Good Morning, Canada
After a much-needed good night's sleep, I woke up at the crack of dawn at the Water Tower Inn in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. Downstairs, the car was still safely in its spot. I loaded the car back up, made myself a coffee for the road with my espresso machine and started my journey to North Bay.
After the long driving treks of the past 2 days, it was nice to have a shorter way to go today. It allowed me to take my time, take in the sites, explore the side roads, and explore some spots along the way. The total drive time to North Bay was set to take no more than 5 hours, and I didn't need to arrive until 2:00 PM at the latest to get my car decals installed.
Hidden Trail #1 - Old Mill Beach
Not long after I began my drive, I found myself on a small road that turned onto a smaller road, which then diverted onto a tiny and quaint little trail. This is, after all, the Hidden Trails Expedition! 😉
It was such a nice change to be off the long stretches of highway, and onto the small back trails. I was alone driving through the luscious forest, trees reaching up over the car on either side of me. Green green green.
I ended up on a small path called "Old Mill Beach Road". It was a bit of a treacherous route that dipped with often steep inclines and declines. The occasional large bump or pothole forced me to drive slowly. But I was in no hurry today. And as I made my way through the trail, the breathtaking scenery unfolded around me.
I came up onto a crystal clear blue lake and was able to drive my car right up to the shore at Old Mill Beach at Rock Lake. I parked and stood along the shore taking in the silence. Everything was perfectly still. The water was so smooth that it reflected the hills on the other end of the lake perfectly. The beauty took my breath away and I felt myself close to tears. I took a few photos and then stood there, breathing in the clean air, enjoying the silence and peace of nature.
I could have stayed forever, taking in the amazing view. However, it was a bit chilly out. So after a little while I jumped back into my car to continue the journey. With the car back on, I saw that it was 39 degrees out! No wonder I was so cold. I'm really hoping the weather will continue to warm up because camping when it's almost freezing out sounds like it wouldn't be very enjoyable.
Hidden Trail #2: Lorne Falls
As I continued, I kept my eyes open for other hidden trails along my route. And soon enough I found a stop with a view of a small waterfall called Lorne Falls. Once again I took some time to stand along the shore and enjoy the views. The relaxing sound of rushing water in the distance, plus the morning sun growing stronger, warming my face, made it a lovely rest spot.
Back in my car, I was starting to get hungry. I checked each sign I drove past for any indication of a nearby town or restaurant. I drove by a small town with a population size of just 700!
Finally, I came across a spot called "17", and stopped for a quick breakfast. I needed a bit of protein to keep me fueled and was ready for some eggs. The restaurant was alright, nothing to write home about, but I was grateful for a real meal before heading off again.
North Bay Day
Soon enough I was at my destination: North Bay! My first line of business was to visit SeeMore Graphics & Signs. I dropped my car off with Marc to put the decals on my front doors to advertise the Hidden Trails Expedition as I make my way across the USA and Canada. Marc recommended an excellent lunch spot nearby called Burger World. So while he was installing the decals I headed off down the road for a bite to eat.
Burger World
Off I went, thinking I was heading to a junk food joint with just some greasy burgers and fries. Woahhh was I surprised! It was not at all what I expected. I sat down and looked through their amazing menu, full of delicious-sounding sandwiches, wraps and burgers. I settled on a wrap and it blew my mind! It was the most delicious, gourmet-style wrap I've ever tasted. The outside was perfectly crunchy, with a soft inside full of amazing flavour. Even the fries were cooked to perfection. After the mediocre breakfast that morning, my taste buds were dancing with delight!
Entering the building I never expected from the look of the place that I would have enjoyed my meal so much. If Marc from SeeMore Graphics hadn't recommended it I never would have ended up here. I was so impressed, I asked to speak to the owner of the joint. Daniel Rivet, the owner, came by and had a small chat with me about the business.
The Burger World story starts in 1993. Daniel explained how it was originally designed to compete with the new and popular Mcdonald's and Wendy's in the area. So at its start, it was a small, burger-focused fast food menu. His father was the original owner of the very successful Hoagies Diner as well, which at one point had 11 locations across northern Ontario. Over time, Burger World transitioned to more of a mom-and-pop style burger joint.
When Daniel and his brother came back after their schooling, they decided to shift the business again. Their goal was to create an upper-scale family restaurant with the likes of steak dinners, ribs, wraps and homemade pies on the menu. Though the menu changed the name stayed the same. Daniel said the reason was that the Burger World brand had made a name for itself in the area and they didn't want to lose the reputation they had built over the years by changing the name.
I asked Daniel if he'd consider expanding beyond the single location, and the response was an adamant "no". He explained how almost everything at Burger World is made from scratch, and that anything they can make by hand they do or they will buy from a high-quality vendor. They don't want to expand or franchise because then they would lose that authentic cooking that has made them so successful, the very core of their mission. That is a mission I can get behind! And definitely, a place I'd come back to visit.
SeeMore Graphics
Now happily full from my incredible lunch, I went back to SeeMore Graphics to pick up the car. I was in awe! What a great day for discovering incredible businesses. The decals were all set and beautifully placed on my car doors. I was stunned at what an amazing and professional job Marc did. It was even better than the original magnets I had ordered that hadn't worked out.
Not only did I get decals for each of my front doors, but Marc also gave me four QR stickers to place on the back and sides, plus an extra if one falls off. I was extremely happy with the work and how quickly they produced the decals and installed them.
To show my gratitude, I gave the SeeMore Graphics team some of the chocolate I had purchased from the Candy Factory back in Missouri. They absolutely loved it. And boy did they deserve it. They are such an honest supplier, able to meet a tight deadline after I explained the situation, and they got it all done as promised AND at a high quality.
North Care Dental
The next stop was a visit to my sister-in-law's dentistry office for a quick hello. I met some of her coworkers and passed out some more of the tasty Candy World chocolate. After a quick coffee and a short chat, I was off to my next stop.
Canada Tire
I believe it's always better to be safe than sorry. So despite being equipped with a SAT phone plus my regular cell phone, I decided to make a pit stop at Canada Tire to grab a CB radio. I figured it was a good backup measure in case I get stuck up a creek without a paddle, so to speak. Once I'm in the wilderness it will give me some added peace of mind to know I have an alternative means of communication if something goes wrong. It could also be helpful to use to listen in to the chatter from trucks on the highway so I know what's going on in the area.
I bought my CB radio and headed to my final destination to put it together and tuck in for the evening.
Tammy & Victoria's (& Ziggy's) House
The final and maybe best-hidden trail of the day was the journey to Tammy's house. The steep path going up to the house gave way to the most stunning view. Once inside their wonderful home, the views from the living room windows and bedrooms had me in complete awe. It's enormously beautiful, and that is no exaggeration.
I took a picture with my wonderful hosts, and their adorable little dog Ziggy with the view from their kitchen window behind us.
Tomorrow is a rest day. A day to recharge the batteries and store up some energy for the driving days to come. There will also be more North Bay fun. See you tomorrow!
-Shlomo
Check out the photo gallery for even more photos of my trip!
Comments