The Backroads Bill Podcast

On part 2 Peter rejoins the show with his partner Christine as they continue the conversation from last week. Christine shares her personal experience that made her a believer in sasquatches. Peter and Christine discuss how sasquatches brought them together and when they can share some of the evidence they have collected over the years. If you missed part 1 you can check it out here: https://www.n...

Just like aliens and conspiracy theories, tales about sasquatches have been passed down over generations by cultures all over North America. We sat down with Peter Smith who runs the group Ontario Sasquatch for a two-part series where he dives into some of the evidence his team has gathered, as well as his personal experience with sasquatch.  Next week on part 2, Peter will be joined by his partne...

Bill and Ben are joined by familiar guest Brian Emblin to discuss the recent grand opening of the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough ON.  They each rate their visit and talk about their favourite exhibits including some that are tied guests that have been on the podcast. They also talk about their hope for future exhibits and what they would like to see on their next visit. Check out the podcas...

Maria Leijerstam joins the Backroads Bill podcast to talk about her setting a world record as the first person to cycle to the South Pole from the edge of Antarctica. The almost 650-km trek took just over 10 days and saw Maria go through treacherous conditions to achieve her goal. She talks about the preparation required, including having to learn how to use a trike and the challenges it created c...

Longtime adventure buddy Brian Emblem joins the show in studio to chat about a recent adventure he went on with Bill and prior podcast guest Jason Ingram. The trio found an empty concrete swimming pool on an island in Raven Lake. It is a story that involves the depths a husband will go for his wife, some ingenious engineering, and not having the rights to the land in the first place. Y ou can find...

Bob Hunter who is more commonly known as “Abitibi Bob” joins the podcast to chat about his time growing up in Abitibi Canyon. Bob goes into growing up in an isolated environment with few of the amenities that kids his age would have access to. Bill and Bob also discuss the reason the Abitibi Canyon blew up in popularity but within a decade found itself with barely anyone still living there.  Follo...

Ken Dokis joins the podcast to share his sighting of Sabe, the Anishinaabemowin language word for Sasquatch and Big Foot. For Ken, a member of Nipissing First Nation, it was a deep, personal experience that he hasn’t been able to fully share until recently because he was a Indigenous chief of police at the time. Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_billand on Twitter: @steertonorthO...

Mark Harris from Waterfalls of Ontario joins the show to discuss his website which includes an interactive map featuring different waterfalls found across Ontario.  Mark talks about his passion for waterfalls and how his community has grown to over 40 000 people sharing their adventures on social media.   Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To...

Ben and Mykayla share their experience on how the Mattawa Canoe Race went over the weekend. They sit down with Bill to discuss the new records that were set and the big question of did the team that did no practice and training make it through the 64 km?   Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To explore more North Bay podcasts and to stay update...

The Mattawa Canoe Race has been a staple for canoe racers from all over the world. The 64 km course from Trout Lake to the Mattawa River sees racers go through portages and potentially rapids as they look to break the current 5 and a half hour race record. Brian Taylor, recently retired as the GM CAO of the Mattawa North Bay Conservation Authority, joins to talk about this race coming up on Saturd...

Mitch Case, PCMNO – Region 4 Councilor Huron-Superior Regional Metis Community, joins Bill and Ben to discuss the Mica Bay Incident of 1849.Mitch tells us about the Anishinaabeg and Metis working together to help pave the way for the 1850   Robinson-Huron Treaty . Mitch also talks about the current state of the relationship between the mining companies and Indigenous Peoples.   Follow Bill on Face...

Dr. Catharine Mastin, an art curator of over 30 year and multi book author, joins the show to talk about the recent art exhibit she curated in Cobalt and the novel Cobalt: A Mining Town and the Canadian Imagination . She talks about the history of the town and the inspiration the famous “Group of Seven” painters got when visiting the town following the collapse of Cobalt’s mining industry in the 1...

