Octania

Anyone do this much?
We'd like to shave a bunch of time off MI to VT trip
I do have a valid passport
Taking the work truck, hand tools, propellers and fan parts.

Anything to worry about?
I have some prescription medicines, but I usually put the lot into one container- I only need 5-6 of each for a week on the road. Surely this is not something they care about at the border crossing, right?

stan 65 cutlass

if your meds are in their proper containers, and your paperwork is current, passenger too, they may do a record check so any arrests, DUI, etc may make it tough to cross, basicly be honest and tell them what your plans are you shouldnt have any trouble. they may not like the tools because you could be coming over to take away work, but if you have work orders and corresponding paperwork for the props and fan parts itll make it fairly obvious to them

oldsmobiledave

Wrong. Unmarked pills of any kind in a generic container is a huge mistake. It is an invitation for them to pick you for a detailed search & that will tie you up for hours. Not worth the hassle. Keep all your pills in their original containers.

Octania

I don't have the original Rx containers

Just passing thru, not taking work from locals. Work is in Vermont.

Allan R

Suggest you call border security services and ask.

Tony72Cutlass'S'

Honestly, what i do is declare everything i have, and they've never given me any issues.

I write up an itemized list in excel and present it at the boarder. Works like a charm.

Except for all the stuff hidden behind my "functional" Evap container

oldspackrat

I know I of a couple that crossed into canada on two motorcycles on their honeymoon. When asked if they own any firearms of course they responded they were all at home. Good thing they didn't search those motorcycles ;-) I would never recommend anything like that though.

Tony72Cutlass'S'

Actually if you have the right paperwork on hand you can carry whatever you like across/to/from Canada. I've driven down to Albany a bunch of times with no issues.

allyolds68

If you have prescription drugs and you don't have them in the original containers you'll be screwed. It works ok around the house but it won't work crossing the border. Hell, the local cops around here bust people for it all the time. Granted, it's usually oxycodone or something like that but no matter what it is, legally, if it's a prescription it has to be in the original container or at teh very least you have to have the original container with you. If you don't have the original containers you may be able to have your pharmacy print something out for you proving they're your's.

oldcutlass

Or...you can just do what our neighbors do to our south and sneek in.

oldstata

Here mixing meds in one container is a felony

Oldskeeper

I don't know if it would be worth it, our gas is about 5.00 a gallon, I try to cross as close as possible to buy your cheap gas.The border guards at port Huron and Detroit are there to learn and go by the book and are eager to prove themselves.
Check google maps and check your route and see what your savings in time would be.
As far as crossing goes Canadian guards ask a lot of questions, it's easier for me to cross into the States than it is for me to cross back into Canada.
Good Luck and remember we drive in metric.
Steve

Mike77

I go regularily down south. Very easy if you have a passport and nothing declare. However tools, pills,guns, drugs, food, cash over $10K MUST be declared. Gun's and illegal drugs will get you sent home. Tool's, food, pills will get you an interview inside. Be truthful. They can at their dicression re-fuse you entry for any of the declare item that are prohibited. 99% of the time, with food or pills, they confiscate them and send you on your way through Canada. You will need to explain your tools. Be truthful show then any reciept and your good to go. These guy are pro's and can smell BS in a second. Just be nice and truthful. Attitude is everthing.

Enjoy your trip
Mike

Professur

The new highway 30 around Mtl is a godsend. $1.50 and it dumps you onto the 15 south to I-87. But I agree .. staying south would be my choice and I've recently done Mtl-detroit-Mtl. Adding the fuel cost and the time for 2 border crossings and the lower speed limit...

Paladin31

I've taken both passenger cars with nothing aside from clothes= no problem. Tried exactly same thing with my personal/work truck, a cap full of tools etc...nothing illegal. . Was told by their supervisor on my 'escorted' way back out of Canada...your welcome back, but never try this again with truck & tools. Sat there for 4 hours, Only fun I missed was the body cavity search...

It does save about an hour enroute to Buffalo cutting across though.

Bunser

Work truck,tools and parts. Don't do it. Listen to the above posters and take the U.S. route.

starfire

Mapquest says you'd save an hour going via Canada. I'm willing to bet you'd lose more than that hour at each border crossing. I think someone already mentioned the more expensive gas. My suggestion would be to stay in the states.

