On a Mission in Thunder Bay

In many ways it's an open secret on what my mission to Thunder Bay was. If you're in the Thunder Bay Memories Group on Facebook, you probably know. If you're some of my friends, you probably know. If not, I guess you'll have to hang tight and eventually everything will fall into place and be revealed in this blog at a later date when the rest of the mission is fulfilled.

Since I was already visiting Wisconsin, the proximity to go to Thunder Bay was much easier than going straight from Texas. The morning I was to drive up there started off a bit cool. I headed into Marshfield to go to Kwik Trip, top off with gas, and get breakfast.

Car dashboard displaying 52°F temperature, Trip 1 showing 366.4 miles traveled at 40.2 MPG, with odometer reading 016886 miles

After leaving Kwik Trip, I started driving out of town. It ended up being cool enough that my tire pressure warning went off. I was paranoid that a tire had a leak in it, because I knew I hit a board that I could not swerve for in Fort Worth. I took it into the O'Brien Automotive, the shop I always go to in Marshfield, to have things checked out. I didn't want to take the risk of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. On a positive note, I did get a little time to visit my grandma, who lived a short walk from the shop.

Car dashboard with low tire pressure warning message displayed, showing 52°F temperature and odometer reading 016897 miles White Ford Focus parked in front of O'Brien Automotive building with brick facade and garage doors

My paranoia ended up being nothing. The tires were just at the borderline to set off the warning. I guess it was better being safe than sorry and I did get my tires filled up. I walked back from my grandma's and then hit the road. It was a bit rainy, but I got to enjoy the nice fall colors and also pretty amazing gas milage.

Highway view from driver's perspective showing North Route 53 sign with fall foliage lining both sides of the road Car dashboard displaying 55°F temperature, Trip 1 showing 101.5 miles traveled at 50.7 MPG, with odometer reading 017005 miles and compass indicating northeast direction Two-lane highway stretching ahead through northern landscape with golden fall foliage under overcast sky Highway view with vehicle ahead, surrounded by vibrant autumn colors on rolling hills under cloudy sky Highway with rock cut on left side and golden aspens visible against hillside in fall colors Curved highway through dense forest displaying autumn foliage in yellows and greens Elevated view of hillside covered in fall colors with body of water visible in the distance

I stopped in Grand Portage and filled up. It's pretty amazing I can get this far on a single tank of gas!

Sign for Grand Portage Lodge & Casino showing Trading Post, Travel Centre Exchange, Canadian Exchange, and RV Park amenities Three flags flying on poles against cloudy sky - Grand Portage tribal flag, Minnesota state flag, and Canadian flag Grand Portage Lodge & Casino gas station and convenience store with rustic timber-frame entrance Car dashboard displaying 57°F temperature, Trip 1 showing 357.6 miles traveled at 51.0 MPG, with odometer reading 017261 miles and compass indicating north direction

I quickly hit the road again and decided to take a pit stop at the Welcome to Minnesota\USA rest stop to get some pictures. Shortly after, I hit the border. There was a bit of a wait, which I was entertained by some foxes running around by the stopped cars. The border crossing itself was very painless, especially when I explained my mission (unlike some crossing where I get the secondary questioning runaround).

Straight highway through northern Minnesota landscape lined with aspen and pine trees in autumn colors Rest area with picnic table on grass surrounded by birch and evergreen trees displaying fall foliage Rest area parking lot with flagpoles and vehicles visible, surrounded by autumn landscape Walkway at Grand Portage with traditional Ojibwe clan symbols on posts including bear, eagle, and other animal totems Rest area with curved pathways, picnic tables, and landscaped green space under overcast sky Scenic overlook of river or lake with autumn-colored hills and mixed forest reflecting in calm water Wetland area with small islands of vegetation and still water, forested hills displaying autumn colors in the background under overcast sky Forest roadside view with evergreen trees and deciduous trees showing orange and yellow fall foliage Paved walking path through autumn forest with fallen leaves scattered across the pavement, white birch trees and mixed forest on both sides Three flags flying on poles against cloudy sky - Minnesota state flag, United States flag, and county or local flag Open grassy field with dry vegetation in foreground, distant hillside covered with autumn foliage and evergreen trees under dramatic cloudy sky

I made it to Thunder Bay in no time. My first stop was to get a room. I always like staying at the Prince Arthur, so I was glad that they had vacancy. I checked in for 2 nights and was extremely happy when I got a corner room on the third flood that had views of the lake and the city. It was really the best of both worlds!

