Help needed re: planning trip from UK to TFC

[Iain]

Hi guys,

I am a long-time lurker on this board and have turned into a fairly big TFC fan since my conversion, which I talked about on here at the time.

http://viewfromtheshelf.com/2008/06/04/toronto-fc-they-dont-pay-for-healthcare/

I now come to you seeking help and advice relating to my frankly MASSIVE plan to come to a game over there later this year. Here is a tiny bit of background.

My friend and I are both coming to see a TFC game, but I am also a Green Bay Packers fan (the beauty of following North American sports from the UK means you don't have to be loyal to a state) and he is Minnessota Vikings follower.

Therefore we want to take in a TFC game to co-incide with packers playing the vikings (dates are Oct 5 and Nov 1). We would start in Torfonto and drive to the NFL game over te course of 7-12 days depending on fixtures, stopping at various towns in between.

BASICALLY, The schedule have not been kind to us. It doesn't seem like we can plan a TFC home game and have time to travel to the NFL game with the respective schedules.

So the plan is thus. Arrive in Toronto a few days before the away game in Chicago on Sept 26. Travel down to watch the game, and then after that we would take our time travelling to Minneapolis for the game on Oct 5.

This is where I need your help.

- Generally, as people with more knowledge of NA geography and sports how feasuible does a trip like this sound?

- Is there any concievable way a couple of foreign Toronto fans would be able to get tickets in the away end at the Chicago game?

- The dream would be when we leave Toronto, to travel with the TFC supporters to the Chicago game for the full experience and a chance to chat, banter with you guys. Is there likely to be a supporters coach or tranport in general to Chicago?

They are the main things. I think if we could achieve the first part then picking up a rental car and going from Chicago to Minneapolis in eight ish days, via Green Bay, with days in inbetween town seems feasible.

ANY help you could offer on the three specific questions or feedback on whatI have suggested in general would be so masssively appreciated.

If I have not been specific enough then feel free to ask questions below and I will try to provide more details.

[Iain]

Also, here are the schedules of the respective teams if anyonewants to suggest alternative routes

TFC - http://web.mlsnet.com/schedule/scoreboard/season.jsp?team=t280

GBP - http://www.nfl.com/teams/greenbaypackers/schedule?team=GB&id=1800

MV - http://www.nfl.com/teams/minnesotavikings/schedule?team=MIN&id=3000

[CretanBull]

Your trip itinerary isn't impossible, but truth be told it's not a trip that I would want to take haha! It's sometimes hard for people in the UK to realize how big and how spread out Canada and America are. A trip from Toronto to Minneapolis would be like driving from London up to Edinburgh, back down to London then back up to Leeds (then repeating that trip to get from Minneapolis back to Toronto).

I'm not sure if an official road trip is planned for Chicago or not, but due to some recent problems the trips that we organize are only available to members. It's possible that under the circumstances an exception might be made. It would be a 9 hour drive from Toronto to Chicago and you should be prepared to possibly face some problems at the US border. In the past some of our supporters who aren't travelling on a Canadian passport have had delays getting into America. From Chicago to Minnesota is about another 7 hour drive. Keep in mind that it's possible that we might not organize an official trip to Chicago.

As an alternate plan, I'd recomend coming to Toronto on the weekend of Oct 10th. Come see TFC at home vs. San Jose, then if you want to experience a NFL game you can go to Buffalo on the 11th to see the Bills play vs. Cleveland Browns. Buffalo is only about 2 hours away from Toronto. Niether one of you would get to see your team, but atleast you'd get to see a NFL game.

Another possibility is to come the weekend of September 12th. TFC play at home vs. Colorado on the 12th and then you could drive down to Cleveland where the Minnesota play vs. the Cleveland Browns on September 13th. It's about a 5 and half hour drive from Toronto to Cleveland. At least one of you would get to see your NFL team of choice.

[pepher]

it's worth noting too that the Buffalo games are usually a great time... not cause the Bills are great, just the game experience. there are a ton of Canadians that go.

an MLS game away from TO likely won't be the same as the environment at BMO Field on game day.

