Fall and the return of Salmon Spawning in the Credit River

The salmon have reached up to Georgetown, Norval and beyond on their brutal quest upriver from Lake Ontario, heading to their spawning grounds along the Credit River. Early October is the peak spawing time as cooler lake temperatures and rainfall have added to the river making it possible for the large fish to make it upstream in the relatively shallow waters.

Youtube video of the Salmon Run

Fall colours are progressing nicely in the river valley

We parked at McNab Park on October 8, 2024, just off Highway adjacent to the Credit River on Noble Street and followed the path along the river where we started spotting the dark shadows in the water. The fish seem to gather their strength in deeper waters and make bursts of speed when they hit the shallows. The baby fish then swim downstream and live in Lake Ontario until it is there turn to make the trip back to their birth location.

Looking towards Highway 7

Nuit Blanche Toronto 2024

Toronto’s all night art festival is back starting tonight at 7pm and continuing throughout the night until 7am. The two big areas seem to be the area around Humber Polytechnic Lakeshore campus and along Queens Quay, the rest is spread out at various locations. City Hall seems devoid of any installations which is disappointing because they had some of the biggest and best art installations.

One of my favourite experiences of the night was at Little Norway Park down near the Island Airport. It featured two opposing bleachers placed close together titled "Closer Together". People in the bleachers cheered those that passed through the space between the bleachers. It felt good!

Friends also celebrated the 33rd birthday of the man in the foreground

The theme is bridging the distance and the City says "the highly anticipated all-night celebration of contemporary art, returns tomorrow. This year's event promises to be an extraordinary showcase featuring more than 90 art installations across the city. This free event invites art enthusiasts and the curious alike to explore innovative works created by local, national and international artists. Additional information about the event including a complete list of installations and locations is available on the City’s Nuit Blanche website: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/nuitblanche/  Date: Saturday, October 5 to Sunday, October 6"

"Linescapes" at Humber Polytechnic

"Midnight Flora" under the Gardiner in Bentway Park

Part of "Arguing Signs" along the Waterfront

Over 90 art projects are on the menu and the TTC will be offering all-night service on the subway to assist in getting around for the event.

"Lumen: Air" at Humber Polytechnic

"Lumi" at the Simcoe Wave Deck

@jmhcet Sitting on #LUMI #artinstallation at the #simcoewavedeck during #nuitblanchetoronto ♬ MISSION IMPOSIBLE - tom jordan

I will be bringing my artistic lite-bike in again for Nuit Blanche but will start my journey around 1am to see what it is like when the crowds die down. Late at night, or early in the morning did make for smaller crowds but even on a bike I could not see all the projects I wanted to visit. The concentration of art installations at two locations - Humber Polytechnic Lakeshore Campus and along the Waterfront strip, left the other installations scattered remotely around the city and even on an ebike I could not travel fast enough. By 4am the downtown core looked deserted.

See a mega gallery of Nuit Blanche photos after the jump.

Road Trip Sault St. Marie

Just a short 8 hours from Toronto, the trip to Sault St. Marie is really not made for a last minute road trip, you really have to want to go north for a good reason. Our reason was to ride the rails on the Agawa Canyon Train Tour, another long, long 10 hour trip from Sault St. Marie to Agawa Canyon Park (but don't try them on the same day).

On the way up look out for traffic accidents and construction, they tend to extend the drive. Do keep an eye out for indigenous reserve gas stations with some significant savings on fuel. We went up for a long weekend (Friday to Monday) so that we could travel Friday and Monday, take the train on Sunday and have Saturday free.

French River Visitor Centre

French River Bridges - from top to bottom, two at Highway 69, one for Settlers Road and the pedestrian bridge near the visitors centre

Friday the trip was up Highway 400, then onto Highway 69 and the finally following the Trans Canada Highway Highway 17. About 700km of fun on four wheels. French River located south of Sudbury is considered the boundary between Northern and Southern Ontario is worth a quick stop to check out the trading post, nearby visitor centre/museum and the river itself.

Miss Marie Soo Lock Tour boat

Inside Canada's Soo Lock

Now Sault Saint Marie is really a twin city, one on the Canadian Side and one close across the St. Marys River in the United States of America. There are a couple of shipping locks in the river between the Great Lakes of Huron and Superior, one on the Canadian Side and two currently operating locks on the American side. Boat tours of the Soo Locks are run by both sides so we caught one in Canada's Sault St. Marie and toured the area and because you never get out of the boat you don't need a passport to go through the American locks.

The Agawa Canyon Railway Tour begins very early in the morning (8am) and doesn't return to the station until 6pm so bring some snacks, lunch and some beverages for the journey, although there are snack and beverage cars on the train if you don't want to bring your own. At first I thought the trip was through the canyon but I found out that the canyon is at the end of the trip. You ride for hours, stop, get out for 90 minutes and explore the park, then ride back for more hours.

Agawa Canyon Park is a nice piece of nature with a river running through it, three waterfalls, a lookout up a 300 step vertical trail, picnic tables and a large washroom building. Generally you can do either the lookout or hike the trails to see the waterfalls with time for a little lunch. We hiked to the waterfalls because we didn't want to do the climb up the stairs. Fall colours were in view so that was a bonus.

