As we travelled I found it interesting to reflect on land use through the various regions.

In BC, there was the vineyards and orchards of the Okanogan. Further east, there was no evidence of the primary product except on the lift and in some restaurants, but I understand that BC bud is the second largest export. In the south, a few people are trying to grow crops, but it looks like a tough go. Logging is evident throughout.

Into Washington, there was some irrigated farmland along the Columbia River, birds that were either turkeys or grouse in people's front yards and a Yak farm. Most of the farms look to be small landholdings with subsistance farms. Spokane was a ridiculous sprawl of suburbs. There is logging in the mountains.

North Idaho looked to be small farm holdings, between the WalMarts. (The region we went through was the largest producer of silver in the world, and mining remains busy.) In the middle of the east part of the state there were horse farms and even wild horses. Southern Idaho along the Snake River plain was heavily irrigated crop farming, including potatoes. There was a surprising amount of green hay being trucked around on the highways. There were also some disgusting looking factory farms - don't be buying that US beef. Farther south towards Utah got into real ranch country - sheep and cattle.. The highway even had intersections that were only for ranches.

The valley we went down in west Montana was mostly range for cattle, and crappy urban settlements.

Northern Utah was ranching like southern Idaho. Around Salt Lake City there are peach orchards in some of the valleys that are protected from the elements. The rest is crappy suburban development and some small farming.