One of my "growing up" experiences was a trip through that territory back in the 50's.
I wanted to see northern Ontario and so drove a solo summer trip through Sault St Marie towards Kapuskasing.
I got only as far as Timmins before learning that the distance scale
on my road map was totally different than the scale in Michigan.
In Timmins...
- I learned that Canadian bar customers were very friendly toward Yanks
- I learned that Canadian brews had a higher (double) alcohol content that in the US.
- I learned that there were no motel/hotel rooms available.
- I learned that I could bed down for the night at the local Mental Health Hospital.
- And I learned that the night staff locks such rooms for the night from the hallway.
It was very scary to be locked up with no one back home knowing
where I was, and not being sure they would let me out in the morning.
They did, but as the staff shared their breakfasts with me, they joked
about not letting me leave without first having a "thorough psychiatric exam".
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