Quote Originally Posted by Zardoz View Post
OK, Those who have been though it help me out.

I have been crossed in and out of Canada (B.C.) a couple times, both times by motorcycle. the first time, which was back in the early 80's on a ride to Alaska, I was basically waved through both ways. The officer on the US asked how long I'd been up there, how was the 'Oil Can' highway, and said welcome back.
The second time was a several years ago, post 9-11, and I had only been up there for a couple hours, having passed through Glacier Nat. Park. The return crossing was very busy, but we and a few other bikers were actually waved over to a faster moving lane, met a sniffer dog, and again basically waived through. I thought that was funny at the time, because I'd been warned that they were "really bad" and to leave my "personal protection items" at the hotel. (which I would have anyway, knowing where we were going) Maybe I just hit a good day?

So my real questions are, how much search do they put you though now? And are they really looking for seal sporrans? Are they really going to quiz you about one? Q- "what's this made out of ?" A- "Leather, I guess".
I'm really wondering about this, I just think of all the wacky crap I'm sure folks try to bring into the country, I just wouldn't think sporrans, sealskin or otherwise, are high on the checklist of stuff they have to worry about.
I grew up in a border area, Canada and Vermont, and pre-911 things were as you describe them in the old days. Canadians in particular were always driving down to VT to buy gas, dairy products and things like frozen turkeys which, for no good reason, are seriously more expensive in Canada. Then 9-11 happened and suddenly every Canuck in a car was treated like, not merely a potential, but an active crimnal. New US border agents appeared who saw thier mission to be that of closing the border as much as possible- and since we're takling little friendly and optional shopping trips here, quickly succeeded. Sadly, communities that were once united in small commerce and real friendship now hardly even remember each other and it's only die-hards like me, returning to the area, that really go to the USA anymore. This was very much to the detriment of Vermonters of course, the third poorest state in the Union- and there were stories about how one fire department trying to honour old arrangements was denied entry to fight an American fire- all those things fell by the wayside as if they had never existed. People like me, who look at what happens on the Mexican border, just have to grin and bear it.