We had a nice hike, though, and I'm (again) reminded that this is something I want to do more of. There are many reasons we haven't - we were in Peru in the spring, we hide from the heat in the summer, I've been exploring Toronto, writing deadlines - but I want this to be more than an annual tradition.
On the way up Highway 10, I was looking at the map of Ontario, noting how completely huge it is. (Cross-ref Arrogant Worms, I know. Although I can't find the lyrics with the famous phrase anywhere.) I was wondering about the relative sizes of the larger US states compared with the large Canadian provinces. If all the provinces and states were ranked by size, where would Ontario fit in? What about Texas, supposedly so huge? Would Alaska - which clearly should be part of Canada - seem as completely gigantic as it does now?
So here we are, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Wyoming - 253,348 square kilometres / 97,818 square milesHaving visited Alaska - where you drive for an entire day and cover no distance at all on the map, where you visit the largest National Park in the U.S., which seems immense, but represents a fraction of nothing relative to the entire state - I fully appreciate its enormity. Alaska is two and a half times the size of Texas, and a full 20% of the size of the lower 48. If Alaska was the separate nation many Alaskans believe it to be, it would be the 19th largest country in the world.
California - 410,000 / 158,402
Saskatchewan - 651,900 / 251,700
Alberta - 661,848 / 255,287
Texas - 695,622 / 268,581
Ontario - 1,076,395 / 415,598
Alaska - 1,717,854 / 570,380
But look! Ontario is not that much smaller. You could say Ontario is about a California smaller than Alaska.
19 comments:
"Give us a place to stand
And a place to grow,
And we will build
Ontario
On-tari-ari-o" :)
Oh my. I wonder how many folks today remember that tune from their childhood.
Sorry for not posting this earlier, but here's my annual Fall Colours email I send out at work:
October 1, 2006
Warm Days, Cold Nights
No, it's not the title of the latest Harlequin, it's the harbinger of the change of seasons in Canada. After summer, the trees are busy taking all of the sap from it's extremities and pushing into the trunk, and deep down into it's roots where it can be protected from freezing. The result? The poor leaves are denied nutrition and their brightly green-coloured cells start dying. As the chlorophyll fades away, the leaves true colours are shown for a brief few days, until the bonds that hold it to the tree give way and the leaves fall to the ground. In those fleeting moments, one can see one of the most beautiful sights on the Canadian landscape, that of the Fall Colours.
When's the best time to see the colours? Go to the Ministry of Tourism's Fall Colours page at:
http://ontariotravel.net/publications/fallcolourreport.pdf
Any place that is reading between 60% and 75% colour change is where you want to go. Over 85% and you start risking going to places that are already losing leaves, and you may not get the most vibrant colours.
Trips to the North
My favourite place to see the fall colours, bar none, is from the Dorset Fire Tower http://www.dorset-tower.com/, located just north of the town of Dorset, ON on Hwy 35. While up there, you can get close to the leaves by going for a nice walk on the trails on the West side of Hwy 35 at the Leslie M. Frost Centre at Dorset.
A lot closer is Mary Lake, a beautiful public trail running through it amidst gorgeous trees and is the best walk in the GTA at this time of year. Take Keele Street north just past Bloomington Sideroad. Proceed to next intersection 16th Sideroad (not 16th Avenue) and turn around. Park on the West side of Keele Street in the large Gravel patch that can hold 6-7 cars between 16th Sideroad and Bloomington Sideroad. You will find a trail entrance here, just go over the fence using the provided stiles (yes, it's a legal public path) and follow the trail. Bring water and allow a few hours for an enjoyable stroll.
Springwater Provincial Park http://www.scenicbarrie.com/springwater1.php3 (check your Ontario Map for location) near Barrie offers a two-fer, both a zoo containing native Ontario animals and a trail system that has a nice walk.
Trips to the East
Those in the East may enjoy a stroll in Ganaraska Forest http://www.grca.on.ca/ganfor.htm.
A beautiful drive can be had through the Moraine… from Oshawa, Proceed North on Harmony Road until you get to Winchester Road (North of Taunton, under the power lines). Turn East on to Winchester Road and follow the road STRAIGHT whenever possible (if the road ahead is not gravel, go for it) even if the main road turns. The Road will become Concession Road 7, then Concession Road 8. Drive along this beautiful road through small villages until you're tired or Carscadden road, where it turns into gravel. From there, turn south on Carscadden and then back West on the next big street, Concession Road 7. You can get on the 115/35 South from Concession Road 7. From 115/35 south, you can get on the 401 back home.
Trips to the West
Beautiful colours are to be had in the Escarpment (home of the Bruce Trail). Take the 401 to Mississauga Road, Proceed North. You'll find the beautiful hills and dales of the Credit River! When Mississauga Road ends near River Road and Forks of the Credit Road, turn Right (North East) on Forks of the Credit Road. Follow Forks of the Credit Road in awe to Hurontario St. Turn Right (South East) on Hurontario, but don't head home yet! Make sure you turn Right (South West) down Olde Baseline Road (only two streets south). Follow Olde Baseline Road back towards Mississauga Road, but keep looking to your left (South)! You'll find a place to park at the top of a hill with no signs, but has one of the most beautiful and odd things to see in Ontario. It's called the Cheltenham Badlands, and it's a sight to behold. You'll swear you're on the moon! Once you've seen the moon, head back to Hurontario for a nice trip home.