Hotel room interior with white-sheeted bed, dresser with TV and coffee maker, chair, patterned carpet, and window with curtains View through screened window showing parking lot, buildings, and surrounding area from elevated hotel room View through screened window of parking area and Lake Superior waterfront visible in the distance Elevated view of Thunder Bay harbor showing pedestrian bridge over waterfront, parking lots, and Lake Superior under overcast sky

I got my bearings and start contacting my Thunder Bay friends to see what they were up to. I first went downstairs and headed to Fastlane to talk to my friend Kal who was bartending. I was hungry, so I got a Poutine Burger and washed it down with some 7-Up since I drove there. I can definitely say that Poutine Burger was amazing and definitely 100% Canadian!

Interior of dimly lit bar with patrons seated at counter, flat-screen TVs, neon beer signs, and vintage decor on walls Tall glass of ice water with straw on speckled bar counter Restaurant condiment caddy containing French's mustard, ketchup bottles, napkins, and other condiments in cardboard holder Bacon cheeseburger on bun with side of french fries on white plate at bar restaurant Close-up of bacon cheeseburger topped with gravy showing melted cheese, served with french fries and gravy in small dish

While sitting there I talked to Kal a bit and then another guy who told me stories of ice road trucking and going to the far corners of Canada that you'd have to fly into. It was really cool hearing his stories and how things were in the really remote corners of Canada that you couldn't even drive to (that definitely puts a wrench in the gears of how I like to travel). I did spend a decent amount of time at Fastlane listening to these awesome stories.

I then left and headed back to the Prince Arthur. Now the plan was to meet my friend Ryan and actually go drinking. I parked the car for the night in the hotel parking lot and then walked to Red River Road.

Night view of downtown Thunder Bay street intersection at Cumberland Street with traffic lights, street lamps, and commercial buildings Quiet downtown Thunder Bay street at night with historic storefronts, street lamps, decorative planters with flowers along sidewalk

Pretty much every bar on Red River Road is unique and has a very distinct vibe. I like going to every single bar, so I tried to hit up each one to see what was going on. My first stop was Sovereign Room. In keeping with my pursuit of local products, I ordered a Sleeping Giant Session Lager. The place was kind of dead, but I was able to have a good conversation or two sitting at the bar.

Night exterior of The Cover Bar & Grill with stacked stone facade, glass windows, and neon signage Can of Session Lager beer on wooden bar with beer taps and bottles visible in background

My next stop was Apollo. I do love the chill atmosphere here with the couches and decided to get a Pilsner. I did like how they had the, "Out for a Rip" sticker behind the bar (and some of us Americans love this song also).

Night exterior of Tomlin restaurant with illuminated storefront windows and neon signage Can of Pilsner beer on dark wooden bar surface with dim lighting Bar interior with colorful paper lanterns hanging from ceiling, fully stocked bar shelves with green accent lighting, and various decorative elements Black wall covered with various stickers and memorabilia including band names, concert decals, and music-related patches

My next stop was Waterhouse. This is where Ryan met up with me. Of course, I had to have a Cesar to start there and then got a Crystal after that was done. We stayed here a while because we requested a bunch of songs with the MyJam app. It was cool hearing them played and also seeing the music videos on the TV's, all without having to put any money in a jukebox!

Night exterior of Waterhouse bar with illuminated sign on stucco facade, neon signage in window, and sidewalk chalkboard menu Bloody Mary cocktail in Coors Light branded glass on wooden bar with garnishes, illuminated beer cooler and green Heineken star sign visible in background Bottle of Crystal beer on wooden bar counter with illuminated beer refrigerator and green Heineken star sign in background Flat screen TV mounted on tan wall showing music video or concert footage in dimly lit bar TV screen displaying music video with text overlay showing AC/DC song request information TV showing colorful abstract music video footage with song request banner at bottom of screen Smartphone displaying MyJAM app with AC/DC "Jailbreak" from '74 Jailbreak album, showing "THANK YOU!" confirmation message and "UPCOMING JAMS" button

We then walked over to The Foundry. I didn't get a picture of what I grabbed for a drink, but it was interesting hearing the rock band play the Backstreet Boys. I guess I was also more fascinated by the old pictures of Thunder Bay they had throughout the bar. The bar wasn't too crowded so I was able to get pictures of those pictures.

Night exterior of The Sovereign bar with illuminated signage on brick facade at street level Night view of The Sovereign bar storefront with mixed brick and stone facade, large windows showing purple and blue interior lighting Large vintage photograph on wall depicting historic Thunder Bay downtown street scene with trolley, buses, pedestrians, and period storefronts Black and white historical photograph showing street scene with steam locomotive, crowds of people, and downtown buildings Historical aerial photograph of Thunder Bay waterfront showing harbor, ships, docks, and maritime infrastructure with handwritten annotations Vintage photograph showing "Welcome to Port Arthur - Hydro Power at Low Cost" roadside sign with 1940s-era automobiles Dark historical photograph showing interior of early 20th century bar or saloon with patrons at counter Dark/underexposed historical photograph showing large crowd gathered on street with buildings visible Dark/underexposed historical photograph of downtown street scene with multi-story buildings and utility poles Dark/underexposed historical photograph showing commercial storefronts on downtown street Dark/underexposed historical photograph showing three vintage automobiles parked inside garage or dealership with arched doorway

After that, Ryan and I walked to On Deck. I saw a sign for the New Grist beer I was drinking and assumed it was local. I guess this was an exception to the rule for the night, but at least it was from my home State of Wisconsin.

