I just came back from a great family vacation. I had never been to Montana (been to many other Rocky Mtn states) and decided to go further North by heading to Waterton Lakes and Banff in Alberta. This was my first time into Canada. My initial impressions were:

1) The Canadians seem to love rainbows (gay pride everywhere); Maybe just the locations we visited.
2) They can't figure out if they want to be like the European or American. The metric system sucks when you're used to imperial. What's up with the insanely slow speed limits? There's nothing like driving through Montana and Idaho and then coming to a screeching halt when you hit Canada.
3) The Canadian areas we visited were very clean and well maintained. I was impressed by this. It was a shame to come back into the US above Bonners Ferry, ID and seeing trash everywhere below the Idaho sign.
4) Prices of fuel and food in Canada were extremely expensive.

With that said, this is continual confirmation that there's no other place I'd rather live than the U.S.A. We need to wake up and take better care of what we have here. That includes the litter around state welcome signs. The trash was also noticed years ago when entering Utah. All in all, it was a good trip. Now for more excursions inside the U.S.A.

We took nearly this same vacation nearly 20 years ago. We also noticed a stark difference between the litter in the U.S. and Canada. No gay pride stuff in sight back then.

The tourist towns tend to attract artsy fartsy types. Up here, Columbia Falls was a smelter and mill town, while Whitefish started its shift to tourism earlier when the RR started laying people off in the early 1980s. WF is now a Commie cesspool, while CF is transitioning with the closure of the aluminum plant 10 years ago and the mill cutting back like 50 percent staff wise.
Banff has always been oriented to tourist trade.

I hear you, regarding the speed limits. We once travelled back from New York via Ontario. Not only were there speed limits of 90 Kmh on long stretches of remote highway, they slowed you down to 50kmh for construction sites located a hundred yards off to the side. Lately, I've noticed some of this ultra-safety attitude creeping into some of the north western states as well.
Anyway, after a couple days of this, we chose to drop back down into Michigan and travel the rest of the way south of the border. Out west, it's a bit better unless you happen to be in a National Park.
The metric system does suck. It's been forty years and I still have to convert values in my head in order for them to make any sense. GD

Always been impressed with Canada and the folks I've met up there... I could care less about the gay pride bullshiit and rainbow flags etc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sElTHIgl2tg

I worked with some Canadian biologists on the early "Crown of the Continent" proposals. When in the U.S, they drove rental cars like speed limits didn't exist. I would glance over at the speedometer and see 90, 95, even 100+ mph if there was no traffic. I assumed that they just weren't thinking about mph and kph being somewhat different, but they may have just been enjoying the freedom of the open roads in Montana. They certainly didn't drive that way in Alberta, though.

Any area that's 100% tourist like Banff is going to be expensive. But the Banff/Lake Louise area is so stunningly, jaw dropping gorgeous that it's worth it. We rode the Rocky Mountaineer train there a year ago, and cannot wait to go back and do it again.

Nothing against our northern cousins at all but I have no interest in going back. All I need is within the lower 48+ Alaska.

+1 Jud

We took that same trip about 15 years ago and the wife and I both noticed how little trash was along the roads in Canada and how the game crossing signs in the shape of a bull elk weren't all shot up.

What really blew me away is we stopped at a campground to stretch our legs a bit and there was a designated spot where a big supply of firewood was cut and split for use by campers. Nobody was even camping at this campground at the time. I mentioned to the wife, that back home, firewood left in a campground would have been cleaned out in a few hours, possibly minutes, by somebody wanting to sell it or pad their winter supply.

One of my favorite things is to listen to Canadian talk radio.

The people that call in are not complete dullards.

Canada must have good schools.



Canada is a great place to visit.

Good food, polite people and the country is pretty clean.

just hard to beat the good ole USA !

This. It's got everything I need.

My wife likes it here.

I don't think I could do what she did.....leave her country.

I like the hell out of Canada. It would sure be hard to leave Montana for good though.

Especially now since Canada shut down the homesteading around Peace River.

some of my local 'good ole USA'

If we see a B.C. plate or Oregon plate less than 10 MPH over the speed limit we assume the car is stolen or the driver is drunk.

Otherwise it is 20 to 30 over. They must throw the tickets away when they go home.

Yes. Albertans and Saskatcheweiners drive like hell.

Just back to Idaho after spending the week in BC. No complaints here.

Prices more? How do you think their health care is "free". They've been dumbed down. Sorry Cannuks.

I've gone to SE BC once or twice a year for the last 10 years or more. If I could afford it, I'd retire there.

I was born in Idaho and grew up in Wyoming, Idaho, British Columbia, and Alberta. I've lived in Idaho, Washington, Alabama (Redstone Arsenal-Huntsville), Virginia, BC and Alberta. I have family in both countries. The differences are mostly related to the difference in population. Both countries have been going through tremendous change over the last forty years. Changes mostly related to population growth and technology. Some changes for the better and some, not so much. I am comfortable in either country, I have a son (US born) living in Canada. I have a daughter (Canadian born) living in the US. Go figure! I've had experience with the healthcare systems in both countries and, personally, I think Canada's is better. In BC, we take for granted the vast areas of public land but I know this is not the way it is in much of the lower 48. As a motorcycle enthusiast, I appreciate the extensive highway system in the US; as an outdoorsman, I appreciate the lack of roads over much of Canada. I think the border at the 49th parallel is an inconvenience with which we should not be saddled. GD

I have a lot of friends on both sides of the border who think we should re-draw it, run it noeth/south. The eastern parts of both countries could be one, and the western parts together could be a better one, and keep the easterners out. The fly in the buttermilk is what to do with the screwed up west coast; from Vancouver are down to San Diego should be separated and left to sink in the cesspool of their own making.

spent a week in Banff in June

2 days into the vacation I was already making plans to go back - but this time around avoid the crowds.

I visited Glacier/Waterton a few times way back when.

They were really strict about not feeding the animals in Glacier. Across the border in Canada, not so much, apparently.

Big Horn sheep would stand in the middle of the road and cause you to stop your car. After you stopped they would walk up to the drivers side window and stick their head in looking for a treat.

It was like a toll road. Every few miles you were obligated to give a Big Horn Sheep a Cheeto in order to pass and go on your way.

I'm in Glacier right now.

Pics from this afternoon. Doesn't get dark till 11pm here, thought about mowing this gal's yard at 10pm last night.
Nice lady from kalispell lettin me stay in her house while she's in bozeman. Pretty good deal...all I gotta do is feed her samoyed pup.

Park is about 25mins from the house I'm at.

Goats and bighorn were at Logan pass today.

I don't know if the comments on food prices are accurate anymore. Used to be food was cheaper in the US, now when we visit, the prices are about the same in $ amount, but 30% more for us because of the exchange rate.

As for hotels, holy crap are hotels expensive in DC!

Yep. it gets dark early down there.