Road trip to Calgary

Tdog · May 22, 2007

My wife & I decided to take a road trip later this summer to Calgary to visit our daughter who lives there now. I have a few questions that some tbn’ers probably know about.

What about auto insurance - - I’m guessing that my State Farm policy is good north of the border.

What about crossing the border each way? Friends tell me that you probably don’t need a passport, but it would expedite things, especially returning into the states. My passport is current, but my wife has never had one.

I’m thinking about buying a gps. I’m sure if I do a search I’ll find something. I’m looking to get a Garmin with a fair number of bells & whistles. We just bought a new car [well, it was a program car - - probably a rental] - - I should have looked until I found a car with built-in gps, but got impatient & bought one without it.

Just a couple of comments on contemplating leaving home for a 2-3 week period. It used to be easy because I either had grown kids at home or in-laws nearby. Now, pets are a major headache. My wife is the Alpha b!tch of our 3 dog pack, & she regards them as children. Finding an appropriate kennel is a major pain. This could probably be an entirely new thread. After spending about a week yesterday driving from kennel to kennel, we’ve discovered there are NONE that provide couches for dogs to jump up on. Just bare floors & tiny cement outdoor postage stamps called ‘runs’. From the looks of things everyone thinks kennels are for dogs. The doggy motel issue may put our trip in jeopardy - - we’ll see.

Thanks for your help & for listening to my rant.

Jack

RoyJackson · May 22, 2007

I think you may want to get that passport:
Requirements for travel to and from Canada

Enjoy your trip!

hwp · May 23, 2007

Your insurance will cover you. Leave your guns on the US side of the border - otherwise they will be confiscated and there are serious penalties for trying to bring them into Canada. You shouldn't need a passport to cross the border either way until early 2008. Enjoy your trip!

Jagmandave · May 23, 2007

Two ideas for the pets..........

Pete and Macs...their kennels have glass block walls so they get a lot more light, they have supervised play periods with other similar sized dogs - indoors for the small ones, and outdoors for the big guys, and reasonable cost. You can have your dogs together in a large "Cabana Style" kennel, or separrate in smaller ones. However, I don't know if they have one in your area..........

Pet sitter. We have found a local woman who does this for a living, she stays at our home and cares for the dogs like they were hers. It's actually a little cheaper than kennelling them, and less stressful since they're in their own home environment. Check with your vet, he may know someone........or the local big box pet stores may have some ads up on their bulletin boards.

dmccarty · May 23, 2007

Get a pet sitter to come to your house. We are going through this right now but we know people who are involved with Golden Rescues and they will keep our GSD. When we get back from the short holiday, the wife and kids will bring home the GSD and a "new" Golden named Flirt.

We where going to use a dog sitter recommended by the vet until the wife, the two little girls, and the dog came begging to me about a new dog. I was SET UP!

I'm not sure what to think of this statement,

My wife is the Alpha b!tch of our 3 dog pack, ....

I KNOW what you mean but if *** I *** said that and the wifey found out ... It would be ugly. Truely ugly.

We don't have a dog house but there is the moldy, mouse filled well house.....

Later,
Dan

randy41 · May 23, 2007

pet sitter is the way to go....we get one who takes care of the dogs (4), cats (2), and chickens (25-30?). she even waters the things i have in the greenhouse if necessary. she lives < 10 miles away and comes by twice a day. but the longest we've been away was 2 nights a couple of years ago. usually its just for one night occasionally.

scott_vt · May 23, 2007

dmccarty said:
I KNOW what you mean but if *** I *** said that and the wifey found out ... It would be ugly. Truely ugly. We don't have a dog house but there is the moldy, mouse filled well house.....

Later,
Dan

Afternoon Dan,
Oohhh yeahh....., in my case it would be the unused dog house and kennel area that has been taken over by bbeees !!!

RobertN · May 23, 2007

Buzz out to Banff and Kootenay parks while you're up there. Lake Louise is really cool too, as is Jasper :d

Bird · May 23, 2007

We've crossed western Canada a number of times going to and from Alaska, and in the past, no passport was necessary. However, I understand that it may be needed now. As already mentioned, leave all firearms home; don't try to cross the border with them. It used to be OK to take long guns; just not handguns, but I understand that has now changed. And while we never had a dog with us, my aunt and uncle did when they went along, and they had to have the certificate showing the dog had been vaccinated. If you smoke, I think the limit was one carton per person to take into Canada.

Tdog · May 23, 2007

Thanks for all the replies. I'll check out the petsitter angle - - that would be best for the beasts. I'll check at petsmart.

Had not thought about the firearms issue. Thanks.

'Alpha' even answers to her name. When you're the boss you can afford to be gracious, I guess.

This trip will be an experience. Alpha asked if I minded if she asked her 86 yr old mother to go with us. I never dreamed she would say yes, but she sure did. Fortunately, I like my MIL, but with two women along who don't want to travel many miles a day it may take me a week to get out of Texas. I really don't mind - - the MIL has never seen the Rockies. And, I've never been to that part of Canada, so I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks,

Jack