Night exterior of building with fish-shaped string light decoration illuminated above entrance Bottle of New Grist gluten-free beer on bar counter with card reader and bar equipment visible in background

We were going to finish the night out at Waterhouse, but they were closed. We ended up back where I started at Sovereign Room. It was dead a couple minutes before we came in, but slowly filled up at last call.

Night exterior of Waterhouse bar with illuminated wooden signage on white stucco building and neon open sign in window Bottle of Monogamy beer on polished wooden bar with back bar shelves, refrigerator, and glassware visible Bar interior featuring ornate crystal chandelier on dark ceiling, taxidermied wolf or coyote mounted on damask-patterned wall above refrigerator Blurry motion photo of patrons dining in restaurant with ambient lighting visible Restaurant patrons at table with chalkboard menu visible showing domestic and import beer prices Taxidermied deer head mount wearing baseball cap with antlers displayed on floral wallpaper in corner

After a good night of drinking, Ryan and I parted our separate ways and I walked back to the hotel.

Blurry night photograph of illuminated street sign

The next morning, I was greeted with an absolutely beautiful sunrise over the lake.

Dawn view from hotel overlooking Thunder Bay harbor, parking areas, marina with boats, and Sleeping Giant formation across Lake Superior

My first order of business was to get to the Amethyst Mines. I drove to a bunch of back roads in the middle of nowhere to the Amethyst Mine Panorama, which is the largest amethyst mine in North America.

Unpaved gravel road stretching through mixed forest with autumn colors under overcast sky Gravel forest road curving through mixed birch and evergreen trees displaying fall foliage

After visiting the mines, I wanted to visit Mount McKay. On my drive back, I got stuck waiting for a train in the middle of nowhere. Unlike waiting for the trains at Bluesfest, this train passed pretty quickly.

View from car windshield of wet highway with bare trees, power lines, and dramatic storm clouds View from car following flatbed trailer transporting large steel bridge truss sections on wet highway Roadside view showing utility equipment box and flatbed truck carrying steel bridge components with autumn trees and power lines

For some reason I couldn't find the road to Mount McKay, I guess it didn't really matter much, because my wandering down backroads allowed me to see the awesome changing colors all around. I got out so many times to take pictures and just look at the colors and the beauty of Northwestern Ontario.

Scenic Lake Superior waterfront with small forested island and distinctive flat-topped Sleeping Giant formation in distance under blue sky Rural paved road with power lines leading toward hillside covered in golden autumn foliage under clear blue sky Lake Superior shoreline view with grassy foreground, small island, and Sleeping Giant mesa formation across sparkling water Distant view across Lake Superior showing forested island and flat-topped Sleeping Giant formation on horizon Paved rural road with power lines ascending toward hillside displaying vibrant autumn colors under blue sky with wispy clouds Sleeping Giant formation rising from Lake Superior shoreline with autumn foliage in foreground, viewed from roadside under clear blue sky Lake Superior view showing flat-topped Sleeping Giant mesa across sparkling water with autumn vegetation along shoreline Roadside view of Lake Superior with sun-dappled water, shoreline vegetation, and Sleeping Giant formation visible in distance Close view of Sleeping Giant's distinctive cliff face and forested slopes across calm Lake Superior waters with autumn colors Wide Lake Superior panorama with sparkling water surface, distant landforms, and mixed autumn vegetation in foreground Paved rural road with power lines leading toward hillside covered in golden aspens and evergreens under clear blue sky Straight road through valley with hillside displaying vibrant autumn colors of yellow aspens mixed with dark evergreens Highway view with forested hillside showing golden fall foliage against blue sky with power lines along roadside

While I didn't get to Mount McKay, I did stumble up Chippewa Park, which had a lot of nice views of Lake Superior and Sleeping Giant. I walked around and enjoyed the great views as well as the serenity of the area. After my walk in nature, I went to Bogdala's Smoked Meats to pick up some jerky and then got some lunch at Nipper's Takeout. Once I got done eating, I headed to Maltese Grocery to get some Wolfhead Coffee and Heartbeat Hot Sauce.

Maltese grocery store exterior showing brick building with sign advertising meats, produce, groceries and fine imported foods Car seat displaying bag of Wolfhead Coffee Mexican Dark Roast and bottle of Kuku Peri Peri hot sauce

After Maltese Grocery, I headed to George's Market to get some butter tarts.

