The Chronicles of Petrolia

Who knew that there was a little taste of  Texas way up in Ontario? Yup, oil that is, black gold, Texas tea, a Canadian story ripped right from the antics of the Beverly Hillbillies.

Like Jed Clampett, the locals thought the greasy goo oozing out of the ground was just a nuisance – until some city slickers came along and wanted to pay for it, that is.

The whole story is told at The Oil Museum of Canada in Oil Springs, just South of Oil City and Petrolia, on the corner of Oil Heritage Road and Gum … CONTINUE READING >>

Who knew that there was a little taste of  Texas way up in Ontario? Yup, oil that is, black gold, Texas tea, a Canadian story ripped right from the antics of the Beverly Hillbillies.

Like Jed Clampett, the locals thought the greasy goo oozing out of the ground was just a nuisance – until some city slickers came along and wanted to pay for it, that is.

The whole story is told at The Oil Museum of Canada in Oil Springs, just South of Oil City and Petrolia, on the corner of Oil Heritage Road and Gum … CONTINUE READING >>

The Maple Leaf Spangled Banner

The rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air…. YEAH CANADA! What? Turns out Independence Day is not the only patriotic fireworks-laden midsummer festival in North America. Canada Day is on the 1st of July and celebrates Canada’s “birthday” with familiar cookouts, picnics, parades, fireworks and a communal cake. Cake? Of course, it’s a birthday party! We found ourselves a beauty of a celebration by the banks of the River Thames in London… Ontario that is.

We found ourselves a beauty of a celebration by the banks of the River Thames in London… Ontario… CONTINUE READING >>

The rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air…. YEAH CANADA! What? Turns out Independence Day is not the only patriotic fireworks-laden midsummer festival in North America. Canada Day is on the 1st of July and celebrates Canada’s “birthday” with familiar cookouts, picnics, parades, fireworks and a communal cake. Cake? Of course, it’s a birthday party! We found ourselves a beauty of a celebration by the banks of the River Thames in London… Ontario that is.

We found ourselves a beauty of a celebration by the banks of the River Thames in London… Ontario… CONTINUE READING >>

Lamb on the Lam

“All aboard for Hayward, Hurley and Hell!” the train conductors would yell. Northern Wisconsin had become a playground for gangsters, politicians and the “beautiful people” of Chicago during Prohibition and the Great Depression.

Al Capone had a hideout on a private lake near Hayward where he had bootleg whiskey flown in from Canada on seaplanes. The town of Hurley boasted… CONTINUE READING >>

“All aboard for Hayward, Hurley and Hell!” the train conductors would yell. Northern Wisconsin had become a playground for gangsters, politicians and the “beautiful people” of Chicago during Prohibition and the Great Depression.

Al Capone had a hideout on a private lake near Hayward where he had bootleg whiskey flown in from Canada on seaplanes. The town of Hurley boasted… CONTINUE READING >>

Major in Mustard at Poupon U

 Having just seen the movie “Sling Blade” on video with its classic line “Mustard’s good on ’em to me” we simply could not resist a trip to Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin and its world famous Mustard Museum.

Much to our delight, what we discovered was a confluence of cheesy tourist diversions. A veritable treasure trove of camp with metal monsters, trolls, the great outdoors and of course, mustard.

Before we even made it into town we… CONTINUE READING >>

 Having just seen the movie “Sling Blade” on video with its classic line “Mustard’s good on ’em to me” we simply could not resist a trip to Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin and its world famous Mustard Museum.

Much to our delight, what we discovered was a confluence of cheesy tourist diversions. A veritable treasure trove of camp with metal monsters, trolls, the great outdoors and of course, mustard.

Before we even made it into town we… CONTINUE READING >>

Home, Home on the Strange

Of the 5000 souls that reside in Mulvane, Kansas, only one vies for the title of America’s strangest folk artist. On the main road cutting through this little burg, sits a house whose owner is a painter with, well…divine inspiration. The structure itself serves as his palate, his preferred medium — spray paint…. CONTINUE READING >>

Of the 5000 souls that reside in Mulvane, Kansas, only one vies for the title of America’s strangest folk artist. On the main road cutting through this little burg, sits a house whose owner is a painter with, well…divine inspiration. The structure itself serves as his palate, his preferred medium — spray paint…. CONTINUE READING >>

Rockin’ and Rollin’ Down Route 66

It is the Mother of all Roads. The escape route from the dust bowl. It is the 1950s American Dream come true. Inspiration for songs and shows. It is legend. It is Route 66. She served as America’s Main Street from 1926 until 1985, then was sadly… CONTINUE READING >>

It is the Mother of all Roads. The escape route from the dust bowl. It is the 1950s American Dream come true. Inspiration for songs and shows. It is legend. It is Route 66. She served as America’s Main Street from 1926 until 1985, then was sadly… CONTINUE READING >>

The Great Frog Fraud of Creek County

The journey to the “Creek County Frog” is an adventure unto itself. Was it that we in the area and thought we’d drop by? Could it be that we simply ADORE frogs and just had to see a really big one in rock form? Or maybe it’s that David has a more than unreasonable affinity for crazy quirky crap. We’re pretty sure that’s it. Yeah, that’s definitely it.

The sizeable limestone amphibian lives smack dab in the heart of nowhere. The nearest settlement is Mannford, Oklahoma, home to a bit more than two thousand souls, numerous Yeti and a number of genuinely spooky characters.

According to Wikipedia, the source of all… CONTINUE READING >>

The journey to the “Creek County Frog” is an adventure unto itself. Was it that we in the area and thought we’d drop by? Could it be that we simply ADORE frogs and just had to see a really big one in rock form? Or maybe it’s that David has a more than unreasonable affinity for crazy quirky crap. We’re pretty sure that’s it. Yeah, that’s definitely it.

The sizeable limestone amphibian lives smack dab in the heart of nowhere. The nearest settlement is Mannford, Oklahoma, home to a bit more than two thousand souls, numerous Yeti and a number of genuinely spooky characters.

According to Wikipedia, the source of all… CONTINUE READING >>