Roadside Distractions

Faced with another 4,500 kilometre drive for the return to home I was looking for anything that would ease the hours of boredom that we would face and it was Wikipedia to the rescue.

 Roadside Attractions

 A roadside attraction is a feature along the side of a road meant to attract tourists. In general, these are places one might stop on the way to somewhere, rather than being a destination. They are frequently advertised with billboards. The modern tourist-oriented highway attraction originated as a U.S. and Canadian phenomenon in the 1940s to 1960s, and subsequently caught on in Australia.

 When long-distance road travel became practical and famous in the 1920s, entrepreneurs began building restaurants, motels, coffee shops, cafes, and unusual businesses to attract travelers. 

Photo: Tombestonetimes.com

Many of the buildings were attractions in themselves in the form of novelty architecture, depicting everyday objects of enormous size, typically relating to the items sold there. Some other types of roadside attractions include monuments and fictionalized-paranormal/illusionary amusements such as the Mystery Spot near Santa Cruz, California, or curiosities such as “The Thing” along Interstate 10 in Arizona.

Wikipedia

Roadside attractions have been a part of our travels for years.

Giant Lobster

Shediac, New Brunswick

We have for the most part not sought them out; they just sort of snuck up on us. 

Life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex 

Drumheller, Alberta. 

Some were easy to get to while others involved putting in a little effort.

 The Lunar Lander

Located on the slag fields created by the steel mills of Sudbury, Ontario. The fields were used by NASA as a lunar training ground for the Apollo 16 and 17 missions.  

But it is the ones Mother Nature created that most impressed. 

The Giant Sequoia Redwoods

Sequoia National Park, California

So with a little internet research, we discovered Canada has plenty of roadside attractions that could help us overcome the ennui that we were sure to face as we made the long journey home. 

Sometimes you need a little goose to keep the blood flowing. 

While not the biggest in the world it can claim to be the biggest in Canada.

Wawa, Ontario 

When things got a bit tiring, a little amoosement got us mooving.  

Moosejaw, Saskatchewan 

For a while the moose had lost its title as the worlds biggest to one in Norway but a new set of horns allowed him reclaim the title of the biggest in the world. 

On the road, sometimes you feel like you've "bean there, done that". 

Meet Pinto McBean, the worlds largest pinto bean.  Look out Mr. Potato Head. 

Bow Island, Alberta

It was our thirst for the open road that kept us going. 

That and lot of caffeine.

Worlds largest Coke can and refund deposit. 

Portage la Prairie, Manitoba 

Ontario as well as containing the most Canadians in Canada also has the most Loose Change in Canada and quite possibly the world but the world thing may require some additional research. 

The Big Nickel

Sudbury, Ontario

The "Largest" Loonie in Canada

Also claimed to be the largest Loonie in the world. Not hard to claim as I can find no other country who use currency named  Loonie.  Just us crazy Canadians. 

Echo Bay, Ontario

The Towering Toonie

Its actually named the Giant Toonie but I like alliteration. 

Campbellford, Ontario

Mile 3,339, Trans Canada Highway. 

Not an attraction but a stop dedicated to Terry Fox, the one legged athlete who had to end his courageous attempt to run across Canada raising funds for Cancer research on the nearby highway.   

The site is not the exact location but was chosen for its beautiful scenery.  There is a large highway sign as well. 

The Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $850,000,000 for cancer research. 

As you probably guessed by the appearance of this blog that we have made it home safe and sound thanks to those roadside attractions. Each day they were distraction from the boring drive as we looked forward to a seeing them along the way.  We did leave one attraction unvisited with a plan to use it as encouragement for a future road trip. 

The world's "Largest Pysanka".

Ukrainian Easter Egg

Vegreville, Alberta

Photo: vwww.pysanky.info/History