Have to stay in the City? Check out:
Rouge Valley Park http://www.rougepark.com/ … one of the nicest views close to home (be sure to park on Twin Rivers Drive and start from there).
Plan for Next Year!
Those who want to plan for an amazing trip a few years down the road should check out the most beautiful train trip in Ontario… the Agawa Canyon tour. They book years in advance for their fall colours trains! http://www.algomacentralrailway.com/content/tours/canyontour/index.html
Make it a tradition one weekend (or day) per month to check out the beauty that Ontario has to offer; not only in the Fall but in all seasons!
Have a safe Thanksgiving weekend!
Scott
Ps… Cold Weather Tip: Just as the trees bring their sap well inside the tree to protect it from the cold, your body will do so also. If your body senses that it is losing heat too quickly, it will cut off blood to the extremities, first affecting the feet and hands. It will keep the blood in the core of the body in order to maintain your vital organs. BUT… you do not lose most of your heat from your hands and feet, you lose it from your HEAD! Your body can't cut off blood to your head (thank goodness), so it shuts down all it can first. What does this mean? Well, if your feet or hands are cold, PUT ON A TOQUE! Your body will sense that it's not losing as much heat and allow blood to flow to your hands and feet, warming them up.
AGAIN, if your feet or hands are cold, PUT ON A TOQUE!
Thanks, Scott. Great stuff.
I'll admit that A Fall Colour Report qualifies as Too Much Information for me. I prefer this method: Hey, it's not raining today, I'm not on deadline, we're both in a good mood, let's get in the car and drive.
But I hope to do a lot of exploring of back roads and parks slightly north of here, just as we did in the Catskill region of my beloved New York State.
most Ontarians don't realize the size of Ontario, we in Southern Ontario think of the boundaries as Windsor-Kingston corridor and Sudbury,Sault st. Marie to the north....I have driven to Vancouver at least 10 times and the trip takes 4 days of good driving,well believe it or not TWO of those days are just getting out of Ontario..but it's a utterly beautiful drive...the northern shores of Lake Superior are truly spectacular, really untouched...550 kms from Thunder Bay to Kenora....from Toronto to the Manitoba/Ontario border 2,000 km's....unbelievable in size, and beauty with Canadian shield. etc...
I have driven to Vancouver at least 10 times and the trip takes 4 days of good driving,well believe it or not TWO of those days are just getting out of Ontario
That jibes with my (vicarious) experience. I had a friend who had to drive to British Columbia, and on the first day out of the GTA, he made it to Sudbury. On the second, Thunder Bay. It was the third day before he left Ontario and got into Manitoba. He crossed the Prairies, and the fourth day was getting up and down the Rockies and into BC. So yeah, just getting around the Lakes is a big part of the journey. And we're already a third of the way into the continent from the Atlantic as it is!
I wonder how many folks today remember that tune from their childhood.
I do. Haven't thought of it in ages, though.
The Northern Ontario line is from an intro, not a song (the intro to "Mounted Animal Nature Trail"):
We get to go through that wonderful place of snow and rock called Northern Ontario. [...] Northern Ontario is eighty billion kilometers long. There are thirteen people who live there. All of whom are named Frank. Even the girl. (She's very popular.)
And here's the song about all of Canada:
When I look around me,
I can't believe what I see
It seems as if this country
Has lost its will to live
The economy is lousy,
We barely have an army
But we can still stand proudly
'Cause Canada's really big
We're the second largest country
On this planet Earth
And if Russia
Keeps on shrinking
Then soon we'll be first
(as long as we keep Quebec)
The USA has tanks
And Switzerland has banks
They can keep them, thanks
They just don't amount
'Cause when you get down to it
You find out what the truth is
It isn't what you do with it
It's the size that counts!
Most people
Will tell you
That France is pretty large
But you can put
Fourteen Frances
Into this land of ours
(it'd take a lotta work, it's take a whole lotta work)
We're larger than Malaysia
Almost as big as Asia
We're bigger than Australia
And it's a continent
So big we seldom bother
To go see one another
But we often go to other
Countries for vacation
Our mountains
Are very pointy
Our prairies are not
The rest is
Kinda bumpy
But, man, do we have a lot
(we gotta lot of land, we gotta whole lot of land)
So stand up and be proud
And sing out very loud
We stand out from the crowd 'cause
Canada's really big!
The Northern Ontario line is from an intro, not a song (the intro to "Mounted Animal Nature Trail")
Ah-ha. The intro. I found the line quoted by several people (including you!), and some people said it was from that song. But when I went to the song lyrics, 'twas not there.
I knew you'd have an explanation. :)
And here's the song about all of Canada:
This is one of the first things a Canadian quoted on this blog. You'll find them posted way back in 2004! :)
And we're already a third of the way into the continent from the Atlantic as it is!