[MG42]

Your trip itinerary isn't impossible, but truth be told it's not a trip that I would want to take haha! It's sometimes hard for people in the UK to realize how big and how spread out Canada and America are. A trip from Toronto to Minneapolis would be like driving from London up to Edinburgh, back down to London then back up to Leeds (then repeating that trip to get from Minneapolis back to Toronto).

I'm not sure if an official road trip is planned for Chicago or not, but due to some recent problems the trips that we organize are only available to members. It's possible that under the circumstances an exception might be made. It would be a 9 hour drive from Toronto to Chicago and you should be prepared to possibly face some problems at the US border. In the past some of our supporters who aren't travelling on a Canadian passport have had delays getting into America. From Chicago to Minnesota is about another 7 hour drive. Keep in mind that it's possible that we might not organize an official trip to Chicago.

As an alternate plan, I'd recomend coming to Toronto on the weekend of Oct 10th. Come see TFC at home vs. San Jose, then if you want to experience a NFL game you can go to Buffalo on the 11th to see the Bills play vs. Cleveland Browns. Buffalo is only about 2 hours away from Toronto. Niether one of you would get to see your team, but atleast you'd get to see a NFL game.

Another possibility is to come the weekend of September 12th. TFC play at home vs. Colorado on the 12th and then you could drive down to Cleveland where the Minnesota play vs. the Cleveland Browns on September 13th. It's about a 5 and half hour drive from Toronto to Cleveland. At least one of you would get to see your NFL team of choice.

That's the one I'd do, the weather will be a lot nicer and the games are close together. If you really want to see the Packers you could watch them play the Bengals on the 20th at Lambeau.

Sept.12 TFC vs Colarado at 3:30pm

wake up early (or one of you doesn't drink Saturday and you leave after TFC) Sunaday 5 hour drive to Cleveland

Sept 13 Clevland vs Minnesota at 1:00pm

it's about an 8 hour drive from cleveland to Green Bay

Sept 20 Green Bay vs Cincinnati 1:00pm

[Iain]

Thanks for the advice guys, it has certainly provided food for thought.

As flights from London to Toronto are surprisingly reasonable, I am now considering flying out there, then on the morning of Sat, Sept 26 flying to Chicago (which according to my basic research is an hour in the air). It doesn't seem like the second flight is that expensive either.

After the game on 26/09, we would have eight days to have a leisurely drive to Minnesota via Milwaukee, Green Bay and Eau Claire.

Also, can anybody give me a little feedback on greyhound buses? They seem a cheap alternative to driving and the travel times don't seem too arduous. They almost see too cheap in a way. Are they really cramped and horrible? I am 6'7'' to give a bit more detail.

[RedsYNWA]

The Grayhound SUCKS if you have to be in one for more than 4 hours you will WISH YOU NEVER DID

[Lucky Strike]

Thanks for the advice guys, it has certainly provided food for thought.

As flights from London to Toronto are surprisingly reasonable, I am now considering flying out there, then on the morning of Sat, Sept 26 flying to Chicago (which according to my basic research is an hour in the air). It doesn't seem like the second flight is that expensive either.

After the game on 26/09, we would have eight days to have a leisurely drive to Minnesota via Milwaukee, Green Bay and Eau Claire.

Also, can anybody give me a little feedback on greyhound buses? They seem a cheap alternative to driving and the travel times don't seem too arduous. They almost see too cheap in a way. Are they really cramped and horrible? I am 6'7'' to give a bit more detail.

Yeah anything more than 3-4 hours would be tough; particularly for a tall gentleman.

[EastYork]

Also, can anybody give me a little feedback on greyhound buses? They seem a cheap alternative to driving and the travel times don't seem too arduous. They almost see too cheap in a way. Are they really cramped and horrible? I am 6'7'' to give a bit more detail.
Can you play football? With your height TFC could use you as a CB.
Mo does have a preferance for UK based players.

[ExiledRed]

As an Englishman, if your experience of coach transit, is National Express, then you are going to find Greyhound quite pleasant.

[CoachGT]

If you were really interested in going to Chicago, the game is on Sept 26th. There would be no problem in getting tickets in the TFC end. Green Bay to Chicago isn't a bad drive.

[jloome]

Thanks for the advice guys, it has certainly provided food for thought.

