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Our Gaspe trip few 28 - March 7


Teamgreen
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Hello first time poster. Had trouble registering my name but here goes

1) Drove to Mon Jolie hotel first night 600 miles worth. People there very accommodating and a good starting point. Big parking lot. Also they will come and pick you up if you need that service on the trail.

2) Install saddlebags and off we go to pointe a la Croix. Stayed at interprovincial hotel . Ate at Pastali restaurant. As always Canadian food far superior to American.

2) head out next day towards New Richmond. Friends sled dies. Friend goes and buys a brand new Cat Turbo. Stay at hotel Francis for the night. A local person named Stephen saved our trip as he was just the kindest person like most all Canadiens are that you could meet. He offered us lodging at his house and the use of his sled if needed! Wow!

3) Most trails so far are a 8 or 9 out of ten. Some places exceptional. Head out next day and make it to the Fraser hotel in Chandler . As always very nice people and excellent food.

4) next day head to Perce. Groomer broken and trail has giant moguls . Local trail to Perce worst I had seen. But well worth the excursion. Ate at table Roland.

5) Noticed something odd though. The last three restaurants we went to we sat down put in our order. Many locals and French Canadiens sat down after us ordered and all got their food before us. Seemed odd as once maybe coincidence but three times in a row? We have always been treated with respect in Canada and we wer both taken aback by this.

6) left Perce stopped at the Relais after the giant bridge going thru a very steep ravine. Gassed up in town and off we go. Stayed at hotel Plante very nice warm and good scenery.

7) Next day we rode to Mont at Pirerre. Stayed at the le delice motel . Trails faster on the north side . Ran in to some ferocious Gaspe winds.

8) Nextday up and head back to Mon Jolie hotel. All,in all about 900 miles .

Ok some things we noticed and suggestions

1) we saw about maybe 50 sleds all week.

2) thee local clubs really take pride in what they do.

3) when heading out add a few days for mechanical or weather issues.

4) there're were some areas that if you went off the trail there would be a very long and hard time retrivieing your sled.

5) I If weather comes in watch out we ran into some ferocious winds that realy made it hard to enjoy. Thank god our machines worked good.

6) packed everything to a t and almost could not think of anything else to bring.

7) route trans Quebec city 10 and 30 are not listed on the map and threw us for a loop a couple of times.

8)Pierre at the Yamaha dealer in Mont at Pierre is someone that typifies the Canadian hospitality that the north country is known for.

9) dealer told my friend he could get all 15% tax back at border. We were told at the border they stopped that practice back in 2007. My friend got hosed for $2000 sales tax. Moral of story do not buy a new machine in Canada and expect to bring it across the border.

10) rider beware left and right turns after very long straightaways come up very quickly. We had no problems but at times it was close.

11) signage is terrific and only a few times we stumbled. Only once did we backtrack and that was about 10 miles worth.

12) many many thanks to all the private landowners and the Canadian gov for allowing us to travel on their land. Here in Mass where we hail from that would never be allowed and you would get thrown in jail for.

All in all great trip. Next up the U.P of Michigan.

Thanks

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Welcome! Lots of great information here and many have a knowledge-base of experience that can be invaluable when planning a trip.

Your #7 has me confused. Are you referring to a road map or a trail map? Those numbers sound like they may be for ATV trails(?)

If you poke around here a bit you will find that one of the most challenging parts of a snowmobile trip to the Gaspe is the weather. Even small snow storms can spell trouble because of the relentless winds that take 4-6 inches of snow and create unbelieveable drifts.Many here have left the trail and taken the road to seek shelter rather than continue battling endless drifts.

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We are from Western Mass.

The route 30 and 10 signs are all over the trails. At times we wondered if we were on trans Quebec #5 or local trails.

If they are Atv trails than why aren't they marked as such? It really was confusing at times because they were all around the whole Gaspe.

You are right about weather in the Gaspe .Our last attempt was back in 2012 . We made it from RDL to around Matane and could not go any farther as the trails were closed due to epic snow depth. We managed to make it to Murdochville and stayed at Hotel Copper.

Our funny story of that trip was on the way to Murdochville there was a groomer stuck mid trail going downhill. It was engulfed in a mountain of snow!

The drifts were so high I could not see my friends sled just barely the top of his helmet when he turned corners!

Like I said in the previous post those storms and winds in particular can be ferocious. Rider beware but should not stop anyone from seeing this unbelievably beautiful place .

Never saw anything like that before or since.

Another suggestion is to bring some U.S money because at times private parties don't take credit cards.it saved my friend when his sled broke down and had to pay someone with a flatbed to move his new sled to the trailhead and remove his old one from the trail.

Also the banks up there are closed on Saturday.