Mike77

I think for a saving of an hour it's not worht it. Besides even when you do cross to Canada, you have a lot of explaining to US immigration on the way back.
" Mr. Octania you say you were in Canada for only one hour" " that 's odd , could you step inside please"
" Did you pick up any packages?" No! " Do you mind if we search your car?"

Octania

Well, we decided to stay in the US of A.
Did get real close to Canada though, like we could reach out and touch it.

Saw a few interesting sights, the trees were about half into the color phase.























Shifted into Over-Quaint here:

Octania

And a few more:

Allan R

Nice Pics! Love the General Lee on top of that building. That Buick looks great too!

allyolds68

Where did you go Chris?

I'm headed to Waterbury, VT Monday myself

Octania

Thru PA, NY, to Richford VT, WAY up by Canada.

Gorgeous views.

Cigs are $10 a pack- glad I don't smoke. Weed would be cheaper.

NY gas stations are a PITA- half the time the holder-open tang lever is missing so folks use whatever to prop it open.... One station [HESS Express] had 10 oz of murky brown "water" for "cleaning" our windshield, and NONE of the FOUR paper towel dispensers had anything at all. Great way to treat motorists. My favorite parts were the Chinese buffet restaurant with a food tongs holding the toilet's water pipe just right, and the Subway in Cobleskill NY, where the toilet tissue dispenser just throws the roll in your lap, and the roll of hand drying tissues is sitting atop the toilet tank. So your hands are nice and clean when you go to eat. I wrote corporate about that one.

But I digress....
Beautiful country
Exceedingly quaint little towns.
Nice folks.
Car on a stick, General Lee atop a building, plane on a stick, snowmobile on a stick [I collect xxx-on-a-stick pics from road travels]... Various old cars and trucks... Saw a '67 Cutlass or 442 in a yard, but not sure where and we didn't stop to inquire.

starfire

I absolutely love this place! Imagine what it looked like before it was abandoned. Very cool pics Chris, looks like you had a great trip.

allyolds68

You've obviously never been to VT. What makes you think it's abandoned?

Mark57

Make sure you have your passport and documents for work in Vermont. AS said get your meds in the proper containers and be straight up at the boarder. Take your sun glasses off and don't bring any food across...some foods are fine but why risk it. When you cross back into the US you will have the same questions. I go back and forth across the boarder quite a bit to pick up parts and I find they are usually fine when your straight up with them.

MDchanic

I agree.

As you've by now observed, Vermont still thinks it's a different country, and sometimes they seem to take this more seriously than you'd expect.

It's also wise to bring your own drinkin' watah - that beavah feevah's no laughing matter.



- Eric

Octania

What?
Work permits for VT?
seriously?

We were doing investigation for warranty work on our fans. Replace props, modify the housing, rot like that. Some kind of vibration issue. Factory support of the customer.

One thing I noticed-
On the highways, per usual, 2 out of every 20 miles is "under construction" which often means orange barrels but not one worker to be seen, just 2 miles of lower speed limit and one lane while the other lane sits there...

What gets me is... they are [where there ARE workers]... replacing pavement that we would KILL for here in MI... perfect smooth roads, shredded and renewed. Meanwhile back in MI, the roads shake your vehicle apart- literally.

Why can't we get those road builders to work here? The weather isn't THAT different MI vs. NY.

Also, seems like we had lots of toll roads going East but just about none going West. Maybe because we came back by way of Corning. Did ya know they have a glass museum in Corning NY?

Tony72Cutlass'S'

Welcome to canada, a land where nothing gets done and corruption and collusion in the government pays workers to stay home and drink maple syrup.

End Rant.

MDchanic

No. It was a joke about crazy Vehmontahs.

- Eric

Professur

About 5-6 years back (probably longer, but my memory for dates has never been good) the highway down from Mtl to the NY border was reduced to one lane for several months because the slow lane had been reduced to gravel and semi sized potholes. It didn't take them months to do the repairs ... it took them months to get around to the repairs. All roads leading out of QC are renowned for being terrible in the hopes of keeping people from leaving.