My first drive around New Brunswick

A little drizzly still today, but I’m going to give it a try, as most of the day is driving anyway.

My first stop was Florenceville, about a 3 ½+ drive, to the French Fry capital of the world and the Potato World Museum, and onto to Hartland, the home of the longest covered bridge in the world.  It was cool driving across.

The covered bridges here are not the pretty red ones I saw in the Mid-West USA.

The next stop was King’s Landing, a historical settlement.  In one of the period houses, the docent was quilting and she gave me some scraps for my memory quilt and explained about the fiddlehead ... a fern that only grows in this area.  Ironically, the only fabric with a fiddlehead pattern is made in Maine; I have to either go to the quilt shop or order it online.

While I was out driving around I passed New Maryland.  Their claim to fame is the location and grave of the last fatal duel.  I thought that was kind of fun.

My last stop of the day was going to be Fredericton, a walking tour of the historic district and a scenic drive and ferry ride … but there was lots of construction and the turn I needed was closed and it was raining again.  Since I was tired, I just stayed on the Trans Canada Highway and headed for home.

I stopped in Alma for dinner – scallops.  I am REALLY going to miss the seafood when I leave this area.

It is a little disturbing how much I voluntarily drive.  I don’t think twice about going 300 miles or more every day driving around looking at stuff.  My original vision was to do a 200 mile surrounding area and then move the coach, but I seem to be driven (pun intended) to see as much as I can.  I’m going to try to slow down and see less each day as I’m starting to get more tired.

As I drove around New Brunswick today I saw some signs that I was close to the US border.  For instance, they advertised DEF available at one of the gas stations!  And I asked Google for the closest quilt shop and it was in Maine ….

It is obvious from the abundant number of visitors’ centers available everywhere that tourism is very important to Canada.  That is probably the reason they “advertise” all the local business with signs along the road pointing them out.

When I tell someone I’m from California, after they comment how far from home I am, their response is either a remark about my escaping the heat or how tragic the wild fires are.  It always surprises me that they would be interested about what is going on in California.  My license plate gets a lot of looks and comments as well.