[pct-l] Southbound Questions

[Dan Zan]

-As for trying to find out the legalities of crossing the border, I think I’ll just send a letter and leave it at that. Some things just aren’t worth the effort.
 
-As for bearspray, I’m not sure I will ever carry it considering the amount of variables that need to be perfect in order to work. I’ve just never been in grizzly country, but I don’t know if they even reach the northern part of the trail.
 
-I am all for sneaking across the border and it is what I had planned on doing. The only reason that I’m considering otherwise is that all of our new government issued ID’s have chips in them, so anytime we come within a certain distance of a borderstop, we are registered into the database via radio transmitted frequencies. Coming back into Canada, I’m not sure how it would play out. I don’t know what Canada customs would say or do, and that is what has me worried. I would rather spend a short time in jail than get a fine, as I am a poor university student and I already can’t afford this trip. J Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, even if I got caught. It’s just the way America is portrayed in the media since 9/11 that has me crapping my pants.
 -“What do they do when you drive across the border? Do they mark your  passport? Could you drive across, get your passport marked, drive  back and then start the trail?” They used to just look at you, ask what  you were doing, and if you looked alright and answered the questions properly you'd be in.Now all of our passports have radio transmitters in them, and we need a passport or an enhanced license to cross the border, and we are entered into a database. When we enter Canada, I’m not sure the same technology exists, as they just don’t care or have the money. Maybe that is all overblown BS just to scare people, but it is what has been advertised. 		 	   		  
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