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Posts: 224
Location: Madison | Anyone from Madison (or Milwaukee or Chicago) know about how long it takes to drive to the Nestor Falls area? Or Intl. Falls, if you've done that? Best route?
Heading from Madison to Nestor Falls this year for the first time, and just curious how long it will take. I don't drive like a maniac any more - only about ten over posted limit. I'm hoping we won't run into any major construction or speedtraps.
Thanks,
-d
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Posts: 5874
| I usually allowed 12 hours from Milwaukee, but it always took less. Leave at 3PM, get there around 1AM, and sleep at the Gov't pier in Nester Falls for a couple hours, and then on to Kenora.
About the same time when I go through Baudette to Morson. |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | Try to time your border crossing outside of high traffic periods, to speed the Customs process.
Also note that radar detectors are illegal in Canada and will be confiscated if the are seen or found.
Edited by Steve Van Lieshout 2/17/2005 2:29 PM
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Posts: 686
Location: Tomahawk, Wisconsin | Hey Waldo, I have made that trek to Nestor Falls many times and from Madison it will take you 10 hours plus or minus stopping for gas and drive thru food etc....... Take 51 to 2 to 53 to 11/71 and you are there!!!!! Where are you staying up there, and if you need a few spots shoot me an email. Dave Jonesi |
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Posts: 2752
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Shep- what are you doing, peeing in a milk jug? I'd give it 12 hours, even from Mauston, WI where I live. Less stress and we know we all need less stress. We usually leave early am- meet for breakfast in Eau Claire - stop in Duluth for - sanity check at Duluth Gander Mountain- what did I forget? I usually spend way to much money there. ROFLMAO. One trip I spent + $500.00. We usually plan to sleep in Int'l Falls area and complete the trek the next morning. If you've never driven in moose country, they are pretty darn black and at night almost impossible to see, as are the bear's. My buddy Mike almost wacked a ~ 600lb bruin just about 20 miles south of Int'l Falls on our last trip. Both are very hard to see after dark. If you can avoid driving after dark in N. MN or Canada, do it. It's better to get there without those kinds of disruptions.
Shep- Never thought of the Gov't Dock as an rest area - good idea. 
Have Fun
Al |
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Location: Des Moines IA | We left the chicago area at 6 pm . Drove all night got to Int. Falls at 4:30 in the morning. Perfect time to cross over too nobody was there.
Edited by MuskieMike 2/17/2005 10:07 PM
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Posts: 5874
| Maniac,
No peeing in a jug for this guy. Most of my trips up there have been with the wife and boy. I just get on the breezeway, set the cruise at 70, and go. A couple stops for fuel and grub, and the time goes quick. Always try to time the border crossing before 6:00 AM when we go through Baudette. Through International Falls, I like to get there around 2:00 AM, and then go sleep. Heck, a couple times we stopped at Northwoods in Eau Claire for Elk Meatloaf, and still made it in less than 12 hours. Have not had any close encounters at night with Bullwinkle or Yogi. Many Bambi sightings, but no contact. YET!! |
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| i have done the drive-straight-thru a couple times going up to Eagle. we'd meet at the Hockey Hall of Fame at about 2am and just keep trucking from there.
it was fun and exciting for the first two days, and then the price of fishing from 6am-10pm after starting the trip by staying up 48 hours catches up to you.
this year we're planning to leave friday morning and arrive in Dryden Saturday afternoon. find us a nice cheap hotel in Ft. Frances, sleep late, have a lazy breakfast, easy couple hour drive the rest of the way.
start things off on the right foot for the price of one extra day of vacation time. |
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Posts: 7036
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Lambeau,
What we did last year was leave mid-day (for me from Chicago) and meet at the Bayview Hotel in Ft. Francis, tipped a few, and went to bed. We left the hotel around 7AM, fished Eagle for a few hours, then went to Indian Point at about 4PM. Worked out well, and I see us doing that again this year.
Us chasing Jeff Katchman through the streets of Ft. Francis at 1AM was one of the highlights of the trip actually. |
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Posts: 148
Location: DES MOINES, IOWA | I like driving up there at night and hitting Nestor about 5 in the morning.They leave my room unlocked,so we have the boat unpacked,and on the water ready to go at 7am.We actually gain a day of fishing that way by leaving right after work,and we avoid traffic,and lines at the border.If you enjoy a few beers after a hard day of fishing,you have to hit Greens,which is conveniently next door to where we stay.Just a short stagger away.  First trip I,ll be up there week of June 26th,and after a pitcher or two, will usually tell where I've seen and caught every fish on that trip,so I'm good to sit next to if you'r up there at that time. |
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| It is 325 miles from Madison to Superior on the Interstate. Conservatively averaging 60 mph it should take you 5.5 hrs. to get to Superior. You only slow down once using this route and that is in Eau Claire. Superior to International Falls is 166 miles but you have to allow for time to get through Superior and Duluth and you have slow downs in Virginia, Eveleth, Orr and another small town. I'd allow 3.5 -4 hours for this leg.
I second the idea of driving to Int. Falls and getting refreshed with an overnighter and then crossing early when there is less traffic. Going to Nestor Falls it would be easier and less traffic to cross in Baudette. I hate driving in Canada in the dark. Hit or near miss a moose and you will too. |
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| Forget that idea of crossing in Baudette unless their is a 3 mile line in International Falls. |
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| I've done the drive from Chicago to Eagle and surrounding areas about 10 times. It usually takes 10 1/2 hours to International Falls with a couple of quick stops. The most active place for radar traps used to be between Madison and Eau Claire and probably still is.
For most of the last 12 years, I've been flying from Miami to International Falls and use City Cab to cross the border to meet my fishing buddy. The taxis have their own access to the front of the line so waiting is no longer a problem.
I agree with Lambeau, staying in Ft. Francis the night before starting out is the way to go. The best place I've found is Rendezvous Hotel on Rainy Lake. They serve fresh walleye and cold Canadian beer on tap!
Here's a website to check border times. Check the week before you go on the day, time and location you plan to cross. This should give you a good idea of what to expect. Good musky hunting!
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/general/times/menu-e.html |
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Posts: 5874
| Speed Traps between Madison ans Eau Claire? Theedz, he talking about you! hehehe
Jim L. I wasn't suggesting going through Baudette on the way to Nester Falls, but to Morson. Sorry if there was some confusion. |
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| Shep, I wasn't referring to your post but one of the lines in my post. I too have went through Baudette to Morson. I knew Nestor Falls was close but when I rechecked the map I saw that it isn't really practical because you have to drive west, cross and come back east a significant distance. |
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