I was surprised when the column of poorly dressed Chinese tourists stepped out of the remote woods bordering the States and Quebec. When they asked for the way to USA in broken English, I felt I had to take time out of my day to help out. Actaully, I didn't meet border jumpers but I was surprised to see multiple trails leading off to the border with no signage or purpuse to them. I did manage to scare 2 moose on the lonely bike trail I had taken and was lucky that they decided to run away from my bike bell and me rather than fight because I would not have had time to turn around. I chased them about 15 metres before they headed off into the forest. Moose may look beautiful but the one I saw looked like Bulwinkle trying to run.
The clouds around me appeared to want to let loose but they held out until my last kiometres between the Quebec and New Brunswick border. I wondered at the strip bar located in the middle of nowhere with only the woods around. The business had seen better times; certainly before the fire. I suspect that the owner fell behind in his vig and that the Angels wanted to help him move on. Regardless, things around the border between Canada and the US ave a slimy feel to them. No one looks you in the eye and no one asks any questions.
I did stop in the Canadian border station to inquire as to the penalities for border jumping. The guard at the post said there was nothing worthwhile but if I wanted to enter the states, I could head down the raod to the park and then find a pedestrian bridge back into Canada without grave penalty. I did that and learned that once prohibition kicked in, the place was a conduit for booze. Now its guns and drugs. You'd think with my 4 big bags they might want to stop and check me out but no. So, I was able to enter the states without a proper passport! Quite exciting!
When I entered New Brunsick, a single drop of rain fell on me but after that nothing. When I got 10 km into the province, the temperature climbed considerably and was even warm. The river seperated the two countries and the farms on this side of the country were as pretty as the farms on the other side of the river. I made it into Edmunston but was denied a room at the local Inn. I didn't see a manger so I slept in a copse of trees by the train station/tourist centre. An uneventful night. However, I need to mention that I saw a German Shepard enter the forest after he crossed the road. I swear he was the spitting image of ¨The Littlest Hobo¨. He seemed to want me to follow him but I was too busy. I,m sure it was nothing important.
The clouds around me appeared to want to let loose but they held out until my last kiometres between the Quebec and New Brunswick border. I wondered at the strip bar located in the middle of nowhere with only the woods around. The business had seen better times; certainly before the fire. I suspect that the owner fell behind in his vig and that the Angels wanted to help him move on. Regardless, things around the border between Canada and the US ave a slimy feel to them. No one looks you in the eye and no one asks any questions.
I did stop in the Canadian border station to inquire as to the penalities for border jumping. The guard at the post said there was nothing worthwhile but if I wanted to enter the states, I could head down the raod to the park and then find a pedestrian bridge back into Canada without grave penalty. I did that and learned that once prohibition kicked in, the place was a conduit for booze. Now its guns and drugs. You'd think with my 4 big bags they might want to stop and check me out but no. So, I was able to enter the states without a proper passport! Quite exciting!
When I entered New Brunsick, a single drop of rain fell on me but after that nothing. When I got 10 km into the province, the temperature climbed considerably and was even warm. The river seperated the two countries and the farms on this side of the country were as pretty as the farms on the other side of the river. I made it into Edmunston but was denied a room at the local Inn. I didn't see a manger so I slept in a copse of trees by the train station/tourist centre. An uneventful night. However, I need to mention that I saw a German Shepard enter the forest after he crossed the road. I swear he was the spitting image of ¨The Littlest Hobo¨. He seemed to want me to follow him but I was too busy. I,m sure it was nothing important.