The Most Canadian Story Ever
June 8, 2013 3:53 PM Subscribe
Truck carrying fireworks hits moose on Trans-Canada Highway, shuts down road for 5.5 hours and lights up the sky. (pictures and video, driver and passenger unharmed.)
posted by mazola at 3:57 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Grundt makes clear that the moose threat is not over... one crossed directly in front of the truck as we went back to Wawa.”
This reads so much better if you've spent significant amounts of time in Philly.
posted by nathancaswell at 3:57 PM on June 8, 2013 [10 favorites]
This reads so much better if you've spent significant amounts of time in Philly.
posted by nathancaswell at 3:57 PM on June 8, 2013 [10 favorites]
What a moose-steak!
posted by mrbarrett.com at 4:00 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mrbarrett.com at 4:00 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Was the moose drunk?
posted by thelonius at 4:07 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by thelonius at 4:07 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Moose has been neutralized.
Time to get squirrel.
posted by Repack Rider at 4:09 PM on June 8, 2013 [21 favorites]
Time to get squirrel.
posted by Repack Rider at 4:09 PM on June 8, 2013 [21 favorites]
it is unclear what the fate of the moose struck by the truck was
Why did the moose cross the road?
To get to the fireworks show!
posted by nubs at 4:11 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Why did the moose cross the road?
To get to the fireworks show!
posted by nubs at 4:11 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Orignal Wawa News story.
It happened 40 km South of Wawa, so around 180 km North of Sault-Ste-Marie.
For some reason a pickup truck from a Wawa construction business was regularly parked in front of my brother's apartment... in Montreal.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 4:15 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
It happened 40 km South of Wawa, so around 180 km North of Sault-Ste-Marie.
For some reason a pickup truck from a Wawa construction business was regularly parked in front of my brother's apartment... in Montreal.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 4:15 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
driver and passenger unharmed
The moose was tactfully omitted from this sentence.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:28 PM on June 8, 2013 [5 favorites]
The moose was tactfully omitted from this sentence.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:28 PM on June 8, 2013 [5 favorites]
Let it be ordained that Wawa? is the new Whaa?
posted by seemoreglass at 4:29 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by seemoreglass at 4:29 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
That stretch of the Trans-Canada around Wawa is like the Bermuda Triangle. I have driven it a bunch of times and always seem to have trouble around there. Seems like I am always hearing stories about tragedy/weirdness on that part of the road.
posted by shackpalace at 4:30 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by shackpalace at 4:30 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oooh. Ahhh.
And other sounds of appreciation.
posted by nubs at 4:38 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
And other sounds of appreciation.
posted by nubs at 4:38 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's not the Most Canadian Story until someone is smokin' du Mauriers or freezing to death on a Toboggan.
posted by chococat at 4:39 PM on June 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by chococat at 4:39 PM on June 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
Some town's Canada Day will likely be a little less festive this year.
posted by Nanukthedog at 4:40 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Nanukthedog at 4:40 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Wawa-news saw five moose this morning, four on the way to the fire...
But no explanation about why they were heading to the fire? Do moose like fireworks?
posted by BlueHorse at 4:42 PM on June 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
But no explanation about why they were heading to the fire? Do moose like fireworks?
posted by BlueHorse at 4:42 PM on June 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
I've read one or two accounts of people breaking down in or around Wawa and never leaving.
It puts a damper on my plans to circumnavigate around the lake.
posted by edgeways at 4:48 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
It puts a damper on my plans to circumnavigate around the lake.
posted by edgeways at 4:48 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Wawa stories were legend among hitchkikers back in the day when thumbing across the country was viable. As in, do NOT get let off in Wawa or you may never get out again.
posted by ecourbanist at 4:50 PM on June 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by ecourbanist at 4:50 PM on June 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
Plus the story needs more beer, doughnuts and hockey, with polite people and maple syrup money
posted by edgeways at 4:50 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by edgeways at 4:50 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I see no Poutine or Strong Beer in the story; nor are their toques or people saying hoser.
NOT.CANADIAN.ENOUGH
=)
posted by NiteMayr at 4:53 PM on June 8, 2013
NOT.CANADIAN.ENOUGH
=)
posted by NiteMayr at 4:53 PM on June 8, 2013
do NOT get let off in Wawa or you may never get out again
Unless you can catch a ride with someone who's goin' to the Dan Hill.
posted by chococat at 4:56 PM on June 8, 2013
Unless you can catch a ride with someone who's goin' to the Dan Hill.
posted by chococat at 4:56 PM on June 8, 2013
Bitch, please. I've had more Canadian moments before I've woken up. In additon to the above, nobody living in a shed in a trailer park, no beaver tails, no snowmobiles, no zambonis, no loonies or toonies, no Gordon Lightfoot reference, no crack smoking mayors, no ice fishing, no tabernacs, nobody asking if they know Dave (office Dave), no double doubles, nobody complaining about Toronto, nobody using their balcony as a freezer, no serviettes...
posted by jimmythefish at 5:04 PM on June 8, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by jimmythefish at 5:04 PM on June 8, 2013 [11 favorites]
Wait, someone hit a moose between Wawa and the Soo? Next you'll be telling me that there were some trees next to the highway.
