TRANS Q: for residents of the PNW & Canada

[DryCreek]

Howdy folks of the Pacific North West - I have a question for you. My wife has never been out of the country save for a couple of ports in Mexico during our cruise (Progreso and Cozumel). I am seriously thinking about using our credit card reward points to book us a flight into PDX or SEA. From there we would spend a day or two exploring that locale, and then take a rental car across the border into Vancouver or Victoria.

So, can I do that? I know that the rental car agencies really frown on you taking their vehicles into Mexico, and I can totally understand why. Also, i know that when we used to take our personal vehicles across into Mexico while growing up, we had to have special Mexico Limited-End Insurance. Does the same apply for a visit to BC? I also suppose that we don't have to have an International Driver License to operate a passenger vehicle while there? It has been so long since I have driven in a foreign country (80's, U.S. Navy liberty ports) and I don't have a valid IDL any more either.

So, I am open to your suggestions and knowledge. And, to show my sincerity, I am currently enjoying a Stratford Pilsner from Stratford, Ontario. I was given two six packs as a gift back in September. I think this is the last one, as it was hiding behind a Rahr Brothers Ugly Pug. While in the PNW I fully intend to enjoy some more of the Black Butte too!

 

[Dennis Olson]

Factoid #1: NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND GOES TO THE PNW IN WINTER FOR RECREATION.


Unless you like damp, rainy and miserable. And fungus. And slugs.

 

[Sleeping Cobra]

Factoid #1: NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND GOES TO THE PNW IN WINTER FOR RECREATION.


Unless you like damp, rainy and miserable. And fungus. And slugs.

But we do have the best Summers. *snickers*

 

[Dennis Olson]

Indeed. And you pay for those. And the coin paid is nine months of gray and wet. But July, August and September are the best in the country, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

 

[naturallysweet]

Sounds like you are trying to cram too much into one vacation. Why not find something closer to whichever airport you choose to fly into? We do have winter skiing, snowboarding, and other snow related things in the mountains.

 

[NWPhotog]

PDX is a bad airport to fly into . . .TSA are nasty there.

Right now - just cold - not nasty

 

[ainitfunny]

Everybody takes the FERRY from Seattle to VICTORIA BC to visit there for high tea and the Butchart gardens. It is a Great trip on a very very NICE ferry, a pleasure riding just for itself. (NOT like a commuter ferry, which is just like a bus on water.)
Here is the cost for high tea at the Empress Hotel (serves royalty) (ya gotta read http://www.clippervacations.com/victoria-activities/afternoon-tea-at-the-fairmont-empress/where it is an what you get for $52)
Here is the tour package with VICTORIA CLIPPER PASSAGE ...http://www.clippervacations.com/vic...urce=MSN&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=packages

 

[Sleeping Cobra]

Indeed. And you pay for those. And the coin paid is nine months of gray and wet. But July, August and September are the best in the country, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

It does get miserable here. Possible snow starting Sunday - Thursday.

 

[Issy]

Speaking of the Victoria Clipper ~

http://www.king5.com/news/cities/se...tigate-adrift-Victoria-Clipper-233991771.html

Bail set at $200K for alleged Victoria Clipper thief


by SUSAN WYATT / KING 5 News and Associated Press

Bio
SEATTLE -- Bail is set at $200,000 for a 33-year-old sex offender who is accused of stealing a Victoria Clipper passenger ferry from a Seattle waterfront on Sunday.

Authorities say the man illegally boarded the $8 million vessel and took it out into Elliott Bay on Sunday. He’s being held in King County Jail for investigation of burglary, reckless endangerment, malicious mischief, and an outstanding warrant for failure to register as a sex offender.

A King County judge set his bail Monday. Prosecutors have until Wednesday to formally charge him.

Darrell Bryan, president and chief executive officer of Clipper Vacations, was in his office Sunday and saw the boat leaving.

"I looked out my window - I'm not normally here on Sunday mornings - but I got here about 5:20 and about 6 o'clock I saw the Clipper IV 100 feet off the dock, headed in a southerly direction and we didn't have it scheduled to sail today," he said.

"We identified pretty quickly that all our captains were accounted for and that somebody had taken the boat and so we contacted the Coast Guard."

When a tugboat went to retrieve the boat they discovered there was a man on board and Seattle Police were called.

SPD’s SWAT, patrol and Arson Bomb Squad responded, along with Port of Seattle police and U.S. Coast Guard boat and helicopter teams.

Police negotiators contacted the man on the boat and, eventually, a tactical team boarded the vessel and arrested the suspect.

The man told police he had planned to take the boat to West Seattle.

According to an officer that was part of the response, the man was operating the Clipper when alarms on board went off and he didn't know what to do. So he shut off the engines and let the vessel drift about 300 yards off shore.

Officers say he appeared homeless and had signs of mental issues.

Bryan said the suspect should not have been able to gain access to the pilot house. The boat had been moored at Pier 69 for repairs since Thursday. Bryan said the pilot house is supposed to be locked, but wasn't.

Bryan said there are security guards, alarmed doors and security cameras so he was surprised that someone was able to gain access to the vessel.

"It was bizarre," he said. "A number of people thought it was a joke when I first initiated some calls, and no joke, just a bad experience."

