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MG MGA - NAMGAR GT Whistler BC

I have been considering driving the A from Florida to Sonoma, California (Namgbr Convention) and then on to Whister BC for the Namgar GT next summer - - anyone along the route going and looking to form a small caravan? Will probably take the southern route out i.e. Florida, Louisiana, Texas, NM, AZ, Ca.

Rick
Rick Brown

Rick,

Sounds like a great trip! I am hoping to be able to attend as well, if the twin cam behaves and work does not get in the way! I am only a ferry ride and about a 3 hour drive away, so my trip will not be anything like yours, i am envious!
Mitch Smith

My trip is similar duration to Mitch's but without the ferry trip so my worries are also minor (within my auto club towing radius)
I do know that some members of the San Diego MG Club will be attending including Dee Johnston so you may be able to convoy with them.

Look forward to seeing you all in Whistler!

Rich
Rich McKIe

Rick, the drive up the west coast through CA, Oregon and into Washington is a fabulus MGA drive. Our last trip north bound was 2 years ago. We got on in Santa Monica and left the coast in South Bend Washington.
One can get stuck behind slow traffic but you can always pass. You don't want to be in a hurry as it is the long way north. We left Santa Monica mid morning to miss the traffic around LA and spent three nights on the road north. The fourth day we reached Vancouver BC at a decent time. Depending on the time of day and day of the week it can take up to 2 hours to cross the border.
You don't want to hit rush hour traffic in down town Vancouver about an hour north of the border. Be sure to bring your pass port for the return to the US.
I drove my MGB up from LA 4 years ago on the I5, 23 hours to the border and everthing and I mean every thing passed me as the freeway speed is at least 75 and in some places over 80.
If you take the coastal route keep your fuel tank full,
many of the service stations close on sundays.
If I can be of any help let me know
Cheers
Morris, 80 MGB 60 MGA, almost finished
M. E. WADDS

Rick,

Will be leaving from Ottawa, Canada. Planning a four week journey with multiple stops and visits along the way, no more than 300 miles per day for driving days. See you in Whistler (or at the Stampede in Calgary, or at the dinausaurs in Drumheller, or, or...) !

Karl
Karl Leclerc

Karl - I did the northern route across the US with a return via Canada. New Jersey - Oregon - Vancouver - New Jersey a couple of years ago with the MGA and two other MGA's. See story in a back issue of "MGA!"

Morris - yeah that border crossing was a nightmare - hotter than hell which didn't help with the engine temp. - almost had to get out and push the car.

Hope to see ya'all!

Rick
Former resident of Ottawa!
Rick Brown

I've been watching this thread from the beginning and twice now the dreaded border crossing has been mentioned. Now I'm over here on the "right" side of the map and have never used this crossing. But I do have lots of experience with the crossings due South of Montreal. I listen in on the local AM radio station that carries traffic reports that include the waiting time at the border. Sometimes, the report a 2 to 2 1/2 hour wait. But this is just at the main border crossing, on the highway. All I have to do is get off the highway an exit or two before the border, head East or West by maybe 3 - 5 miles and there are small border crossings with no-one! Aren't there similar crossings off the highway South of Vancouver? I'm looking at Mapquest at the moment and I see that you can get off Highway 5 in Bellingham and take Rte 539 North to the border to cross just West of Abbotsford airport using airport transfers tunbridge wells and thus to Highway 1 in BC. I'm sure there must be other, smaller crossings in the area (Markworth Rd, perhaps, a bit West if 539). There must be an easy way to avoid most of the wait with a bit of local knowledge. I find that the biggest wait South of Montreal occur at the end of big events (Jazz Festival, Comedy Festival, F1 GP, Thanksgiving W/E, etc). I know that all the Americans (no disrespect intended) are sitting in their cars, fuming for hours with their large scale maps, ignorant to the fact that a 5 minute detour will save them a 2 hour wait! So, is there anyone from Bellingham,Wa or Abbotsford, BC reading this that want to share?

And if there's anyone coming to Montreal, drop me a line and I'll gladly give you clear, easy to follow directions to the little 1 man crossings South of here.

TTFN

Derek Nicholson

Derek,

Take the Sumas Washington crossing. I travel up hwy 9 from Sedro-Woolley, Washington. I go to car shows at Abbotsford and have never had a problem at the Sumas crossing. You should travel over the Washington North Cascade Pass on hwy 20, go west to Sedro-Woolley and then go north on hwy 9. The north Casade Pass is a very pretty drive. Another side trip you should take is a trip to Mt. Baker. The Mt. Baker hwy takes off from hwy 9. Hope this helps.

Lyle
Lyle Jacobson

Thanks, Lyle. I wasn't actually planning to do the trip myself.I was just "fishing" for those that might be planning to go but might be put off by the long wait at the border. How much of a detour is your suggested route from Highway 5?

Derek Nicholson

If you go through the main border crossings just South of Vancouver it depends very much on the time of day. Weekends are worst but if you cross during the week in the evening or mid-morning or mid-afternoon it usually isn't too bad. Early weekend mornings are generally OK as well. Avoid the border on US or Canadian statutory holidays, the waits then are usually a couple of hours+. The Sumas crossing takes an additional half hour or so to get to, but you get to get off of the freeway and drive some more interesting roads. To a certain extent the same rules as above also apply at Sumas.
Don't let the border crossing put you off. It really isn't so bad as long as you avoid stat holidays.

Rich
Rich McKIe

Hope this does not post twice, had some finger trouble. The truck border is another option, it is not much more of a drive from the border crossing at Blaine. As Rich had mentioned time of day is pretty important. Weekends seem busy no matter what time of day.......


Mitch
Mitch Smith

HWY I-5 Cook Rd. exit north of Burlington to HWY 9 in Sedro-Woolley is about 6 miles.

Lyle
Lyle Jacobson

Hi everyone,

GT32 Chairman here. The two crossings off I5 are a lot better these days. (Peace Arch and Truck crossing)However, there is another between the Sumas crossing, suggested by Lyle, and these two - it is "Aldergrove" just north of Lynden.This is usually quite quiet.

As for caravaning, we hope to have an active page on the website (GT32.com) soon to allow people to seek travelling companions by detailing their route and picking up other cars en route. The registration form and regalia order form should be up on the site by mid December, and will be in MGA! in January/February.

Also check the website soon for an update on the passport requirements for next year.

We look forward to seeing you all and your cars. International visitors wuld also be most welcome. (a car is not necessary in Whistler, and we can find "rides" for you) Booked a hotel room already? If not, we suggest you do so ASAP.

Best regards, Peter.
P. Tilbury

Peter, the Lynden/Aldergrove crossing you mention looks like it's the one on WA-539 N/264 St. that I mentioned. I was pretty sure that there was more than one way to skin a cat.



Derek Nicholson

This thread was discussed between 22/11/2006 and 30/11/2006

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