In The Land of California

In the exotic land of southern California, you are stopped on the freeway for a Border Patrol checkpoint. You're not told to exit the freeway, you are actually STOPPED on the freeway.....




And in the land of California (well, it's in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas as well...) there is HUGE steel fencing that can be seen from miles and miles away.
It's the border fence.



I wish I'd gotten a photo of it, but I was driving and it wouldn't have been safe....but I saw two Border Patrol trucks dragging used tires behind their SUV's to smoothe out the dirt between the border fence and the highway. (so they could better see if any fresh foot prints appear over the weekend)

Here's what it looks like when you're driving across the border from Mexico. The motorhome is Jim's, he's being questioned of course. He's shady...



See the cameras? They have scanners, too. The scanners are for passport holders who have the optional border crossing card. You hold it up as you drive past the scanner and all your information appears on the computer screen before you get up to the Border Patrol's window. Kinda cool.

When you get to the window, you are asked:

1. How you're doing (this is if the guard is in a good mood)
2. Your citizenship (American Citizen! Red White and Blue!)
3. If you have anything to declare (I declared that Tuna Casserole is my favorite of all casseroles)
4. If you have any drugs or alcohol in your vehicle. I always ask if they want to know about my ibuprofen and vitamin supplements. They NEVER care.
5. What were you doing in Mexico. I never joke at this point, because "dealin' drugs," or, "Looking for a new housekeeper," is never laughed at. In fact it makes your day very very long. And you don't need that kind of attention, especially at the border.

Every time I'm in line at the border, I observe the following:

1. Drug dogs doing passive searches on vehicles while they're in line. I ALWAYS see a vehicle get pulled out of line because the drug dog "hit" on it.
2. Beggars.
3. Mexican vendors selling candy, bottled water, Mexican newspapers, tiny toys. Oh, and hats.
4. Vehicles overheating. The line is always at least an hour.
5. Window washers. They carry plastic bottles of water and dirty rags, and offer to wash your windshield.

So there you have it. Now you don't need to experience the border in person.