Back through New Brunswick and out of Canada, for now.

Returning to the province of New Brunswick gave us the opportunity to see a couple of things we had missed when we came through before. We made our first stop at the POW Internment Camp Museum in Minto. This display shows artifacts from a regional internment camp that was used in the 1940’s. Then we drove to the site of the camp and walked the trail through the woods where the buildings once stood. History such as this is important to remember, but sometimes difficult to rationalize.

We also found the Military Museum at the Gagetown Base near Oromocto. The museum was closed, but the tanks in the parking lot offered a photo opportunity. Mike enjoyed walking among the military mobiles and talking to a Canadian enlisted man who was there with his parents.

As we poked along the back roads going towards the border town, we passed a racetrack. The parking lot was filling with campers and the race trailers were lining up to go into the pit area. Of course we had to stop to check it out. It was a paved, oval track with a full series of racing ahead for the night. We met Randy the security guy and a few racers that were already on site. The manager offered us free camping with paid admissions. Since we are not on a schedule and had nowhere to be, we stayed for the racing. We were able to watch some practice laps. And then we walked the dogs in the mosquito woods for a bit. While there we grabbed this awesome geocache (yes, we are geocachers)  We were back in time to eat dinner at the van and catch the first races at 6:30. It was a great night of action with cars ranging from 2-stroke mini cars to full Pro-Custom stock cars. Speeds up to 95mph on a paved oval made for some exciting spins and a few fender benders. It was a blast! For twenty bucks admission and free camping, we had a great night of entertainment.

In the morning we said goodbye to Randy the security guy. We would stop to tour the Ganong Chocolate Museum (unlimited free samples- Mike got his money’s worth) in St. Stephen and then cross into the USA. We had planned for the crossing by giving away all fruits and vegetables. We were prepared to give away the salami in the refrigerator. But as usual, the border crossing did not turn out as expected. The woman asked us only where we had crossed in, where we were from and what we did for a living. We answered and she waved us through. As we passed by we noticed that they did not really have an inspection station and there was not a system for searching vehicles (like the ones along the Mexico border). The border crossing at Calais/St. Stephen is now my favorite!

There was one place we missed on the way into the Maritimes, Acadia National Park. So we will spend a night and a day there just to look around. But, it will be hard to top the experience of the past three weeks in Canada!

And before I close this post, here are some flowers for my mom!  We miss you, Mom!