Hope this helps, Teamgreen

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A couple more things.

We know all about those Red Chevrons. I've told my friends in the states many times that when you see a Red sign grab the brakes immediately or you will end up upside down in no time!

We have traveled extensively in Canada and seen a lot but by far the Gaspe was the best.

Asked Pierre at the yamaha dealer how with only 37 club members could he afford a groomer the size of a small monster truck!

He begged me to buy trail passes from home when we return and I shall oblige.

As the president of our Club in Mass we always struggle with getting the right equipment to groom our trails . Pierre explained that he gets money from the Fcmq or the Canadien govt not sure which. Wish they could send some money our way as our biggest groomer is a 1969 Bombardier SW-48 sidewalk plow!

Another tip -call the local clubs or Hotels you will be staying at to send you the best trail map available .When I called the Fcmq , Canadien dept of tourism , multiple times to send me maps of the area they sent me the junkiest maps you could imagine . When we arrived at any hotel or restaurant those real good maps were just as plentiful as napkins. Those good maps really saved our trip.

Hope this helps, Teamgreen

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We are from Western Mass.

The route 30 and 10 signs are all over the trails. At times we wondered if we were on trans Quebec #5 or local trails.

If they are Atv trails than why aren't they marked as such? It really was confusing at times because they were all around the whole Gaspe.

You are right about weather in the Gaspe .Our last attempt was back in 2012 . We made it from RDL to around Matane and could not go any farther as the trails were closed due to epic snow depth. We managed to make it to Murdochville and stayed at Hotel Copper.

Another suggestion is to bring some U.S money because at times private parties don't take credit cards.it saved my friend when his sled broke down and had to pay someone with a flatbed to move his new sled to the trailhead and remove his old one from the trail.

Also the banks up there are closed on Saturday.

Hope this helps, Teamgreen

A couple more things.

We know all about those Red Chevrons. I've told my friends in the states many times that when you see a Red sign grab the brakes immediately or you will end up upside down in no time!

We have traveled extensively in Canada and seen a lot but by far the Gaspe was the best.

Asked Pierre at the yamaha dealer how with only 37 club members could he afford a groomer the size of a small monster truck!

He begged me to buy trail passes from home when we return and I shall oblige.

As the president of our Club in Mass we always struggle with getting the right equipment to groom our trails . Pierre explained that he gets money from the Fcmq or the Canadien govt not sure which. Wish they could send some money our way as our biggest groomer is a 1969 Bombardier SW-48 sidewalk plow!

Another tip -call the local clubs or Hotels you will be staying at to send you the best trail map available .When I called the Fcmq , Canadien dept of tourism , multiple times to send me maps of the area they sent me the junkiest maps you could imagine . When we arrived at any hotel or restaurant those real good maps were just as plentiful as napkins. Those good maps really saved our trip.

Hope this helps, Teamgreen

  • Generally, the ATV trails are staked with blue stakes, the snowmobile with red. There are sections where it is a shared path so both may be on it for some distance. Those are ATV numbers; not snowmobile.
  • Many of us carry Canadian money for meals in clubhouses and other places where credit cards may not be accepted. It is best and most easily obtained after arriving in Quebec as most towns have a bank ATM. Your ATM card from home works fine and you get the exchange just the same as when using your credit card.
  • Most of us support buying "where you ride" or supporting a favorite local club we know in Quebec. As you said and know, grooming and the equipment is expensive. Clubs keep approx. 2/3 of the trail pass fees.
  • The links below will get you maps and other information to help in trip planning. The first is for the Bas Saint Laurent section (RDL and beyond with links to Gaspe also); second for Chaudiere Appalaches (next area south).

http://www.quebecmaritime.ca/en/sports-and-outdoor-recreation/snowmobiling/trail-conditions-permits-and-regulations

https://www.chaudiereappalaches.com/en/activities-attractions/snowmobile/

Again, welcome!

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How to Get the Tax Back From Items Bought in Canada

By Jim Priebe, C.F.A., eHow Contributor

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When shopping in person in Canada, you will be charged sales tax. Depending on the province or territory where you shop, this tax will be called the goods & services tax (GST), provincial sales tax (PST) or the harmonized sales tax (HST). The amount varies from 5 to 15 percent of your purchase. The government of Canada no longer rebates the GST or HST to American consumers. If the items are shipped to the United States the taxes are not applied, and this is true whether the recipient is a person or a business. Under some circumstances, nonresident businesses (including sole proprietors) can apply for a rebate. Have a question? Get an answer from a personal finance professional now!

