Back in the U.S., back in the U.S., back in the U.S.A. A! Pleasant to see the stars-n-stripes instead of the maple leaf. Happier to pay less than three dollars a gallon instead of four and fifty. British Columbia is a beautiful place, but everything is expensive. The tax on gasoline is some 40%. This seems to translate across the board to products, and a sales tax is added to every purchase. As punishing as this was to us, at least we can leave. The Canadians must live with it.

We had toyed with traveling across Canada to New York, but the cost drove us across the border. There is plenty to see in the northern tier of states. Lots of good birds too. Visiting Canada is fine, but touring across it is too painful.

Our return home was clouded only in that the border patrol confiscated Anne’s left over beef stew. A little lie would have saved it, but Anne refused the agent’s coaching. Who says the cows are mad; it is the governments that go crazy. Or is it simply the politicians who reap the rewards from blatant protectionism. In any case, we are protected. We will not eat that dangerous product, at least not now that we are back in the States. We’ll have to get our mad cow disease from good old-fashioned American beef.

Our return to the northern continental climate (from Pacific maritime) took us into heat, our first really since leaving southern California so many months ago. We may finally stop needing the heater until this winter. We have a visit or two to make here in northern Montana and will then visit Glacier National Park. We will go for the birds and not for “just another glacier or two.”

We also have two visits to make here. Both a former co-worker of Anne and the daughter of close friends have settled and are building families here. Our journey again provides an opportunity to renew ties.

After our stay here, a change in plans will take us south a bit farther to Deer Lodge where a guide will show us some of his bird spots for a day. Perhaps he will find us to a great gray owl, a species that continues to elude us. In any case, we’ll stay in the Rockies for a few more days before moving into the Great Plains.