The biggest little honkey tonk

The Via Rail system has to share the tracks with commercial freight trains, and we now know that freight traffic has the right of way.  I suppose we had heard that or read it somewhere and let the information just slip on by, but it’s no joke.  I guess I’m saying you should build a day in at the end of any sizable Via Rail journey just to allot for the delays.  Our original arrival time was to be 9:30am tomorrow, but that’s not even within the realm of possibilities.  In fact, today at lunch, the staff explained how tomorrow’s lunch would work.  That was them just presupposing we would still be on the train around lunchtime.  

No matter- there are worse places to be than a scenic train across Canada. We didn’t have anything booked in Toronto during the day, and the only place expecting us is a hotel tomorrow night.  

Every time the train stops for more than a few minutes, Cas and I get off and walk around outside. The last time was in Sioux Lookout, which is such a speck on the map that I had never heard of it before.  The people of Sioux Lookout do have a rather enticing sounding bar, though.  It’s just a shame we didn’t have time to visit: 

I think I would have liked to visit the biggest little honkey tonk in northwestern Ontario.  Alas, we had to get back in the train.  

That town was also the last time I had cell service or Internet.  In fact, this bit I am writing right now will have to wait to get posted until we have some Internet again.  Just the way it goes.  That would be the one upgrade I would recommend to the folks at the train company- a little WiFi.  

In the meantime, it’s nice to unplug a little.  Cas and I have talked with some Australians, a couple from New Zealand, several folks from Montreal and a guy from somewhere in England on this leg of the journey.  When the conversation gets to the “Where are you from?” pleasantries, most of them respond to the idea of Texas with whatever their preconceived notion is.  Usually, there is an association with cowboys, both professional football playing ones and horseback riding, cattle roping ones.  Honestly, though, I have seen more horses from the window of this train than I ever see in my hometown- and before today, I hadn’t seen a honkey tonk in a while.