The tricky border and Canada’s mildly uncool (but really polite!) border agents were not finished with us yet.  O Canada!

This time, travel time in Canada over, and we’re just crossing back to our next destination and we get a, “Sorry, our computer randomly flagged you.” line.  Wait… what??   Park the RV, head over to the processing office, (way over there) stand in line for an hour, fill out more forms, wait longer while the RV is searched, (Doggie sits in an outdoor cage in the rain while this is happening) and then, finally, we head back into the land of freedom and the 2016 election.  Hopefully we’re not on the No RV List.

Border issues over, (we’ll be back, Canada) we are on to Birch Bay.

Growing up in Southern California (for the most part) means you see a lot of beaches, and over time they can seem a bit… let’s say… bland.  Long, flat and deep expanses of golden soft sand, smooth rolling waves and lots and lots of clear and warm blue skies.  There’s a different feel to the beaches up here, and the coast in general.  More jagged, rockier, boulder strewn, rougher, less finished.  The “sand” sometimes isn’t sand at all, but small rocks and pebbles, and sometimes not even all that small.  And driftwood.  Driftwood everywhere.  Occasionally, drifttrees is closer to the truth.  And weather that can change on a dime.  When it’s sunny, don’t count on it staying that way, and clear skies seems to be a rare exception rather than the rule. (or even a guideline) Gloriously huge clouds and wind and stormy skies.

Also, rain…  lots and lots of rain.  We left in rain on day one in January from Garden Grove, CA., and we’ve seen rain in Northern Cali, Oregon, Washington and Canada.  We’ve done setup and tear down, driven hundreds of miles in sprinkle and deluge, camped, boondocked, sat around roaring fires, spent hours in various internet cafe’s, done maintenance, walked the dog, (hundreds of times) hung around while border guards searched our RV, huddled inside during a century storm with forecasted 100 mile an hour winds, hearing the roar of the ocean a few hundred feet away, and ventured out for dozens of photo excursions hoping against hope for something good to show through the bad weather.  All of this and more in too many varied states of rain to count.

Honestly, I’m not sure I’d trade any of it in.  All of the cold, wet and drenched.  It’s bracing, but in a good way. Gone (for now) are the days of turning the heater on (wife and daughter) when it’s 70 degrees out.  We are adapted.  Most times the heater doesn’t even get a thought until we are in the lowish 60’s.  As we head back down the coast to holiday with family in California, being back in 80-85 degrees, (maybe hotter) in November is going to seem weird now.