When you get way up here, Canada, the great white north, you see some amazing sights. The stars are brighter (with less nighttime light pollution), less cars on the road, and a peace that gives you a chance to kick back and enjoy the clear night sky. Someone in the distance is burning a couple logs on the fire, with the faint smell of s’mores wafting through the air, mixing with the scent of pine and maple. Everyone is settling in for the night and the moose are just waking up for their midnight wandering. Nights are about sitting with friends around the fire, sharing stories, and experiencing the north in a way that’s just not possible in other places. Well, perhaps it is, but you have the best hockey versus curling debates in Canada. Late June is the best time to talk about ice sports because Canadian wait through baseball, basketball and football to get back to the sports close to our hearts. From hanging out at the Tim Hortons to taking a walk around the block, there is nothing like the clear night sky, a fire, friends, and endless possibilities of adventure.
The Great Canadian Past Time
If you ever walk into a Tim Horton’s early in the morning you will more than likely catch a glimpse of them. Groups of older men gathered around a small table drinking coffee and chatting about everything from Canadian politics to the hockey game last night. One of the greatest past times for most retired older Canadian is sitting around Tim Hortons drinking coffee and chatting it up. No matter if you are in a small town like Sussex New Brunswick or the big city of Toronto. You will find them. I have been trying to think of a name for the cult of Tim Horton’s loiters.
-Coffee Vagrants
-Table Top Prophets
-Old, Bold, and Cold
-Social Club For Blue Collar Boomer’s
-Cafe Vagabonds
The free Wi-Fi, warm dining room, and hot coffee have made it a community center for people who wake up early and have a good amount of time on their hands.
American Ingenuity Part 2 #Canadian
If you did not read our post American Ingenuity then click over to read that otherwise this will make only a little sense.
After that post, I had time to think about my s’more creating technique. I shared it with my friends and they seem to approve. In the video below I showcase a better way to make your favorite camp fire snack more efficient and less sloppy. #enjoy
Missed Mayor Bigger
Before I went to Sudbury Ontario I reached out to the Mayor of Sudbury Brian Bigger. I told him I wanted to meet him to talk about the pride he has for his city. I reached someone on his team and told them about the site. I went so far as to get friends and family to tweet at the mayor. here a few of my peeps trying to help me out.
@BiggerSudbury You should meet with @JamesTolf to talk about Canadian pride while he is in Sudbury!
— Rachael Ferris (@RachlFerris) July 7, 2017
CPC Provincial Leaf Fleece Blanket | Hudson’s Bay https://t.co/BlayREsOsx @JamesTolf
— JGCryptoCurrency (@JGCCTradingLife) July 7, 2017
@BiggerSudbury The one and only James Tolf is in Sudbury! You should meet the legend himself! @JamesTolf
— Joe (@I_am_Greco) July 7, 2017
So after many tweets and calls and email guess what happened?
On my second to last day there I received an email telling me I could meet the mayor THAT day at an Italian festival to get a photo op and possible conversation. There was one problem I left my phone and tablet at the house as I was out enjoying the sights and sounds of Sudbury Ontario . If given more then five hours notice I could have met him. What made it even worse was the festival I was told to meet him at was only ONE block away. I was less then forty feet away from where I was supposed to be to complete all my objectives for project Sudbury. I really wish I could have met mayor Bigger and let him know he has a great city. All I wanted was a photo and a three minute conversation. I guess that was too much to ask for.
(Click Here) to tweet the mayor of Sudbury
” .@biggersudbury You miss your chance to meet @JamesTolf 🙁 “
Awesome Canadian At The Largest Snowmobile Bridge In The World
As we were at the French River Provincial Park Pow Wow there was a picturesque bridge with a sign the reads Largest Snowmobile Bride in the world. I found that the bridge can hold up to 100 snowmobiles at one time. That is more than anywhere in the world apparently. I got some pictures of me and my friends accompanying me. We wanted a picture of all of us together. That’s when we came upon this guy and his family. He was nice enough to take a picture of me and my friends (whom I have covered with a beaver and Justin Trudeau) Since he took a picture of us we wanted a picture with him as well . I just wanted to highlight yet another helpful awesome Canadian. I did not get his name but told him of this great site and if he wants to see the picture of him and his daughter to go to www.notsorry.ca and he will see it in the up coming week. So this post is to you dude that with the cool family that took three minutes out of your family walk to help me capture a great moment in like.