Today’s Backroads Bill podcast is a tale about resilience and innovation. Chris Miller was an avid mountain bike racer until he had a stroke 10 years ago.  He was kept from his favourite pastime until discovering recumbent trikes, which have allowed him to enjoy the trails in a new way. Chris now has an accessibility trail in B.C. named after him, “Miller Time” for those who find regular trails di...

Bruce Murphy of the Hilliardton Marsh Research and Education Centre joins the show to talk about his work bird banding. He also speaks to the education work the Marsh does with students and what trends he has noticed lately in bird activity. You can check out find more info on the Hilliardton Marsh here: https://thehilliardtonmarsh.com/                                                              ...

Johanna Rowe a local author and owner of J. Rowe Heritage Consulting and Soul of Superior Tours joins the show to talk all about Wawa Ontario. The trio delve into the big goose which is one of the most visited tourist attractions in North America, the Heritage Door project and the famous “Group of Seven”.    You can check out Johanna’s Websites here: https://www.wawahistory.com/                  ...

Hap Wilson joins the show this week. Hap is an award winning author, artist, photographer and conservationist. He has created a number of guidebooks that charted different waterways in Ontario and created the comp any Eco Trailbuilders to help safely build trails that are enjoyed by thousands every year.  Hap also worked with famous actor Pierce Bronson and even taught him to paddle a canoe but al...

Bill and Ben are joined by Mitch Azaria who is the Executive Producer of TVO’s latest documentary ‘Tripping the French River’. Mitch shares some behind the scenes to how they created this unique view of one of Canada’s greatest waterways.  You can check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTrDkTH3WJo&ab_channel=TVOTodayDocs   You can watch it on April 21st at 8pm on TVO’s you...

Bill and Ben are joined by longtime North Bay resident and pillar of the community Peter Handley. They take a look at a couple of books he will be releasing in the next year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of North Bay.  Peter shares what North Bay meant for him and the differences in the history of a city like North Bay vs his hometown of Kingston.   Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram:...

Bill and Ben are joined by Bernie Moseley-Williams to talk about a recent trip Bernie and Bill went on to the Grande Chute. They discuss the perfect time to go waterfall watching and how they ended up getting stuck and had to get creative to get free.   Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To explore more North Bay podcasts and to stay updated o...

Dana Starkell and Chris Forde join the show to talk about Dana and his father Don’s 2 year long trip via canoe from Winnipeg all the way to the Amazon River in Brazil. Chris created a documentary to give a different perspective on the events that Don wrote about and Dana revisits the crazy journey they went on dealing with both treacherous waters and trecherous land. Visit their website to learn m...

Adam Shoalts joins the podcast to talk about his novel “Alone Against the North” and his journey that has culminated in him being one of the greatest explorers of Canada. Adam is a 4 time best selling author and has led many expeditions including for the Royal Canadian Geological Society. Find out more about Adam here: https://adamshoalts.com/      Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroa...

This week Bill and Ben explore one of the best vistas in our province that is just in our backyard the Devil’s Rock. Bill tells the history of how it got it’s name and the Indigenous history behind it. He also talks about the inspiration it had on the author of The Hardy Boys.   Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To explore more North Bay podc...

This week Bill and Ben explore some of the most famous tunnels that were built in the late 1800s for our railway system in Canada. Bill gives his 3 favourite tunnels that you can visit and gives some context and history of the importance of these tunnels and how they were created. Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_billand on Twitter: @steertonorthONT To explore more North Bay pod...

Dr Jonathan Pitt, a professor at Nipissing University teaching Indigenous studies, joins Bill on location from the Home and Garden Expo that took place this past weekend. They talk about pictographs, spirituality and the tricksters/little people. Dr. Pitt shares the stories that are passed down from family to family and shares an important message of the history that shaped this land long ago. Fol...

Famed author Dr James Raffan joins the podcast this week to talk to Bill and Ben about outdoor education. They focus mostly on James’ novel “Deep Waters” which tells the story of the Timiskaming canoe tragedy. 12 students and 1 young adult leader lost their lives on a school trip in 1978. James also discusses his latest trip around the northern pole of the world that inspired his novel “Ice Walker...