I can vouch for the fact that people have left Wawa. My roomate in second year was from there.
posted by sauril at 5:06 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
I can vouch for the fact that people have left Wawa. My roomate in second year was from there.
posted by sauril at 5:06 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
There's a law in New York State against driving with a conscious moose on your fender Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
posted by mykescipark at 5:09 PM on June 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by mykescipark at 5:09 PM on June 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
Toronto Ave in Wawa. That's some quality urban design right there.
posted by jimmythefish at 5:09 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by jimmythefish at 5:09 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Well, there's the shed.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 5:11 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 5:11 PM on June 8, 2013
A Møøse once bit my sister.
posted by DecemberBoy at 5:12 PM on June 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by DecemberBoy at 5:12 PM on June 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
No realli! She was Karving her initials on the møøse with the sharpened end of an interspace tøøthbrush given her by Svenge - her brother-in-law - an Oslo dentist and star of many Norwegian møvies: "The Høt Hands of an Oslo Dentist", "Fillings of Passion", "The Huge Mølars of Horst Nordfink".
posted by DecemberBoy at 5:13 PM on June 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by DecemberBoy at 5:13 PM on June 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
All this talk of Wawa just makes me want a hoagie and some coffee, and I don't even really LIKE coffee.
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:30 PM on June 8, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:30 PM on June 8, 2013 [5 favorites]
*runs off to tell Shepherd his birthplace made it onto the Blue*
posted by Kitteh at 5:32 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 5:32 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
[sad trombone]
posted by ardgedee at 5:33 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by ardgedee at 5:33 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
are these real stories? is Wawa something kind of Canuck Salem?
Yes, and no. The stories are that for whatever reason, no one picks you up or helps you out if you're hitch hiking and wind up in Wawa. I have friends from Timmins who confirm this has happened to them more than once and they had to camp for days.
posted by Hoopo at 5:36 PM on June 8, 2013
Yes, and no. The stories are that for whatever reason, no one picks you up or helps you out if you're hitch hiking and wind up in Wawa. I have friends from Timmins who confirm this has happened to them more than once and they had to camp for days.
posted by Hoopo at 5:36 PM on June 8, 2013
They only way this could be the most Canadian story ever is if it takes place in Moose Jaw, Moosonee, Medicine Hat, Chibougamau, Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo Jump, or Wawa.
*checks*
Yup.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 6:08 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
*checks*
Yup.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 6:08 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
IT'S THE SIGN!!!
posted by XhaustedProphet at 6:11 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by XhaustedProphet at 6:11 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think that ALL trucks should be rigged to burst into flame when struck and carry a minimum of a 300 cases of fireworks.
posted by Debaser626 at 6:35 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Debaser626 at 6:35 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
The Most Canadian Story Ever
speaks to cliche.
also this
posted by philip-random at 6:54 PM on June 8, 2013
speaks to cliche.
also this
posted by philip-random at 6:54 PM on June 8, 2013
A beaver want involved. There is more Canadian to be had.
posted by arcticseal at 6:56 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by arcticseal at 6:56 PM on June 8, 2013
And "Wawa" = Philly's convenience store of legend, like Chicago's "White Hen Pantry"?
posted by ZeusHumms at 7:03 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by ZeusHumms at 7:03 PM on June 8, 2013
Needs Mr. Dress Up, Canadian Tire Money, and separatist screeds from Quebecois and Newfies
posted by KingEdRa at 7:06 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by KingEdRa at 7:06 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
*fuel rupture and fire, massive fireworks explosions*
"Move along folks, nothing to see, move along..."
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:23 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
"Move along folks, nothing to see, move along..."