Bryan said they are investigating to try to figure out how the suspect was able to get the boat going.

"It's not a small vessel, and it's not easy to start up," he said.

Bryan said getting the ferry to move means pressing a start button and completing a complicated clutching procedure.

Bryan said the suspect "apparently has some mechanical aptitude."

Bryan said the boat sustained some minor damage.

The 132-foot Victoria Clipper IV is one of three vessels in the fleet of privately-owned passenger ferries. Two high-speed catamarans are used for passenger ferry service between Seattle and Victoria, BC and one catamaran is used for Seattle/San Juan service and whale-watching excursions

Details about the vessel from www.clippervacations.com

132 feet long, 33.3 feet wide
Holds 330 passengers and 5-10 attendants for service
Waterjet propulsion system
Speed up to 30 knots
Upper stern outside deck
Duty-free and gift shops on upper and lower decks
Some tables on upper and lower decks
All other seats with pull-down tray tables
KING 5's John Langeler and Zahid Arab contributed to this report.

 

[tanstaafl]

There's a reason that the Home Depot section for controlling moss, mold, and fungus is bigger than the section for controlling weeds. That may (or may not) be a slight exaggeration, but not by much.

There's also a reason that the suicide rate in the Pacific Northwest is higher than most regions of the US. The relentless rain and gray skies from Fall through Spring really are that bad. God help you if you have SAD.

 

[BinWa]

PDX is a bad airport to fly into . . .TSA are nasty there.

Right now - just cold - not nasty

PDX is fine. Never heard of any problem. My daughter just got back from Las Vegas tonight. No problem with TSA. In fact she said they were really nice and she went through quickly

 

[DryCreek]

I guess that I should clarify some points here. Our travel dates are not immediate, but will probably fall around late Spring to early Summer - depending on destination. I am the vacation planner, so it is up to me to come up with interesting destinations. When we go to the Orlando area (I'm a huge Disney fan) or the Anaheim area, we go in late February to early March, depending on the plants outage schedule. Next year we have two outages, one in the Spring, and one in the Fall - so my travel will be planned around that. For a visit to the PNW, we would certainly pick the most opportune season.

We have been to Oregon three times now. Twice when I judged cattle at the Oregon State Fair, and once when we put on a steer saddle training demonstration for the local Texas Longhorn breeders affiliate. I am usually pleased with the weather in early September, but that would be the latest we could go. Each time we had flown into PDX, and didn't find it any worse than some, and not nearly as bad as DFW or lately, MCO. I have looked into the hotel/travel packages through the Clipper ferries, and that seems promising. I can book a whale watching excursion through them too, which includes one night in each town (Victoria & Vancouver). I am also looking into AmTrak to get between cities too. I think that a leisurely 6 or 7 day vacation should let us absorb all of the atmosphere in the region. We like the compactness of Portland, and the free train/bus/trolley zones in the city. We have also taken the aerial tramway to the top of the hill from down by the river. That was exciting, and wow, what a hospital with a view!

Also, we both have current passports and the passport cards, so we should be good for any type of entry point. I may even try to avoid getting a rental car entirely, and just rely on public surface/water transportation to get to our destinations. Since we are flying in, we'll be traveling light. We usually just have one wheeled carry-on and a backpack. We will usually also visit the laundromat just before the end of our stay, unless the need arises earlier.

Anyone have any insight on auto insurance coverage and rental cars in Canada?

 

[Dennis Olson]

PDX is a much more expensive plane ticket than SEA. Check it out. You'll see...

 

[Flippper]

Spring/Summer are gorgeous in WA state, and you'll wish you spent more time here there is lots to see! Definitely do the High Tea at the Empress if you can, it's divine! Their Devonshire cream is to die for.

Go to Mt. St. Helens, Grand Coulee Dam, Mt. Rainier, Lake Roosevelt. Drive up into Canada from the Patterson crossing, head west through Hope and Penticton BC on over to Vancouver, it's a fabulous drive. I'd take a week to 10 days to soak it all up and so you can take your time and enjoy everything without hurrying like mad to get it done with.

 

[Hacker]

I've worked in Seattle around May/June. There was one year where June was just too damn cold and wet.

I suggest you go to the Carribean. Really!

 

[DryCreek]

PDX is a much more expensive plane ticket than SEA. Check it out. You'll see...

Well, maybe not a "much more expensive" ticket, but it is higher to fly into PDX.

From AA.com:

Depart morning of 04/11/2014, return morning to noon 04/18/2014

ACT-DFW-PDX-DFW-ACT
3328/1029/6894/2966 Lowest fare = $549.00

ACT-DFW-SEA-DFW-ACT
3263/2247/7114/2930 Lowest fare = $468.00

Any money saved is good for me! It will be interesting to see how the US Airways and American Airlines merger changes these prices and/or schedules. Kinda' hope they go down.....

 

[naturallysweet]

Spring in the PNW can either be unbelievably beautiful, or a soggy mess. If you are fine with either sun or rain, then it's a great time to hang out here.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Kinda' hope they go down.....

 

[JF&P]

PDX is a bad airport to fly into . . .TSA are nasty there.

Right now - just cold - not nasty

I live in clackamas county...and have flown many times into and out of PDX....TSA has never been other than professional and courtious...additionally, PDX has won several awards as the best airport in America.