This always amazes me.
Being from New York, I always think of myself as from the east. I think of Toronto as north of New York, so (when we first moved here) I would still think I'm in the east. Then I look at the map, and we're not in Eastern Canada at all! There's so much Canada east of here.
Of course, we're north of *western* New York State, plus Canada extends so much farther east than New York City.
It was confusing. :)
The experience of LP's friend driving from Ontario to the west coast - I can totally see that happening to us when we make that drive. We're still not out of Ontario??? When is this gonna end?!
I have driven to Vancouver at least 10 times and the trip takes 4 days of good driving,well believe it or not TWO of those days are just getting out of Ontario..but it's a utterly beautiful drive...
Oops, and Doug, too. :)
We'll do that drive in sometime in the next few years. Can't wait.
It's even more amazing when you board the train in Toronto at 9am, travel the whole day, go to sleep on the comfy beds, only to awake the next morning in... Ontario. I've taken the trip many times and am still amazed by it. You're only out of Ontario by 1pm the next day.
If you ever do take the train (really, Silver and Blue class is amazing), you'll understand the whole "rocks and trees" song by the Worms as you go through Northern Ontario. Beautiful!
We're still not out of Ontario??? When is this gonna end?!
Wait, wait, I know this one... you're quoting... Conrad Black? Yeah... a little while ago. >:)
the amazing thing to me is when you are in Thunder Bay and you go to this lookout there is a huge statue in honour of Terry Fox, and you stop to think about it, we just drove from Toronto and it took quite a while, well here is this guy with One leg who ran, jogged across from the East coast...it really hits you as to the magnitude of that task, when you take into account the weather, the terrain, and the shear distance...pretty mind-boggling...
The experience of LP's friend driving from Ontario to the west coast - I can totally see that happening to us when we make that drive. We're still not out of Ontario??? When is this gonna end?!
We'd go to Winnipeg one of three ways:
- London to Toronto to TransCanada through Parry Sound, then around Superior, or
- London to Tobermory, Chi-cheemaun to Manitoulin, then up over Superior
- London to Sarnia, through Michigan to the Soo, then over Superior.
The Michigan route was fastest. The Chi-cheemaun route was slowest because of the ferry, but the most fun.
If you ever do take the train (really, Silver and Blue class is amazing)
I'd love to take the train across Canada! I don't know if we'd ever do that, we're more likely to drive, but it's a very appealing thought.
The only time I drove (well, was driven, ‘cause I didn’t know how to drive then) across (much of) Canada was in my early twenties with my then boyfriend. We didn’t own a car, so we took advantage of this very strange and amazing arrangement whereby you deliver a car that has been sold to someone in another province. You don’t get paid, but you do get to drive a brand new car across the country. In other words, a free rental. It was all very odd, though. Answering an ad in the paper, we picked up the car from a residence (not a car company) in Thornhill, provided credit card information (and that was all they asked of us, didn’t want information about driving records, insurance, etc) and dropped it off in Alberta. Again, to a residence, where we were greeted with cookies, tea and immense hospitality by an elderly Ukrainian couple. We thought it was a pretty nice deal at the time.
Okay, now that I think about it, perhaps we were driving a stolen car?! Wasn’t in charge of the transaction, so my memory of the details is a bit hazy Anyone else ever hear about such a thing?
Anyway, I always knew rationally that Ontari-ari-o was mighty big, but I had NOOOO idea until this trip. Just what everyone has said…”holy crap, it’s like almost the third day and we’re not in Manitoba yet!!” But it didn’t matter, because I also had no idea how freaking beautiful Northern Ontario really is. If you do make the trip, stop off at Quetico Provincial Park. Absolutely stunning. Oh, and bring a canoe! Well, okay, maybe not so practical. But you’ll wish you had!
The drive east to PEI is pretty spectacular as well, and you get out of Ontario a hell of a lot quicker.
Okay, now that I think about it, perhaps we were driving a stolen car?! Wasn’t in charge of the transaction, so my memory of the details is a bit hazy Anyone else ever hear about such a thing?
It's very common in the US, especially among college students. I never did it myself, but I knew lots of kids who did.
I can't wait to drive across Canada. Chances are we'll do it in several trips, because we like to take our time and see stuff everywhere - and we won't have a month or six weeks.
Oh Lisa, that sounds like great fun, by the way. :)
It was a blast! Made a bit weird by by the hitchhike that took us from Alberta to Vancouver, all in one ride. Lucky because we might well have been stuck on the road for who knows how long, unlucky because we found ourselves with a "joker" who thought it was funny to go at top speed on Kicking Horse Pass while claiming that his brakes didn't work.
The best part of the trip though was on the way back, where we took the Green Tortoise bus from San Francisco to New York, stopping by at just about every natural wonder the southern US landscape has to offer. Absolutely majestic. You don't know heaven until you've hiked through an Arizona desert, to be cooled off by a waterfall oasis. While still in the desert.
Great trip.
The Green Turtle! How great.
Sounds like the trip had everything - the driveaway, hitching, hippie bus. Fantastic.
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