Pow Wow at French River Provincial Park
My week in Sudbury included something I have never done before which is going to a pow wow. Going to a this was a magical experience. As I entered the Pow Wow I hear chanting and the beating of a drum to a spirit I know little to nothing about, but made me want to learn more. As I proceed to the back of the pow wow there is a tee pee. I was told abruptly that I can not take photos in the tee pee. I said, ” OK” and entered. I was greeted by a man in a white shirt with jeans that asked me if I had ever done this before.
I said hesitantly, “umm no?
what is this ?” He tells me this is like a prayer to your ancestors you take a hand of sage and a hand of tobacco and throw them into the fire. Whatever you want to wish for or ask for from your ancestors do it as you throw the sage and tobacco into the fire. It seemed easy enough. As I made my wish on to my ancestors I smelled the burning of the newly opened tobacco and withering sage and sat down on a bale of hay so my friends could do that same. I walked out of the tee pee smelling of smoke and proceed to watch and take pictures of other first nation people dancing and chanting. I am hoping my wish will come true. It was an experience to remember.
American Ingenuity
Over the past 150 years, which is roughly as long as Canada has been around, people have probably been sticking things into fires. Yes, finding sticks and sticking marshmallows into the fire in order to create the most delicious of snacks, the smore. Which is basically a melted and third degree burn causing marshmallow, preferably on fire, laid (or scraped) gently on top of a square of chocolate and some Graham cracker squares (which are basically square cookies). The marshmallow melts the chocolate, and magic happens in your mouth. Yet while Canadians have been doing this using the pointy end of a stick for decades, it look an American inventor (J. Tolf) to use the new and improved two stick smores delivery system (patent pending). In this system, one puts the pre-assembled smore (preferably maple marshmallow flavored for extra Canadian quotient) onto two sticks and hold thusly over the fire. Within moments, the treat is toasted, delicious and ready to eat.
Use extreme caution around fire and/or flaming marshmallows.
Death by Triple Chocolate
One night at the Laughing Buddha we went for some amazing cheesecake. It was gluten free (and apparently all of their cheesecakes are) and was a triple chocolate delight. Even though it was called death by triple chocolate, we felt fine afterwards, which is possibly due to the addition of some whip cream on the side, or perhaps the drinks we had to wash it down with. When at the Buddha, give the cheesecake a try. They change daily, so its always something new and exciting. The staff are all cool to hang out with, and even though they get paid to serve you drinks, come there long enough and they learn your name, just like on Cheers.
Tiger Tiger Woods (or Mini Golf)
Sudbury has a mini golf course, or as you may know it, an old fashioned game of putt putt. This is not the kind of game where you succeed and win a green jacket, this is now a game where there are crowds, trophies, prize money or corporate sponsors. No, this is a game where you go up against your friends and have the bragging rights to proclaim your victory from the rooftops. Perhaps not that dramatic, we did pretty decently at only half a dozen points over par, and enjoyed an afternoon (without the aid of a performance enhancing slurpee) and it was great spending some time in the sun and wacking balls around the greens. If you get a chance to hang out in Sudbury and play some mini golf, go to the batting cages or take a couple spins on the go karts, its time well wasted.
The Sudbury Surveyor
This is Andre he was surveying the house I was couch surfing at. I was on the back porch and Andre just pops up with this bright shirt. He somewhat startled me. I found out me and him are the same age and he was born in August. When I told him about my site and ask him something that he is not sorry about in Canada he told: me,”health care I guess”. I think he was taken back a bit by me being so welcoming and wanting to talk about this great country. Which is fine that means Andre is like most Canadians focused and hard working on getting the job done. I ask him if I can take picture of him for the site. Andre said, “sure”.