Wawa Travel Forum

There is an old joke; "How did Wawa get it's name? Because of all of the hitchhikers crying in the forest."

Wawa is the black hole of hitchhikers.

Wawa is on the north shore of Lake Superior. Wawa has an airport, downtown center and all of the modern conveniences. However, Wawa is relatively remote from other communities and a little ways off of the highway too.

Wawa is about half way between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste Marie. And Wawa is on a very lonely stretch of the Trans-Canada highway. For a driver or a hitchhiker driving across Canada Wawa is a place to get out of quick.

Most hitchhikers have some sort of Wawa horror story; being stuck for hours, days, even longer - in the elements- waiting for a lift out of Northern Ontario.

There is a tale of a hitchhiker; he could not hitch out of Wawa so he went to the local bar. The histchiker spent all of his money before he could not get a lift out. So he started a tab at the bar. But he still got no lift.

In desperation, he got a job at that bar to pay off his tab. He started dating the bar owners daughter. He married her. His father in law died. Now he inherited the bar anbd half thye town; He is the hitchhiker who never did escape.

When passing through the forests and bush of Northern Ontario, please thing twice whenb you see a poor hitchhiker at the side of the road; Help him out of Wawa.

I was just looking up Wawa on the map yesterday, as I'm going to go through Ontario, but realize it's not on my line of travel. Interesting story though

We have a Wawa story as well. I remember Wawa because of the 'LAST GAS STATION FOR xxx MILES' signs on the highway. I cannot remember what the xxx was, but I think it was over 100 miles.

Also the day we drove though, we were having car problems, and it was real dicey whether we would make it to the Soo (Sault Ste. Marie) or not. We were sweating bullets as our car was losing power going up and down hills, it was getting dark, and the battery was losing charge, AND we were in the middle of nowhere.

We limped into the Soo, and replaced our alternator the next day.
Redlats

Gee,

I thought I was being kind and even handed about Wawa.

It is, really, relatively removed from the population centres of Canada.

I remember one time, late in the night while hitchhiking across Canada the Wawa police drove me to the town limits and showed me where to camp for the night. They were looking out for both me and them.

Hi Martha,

I hope that you are safe and sound and having tonnes of fun in Australia.

Thanks for the response. Great debate; That is why I got involved in this. To meet people etc.

I created my Wawa page two days ago and have had like 4 responses, including yours.

Having hitchhiked across Canada some dozen times now, I know the area around Wawa rather well; Lake Superior to the south, bush to the north, the bars, the three different goose statues, the police station, the donut store and the Catholic church, St. Monique's ?!?. I am not sure that I got the name correct.

I have got stuck at Wawa hitchhiking. And Montreal River and Blind River and Upsula and Sunshine and White River and Spanish and Iron Bridge etc. All along the length of Lake Superior ad nauseum.

I do not know why Wawa has this terrible reputation regarding hitchhiking; I never invented it or anything. It is simply a rather remote community on a rather barren stretch of road that has a querky name which people tend to remember. And it is known as the black hole of hitchhikers.

I hope you are having a great time in Pearth.

I wish you the best.

thanx for ur wawa tip.

been on the roads less traveled in southern ontario last summer, i am challenged to take my family to northern ontario in the year 2004.

good story, but no hitchhiking - just driving a car for me n my family.

:-)
regardz,