104 - Western Canada Road Trip - Day 1 (Toronto - Sudbury - Massey - 473km) - That, And A Nickel...

It’s been a couple years since we saddled up an RV to brave the salty winds and lobster rolls of the East Coast (Ref. Blog #078 - 093). Apparently, that is just long enough to forget how treacherous piloting six metric tonnes of metal and mayhem down the twists and turns of the TransCanada can be…So, here we go!

With very little intent, other than to head west and check off some classic Canadiana, we peeled out of CanaDream RV Rentals and made a bee-line (ok, maybe one quick three/four/five?-point-turn after initially going the wrong way right out of the parking lot) for a Sudbury staple, 

the Big Nickel!

Not wanting to nickel and dime this trip, we screamed along at a gas-guzzling (30L/100km!) pace managing to pull into Dynamic Earth at 14:23, just in the nick-el <groan> of time to catch the 14:30 “Underground Mine Tour”. 

While quite pleasant, Guide Chloe, wasn’t exactly a wealth of information, as she fumbled through a rote script that she only half-remembered, filling in gaps with “like, yeah”,  “’n’ stuff”, and “I’m not really sure.”

Apparently, their summer hire training isn’t worth a plug nickel.

We still had fun exploring the different mines, and the kids had a blast… 

Good fun.

However, the highlight was definitely overhearing some guy on the way out disappointedly exclaim to his wife, “I thought you said it was a giant nipple!” 
Priceless.

With the benefit of those long summer days, we were able to pull into Massey, and the Chutes Provincial Park, 

with enough time to admire the falls,

 Take a dip, 

(a chilly one!)

And catch an evening show.

(If I had a nickel…)