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_7649349_tax-back-items-bought-canada.html

It's to bad if you had known you could of just shipped it across the boarder after the ride. I'm not sure if part of the "sting " of paying the tax was made better by the year end deals and the exchange rate. Things like sleds in Canada are always more $ then in the states! What about warranty ? A lot of us Canadians ( I'm a permant resident from the states) back when dollar was close to par looked at buying a sled in the states but warranty was voided( Canadian dealers wouldn't cover warranty repairs) . Same true going the other way?

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Hey snow farmer- I love that name! Can you ship some snow down here in Mass? We are getting awful thin now! Our club members would love to ride in late March and April!

Ok so my friend is one of three owners of a business in mass. We did not know about the shipping part of it but that would have been days of hassle and paperwork we could not afford to give. In truth the dealer should have been aware that there was a shipping option available.

In regards of the warranty the dealer was on the phone with Cat for one hour getting the warranty straightened out. Turns out all the dealers were in Vegas for the annual 2016 release. We told them about the machine blowing up and we needed to get a machine to continue the trip. It was not as if we were bargain hunting up there.

Regarding pricing the machines with the 20% exchange rate were competitive with the states but no real terrific deal. The deal breaker is the sales tax.

Interestingly the border agents told us if he bought a Yamaha he would not only have paid the sales taxes but also a duty fee which would have been who knows how much. Because the machine was made in Japan it was a negotiated trade deal with the Canadien govt.

Also another tip if you go into Canada and use a banks ATM as suggested you would get a whopper bank transfer fee but get the exchange rate proper.A better idea is to get the Canadien money in the states at your own local bank . You will pay a fee for the transfer but way less than a banks ATM transfer fees in Canada.

Hope this helps,teamgreen

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Also another tip if you go into Canada and use a banks ATM as suggested you would get a whopper bank transfer fee but get the exchange rate proper.A better idea is to get the Canadien money in the states at your own local bank . You will pay a fee for the transfer but way less than a banks ATM transfer fees in Canada.

Hope this helps,teamgreen

Been doing ATMs for Canadian money many years and never, ever had "bank transfer fee". WTF?

Getting Canadian money at your bank in the US has its own set of problems - most notably a VERY poor exchange rate that is many points off the published rate at a site like http://www.xe.com/. If you live more than a state away from Canada, your bank will also not be very interested or know how to get the money for you.

Edited by vt_bluyamaha54
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Been doing ATMs for Canadian money many years and never, ever had "bank transfer fee". WTF?

Getting Canadian money at your bank in the US has its own set of problems - most notably a VERY poor exchange rate that is many points off the published rate at a site like http://www.xe.com/. If you live more than a state away from Canada, your bank will also not be very interested or know how to get the money for you.

I withdrew money from an ATM in Canada several times this winter and was never charged a ''bank trans fee" either. Just the typical fee for the ATM that was not affiliated with my bank.

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In regards of getting Canadian money the best way is to stop at a Canadian bank Monday thru Friday as banks are closed on Saturdays in the great white north.

You will get the best rate at a real bank . Hard to do when you are on the trail and do not pass any banks.you can do it on the drive up but that's a hassle too.

Bank of America will easily get you Canadian dollars before you leave America .You can do the transaction on line and have that money delivered to the bank of your choice. As of today 3-27-15 You bring in $100 dollars American and receive $118.44 Canadian. Same day exact exchange rate is $100 equals $126 Canadian .

I've done this before and it takes just a few days but You lose 8 dollars right from the get go on that particular transaction.

My friend and I have argued about this in the past .He believes just bring American dollars and factor in the 26% increase and be done with it.

Banks that are part of the Global bank alliance such as Scotia bank , TD Canada Charge no fees for Bank of America and TD Banknorth customers respectively.

if you use your Bank of America debit /credit card you get charged only the fee to use that particular ATM typically 3-5 dollars

However if you use a standard Visa or MasterCard you will get charged a cash advance fee plus a fee to use that particular ATM.

Hope this helps, Teamgreen

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if you use your Bank of America debit /credit card you get charged only the fee to use that particular ATM typically 3-5 dollars

However if you use a standard Visa or MasterCard you will get charged a cash advance fee plus a fee to use that particular ATM.

Hope this helps, Teamgreen

Since you are new here, might want to review this thread: http://www.quebecrider.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3718&hl=exchange There are also others if you do a search on "exchange".

In early March I got $100 in Canadian money in southern Quebec on my way up and my home bank debited my account for $78.31. The posted exchange at that time was about 0.806 so you can see, that was only about $2 per $100 off rate.

Depending on your home bank and your account privaleges, ATM fees at non-member banks are waived - and if they aren't guess what? You are also paying those fees when you use your card at a non-member bank in the US so the ATM use fee is not unique to Canada -

Yeah, and using a VISA or MasterCard to get a cash advance in the States will also generally cost you a cash advance fee.

I think "know before you go" might be a good way to look at this.

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