I was just pondering whether anyone anticipated issues for riders attempting the Tour Divide this year, given all the Trump related shenanigans that are occuring, and the animosity between Canada and the USA?

I was thinking primarily of issues with Customs at the border, and people being detained / denied entry?

Who knows what the orange man baby racist will do.( there go my visa chances )
Its impossible ( beyond a creep to facism/ cult of personality ) to predict his next move.

Orange man baby racist so perfectly described.

Lazarus wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 5:15 pm Who knows what the orange man baby racist will do.( there go my visa chances )
Its impossible ( beyond a creep to facism/ cult of personality ) to predict his next move.

I just spat my tea out!

The roadside Trump store I rode past in Montana might be bigger. The horribly rascist truck driver I spoke to might be fatter. All the lovely people I met will be more lovely.

I've read recommendations for taking a burner phone so you don't expose yourself to thought crimes against the tangerine tyrant.

Friends are off to NY for a week this Summer and had a lot of 'are you a terrorist' type questions on the visa application. Stories are abounding of loads of hassle at customs but it's always been like that to a degree. Between s*** for brains and the bears the last vestiges of my desire to do the TD have pretty much fizzled. Do summat in Europe or even Oz instead

This reminds me of why I've not been out the country for the last 20 years. Welcome to my world. Our govt is just as nasty IME. Thankfully by following my protocol of staying local I've not been abused by our nasty airport security and the likes.

Sorry for this new developing situation. Reminder to self, don't swear

You never know - once they’ve absorbed Canada and Greenland we might be next and then we wouldn’t even need a visa

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 8:56 pm Friends are off to NY for a week this Summer and had a lot of 'are you a terrorist' type questions on the visa application. Stories are abounding of loads of hassle at customs but it's always been like that to a degree. Between s*** for brains and the bears the last vestiges of my desire to do the TD have pretty much fizzled. Do summat in Europe or even Oz instead

The people are lovely down the Divide. The bears hardly exist

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 9:07 pm This reminds me of why I've not been out the country for the last 20 years. Welcome to my world. Our govt is just as nasty IME. Thankfully by following my protocol of staying local I've not been abused by our nasty airport security and the likes.

Sorry for this new developing situation. Reminder to self, don't swear

Kind of with you Shaff, travelling abroad is such a drag...And there is tons of stuff to do in Blighty
I do still hope to pedal to a ferry port and go to Europe at some point but I really cannot be bothered with air travel any more

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 9:29 pm You never know - once they’ve absorbed Canada and Greenland we might be next and then we wouldn’t even need a visa

Once they've deported those that don't belong British Values and citizenship test, version 3.0

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:15 pm

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 9:07 pm This reminds me of why I've not been out the country for the last 20 years. Welcome to my world. Our govt is just as nasty IME. Thankfully by following my protocol of staying local I've not been abused by our nasty airport security and the likes.

Sorry for this new developing situation. Reminder to self, don't swear

Kind of with you Shaff, travelling abroad is such a drag...And there is tons of stuff to do in Blighty
I do still hope to pedal to a ferry port and go to Europe at some point but I really cannot be bothered with air travel any more

Same. Last time we flew abroad (Tromso, arctic circle) was just before lockdown. Now, the thought of standing in an airport for hours then squashing onto a plane with all the riff raff and idiots, then going through security , then repeating the whole thing on the way back ... no thanks.
I did go to Singlespeed World Champs in Belgium in '22 but drove, and believe I'm going to the Dutch Singlespeed Champs in June, again driving...

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 10:31 pm

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 9:29 pm You never know - once they’ve absorbed Canada and Greenland we might be next and then we wouldn’t even need a visa

Once they've deported those that don't belong British Values and citizenship test, version 3.0

I may have made the odd derogatory comment about Trump online so I’d be in trouble too.

The rest of the world has lots of empty lands, no need to fly to the big city airports. You can still cycle out of many small European airports, and the drivers still believe cyclists are allowed on the roads. Every time I return its a shock to the system having to cycle in the UK again. I made my mind up years ago to give my holiday money to countries that regard cyclists as normal people.

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 9:07 pm This reminds me of why I've not been out the country for the last 20 years. Welcome to my world.

I have to sympathise with you Shaf. Travel out of the country can be a hassle but I can't begin to imagine some of the issues you have to deal with

One of my daughters holidays regularly in USA, this year they're not going.

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 28, 2025 9:29 pm You never know - once they’ve absorbed Canada and Greenland we might be next and then we wouldn’t even need a visa

That would make the Divide a whole lot more challenging, length wise.

I've written off going to the States for a quite a few years now.
It's a shame as I know lots of nice people there and some of the landscapes are amazing.
I just feel I could inadvertently get in trouble for something.

I'm going abroad I'm focusing on Europe and exploring smaller towns and less 'touristy' areas.

No way I'm travelling to the States in the near future, having read some of the stories about people's experience with ICE recently. Not the just the people you expect to be targeted either - economic migrants and people who dare to have a different colour skin - but business people, academics, gap year travellers who've done nothing untoward disappearing into the immigration detention system for weeks and coming out with stories of concrete cells, 24/7 fluorescent lights, one meal a day, and no contact with the outside world or any clue how long they'll be there.

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... 304354007/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... ine-mooney

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80y3yx1jdyo

It's very unlikely to happen, granted, but it doesn't seem worth the risk to me, I don't have the time. People have been detailed for much less suspicious activity than the desire to ride a mountain bike continuously for a couple of weeks.

Sajama and yourguitarhero +1.

I have some great memories of the US having got married in Vegas, had great family holidays and also a big list of places I'd like to visit. Now, though, yeah, I won't be going back until the vibes change.

My Daughter has a year abroad as part of her uni course. She'd initially said she wanted to go to the California area. Even she has changed her mind and won't go. I'm pleased with that.

As people, they're are mostly super friendly on a personal level. Probably more than anywhere else I've been. As a collective though, they need to do better. Mind you, as a Brit, I'm not sure we're any better.

I've been invited to crew for a team at Bonneville. It's somewhere I've always wanted to go and to go and crew on a fuel car is a BIG draw, yet currently and having the kind of face customs officials love ... i can't see it happening any time soon.

Get a MAGA hat, that's gotta fool them..?

I have been put off going for all that has been said above. On top of that on my first visit 30 years ago on a trip with 7/8 colleagues (for fun) I was pulled to one side and questioned due to my Irish passport. I had two cousins there at the time illegally!

On my last trip I was also questioned. I don’t know how it happened but the US said that since the previous time I was there I hadn’t left, and yet here I was trying to gain entry. They said I might have an issue leaving the country but I never did.

I wouldn’t be going again anytime soon but then if I had an offer like Stuart I don’t think I would turn it down. Get a red baseball cap as said above.

I booked flights a while back, to Denver, so will take my chances I guess. Decided a while ago that I'd not go back, but the CT was what got me bike packing inspired and if I don't do it now, I'll not manage #selfishgit
If it goes to plan, I'll descend to the brewery in Durango on my 56th birthday.

boxelder wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:12 pm I booked flights a while back, to Denver, so will take my chances I guess. Decided a while ago that I'd not go back, but the CT was what got me bike packing inspired and if I don't do it now, I'll not manage #selfishgit
If it goes to plan, I'll descend to the brewery in Durango on my 56th birthday.

I've been to that brewery, it's good.
Durango area is lovely