2025 The Little Loop: Changing Direction

And this is the point where it got all very disheartening and disappointing. Our Big Loop just got a lot smaller.

By the time of the U.S. elections, we had spent months planning and making campsite reservations. After the new government was elected, we, and the world, knew there was a new Sheriff in town. Despite the early rather anti-Canadian tone to some of the language, we figured we could comfortably forge ahead with our plans to travel across America.

While on a road trip, one becomes sort of distanced from the day to day news headlines and stories. In St. Pete’s, a friend back home texted us about the latest Executive Order that had dropped. In it, Canadians were specifically mentioned with regards to the need to be registered as aliens, and potentially fingerprinted for stays over thirty days...exactly us. This was a bit of a shock given the long history of our friendly shared border. But to be clear, every country has the right and obligation to manage their borders. But it was also clear that the days of our friendly border ties were over. More news gathering was done...and watching video clips of the President talking of annexation, economic crippling tariffs, 51st state, and taking over countries “one way or another”...this was a tipping point for me. I started to feel no longer comfortable in America.

Now let me also be clear on the fact that we have our own protectionist tariffs, our marketing boards, our industry subsidies, that sort of fly in the face of fair market trading...so one cannot get too high on their horse on our side of the border. However...the language, the tone, the bullying, the aggression...became too much to ignore or try to reason aside. Enough was enough...it was time to head home. How can you enjoy a trip when you feel uncomfortable being in the country? Plus, I certainly did not want to move any further towards the west coast, all the while waiting for the next Executive Order to drop and the surprises it might contain for Canadians.

So we turned around and are making our way home.