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:23 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Wow, this happened right in the middle of the park where I used to work summers as a canoe ranger. Mijin lake is a long way from Wawa but I guess Wawa is easier to talk about than Lake Mijinemungshing.
posted by Flashman at 7:38 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Flashman at 7:38 PM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Wawa stories were legend among hitchkikers back in the day when thumbing across the country was viable.
the wawa story i heard was that one individual had such a crappy time getting a ride out of town that he didn't leave for two weeks - and that's only because he ate all his meals at the same restaurant, the waitress fell in love with him, was desperate to leave herself, and so they got married and took off into the big empty in her car ...
canadians, even maritimers, seem to like telling stories about wawa
posted by pyramid termite at 7:48 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
the wawa story i heard was that one individual had such a crappy time getting a ride out of town that he didn't leave for two weeks - and that's only because he ate all his meals at the same restaurant, the waitress fell in love with him, was desperate to leave herself, and so they got married and took off into the big empty in her car ...
canadians, even maritimers, seem to like telling stories about wawa
posted by pyramid termite at 7:48 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
A beaver want involved. There is more Canadian to be had.
And the article doesn't mention whether the truck apologized.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 8:48 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
And the article doesn't mention whether the truck apologized.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 8:48 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
Møøse Choreographed by HORST PROT III
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:54 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:54 PM on June 8, 2013
Seriously, though, these guys are very, very lucky they were driving a big truck full of explosives and not a Civic or something.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:54 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Sys Rq at 8:54 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
That stretch of the Trans-Canada around Wawa is like the Bermuda Triangle. I have driven it a bunch of times and always seem to have trouble around there.
That's the sound of your car realizing you're thinking of doing something crazy like driving to Winnipeg and going "Aww HELL no!"
I did the Soo to Winnipeg on the Trans Canada in a day once. It was a...long day.
posted by dry white toast at 9:18 PM on June 8, 2013
That's the sound of your car realizing you're thinking of doing something crazy like driving to Winnipeg and going "Aww HELL no!"
I did the Soo to Winnipeg on the Trans Canada in a day once. It was a...long day.
posted by dry white toast at 9:18 PM on June 8, 2013
This is the first time in my life I have read the comment section of a newspaper article and been charmed and delighted. CANADA IS MAGICAL.
posted by elizardbits at 9:39 PM on June 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 9:39 PM on June 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
The worst part about the drive from the Soo to Winnipeg (I imagine, I've only ever been a passenger) is that it starts off with spectacular scenery (and the Goose), and then after a full day you have another 4 hours that get progressively more boring. At some point 20 minutes outside of Winnipeg there is a stoplight to wake you up.
posted by maledictory at 9:47 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by maledictory at 9:47 PM on June 8, 2013
Flashman: " I used to work summers as a canoe ranger. "
Geez we might have found a job more Canadian than Mountie.
posted by Mitheral at 3:04 AM on June 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
Geez we might have found a job more Canadian than Mountie.
posted by Mitheral at 3:04 AM on June 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
I spent a night in Wawa once. Damn fine coffee and hot eh. Then I saw a giant goose and GTFO before I was sacrificed.
posted by srboisvert at 5:46 AM on June 9, 2013
posted by srboisvert at 5:46 AM on June 9, 2013
the wawa story i heard was a priest picked up a hitchhiker who turned out to be an axe murderer, so wawa folks went kinda cold on picking up strangers. made sense at the time. and the axe perhaps a nice canadian touch. only later did i wonder, who hitchhikes with an axe?
posted by ecourbanist at 7:31 AM on June 9, 2013
posted by ecourbanist at 7:31 AM on June 9, 2013
I was born in Wawa. Moved when I was three and I've only been back a couple of times for visits, but I've obviously got lots of stories via my parents, etc.
It's a very, very blue-collar town -- a mining town where most of the mines dried up in the late 60s -- so I'm sure this may have been the high-water mark for excitement for the year.
Wawa is famous for two things: one, in the Canadian tradition of Building Giant Things for No Apparent Reason, there is indeed a titanic steel Canada Goose on the outside of town. In Canada, at least, this is pretty much an at-a-glance signifier that you're in north-Northern Ontario, not at the treeline but not too far off either.
The second thing is that, during the Golden Age of Hitchhiking, it was the northernmost point of the Trans-Canada Highway, and -- heading west, especially -- it was a long, long haul from Wawa to a point where you could reasonably drop people off. So while there are many "reasons" for why it's hard to hitchhike out of Wawa, the blunt truth of it is simply that picking somebody up in Wawa means making a commitment to spend a part of your life with that person. At least a double-digit percentage of the next 24 hours.
Obviously, if you're on the road, you're not looking your best. And if you don't get picked up for a day or two, your appearance and demeanour isn't going to get much better. So there's a kind of radical hitchhiker depreciation that happens. You start out with little chance of finding a ride, but for every hour you're in town, your odds drop drastically.
