4 Canadian guys look for the best roadside french fries along the Trans-Canada highway

If you're a Canadian, you've probably logged a few kilometres along the Trans-Canada highway.

Chances are you've probably stopped at a few chip stands along the way too.

Four friends fromToronto have taken the Canadian experience one step further:They're driving across the country, taste-testing every roadside french fryalong the way.

The'Trans-Canada Fryway'episodes arecurrently being released online, and it's hard not to recognizea distinct, retro-vibe found in a 1970s National Film Board video.

Having trouble viewing the video? Click here.

Fryway Canadiana'needs to be documented'

PaulParolin, one of the project's creators, says the group wasinspired to make the videos as a way to celebrate the unique Canadian experience of driving the Trans-Canada highway.

"It is amazingthat there is a highwaythat literally connects the whole country together. And we thought it didn't get the appreciation it deserves,"Parolintold CBC News.

But Parolinandhis friends knewthe project needed to appeal to the masses.

The answer? French fries.

"These awesome chip trucks [are]peppered all the way across this highway,serving up friesto all these hungry Canadians," he said.

So last August,the four friends took a 1974 Airstreamtraileron the road, driving the entire portion of the Trans-Canada highway from the Quebec border toKenorain northwestern Ontario.

54 chip stands in three weeks

The friends visited 54 chip stands during the three week period, Parolin said.

Soon the plan to eat atfivechip stands a day became a difficult task.

"We kind of learned that the hard way out [of] the gate. We got pretty sick of fries in the first week," he said.

Veggies for nutrition, water for hydration

To keeptheir health up after consumingcopious amounts ofpotato, oil, and salt, thegroup developed asystem.

"We always had veggies in the truck ... and a lot of water to stay hydrated," Parolinsaid, adding they tried to space out fry-eating throughout the day.

"We were only splitting a small.Even that was enough to make you go a little crazy," he said.

Fries rated on 5different factors

So did they find the best fries on their journey?

"We've created a system called the 'five-frywayfork' rating system,"Parolinexplained.

The factors, he said, include ambience,fryquality,gravy quality,service, and overall value.

"To date, in Ontario, only two have gotten a perfect 5 out of 5," he said,pointing to the YeOldeChipTruck inKenora, Ont. and Wes' Chips inArnprior, Ont.

Fry people are 'salt-of-the earth'

Parolinsaid while the french fries were just the hook,the project is more about celebrating ourhuge country and the people in it.

"The real purpose of our adventure was to do what we believe should be a riteof passage for a lot of Canadians, which is just drive the highway and see all the cool places in between, and all the salt-of-the-earth people. Once we kind of got that added into our system, just pigging out on fries wasn't that hard anymore."

Hoping to travel entire country

After the three-week trip through Ontario last summer, the four friends are hoping to raise enough funds to travel the entireTransCanadathis 'fry season' in honour of Canada's150thbirthday.

"It's sort of a passion project at the moment,"Parolinsaid.

You can check out the Trans-Canada Fryway projecton Facebookand watch more episodes on YouTube.

Listen to Parolin's interview with CBC northern Ontario's afternoon show Up North here.