Tomlin Restaurant exterior with tan metal siding, red trim accents, hanging flower baskets and parking lot Three butter tarts with dark filling wrapped in white tissue paper with flavor labels

I then got back to the hotel and got the view of a nice clear blue sky over the lake.

Elevated view of Thunder Bay waterfront showing pedestrian bridge, parking areas, marina, and Lake Superior with Sleeping Giant visible across water

I had a little time to kill, so I stopped by Prime Gelato to get a sweet treat. From there, I headed to CILU and then hung with Ryan as he did his show.

White sign on grass reading "102.7 FM LU RADIO luradio.ca" with autumn trees and residential area in background Small white bungalow house numbered 707 with green shutters, front steps, landscaping and autumn trees Radio DJ wearing headphones and AC/DC t-shirt speaking into microphone at broadcast console with equipment racks behind Radio DJ in black AC/DC shirt smiling at camera while sitting at broadcast desk with mixing console and stacks of CDs

The CILU studio is on the edge of the Lakehead University campus and is pretty peaceful overall. They also get their fair share of wildlife chilling out on the lawn.

Three wild turkeys foraging on grassy lawn with white birch trees and mixed forest in background

After Ryan's show was done, Matt came in and started his show, Glam Roxx. I've hung out a few times with Matt on previous trips to Thunder Bay and it was good seeing him again, as well as seeing him in action with his show. I talked to him a bit right after Ryan's show and then hit the road, of course having CILU dialed in on my radio.

Male radio DJ with long blonde hair and glasses wearing headphones speaking into microphone at broadcast console Close-up of professional radio turntable with vinyl record and DJ mixer showing illuminated level meters and control knobs Car radio display showing 102.7 FM 2, temperature of 50°F, and time of 7:23

Ryan and I had planned on going bowling with some of his friends. I was planning on staying sober, so I was going to pick him up in a bit and be the designated driver. I had a little time to wolf down some McDonald's and then head his way. I know McDonald's is crappy for you healthy wise, but at least this McDonald's was a bit kinder to the environment with recycle bins.

McDonald's meal on a tray including a burger, fries in red container, ketchup, and a drink with winter-themed cup Modern waste sorting station with three compartments labeled "WASTE," "RECYCLABLES," and "PAPER" with black disposal openings

After McDonald's, I picked up Ryan at his house. We headed to Mario Bowl and bowled a game. Once that was done, we drove to the Wayland Bar & Grill and enjoyed some live music. We didn't close the bar down like the night before, but when I got back to the hotel, it was definitely well into the night and pretty cool overall.

Weather app displaying Thunder Bay, CA showing 36°F, clear conditions at night with moon icon, and wind speed of 6 km/h Night view of a parking lot with vehicles and an elevated highway overpass with lights

The next morning, it warmed up a bit, but was still cool. My short trip to Thunder Bay was going to come to an end. I did hit it hard in the limited time I had, like I normally do, but now it was time to head back to Wisconsin. It was another beautiful morning with a nice sunrise (not as nice as the day before, but still nice).

Sunrise or sunset over a waterfront with harbor, parking lot, and elevated roadway silhouetted against golden sky Car dashboard displaying 028095 km odometer reading, 41°F temperature, and "Trip 1" with speed at 0 km/h Vehicles queued at what appears to be a ferry terminal or port area with covered boarding structure in silhouette Small octagonal building with peaked roof and tower, possibly a historic structure or information center, with vehicles parked nearby

Before leaving town, I stopped at Metro and picked up some food to bring back to the US and also eat while I drove.

Metro grocery store exterior with red signage, indicating 24-hour service, with parking lot in foreground Shopping cart containing Metro sandwich, Rockstar energy drink, Tostitos chips, and other grocery items

I got to enjoy some beautiful colors coming back. For the most part, the drive in Ontario, Northern Minnesota, and Northern Wisconsin was nice. Once I started getting closer to Central Wisconsin, it started to rain and get a little nasty.

Rural two-lane highway stretching into distance with fall foliage on hillsides and clear blue sky Highway view while driving through area with mixed evergreen and deciduous trees showing autumn colors Similar highway view with birch and evergreen trees lining both sides of the road in fall View of large body of water (likely Lake Superior) from roadside with overcast sky Highway with birch trees lining both sides showing golden fall colors and other vehicles ahead Highway view under dramatic cloudy sky with fall foliage visible along roadside Wide empty highway with concrete barriers on sides under overcast sky Wet highway surface after rain with fall colors visible on trees in distance

I made it back to my parent's house and was a bit happy to be off the road. I know I'd be returning back to Texas soon enough and wanted to rest as much as possible. I was happy I was able to get to Thunder Bay for 2 days and fulfill the first part of my mission. You'll have to stay tuned to hear the rest of it.

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