When the mines were active and there was work to be had, a lot of hitchhikers kind of wound up just... staying for weeks. Some for life. These days, I can't imagine there's much casual labour around up there, but then again, people don't hitchhike much any more either.
posted by Shepherd at 8:13 AM on June 9, 2013 [5 favorites]
It's a very, very blue-collar town -- a mining town where most of the mines dried up in the late 60s -- so I'm sure this may have been the high-water mark for excitement for the year.
Wawa is famous for two things: one, in the Canadian tradition of Building Giant Things for No Apparent Reason, there is indeed a titanic steel Canada Goose on the outside of town. In Canada, at least, this is pretty much an at-a-glance signifier that you're in north-Northern Ontario, not at the treeline but not too far off either.
The second thing is that, during the Golden Age of Hitchhiking, it was the northernmost point of the Trans-Canada Highway, and -- heading west, especially -- it was a long, long haul from Wawa to a point where you could reasonably drop people off. So while there are many "reasons" for why it's hard to hitchhike out of Wawa, the blunt truth of it is simply that picking somebody up in Wawa means making a commitment to spend a part of your life with that person. At least a double-digit percentage of the next 24 hours.
Obviously, if you're on the road, you're not looking your best. And if you don't get picked up for a day or two, your appearance and demeanour isn't going to get much better. So there's a kind of radical hitchhiker depreciation that happens. You start out with little chance of finding a ride, but for every hour you're in town, your odds drop drastically.
When the mines were active and there was work to be had, a lot of hitchhikers kind of wound up just... staying for weeks. Some for life. These days, I can't imagine there's much casual labour around up there, but then again, people don't hitchhike much any more either.
posted by Shepherd at 8:13 AM on June 9, 2013 [5 favorites]
That's the sound of your car realizing you're thinking of doing something crazy like driving to Winnipeg and going "Aww HELL no!"
I did the Soo to Winnipeg on the Trans Canada in a day once. It was a...long day.
Did a winter tour once from Montreal to BC in a clunker of a van. Nothing relaxing about any of it. I don't know how D.O.A. got away with it for so many years and lived. They were the kings of winter touring.
posted by shackpalace at 8:32 AM on June 9, 2013
I did the Soo to Winnipeg on the Trans Canada in a day once. It was a...long day.
Did a winter tour once from Montreal to BC in a clunker of a van. Nothing relaxing about any of it. I don't know how D.O.A. got away with it for so many years and lived. They were the kings of winter touring.
posted by shackpalace at 8:32 AM on June 9, 2013
You know there's a song about this, eh?
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 10:01 AM on June 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 10:01 AM on June 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is the first time in my life I have read the comment section of a newspaper article and been charmed and delighted. CANADA IS MAGICAL.
HAHAHA holy shit, that's unbelievable. My wife's like "can we just move there already please?"
posted by jake at 1:45 PM on June 9, 2013
HAHAHA holy shit, that's unbelievable. My wife's like "can we just move there already please?"
posted by jake at 1:45 PM on June 9, 2013
I am only 470 km from there! ...which is closer than it sounds, in northern Ontario. Currently holed up in New Liskeard for the night, biking Timmins -> Ottawa.
I can't decide if I want this to happen near me because OMG fireworks! Or really am terrified because I can't afford a road closure.
posted by Lemurrhea at 2:34 PM on June 9, 2013
I can't decide if I want this to happen near me because OMG fireworks! Or really am terrified because I can't afford a road closure.
posted by Lemurrhea at 2:34 PM on June 9, 2013
...work summers as a canoe ranger. "
Geez we might have found a job more Canadian than Mountie.
You do spend entire weeks paddling around the wilderness, sleeping in beaver lodges with the beaver to keep you warm, fishing at dawn underwater with the loon, and rescuing people and having adventures. Also clearing trails and portages, campsites, banging up signs, replacing outhouses...
posted by Flashman at 5:58 PM on June 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Geez we might have found a job more Canadian than Mountie.
You do spend entire weeks paddling around the wilderness, sleeping in beaver lodges with the beaver to keep you warm, fishing at dawn underwater with the loon, and rescuing people and having adventures. Also clearing trails and portages, campsites, banging up signs, replacing outhouses...
posted by Flashman at 5:58 PM on June 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Sys Rq "Seriously, though, these guys are very, very lucky they were driving a big truck full of explosives and not a Civic or something."
Duh.
Truck beats moose. Moose beats Civic. Civic beats truck.
How did you and your friends make decisions when you were a kid?
posted by Maugrim at 8:12 PM on June 9, 2013
Duh.
Truck beats moose. Moose beats Civic. Civic beats truck.
How did you and your friends make decisions when you were a kid?
posted by Maugrim at 8:12 PM on June 9, 2013
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I don't think they were doing anything deliberately.
posted by ambrosen at 3:56 PM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]