We finally slowed down our travels long enough to apply for and receive Global Entry and NEXUS, part of the federal government's Trusted Traveler Programs.
It was silly to have put it off as long as we did, since we live within a few miles of one of the interview locations.
We've already used Global Entry a couple of times returning from overseas trips to US airports, and we've used our NEXUS a few times as well. Yesterday, for example, we zipped past an estimated 45-minute wait Northbound at the Blaine Truck Crossing and entered immediately.
If we're heading east, we simply drive along Zero Avenue, one of the most boringly interesting roads in the area, since it's a straight two-lane road that runs literally alongside the Canada-U.S. border for quite some number of miles before connecting to slightly more northern roads on the western side of Abbotsford .
Zero Avenue is a hotbed of smuggling activities at night, if this article in a July/August 2010 issue of Canadian Geographic is to be believed, but a quiet road most days, punctuated only by the odd speed demon breaking the 60 kph (35 mph)speed limit by 50% or more.
All we have to do is scan the new U.S. Border Patrol Report in Blaine's weekly Northern Light newspaper to see for ourselves that it's not always the quiet country road we've come to enjoy.
Kathy and Brian
Two retired educators alternating joyfully between seeing the world and enjoying our eight grandchildren (in order of birth), Jake, Avery, Taegan, Lily, Peyton, Riley, Blane, and Jace.
Kathy and Brian met in the clarinet section of the University of California (Santa Barbara) Symphony Orchestra several decades ago.
Brian's Western Canadian roots and Kathy's Colorado ties resulted in their making beautiful music together along with producing a cross-border crop of descendants.
Kathy spent a year studying in Vienna at the Institute for European Studies and the University of Vienna.
Brian started the school band program in Hope, British Columbia, and later became the high school's vice-principal for 6 years and subsequently principal for 15 years before retiring in 2001.
Kathy, in between raising our three children, taught kindergarten and first grade, middle school, and high school - mathematics, computer studies, ESL, and her first love, band, before retiring in 2001.
We enjoy sharing our travel experiences and providing the odd travel tip to friends, relatives, and visitors.