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Trip Start
Jun 28, 2003
1
4
15
Trip End
Aug 04, 2003
Calgary (again), Alberta, Canada
Thursday, July 3, 2003
After re-reading last night's travelogue I realized there were many things I neglected to add. Since I'm relaxing tonight I might as well add these "deleted scenes" in another entry.
It turns out that the Mad Cow scare is bigger in the United States than I thought. At the border crossing I had the following conversation...
Guard: What kind of foodstuffs are you bringing with you?
Me: Canned goods like soup.
Guard: Any fruit or meat?
Me: Well I have some dried fruit in this trail mix.
Guard: That's okay.
Me: And I have some canned meat.
Guard: Any beef?
Me: No. Just tuna and spam.
Guard: Uh, what's spam?
Me: You know, canned ham.
Guard: Sorry, I don't cook with spam.
Me: Good, you should eat spam if you have to.
Guard: Alright, you can go.
Speaking of Mad Cow Disease, here I am in the hot zone and I dared to eat a 100% Alberta Beef donair today. I figured that if I survived SARS outbreak in Toronto riding the subway everyday I can handle Mad Cow.
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Montana has no sales tax. I was almost astounded to find that the prices marked on the items were the same price I was charged at the register. I've been conditioned to pay more.
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The only discernable industry along US Route 2 besides agriculture is gambling. There are casinos everywhere along the road in all the states I went through. Some casinos were scaled down versions of what Las Vegas has to offer while others were just a dark room full of slot machines in the back of the gas station. One of the larger casinos was advertising a performance by Gallagher! It's good to know that Z-list celebrities still have rooms to work.
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For the most of the way across North Dakota and Montana US Route 2 follows along some major rivers. Once the Milk River turns northward into Canada the road parallels the railway known as the Hi-Line. Interestingly, towns along this railway appear at exact 6 mile intervals. Most of these towns just consist of a few houses surrounding a grain elevator. With the exception of the old elevator in Lothair, Montana that I included in my photographs yesterday the elevators in the United States are drably coloured in grey. It's not until you get into Canada where the elevators are in technicolour.
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Fans of my North American 1999 travelogue will be as disappointed as I was that Willy's Burgers in Calgary has gone out of business. Where else will I find a lamb-burger in Calgary?
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Finally, I have a new road trip recipe to share.
Disappearing Ham
Ingredients:
One can of Ham (for nitrates)
Mr. Noodles (for starch)
Instructions:
1. Eat half can of ham while boiling water.
2. Put water in cup of Mr. Noodles.
3. Add remaining ham to noodles.
4. Eat before ham disintegrates.
