We had a bear prowling outside last night while we were at TNBS. Evidence of the bear was provided by the garbage can, which had apparently been sat on until the lid popped off (even with bungee cords holding it on) and garbage scattered around the driveway. I guess I'd forgotten to put the can in the garage, and I won't be making that mistake again.

Tentative itinerary for the trip is as follows:

9/13 - 1755: check in at ferry terminal
9/13 - 1955: leave Juneau via slow ferry
9/13 - 2355: arrive Haines, start driving
9/14 - 1200-1600?: arrive McCarthy, get on plane, arrive Dan Creek
9/22 - 1200-1600?: leave Dan Creek, arrive McCarthy
9/22 - ????: drive to [camping spot]/[Anchorage], meet Chlorine Dude and wife
9/24 - /IF VALUE=["camping spot"], THEN DRIVE TO ["Anchorage"]
9/27 - 1200: leave Anchorage
9/28 - 0200-0600: arrive Haines
9/28 - 0830: check in at ferry terminal
9/28 - 1030: leave Haines via fast ferry
9/28 - 1230: arrive Juneau

So, one of the things I want to do while on this trip is hunt small game, so I'm bringing two rifles with me. One is a Mossberg bolt-action tube-fed .22, and the other is a Savage bolt-action .243. Unfortunately, I need to transport them through Canada (on a road paid for and maintained by the United States). Since Canada is an oppressed nation, I must register my firearms with the "Agence des services frontaliers du Canada" and adhere to their draconian restrictions while transporting MY firearms in MY vehicle on MY COUNTRY'S road from Dalton Cache to Northway.

Oh, and God forbid I'm concerned about crime in Canada. There were some creepy people at some of the Canadian campsites we went to last year. But I was unarmed last year, since the government of Canada does not believe "self-defense" is a legitimate use of firearms and specifically bans the use of any firearm for self-defense (except against wild animals, in certain remote portions of the country).

So I went to the "Agence des services frontaliers du Canada" website, linked to the RCMP Canada Firearms Centre Visitor's Page, and found out I need to pay $25 (Canadian) and fill out a Non-Resident Firearm Declaration, in triplicate (unsigned). Unfortunately, when you print the form, there is one page of declaration, and three pages of instructions (in English and French). Whee. I'm currently on hold with the CFC trying to figure out if I need to print three forms and fill all of them out, or if I can copy the form after it's filled out, or what. I'm sure they'll be tickled pink when I show up at the border with the form filled out wrong at 1:30 on Thursday morning.

That is all for now.