Statistics and superlatives:
- Total distance traveled: 3505 km
- States/provinces included: 6 (North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Ontario
- Days: 12
- Nights: 11
- Most surprising lodging: Motel 6 in Burlington. It was actually quite nice, clean, and quiet. And everything worked. It’s not your average Motel 6.
- Best shawarma: Falafel Queen in Toronto.
- Cheapest sit-down breakfast: Skyway Diner in Burlington.
- Cheapest gas (US): $2.979/gallon in Wytheville, Virginia.
- Cheapest gas (Canada): $1.151/litre in Guelph, Ontario.
- Most colossally bad idea I’m glad I didn’t act on: Driving to Thunder Bay to visit Canada’s easternmost Safeway store before it becomes a Sobeys.
- Best mood elevator when I needed it most: The toll collector on the West Virginia Turnpike who was dressed up for Hallowe’en.
- Second best: The random teenager who stepped away from his posse in Kensington Market to tell me he liked my jacket.
- Honorable mention: The cashier at Loblaws who shared my giddy glee about Coffin Crisp, the Hallowe’en version of Coffee Crisp.
- Biggest regret: being in the GTA on a weekend when they were doing several shows and still not seeing Sloan.