Crossing the International Border at the Alaska-Yukon border is unusual.
There is a gap of nearly 20 miles between the Canadian customs stop and the US Port Al-Can.
Sort of like a No-Man's Land.
There is a defined 20-foot swath of brush and trees that is cleared periodically by the International Boundary Commission and is 600 miles long, ranging
from the Arctic Ocean to Mount St. Elias.
This clearing began in 1904 and the US accepted this version of the boundary with its purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.
Aha! The US flag within view.
Another hour gained as we entered the Alaska Time Zone.
Holding our passports in sweaty palms, we came to a stop.
Getting so close we could almost touch US soil...
ALMOST.
Much to our dismay, we discovered that one of the US border patrol officers must have been on a mission to keep some dangerous alien out of the country...
or on a supper break...
or talking to his girlfriend on his cell...
or something!
We waited over an hour on line to enter the country.
Craziest thing.
So close and yet...
Are we there yet??????
I didn't know that they cut a path through the brush to define the boarder, that is cool. The NY/Canadian boarder was less defined growing up if I remember right.
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