along Superior is C'est bonne!

Oh ya, leave the weapons at home. Keep an eye out for bears. Moose and deer not so much.

 

[Data]

Come through SSM. You'll have a blast. If you have a time. Run up to Wawa (north) from SSM. It's only about 2.5hrs each way but the scenery along Superior is C'est bonne!
Oh ya, leave the weapons at home. Keep an eye out for bears. Moose and deer not so much.

Thanks for the advice. If we go to Wawa, is it better to then take 101 east through Timmins, or go back to SSM and take 17 east to Pembroke ?

I drove a car around the north side of Superior about 20 years ago and the scenery was indeed beautiful ! I especially remember the Potholes Provincial Park.

As for my concern about bears- I can imagine some situation where we go around a corner on a narrow forest road and encounter a momma bear eating road kill and don't have the time or space to back off. I have had two close encounters with bears in Glacier National Park, so it can and does happen. I like to think I've grown old by knowing when not to be bold- so "know before you go" seems like a good policy. If the threat level is high enough I will quickly chicken out and take the safe way . . . .

 

[BugR]

Take 17, it's no more risk and a much prettier ride.

During the day, wildlife risks around here are very low and you want to worry about the moose + deer not bears.

Dawn and dusk +/- 1 hr are the real danger times and if riding at night wait for an 18-wheeler with moose bars fitted and trail behind him.

I never have seen a 18 wheeler strike a moose or deer but have heard it is very messy.

Moose tend to be loners but deer rarely travel alone so if you spook one there are more you haven't seen yet.

Chris

 

[Bungie]

Come through SSM. You'll have a blast. If you have a time. Run up to Wawa (north) from SSM. It's only about 2.5hrs each way but the scenery along Superior is C'est bonne!
Oh ya, leave the weapons at home. Keep an eye out for bears. Moose and deer not so much.

Thanks for the advice. If we go to Wawa, is it better to then take 101 east through Timmins, or go back to SSM and take 17 east to Pembroke ?

I drove a car around the north side of Superior about 20 years ago and the scenery was indeed beautiful ! I especially remember the Potholes Provincial Park.

As for my concern about bears- I can imagine some situation where we go around a corner on a narrow forest road and encounter a momma bear eating road kill and don't have the time or space to back off. I have had two close encounters with bears in Glacier National Park, so it can and does happen. I like to think I've grown old by knowing when not to be bold- so "know before you go" seems like a good policy. If the threat level is high enough I will quickly chicken out and take the safe way . . . .

Come back down 17. 101 was recently repaved but is very remote with nothing, NOTHING for until you hit Chapleau (hwy 129, which is very rough) or Timmins and come down hwy 144 (which again, is not recommended - no shoulders, lots of animals, rough...).

During daylight hours, as Chris said, not much to worry about, but as in your neck of the woods, dusk to dusk you shouldn't be on the road up here.

 

[BugR]

should I just play it safe and go via Toronto and stay out of the north woods ?

Stay well away from Toronto, on a bad day it's a 4 hour transit on the 401, 407 is an option but it's a toll.

Hwy 17 around the top of the lakes should be on your bucket list of North American rides.

Also humans are 1000x more dangerous than any wildlife we have here.

Be very wary as you approach a Tim Horton's,

People's brains seem to switch off when they are going for coffee and doughnuts.

Chris

 

[VMaxChuck]

Room is booked!

Looking forward to the riding and the company....I hope!

 

[GDSFJR03]

For what it's worth, being a local... I would say the risks of being in confrontation with any wild animal in Nothern Ontario is minimal

As others wiser than I have said, avoid early and late night runs.

On the other hand traveling the 400 series highways out of southern Ontario can be a much greater challenge.

 

[yamafitter]

I thought I should get the room booked so that is now done. Being on the proper side of Toronto I do not have to deal with Toronto traffic and am only 1/2 hour from some fun roads.

I might wander up a day early just to play but will make the call later. I also just might trailer and take in a day of dirt biking in Calabogie but we'll see.

 

[fjrob1300]

IN!!!!! i know some of you don't believe it but , yes, I'm married. My wife, and maybe even my daughter Mitchy will be joining us in Pembroke.

See you'all there!!!

Rob

 

[Canadian FJR]

Can we still share a room ?

Canadian FJR

 

[BugR]

Can we still share a room ?

Canadian FJR

I am assuming that the above comment is directed at Rob or are you just easy?

 

[Bungie]

Can we still share a room ?

Canadian FJR

I am assuming that the above comment is directed at Rob or are you just easy?

He's from Nova Scotia. You know the answer to that.

 

[fjrob1300]

Can we still share a room ?

Canadian FJR

Bring Terry. It'll all work out in the end.

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

I think I can make this ride work so it looks like there will be a couple of Dakota boys joining the fun. I suppose I better start brushing up on my French-Canadian.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Stop it Bill! That room rate is only $81.50 in real money and if I could find a room mate it would only be half.
I have vacation from the 6th though the 18th of June but I have already committed to Red Lodge two weeks later. If only I was retired and rich. Thinking about how to make this happen and not let my motorcycle school fall apart without me there. Thinking hard about it.

What is the Hotel cancelation policy, if a guy were to lock up a double room while I contemplate?

1 Canadian Dollar equals 0.74 US Dollar today. By the time we go they may be paying us to come. JSNS

 

[huron52]

at 74 cents it is up from when we were in Phoenix last month.

 

[FJRGuy]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="fjrob1300" data-cid="1289842" data-time="1455939580"><p>

IN!!!!! i know some of you don't believe it but , yes, I'm married. My wife, and maybe even my daughter Mitchy will be joining us in Pembroke.<br />

<br />

See you'all there!!!<br />

<br />

<br />

Rob</p></blockquote>

Congrats Rob. Look forward to seeing you!