Back in the USA!

Well, luckily they let me back in. Is it me or are border guards all trained to be snippy? I got an unusual for Canadians response when entering and when I left the US border cop was a little testy. I can understand when I entered Canada as I looked like Grizzly Adams, but I'm relatively well kept today. Harumph. And here I was expecting welcoming arms.

I left Banff after some shopping, fueling up (liters, really?) and a stop to photograph some rail equipment. While there I saw a coyote that I can add to the wildlife spotted list. I was sad to leave but most everyone had left so it wasn't too bad. However, for some reason, when I got on the Kanansakis Country Trail (Rt. 40) I had this weird anxiety. I couldn't decide if I really wanted to get back in to the States or just wanted to get the long drive back over with. Probably a little of both.

The drive down Rt. 40 is very scenic and I ran in to (almost literally as I came around a corner and they were in the middle of the road) a herd of Rocky Mountain Sheep. There are quite a few peaks along that route that look quite challenging for climbers. After emerging from the Rockies, I traversed some rolling hills that gave way to flatter farmlands. I took a few side roads to make my way more east and then south towards Lethbridge and then the border crossing at Coutts. Along the way I saw a staging yard for wind turbine blades as well as a few in transit. They are quite large up close!

Other than the snippy border guard, I made the crossing and then made a beeline south for Great Falls. Unfortunately, not the one in Virginia. I had to stop in Shelby to fill up and knew I was back in the States when the usual Canadian efficiency was replaced by a carefree, I'll get to it when I feel like it, American attitude from the girl behind the counter.

I had a particular motel picked out because of its reportedly quirky nature, but when I did a drive-by it seemed to be in a, well, "transitional" neighborhood. I'm sure I would have been fine, but I opted for looking for a campground. After fiddling with the smart phone, I finally located my LZ for the night, Dick's RV Campground. Hard by the Missouri Sun River, a freeway and train tracks, we'll see if I get any sleep tonight. I met a guy from the tent next door who is here with his family who are from Iowa. His wife was out at the laundry so he filled me in on what he knew of the area. Apparently there is a military base close by? That and I know also hear the airport which is over the ridge, or at least sounds like it. I know I'm sounding picky right now, but I am grateful to have a place to sleep tonight rather than in the truck. After coming from the Buffalo Mountain Lodge to now, Dick's RV park it's quite a culture shock. After setting up the tent I went out and fully immersed myself in a return to America with a beer and chicken sandwich at Chili's and a hot fudge sundae from McDonalds. I didn't take any pictures of them, you know what they look like.

I'm a little bushed after the long day's drive, so please forgive me, pics will have to wait until tomorrow. If I can fight my way through the mosquitoes back to the truck in the morning, I'm going to go OnManuevers in the "other" Great Falls and then head down to Livingston and reset for the remainder of the trip. Yellowstone is a maybe at this point, so we'll have to see. I will keep you posted!