Heading north towards Great Falls I crossed the Missouri River. It's beautiful, green trees, farming and cattle. Based on the many trucks pulling boats, this is a big fishing area, and it's well used today.
This is a beautiful area! Wow - I could vacation here for sure. I'd have to relearn those fishing skills I had when I was a young girl- possible if I could find someone else to eat the fish I caught. Although, Samantha did catch and release, so I could do that. This is in the middle of Great Falls and Helena, but still a bit to isolated for me year-round.
After about 40 miles, just south of the Canadian border, I made a coffee run in Shelby, Montana. I guess it served as the Saturday gathering spot for cowboys that had spent months out on the range. The story goes that once a group of cowboys got a bit rowdy and held a train conductor at gunpoint until he tap danced for one of their songs. As you can tell, this is a small town.
Just before crossing into Canada, I reread the directions to change my phone settings. Hopefully, I've done it correctly, so I won't receive emails on my phone automatically, racking up roaming data charges. We'll see what happens. The true test comes next Sunday when I cross back into the U.S. and try to undo the changes. I'm sure I'll be looking to Samantha to help me out.
Beyond that, the highlight of the day was the lengthy interrogation I experienced at the Canadian border. I must have looked like some sort of questionable person; that's a new one for me. From the moment I arrived at the window, the border patrol appeared bothered. Who knows what bothered him? The US Marine cap in the window, the fact that I didn't know the license plate on my car, the CHP sticker on my driver's license, the fact that I was visiting someone who had family living in Canada, or maybe that I wasn't sure what day it was. Oh well, it got worse! I was sent to the next stage, my passport taken and my DL. I waited for about 40 minutes and went through all of the same questions, in addition to how much cash I had on me, what credit cards, ATM cards, were in my wallet, where I was going to stay, and how long I was going to be in Canada. I was finally excused and headed on my way.
Not much for pictures today, too much driving and can't take pictures and drive. I covered 460 miles today. Wow!
This is the skyline of Calgary, Alberta. It's interesting with the pointed building, similar to the one in Seattle.
I'm meeting Barbara Tuesday at the airport, so tomorrow is my day to get up to Jasper and Baniff. Off to bed.
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