Drug Sniffing Dogs

So, I've officially started my journey back home. This trip has, so far, been more comfortable than the first and I'm not entirely sure why.

Perhaps that the power/wifi have been working without a hitch, perhaps that I rearranged my bags so my backpack doesn't weigh as much as it did. More likely than not, it's because I now know what to expect and came into this trip with realistic expectations. Between that and the fact that the busses I've been on so far have made less frequent stops, I've been able to snag a few hours of sleep at a time as opposed to little snippets.

We are currently somewhere between Louisville, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. Bus is fairly full but, lucky for me, I don't have a seatmate.

I wanted to get some thoughts down about something I'd never had reason to give much thought to. When I left Maine, I was blown away by two things: no one asked to see my ID and there was no luggage screening process. I finally did get asked for ID when I was leaving Buffalo, NY and most stops thereafter. In Memphis, on the trip down, we all boarded up to leave and suddenly on the bus is this Hulk Hogan looking policeman/DEA guy and his partner who reminded me a lot of Kip Dynamite. They were a funny pair to look at. They came through the bus, talking to all the passengers, looking at IDs and tickets, asking where we were coming from, where we were headed, why and for how long. They also did a quick search of cabin bags. In the end, they pulled someone off the bus, grabbed his bags from below, cuffed him and we drove away. Fascinating.

Just now in Louisville, there were two police dogs who ran the inside of the bus and the underside where all the checked bags are. They alerted a few times and those bags were pulled out, their owners found and taken away to be searched. In the end, all three people who were questioned/searched ended up back on the bus so obviously nothing was found. I got to thinking how much of a regular thing this must be for the bus stations. One of the station workers said that last year the dogs in Louisville sniffed out forty five pounds of cocaine. Whoa. That's a stinking lot of drugs. I also wondered if the police request passenger rosters of at least the larger cities to run against their warrant lists. It would make sense and, honestly, would make me feel better about this whole thing.

I'm certainly not a paranoid person but I do firmly believe that the security processes in place at airports are there for a reason and I have no problem complying. If I am traveling, I don't see these stops as a delay or an annoyance, I  recognize that these are in place to keep me as safe as possible and I appreciate that. I really do.

These dogs today found nothing but I take comfort in that they alerted and their alerts were taken seriously. Had there been something shady going down, I have no doubt that it would have been addressed and dealt with. That is nice to know.

So, a quick little thanks that y'all will probably never see to all of the folks who do security. Not just in the realm of travel but everyone. I sincerely appreciate all that you do, putting yourselves in potentially dangerous situations to keep me safe. I personally say it every chance I get but should any one actually stumble upon this silly little blog of mine: thank you. Your job is hard and one that I surely wouldn't want and I am so appreciative that you are willing to step up and fill that spot in the name of living a peaceable life.