Wpg-TO Day Two

Aguasabon River Falls & Gorge

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Same as two pics above.....but without the railing! And more sky

Aguasabon River Gorge Map

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Again, for the map-challenged amoung us, here's another "You are here" moment....you're #12.

Wawa Tourism Sign

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The town so astonishing that they named it twice. That's right, when La Verendrye passed by here in '07 he was astonished at the beauty of the area and remarked...."Wa!" And when Grosseliers passed by a few months later, he too remarked...."Wa!!"....hence the name. Isn't history amazing?

Wawa Town Map

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In case you were planning to visit, I thought a map of the town might be handy....for those without an iPhone or Google maps.....both of you!

Wawa Railway

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Could be a number of things....The Little Red Train that Couldn't.....or a feeding system for the Sleeping Giant (note the pail in front used for feeding).....or it could be a tribute to the mining history in the district and the recent re-birth of the industry following a gold discovery.

Wawa Goose

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According to Wikipedia....and if it's on the internet it must be true: "Wawa takes its name from the Ojibwe word for "wild goose", wewe. Wawa was defined as wild goose in The Song of Hiawatha. On July 5, 2010, Canada Post made a commemorative stamp of the Wawa Goose as part of its Roadside Attractions collection." I guess calling the town Wewe sounded to silly...right?

Wawa Goose Sign

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I suspect in the future the sign will be replaced by a smaller one referencing the Wikipedia webpage.

Wawa Goose and Information Centre

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Pretty impressive from the highway and a rather nice information centre.....too bad they don't have it open when tourists are around! Arrived at 6:49 pm on a Wednesday and other than Tim Hortons, the town was closed up....so I went to Timmy's.

Touristy Sign

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Originally thought this was a typo....meant to read, "Way to the Sault" but apparently not. Go figure. And leave it to the English language to spell it S-A-U-L-T but pronounce it SU. There's a map maker out there in the early 1800's that didn't pass spelling but drew pretty pictures. Now that I think of it...I wonder if the town was named after Barbara Wawa but with all the native rights issues they had to come up with a semi-believable explanation! Notice that they only claim "One of the Top Scenic Highways in Canada", not wanting to admit how far down the list they really are. Must have been written by someone who's visited the Yukon....or Saskatchewan!

Wawa to the Sault Explanation

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OK...not to belittle the scenery, it really is quite beautiful, but I'd put the Beardmore to Nipigon stretch in ahead of this road, if anyone's taking a vote! And I'm a little leary of the claim "one of Canada's Top Nine Great Drives"...not the top 10 best, but the "Top Nine Great Drives". Go ahead....Google it...I'll give you a minute. Not according to Wheels.ca, or About.com, or Ford.ca, or Autoblog.ca (and at least this one included the Klondike Trail and the Alaska Highway, although to be honest, this one also includes Regina to Yorktown, Sask, and Yes, they spell it "Yorktown" so you've got to be suspicious of this one!), and not prnmag.com (although they do identify a Lake Superior route...the Grand Algoma Tour...close but the wrong side of SS Marie!). Oh never mind...it's pretty, but maybe #11 at best...

Wawa Tourist Info Site

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Some whimsical pole carvings at the Tourist info site in Wawa...along with all the "You are here" maps you'd ever want!

Wawa Tourist Info Site

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Pole #2...

Wawa Tourist Info Site

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And pole #3. Love the carvings....

View from the road...

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Doesn't get more typical of the Lake Superior highway view than this....down the hill and around the corner because straight ahead is another lake. Pretty, but once again....rocks, water and trees.

Agawa Bay Lookout

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Sign in the scenic lookout sight with some interesting facts.... - Lake Superior could hold all the water from the other four Great Lakes...and more! - if the CN Tower were in the deepest part of Lake Superior, the main deck would still be below water! - Lake Superior has enough water to flood all of North America to a depth of 5'! (47° 21' 45.55" N 84° 40' 04.81" W)

The Classic View of Agawa Bay

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Just checked out Google Earth and you'd think I was standing right next to "Bunk", who posted pretty well the same picture.

The Road to Montreal River

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OK...now we're getting into the more scenic rocks, water and trees that all Canadians enjoy. Yes it's just another down and around the corner picture, but at least it's picturesque!

The Road to Montreal River

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More than one corner on the way down to Montreal River and I stayed behind this logging truck to give the photos some scale and interest. Besides, if he lost his brakes it's always better to be behind the crash!

The Road to Montreal River

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Oh it's only a recommended speed, it's not like it's a speed trap....never mind the flashing lights, the steep grade and the heavy load....take that foot off the brakes and let's roll that 30,000 Pound so of Bananas!!! (Harry Chapin favourite, if you're wondering...and Yes, I was humming the tune as we rolled into Montreal River!)

The Road to Montreal River

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Alright buddy....one more turn and you're home free.....