Due to limited vacation time, I'm shipping my bike and flying to Seattle, WA from Philadelphia, PA then riding north to the artic circle. My limited budget necessitates crating the cycle for shipping ($250-350 cheaper than an uncrated bike.)

Any experiences on how to make this go smoothly?

Can I just crate the bike in the parking lot of the shipping terminal in Philadelphia?
Then uncrate it in Seattle and ride away?
Will they hold the bike for me at shipping terminal in Seattle, or do I have to be an agent company?
Maybe I should get it shipped to a local dealer and then taxicab there from the airport?

Anybody have any tips/ideas/advice?

TIA, Sheldon

Hi Sheldon

Qualified yes, the only possible caveat is if they have a union or safety regulations which means they don't want you crating the bike on their property. We ran into this problem in Miami Airport when flying back from Panama, the shipper asked us where our truck was? We replied we didn't have one, we just wanted to uncrate the bike in their parking lot, and had to argue about it with him due to union restrictions. We won

They will hold the bike at the shipping terminal, but after a certain amount of time (usually a couple of days), they will start to charge you for it. You should establish in advance how long you have to retrieve it, and it doesn't hurt to also tell them in advance you won't have a truck at the other end. Get the guy's name in Philadelphia, then you can quote him in Seattle

If you know a local dealer in Seattle you could do this, but you might find it costs extra to pick it up anywhere except the airport, as otherwise they have to transport it in a truck to the dealer.

Check out this page for general shipping tips and other links:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tri...ngInstructions

Good luck and let us know how you go!

------------------
Susan Johnson

"It matters not what goal you seek
Its secret here reposes:
You've got to dig from week to week
To get Results or Roses."
Edgar Guest

'One world, two wheels'
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

__________________
Susan Johnson

Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

thanks susan, i appreciate your insights.
i'll report on how everything went in a few months.

sheldon