Well, ya know, Dan, I have heard the obituary of the plains many times in my lifetime. My grandfather heard it during the Great Depression/Dust Bowl. My great-grandfather heard it when the blizzards of the 1880s wiped out thousands of cattle. Stephen Long decided it's fate when he called the Great Plains "The Great American Desert." And ya know what? We are still here and viable. And we will be for a long time. That is unless planning types figure out a way people can transport themselves from points east without need of fuel, food and water. So you say it is 2050. Well, I won't be around, but I'm willing to bet some of these communities and their ag neighbors are. Gee! I recall hearing when I was a kid that we all were gonna have jet packs to get to work and I'm still waiting for that prediction to come to pass. Predictions. That's all they are. And I've heard enough predictions and projections from planners to recognize they are very skillfully worded guesses of what will happen. That's all. I dare say, we are far more aware of the Front Range's needs and wants, than they are of the "realities" out here. Ever heard of Ports to Plains? Well, those trucks going from Mexico to Canada are going to need the necessary ammenities to keep cargo moving. And while some little towns are drying up, others will still be around to serve the ground transportation by trucks and tourists heading for the beauty of the mountains. Can't do that without water, now can we??? Bruce, I am not going to defend the waste of water from agriculture. The production of corn on marginally productive land irrigated only because corn prices are artificially high thanks to the ethanol mess is maddening. But understandable to those trying to make a living from the land. Prices are high, they are gonna try to capitalize on it. They are trying to grow corn out here in dryland country. This year it is going fine because of the rain, but that isn't going to happen very often. We are water rights holders and senior ones at that. We have fended off municipalities for years at great expense. So should we just let the ever-burgeoning suburbs stick a straw into our little corner of the prairie so people can have a nice expanse of lawn and a bunch of plants that don't belong out here? Nope, not from us, it isn't going to happen. We conserve our water table. We don't abuse it. We share when times are tough for neighbors, but we have no inclination to let that water table get depleted so someone can use a six-headed shower fixture or let their sprinklers run until water goes down the gutters of the streets. Does that happen here? Sure, we have a few people like that too, but it doesn't happen often because the cost deters many from trying it. At my home, which in town, I planted native cool-season grass for a lawn and I have watered only a couple times in the summers since I planted it. I use drip for my vegetables. I use soaker hoses for the flower beds. My water bill is rarely over the base price. Do I begrudge people a beautiful yard? No way on this earth, but I do think a lot of people could be a lot wiser with the way they water what they have planted in their yard and how they use water in and around their home. Yeah, it would be a lot easier to get the hose out and spray off the mud from the sidewalk or the grass clippings, but that just isn't prudent given the water situation we all need to face. And how many times do you see an automated sprinkler system running when rain is falling? Don't tell me about the waste from agriculture causing prohibitive water costs. So if it is "no tragedy" to you that people out here lose their way of life, I must point out that we find little sympathy for the bellyaching about high water bills from the city dwellers. We all have to pay the price in one way or another. But then, if all that matters in life is making some money off the water rights so they can move to the city and be assimilated, that's what they deserve. The Plains Indians did just fine out here. Long was just the first of many who wrote this part of the country off. Many endured horrendous conditions to cross these prairies for the west. The Poppers wrote us off in the late 1980s with the infamous proposal of "Buffalo Commons" and we are still here. Some of you may not understand what the draw is, and that is okay. Those of us who know, don't have to explain it, we just thank God for every day we have out here - away from all the "conveniences" you have in your lives.

Another Canadian here! We spent Aug and Sept of last year operating the campground in Stone Mountain Provincial Park in British Columbia and will be doing it again this year. We are full time, semi-retired campers with a 5th wheel. The Alaska Highway is the place to travel! Lots of provincial parks and campgrounds or wilderness camping beside water if you prefer that (we do.) Muncho Lake and Liard Hot Springs are great places to visit in the summer for wildlife, hiking, fishing, etc. and sitting in the hot springs! The mountains and landscapes are breathtaking along the Alaska Hwy in the north BC and Yukon! We were camping in all of Aug and Sept last summer and had no bugs in Stone Mountain Prov Park but it was cool at night - afternoons warm enough for hiking in shorts and cold enough at night for a quilt and blankets. We loved hiking the trails through the tundra and visiting the Flower Lakes. Great places for tenting near water all along the way. The wildlife in the northern Rockies is amazing! We saw a lot of moose, caribou and wild stone sheep, as well as some elk. There are also occasional wolves and bears but so far we have not run into any, thank goodness! Lots of camping between Fort Nelson, BC and Watson Lake, YK but no stores and no cell phone coverage or internet. It is 600k of true breathtaking wilderness!

I live in Lovettsville, VA, which is in Loudoun County. We are considered "Northern Virginia" and are just outside of Washington, DC. I grew up in Fairfax County, which is even closer to DC than where I live now. I feel lucky to have grown up near DC and try not to take it for granted. It's still pretty amazing driving over the bridge and seeing a view of all the memorials from the car.

We are home! We drove a total of 1900 miles - way too much driving, but was it worth it. Our first night was in Bar Harbor. Lovely little town that I would like to visit for longer next time. Then on to Saint John by way of Campobello. Campobello was great and I'm so glad we went. I LOVE PEI. Another place I would like to go back to for a longer visit. We stopped at a little out of the way fish place near Stanley Bridge. I have never had oysters on the half shell that fresh and that good! I fear from now on other oysters will be a disappointment. Highlands Provincial Park in Cape Breton was beautiful. The first day was rainy and foggy. :-( But, the second day was gorgeous. It was rainy again when we got to Halifax, so we just kept going. Lunenburg was charming; touristy, but charming. The old houses and the academy have been well-maintained and gave us a glimpse into what the town must have looked like 150 years ago. From Lunenburg, we went to the Luckett Vineyards in Wolfville, where we did a small tasting (driving prevented a larger tasting). I brought home a small bottle of ice wine. Loved the red phone box in the middle of the vineyard (not my photo) We were told we could call anywhere in North America for free, but everyone I tried to call was unavailable. Mom, Sister, and DD were all having lunch together and not answering phones! We drove through Annapolis Royal on the way to Digby and had a quick lunch at the German bakery and cafe across from Fort Anne. Lunch was good but the palmier I had for dessert was fantastic! Many thanks to all of you who gave me information and ideas for planning my trip. I would like to especially thank robo who answered dozens of questions by PM (she would probably have her cottage totally finished by now if it weren't for helping me!). I think we are home for a while, now, except for weekend jaunts. I slept 15 hours last night/this morning!