Trump is wrong. The border between Canada and the US is not just some “artificially drawn line.” It’s actually a twenty foot wide clear cut that extends the entire border from Washington/BC all the way to Maine/New Brunswick. Coming back into the US there was some sort of computer issue that caused a backup on the border crossing. So we waited a good fifteen minutes with our car’s fender clearly in the US but it’s backside within the no-man’s land. I got out of the car to stretch and had a pleasant conversation with a woman whose car was more clearly in-between the two countries. Behind her were several cars still in Canada. A very friendly and polite US border agent walked up the line of the cars (from the US then several yards into Canada) passing out water bottles and explaining the situation.

All border lines are of course artificial. When it comes right down to it we walk on nothing more than continents or islands separated by natural barriers that sometimes results in different languages and cultures. Who knows, maybe the US would be better off being annexed by Canada. They are much better at funding things like national parks and public education. And Canadians are just so gosh darn nice. But at the end of the day I would rather keep my country. I know they feel the same way about it too.

The International Peace Park spans two great countries and one amazing eco system of waterfalls, bears, hikes beyond description and other such cool things. We spent one night on the western edge of GNP and then five nights camping at the Waterton Town Site which has things like showers, three sided shelters for when it rains and soft grass more comfortable than a bed to sleep on. Two of those five days were cold and rainy. We didn’t care. The hikes were still great and the small individually owned coffee shops and restaurants in-town where fun to hang out in. The highlight of our stay maybe was the hike from Cameron Lake (where a shuttle dropped us off) to Cameron Falls which drops right by our campground. Twelve miles of high mountain lakes with a stunning mountain pass. Kicked our ass. But it was worth it.

We are now at a KOA in Great Falls, MT where Corey is sleeping in and I am about to go to town on the free pancake breakfast. Heading into the home stretch here but before this glorious summer ends we have some unfinished business in the Tetons to attend to. I would write more but my stomach is growling.