As flights from London to Toronto are surprisingly reasonable, I am now considering flying out there, then on the morning of Sat, Sept 26 flying to Chicago (which according to my basic research is an hour in the air). It doesn't seem like the second flight is that expensive either.

After the game on 26/09, we would have eight days to have a leisurely drive to Minnesota via Milwaukee, Green Bay and Eau Claire.

Also, can anybody give me a little feedback on greyhound buses? They seem a cheap alternative to driving and the travel times don't seem too arduous. They almost see too cheap in a way. Are they really cramped and horrible? I am 6'7'' to give a bit more detail.

Cramped, smelly, horrible, and usually with poor ventilation and poorer company. Ridden many a greyhound for many a mile, and if it's all you can afford, well....

Eight Days is a long time to drive from Chicago to Minnesota. Hell, I've done that drive in a day (albeit a stupidly long day). I even got lost for a couple of hours and it was about 16 hours, if I recall, from International Falls minnesota to Marquette, Mich.

But if you're stopping to see Oshkosh and Eau Claire and places like that, it'll be a very nice drive. Why you'd want to stop in most of these places is utterly beyond me; most are just small cities, very cookie cutter, not much on offer. I'm sure if there's drinking and socializing involved they brighten up somewhat. If I were you, I'd get a cheap air ticket from Chicago to Minneapolis and spend the time in the windy city instead; great town.

[Bars92]

Skol! Vikings!:drinking:

[Super]

Skål

[VoxPopuliCosmicum]

The Grayhound SUCKS if you have to be in one for more than 4 hours you will WISH YOU NEVER DID


As an Englishman, if your experience of coach transit, is National Express, then you are going to find Greyhound quite pleasant.


Cramped, smelly, horrible, and usually with poor ventilation and poorer company. Ridden many a greyhound for many a mile, and if it's all you can afford, well....


It's all relative, I guess. I haven't taken a coach in the UK or Europe, so I don't know your frame of reference. I recall the coaches in Asia running the gamut from luxury travel in Taiwan to squalor in Cambodia. In my experience, Greyhound in Canada and Greyhound US operate on either side of a rather broad range.

Greyhound Canada got a bit of a knock with the recent beheading of a young man while he slept by a mentally disturbed stranger. Until then, it had been regarded as a cheap, somewhat cramped, but largely safe and clean mode of transport. They've been beheading-free for months now.

It's not that way in the US (not sure about the beheadings), and although I wouldn't say my experiences are "normal" for Greyhound US, I have heard similar stories that make me wonder.

The last time I took Greyhound I actually did the Toronto-Chicago route. Once we crossed the border into Detroit it went all down hill. I witnessed a crackhead couple smoke their faces off in the bathroom and then get into a screaming match and physical fight, and then the female maced the male and THEN all hell broke loose when the bus stopped to wait for the police to arrive. The male threatened to shoot anyone who looked at him and kept motioning that he had a gun in his bag. The female locked herself in the bathroom only to open the door just long enough for the male to reach in and take the mace from her and spray the washroom, causing the female to scream constantly for 30 minutes until an ambulance arrived. Meanwhile the male, after running to the front of the bus with tears streaming down his face, smashed the bus driver in the face and ran out the door and into the dense woods by the side of the interstate. When 6 state troopers finally showed up we had to wait around (we're witnesses, they said) until they coaxed him out of the woods and put him in the back of a paddy wagon.

[T_Mizz]

As someone who's been to many an NFL game in my short life, I must say that you should definitely consider going to a true American tailgate. They are an absolute blast, you simply need to show up in your car with a ton of very cheap american beer and just be friendly offer up a few brews get some tailgate food in return and have a blast. Its amazing the type of partying that goes on like 6 hours before the game even starts. Just a suggestion.
PS TFC games are much better with the TFC supporters at BMO, not to toot our own horns or anything

[T_Mizz]

However one signing made everyone sit up and take notice. The purchase of a certain impossibly-handsome Londoner in his early-thirties had fans and media buzzing with excitement. Could he put the game on the map where others have tried and failed.
Well, I’ll hold my hands up and plead guilty. I have fallen hook, line and sinker for the media hype. The transfer of Danny Dichio to Toronto FC has had the required impact and I have been hooked in.
Hilarious:D