Why) The story begins back in June 2004 when I went on a cross country driving trip from Nanaimo, British Columbia to New York, New York to Toronto, Ontario to the Maritimes and back to Regina.  At that time, I had no idea what a Buckys list was so I just drove around and stopped whenever something looked interesting.  I eventually discovered that I had a fondness for art and in particular paintings by artists from the Hudson River School.  When I was somewhere in the Maritimes, I learned that the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut has a very good Hudson River School collection.  So, I decided to drive back to Regina through Hartford even though it was a bit out of the way. 

    At least, that was my plan until I arrived at the U.S. Border Crossing in St. Stephen, New Brunswick and was refused entry into the United States.  I was not entirely surprised when this happened because I was travelling in an old Econoline van that I had converted into a camper.  I was also without a job (I had just retired) or a home address (I was living in the van) so I guess the customs agents decided that I was lying and trying to sneak into the U.S. even though I had been in and out of the country just a couple of weeks before.  Whatever the reason, I did not get to go to the Wadsworth Atheneum and I have wanted to ever since then.

    In 2005, I read the most unbelievable article about the border agents at the St. Stephen crossing.  I have included the entire article below but the relevant quote is this, "Nobody asked us to detain him," said Bill Anthony, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  Being bizarre is not a reason to keep somebody out of this country or lock them up.  We're governed by laws and regulations, and he did not violate any regulations.”  If this intrigues you then read the article and see just what variety of bizarre person they let cross the border on that day.