I'll be honest, it was a long trip and I was somewhat glad that I went but if they just moved the canyon a little closer to Sault St. Marie so the trip was a couple hours shorter it would be much better. And I won't be back to the canyon.

See more of the trip after the jump.

Jimmy John's first Canadian restaurant coming to Toronto

The Double Js of Jimmy John's restaurant is coming to Canada and will be located just off the Queensway west of Highway 427. The sandwich restaurant is having an online contest to win prizes - if your name begins with a 'J' and you live in the GTA. Photo at top supplied.

"Jimmy John’s has launched a pre-store open contest that could see a Jimmy, John, or anyone with a J in their name win a grand prize of a free 6” Classic Sandwich combo a week for an entire YEAR! ($1000 value) or have a chance to win 1 of 150 Jimmy John's Canada $25 gift cards. Do you have a J in your name? The winners will be drawn on October 11, 2024. Enter on Jimmy John’s social pages here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_lRqXcA17D"

The rules to enter include the following; Have a name with a J in it and live in the GTA, must be 18 years old and a Canadian resident, tag your sandwich bestie in the comments and follow the @jimmyjohns.ca account. Good luck sandwich lovers.

Fall Ghost Walks in Exhibition Place Toronto

Spooky times are coming to Exhibition Place with scary Ghost Walks from Oct 4 - 29th, 2024 where you can find out the secret history of some of the imposing buildings found in the home of the Canadian National Exhibition. Night slows down the city but also exposes the dark underbelly of the history of old, historic buildings.

From Exhibition Place,  "Join us for one of our evening ghost walks. These two-hour tours, led by our good friend Steve Collie of After Dark Tours will take you behind closed doors and through our haunted past, while revealing the origins of our other-worldly neighbours."

For only $15 you can join the tours which start at the General Services Building (2 Manitoba Drive). Proceeds of the event will be donated to United Way of Greater Toronto.

The walks take place every Friday in October along with Tuesday, October 29 from 7 to 9pm. You have to be 10 or older to take part in the tour, plus it would be preferable if your heart can take the pressure of the indescribable horror you may experience during the Ghost Walks, or whatever they discuss on the walk. Either way I hope you make it out of the experience alive and able to sleep at night.

Royal Canadian Military Institute in Toronto

I was walking by 462 University Avenue and saw a couple of canon pointed out over the street, thinking what are these weapons of war doing here? The plaque on the wall made it easy to find out - it is the Royal Canadian Military Institute (RCMI) and Museum. Their museum is apparently the largest military museum in Toronto with six floors of displays and galleries and up there overall in Canada as well. The museum is open to the public, by appointment only.

RCMI website describes itself as, "The Institute is an independent member-supported organization which, promotes the study and discussion of military history, defence, security and international affairs, along with the operation of its museum, library and archives, for the benefit of its members and the interested public, through the provision of exceptional services within a unique collegial environment."

Toronto Royal Horse Show 2024 coming November

The annual Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and Royal Horse Show is coming November 1-10, 2024 to Exhibition Place. The Royal began in 1922 during the first two weeks of November in the Coliseum. This is your chance to see the activities and animals involved in Agriculture along with some of the best horse jumping competitions in the country throughout the two week Fair. Tickets to the Royal Horse Show get you into the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and weekend tickets can also be purchased for the early and/or late performances.

You can see World-Class equine competition and entertainment as over 1,000 competitors battle for over $1 million in prize money as they try to be Royal Champions.

From the Royal Horse Show website, "You’ll enjoy Olympians and other top international athletes and horses competing at the highest level in Show Jumping while experiencing Canada’s largest variety of equine breeds and events. The Royal Horse Show also features inspiring entertainment with special features during each horse show paid performance. The Royal boasts a huge variety of equestrian competitions open to all ages. Along with Hunters and Show Jumpers, you will be amazed at the many different breeds of horses that pull carts, coaches, wagons and big hitches. Cheer for your favorite high stepping Hackney, shout when the announcer calls “drive on!” in the Road Horse classes or clap and whoop it up when the judge approaches your favorite heavy horse hitch for inspection! The Royal Horse Show is world-class equestrian competition at its finest."

The equine action begins early on day one of the fair. On Friday, November 1 the majestic draft horses Percherons and Belgians take to the ring beginning at 8:30am. Then competitions fill the schedule throughout the fair culminating in the November 9 (7pm) Longines FEI Cup with the world's top show jumping horse and rider teams trying to win the richest purse of the Royal Horse Show.

The Fair's final day (Sunday, November 10) will feature two rodeo performances presented by the Ontario Ford Dealers with the Royal Rodeo Qualifier (11am) and the Royal Rodeo Finals (2pm)

Royal Winter Fair Hours

Sunday 9 AM – 6 PM
Monday 9 AM – 6 PM
Tuesday 9 AM – 8 PM
Wednesday 9 AM – 8 PM
Thursday 9 AM – 8 PM
Friday 9 AM – 8 P M
Saturday 9 AM – 8 PM