ROAD TRIP to the Pacific Northwest...Day 16

 

Monday November 4

Now our vacation starts getting weird.

 

We had a 7:30am ferry to catch and after the 2 hour sailing back to the mainland, it would take an additional 3 hours to make our way back to McChord Air Force Base. We plan on spending one night at Steph's before continuing down to Eagle Point Oregon. We needed to be there for Junes birthday on the 7th

Everything went as planned, that is until we hit the border crossing. That was when things started getting complicated; like Rosie ending up in jail. Maybe I should start at the point when we reached the border.

As we waited in line at the border crossing, waiting for our turn to enter the good old U.S. of A., we found ourselves not moving very fast. It took us an hour just to get within 3 or 5 cars of the Customs agent. "Check out the dog," I gestured to Kerry, pointing out the two agents walking around the stopped cars with their K9 partner. Just then the dog started pulling towards the car right in front of us. They were on that car and the driver in seconds; driver out and all doors and the trunk opened. The dog jumped right into the trunk and sniffed every corner. As the driver stood where he was told, he started to move back towards the agents who immediately shouted, while releasing the strap on their side arm, "Get back where I told you to stay and don't move again!" He obeyed. The other official found something on the front passenger side but from our position we couldn't quite make it out. This guy was quickly escorted to the Secondary Inspection location, on the American side of the border.

 

Kerry and I had front row seats and it was exciting. So, now that he was gone, it was our turn to speak with the Border Crossing official. "From Tucson Eh?" he inquired while looking (and scanning) our passports. He joked with us for a few minutes and it seemed like we were soon going to be on our way...WRONG!

When we were asked if we were carrying any fruit I simply replied with the truth, "Yes." And then I proceeded to describe our box of oranges, apples and bananas, all of which were purchased in Washington State before we entered Canada. I was immediately told by this official, who now no longer joked with us, that as soon as an orange crosses a border it loses its citizenship. In other words, we were going to be sent over to Secondary Inspections for a thorough going over.

This is where Rosie was sent to doggie jail. The agent placed an orange tag on our windshield while he gave us instructions where to park and where to place Rosie. Apparently they don't like dogs in the car when they search, just in case the dog is aggressive. Behind the secondary facility was a large caged kennel, with cement floor, and this would be Rosie's holding cell until we get this whole thing straightened out. "Don't worry Rosie," we soothed as we locked her in. With that Kerry grabbed the last apple and started eating it while we wondered inside to see what's what.

As we entered we saw a huge line filled with a wide range of multi-national folks, all who were sent to Secondary, for whatever reason. There must have been a hundred of them, at least. "This is going to take awhile," I suggested to Kerry. A lady behind the counter asked us if we were given an orange tag and I said, "Yes. it is still on my windshield." She told me to go and get it and then she looked at Kerry and barked, "And Stop Eating That Apple!" That's my Kerry... getting rid of the evidence.

When we returned with the orange tag, which read "Agricultural" we stood in line, at the very end. It was like going through security at the airport but this line wasn't moving.  As I was looking at that orange paper, pondering the word written on it, our crime, I was suddenly snapped back to the reality of the moment. "Mr. Hunter" could be heard throughout the entire room. Kerry and I looked around and way up front, at the head of the line was a Customs agent, waving at us asking, "Are you the Hunters?" We replied, "Yes" and with that we were motioned to the front, passing the entire line. We were greeted by the nicest two female agents. They explained to us that same line about oranges losing their citizenship as soon as they leave the country and we smiled and nodded (playing dumb). Before we entered with our orange paper we gathered all of our fruit and put it in one box, on the front passenger seat. We told the agents where they would find our fruit, just trying to be helpful.

The agents asked for our keys and told us to have a seat and wait while they do their inspection. While we waited, everyone in that line was looking at us, wondering why we were being processed so quickly. Just then the agents returned, with our box of oranges. "We have to keep these oranges," they explained while offering us our box back, if we wanted it. We passed. They thanked us for our cooperation and we thanked them for their understanding.

Now, that Rosie was paroled it was my pleasure to go and spring her from her cold and lonely jail cell. As I walked back to where the kennel was there was a van parked right next to her cage, There were four or five agents getting out and as one of them saw me, he aggressively snapped, "What are you doing back here?"  Right, like I look like a bad guy! I simply pointed to the small miniature black and white poodle sitting all alone in that 8 foot x 12 foot cement and steel cell and barked back at him, "I'm getting my dog." With that I simply ignored him and his friends, walked around him and sprang Rosie once and for all. "Go ahead. Shoot me!"

Soon, we were south bound on Highway 5, a little behind schedule. Since we caught an early ferry, even with the border crossing delays, we still had plenty of time to explore Seattle on our way through. We never did get to visit Seattle the previous week while at McChord. So, Kerry and I decided to stop in Seattle on our way through and visit Pikes Place Fish Market for some lunch.

Finding a parking place was challenging so we ended up parking in a garage only two blocks from the market. Kerry, Rosie and I had a great time exploring. We finally found a vender selling clam chowder and Rosie was welcome to join us as we ate. Yummy.
                                    

Afterwards we walked around for an hour or two, picking up a few things here and there, to bring home as gifts. By 5:30pm we were back at Steph's house at McChord. We enjoyed a nice quiet dinner while telling of our adventure up in Nanaimo and at the border crossing on the way back.

Steph told us that the kids both told her, the day after we left for Nanaimo, that it seemed weird not having us there. That was touching.

Now that bedtime approached, Kerry and I enjoyed a nice hot cup of tea before turning in for the night. Tomorrow we continue south for the next phase of this amazing journey.