Date: 2008-11-22
To: Canada
Miles today: 0.0

It was an adventure to get to Canada. I set off from Millinocket to get a hitch and get to the Irving gas station some 13 miles out of town when Freefall and her mother with Neon, Uncle Kevin, CCRider, and Circumstance all pull up in a car and offer me a ride. I had to squeeze in and it was great to see them all, and I was appreciative of the lift. Got on a bus and caught it up to Houlton, on arrival it was another 2 mile walk in the dark up the road to get to the motel. In the morning walked back along the road and then it was to be another 3-mile walk along the I95 and into Canada, except of course I am not allowed to walk on the I95. Ran into some locals who had shot a moose and had it loaded in the back of the truck, got my picture taken with it hanging onto the horns, they told me of an ATV trail that I could take. So to get to Canada I took another walking trail of some sort, eventually it ran out and some miles up some back roads I eventually made it to the border. I just started walking across when out from a building jumped 3 American border guards with hands on guns. They asked me what I thought I was doing, I gulped and said going to Canada. They checked my passport, and I told them of my adventure on the AT and how I had just completed it, they all congratulated me and shook my hand. One stayed to chat for a bit and ask me some questions about the AT and told me how it was always one of his dreams to complete it, and then asked me if I had ever met Crocodile Dundee. If he did not have a gun I think I would have punched him, I just rolled my eyes and said no.Off I headed to Canada, it seems they don¢t expect people on foot, they lady looked at me stunned, and with a heavy French accent asked "What are you doing". I simply responded, "Going for a walk". She processed me, and then I had to enter the building and do an interview, they were super polite, I did have one small problem, I had not brought any documentation to show them I had funds to support myself. I looked rather poor I guess in my old tattered hiking clothes, but eventually I was allowed to enter. I took off walking up the I95, and within about an hour or so the man who had processed me had got off work and picked me up and gave me a lift into Woodstock, he had also organised my accommodation, only in Canada does this type of thing happen. In Woodstock I went to the local bar and before long I had the locals eating out of the palm of my hand as I told them stories about my adventures, they bought me beers, and it was so easy to chat with them, they are just like us back home. They all had a great knowledge of Australia, no more stupid questions, we all made jokes about how stupid Americans are, OK I made up most of the jokes, but boy did they laugh. They organised it so my accommodation was for free, and they had me set up for an interview with the local paper to tell my story the next day. I went and found someone to cut off my beard, and he even offered me a place to stay if I could not find somewhere, you can not believe how nice these people are, going for a walk around town took some time as everyone wants to stop and have a chat, and I am more than happy to oblige.Did my interview the next day with the editor, super nice guy, whilst I was waiting for him to come to the office, the sports editor came out for a chat, everyone was just great, the similarities with back home are unbelievable. I got a ride with a nice American called Robert, and now I am on the Saint Lawrence river, and it is super cold, I am in Quebec Provence and all the locals talk is French, very few of them can speak English, they speak less English than the French in France, and I am suppose to be in an English speaking country, but everyone still has that nice Canadian way about them. Onto Quebec City Tomorrow