The BDR part of today was very short. It was maybe a 20 minute ride from Palmer lake to the Canadian border. I got there about 8:30am but the border…station(?) didnt open until 9, which was precipitated by the us agent ripping into the parking lot in a very recent model mustang at about 8:55. He did an elaborate circuit in the cramped lot so he could back into the space (he’s planning for the dramatic exit in 8 hours) and he popped out sporting the custom and border control summer outfit- think postman on a walking route in hot weather. 

Johnny Customs strolled over to the booth and ushered me on to the Canadians in about 3 seconds, and with that flick of his head, the bdr was over. At this point  I experienced the new Cold War first hand. The Canadian custom agent had a very strong Francis McDormand/Fargo vibe that suggested she was a lot nicer to people who behaved like adults. I couldn’t blame her. She grilled me with a clear look of disappointment and resolve for 5 or so minutes and reluctantly let me on my way. There were a lot of questions about guns. 

After that, it was all pavement to Bellingham. I spent maybe 7 hours in Canada tracing the border before I dipped back into the US of A at Sumas. Since there was no minor roads or trails, there is not much to report besides it was cold and overcast and I more or less froze my ass off. It was pretty much exactly what I was expecting. 

I didn’t stop to eat because I just wanted it over with, but I did get gas at station that had seen better days. The star of this show was an old timer sitting in a 70’s era lawn chair (aluminum, multi color polypropylene straps) inside the joint and he chatted me up for 10 minutes about how he worked for the forest service in a facility at the end of the pacific coast trail. The big takeaway for him was that the shoes and socks of the hikers smelled very bad.  There also was a huge and very dated condom dispenser in the bathroom that looked like a bathroom in your grandmothers house if she lived in a trailer. I paid for the gas and bought a bag of ketchup chips and was on my way. 

I rolled into Bellingham at around 4pm and was strung out, starving and ready to not be cold for a few minutes. But I was also excited to see Aidan and go out for his birthday so i checked into the hotel, changed into my nasty-ass “non riding” clothes and was on my way. 

The end of WABDR. A very porous border.
Oh, Canada
You can buy condoms here, too