The clock on the Santa Cruz jumped ahead an hour, then jumped back, then forward again — back and forth as we made our way toward the potato field which would ultimately bring us to Aroostook Valley Golf Course — crossing the international border and then back again, this way and that. We played here twice in 2022 (you can read about that trip in the “Aroostook State Park” post), and we had to make this same trip through the potato fields back then, at that time due to covid-19 restrictions. Apparently, one could once upon a time just drive from Fort Fairfield to the golf course, get out of one’s vehicle in America, and then walk across the international boundary, into the pro shop and onto the course in Canada. I had hoped that would be the case once again, but no — same old story: cross the international border at the customs station in Fort Fairfield, drive one exit on the Transcanada, then ply the back roads until you come to the white rock, at which point you hang a left into the potato field.

Not sure why they still do it this way, but even the locals now access the course from here. I suppose, given the current presidentially-inspired tensions with Canada (not to mention all the hyperbole around illegal aliens), both sides want to ensure that everyone is playing by the rules and going through the official border crossings. In fact, I wondered whether the course would have changed out the American flags on the putting green (“elbows up” and all), but no — diplomacy still reigns, at least here. In fact, there is one double green on the course (which includes the eighteenth) upon which both flags (Canadian and American) proudly fly.

I have to say I am not thrilled with the idea that both my truck and my watch know exactly where I am at all times, allowing them to immediately update the time which they display; also (of course) begging the question: if they know where I am, who else knows, too? Not sure how we came to this point in the surveillance society, but here we are. Anyway, here are some views of the potato fields leading to the cart shed (a re-purposed potato house) to which you drive before loading up a golf cart for the final half-mile excursion to the clubhouse, pro shop and course:

And here’s the cart shed itself:

You can see Steve’s carefully-curated cart in the foreground. We each used the carts to drive our clubs and trolleys to the clubhouse, after which we walked the course. Here’s the clubhouse itself:

Below are some views of the course. This really is a lovely course, with a number of striking panoramic views (typical of hilltop views in Aroostook County) which are in fact so wide that a photo doesn’t do them justice. The course itself is in great shape and so earns a solid 3 from us on our totally-biased and unscientific scale.

Here are your intrepid golf adventurers in action:

Incidentally, we could not stay a second time at Aroostook State Park this year because the camping area is closed this season for maintenance and upgrades, so we are staying instead in Presque Isle, Maine at Arndt’s Aroostook River Lodge and Campground. This is a fine RV park with a swimming pool, game room, laundry and the standard RV-park layout (rigs parked in a row in a field), although we lucked out by selecting a site in a more out-of-the-way loop with only one neighbor. There is a small, though scrupulously clean, showerhouse/restroom which I deemed uniquely-appearing enough to merit a photo:

Tomorrow we visit a new venue (for us), Grand Falls Country Club; more then!