Riding along the Rideau River and Canal from Hogs Back Falls

 Today Anne and I loaded our bikes on the back of the car, and at 9 45 am left home to drive to Hogs Back Falls on the Rideau River.

 In less than 30 minutes we were at the Falls' parking lot with the bikes off loaded and ready to go.

 The Rideau River, at the Falls , was a raging torrent.

 It is here that the Rideau Canal begins to by-pass the barrier. Our bike rode today took the path by the river to the Rideau Falls, and we then returned via the canal bank.

 On the way downtown we passed under the tressle that carries the "O-train."

 Across the river is Carleton University.

 The riverside bike path has many scenic pathways.

 There are other, less scenic parts too.

 Here the path crosses underneath Highway 417.

 Our destination was the famed Rideau Falls. "Rideau' is French for curtain.

 The Rideau enters the Ottawa River at the Falls.

 "Maman", the scultured spider, guards the entrance to the National Art Gallery of Canada, and also provides a framed picture of the Parliament buildings.

The By-ward Market.

 Once we arrived at downtown, we parked the bikes, locked them up, and searched for a good place to eat.

 Angels helped us in the search. Nearby we found "Tuckers" for a buffet style meal. We needed a good long ride back to burn of the calories there.

 We picked up our bikes here at another spot where we could photograph the Parliament buildings.

 Several canoeists were at Hartwell Lock.

 The useful maps show the many bike trails in and around the Nation's Capital.

 A close up view shows our bike route to and from Hogs Back Falls.

Back at Hogs Back and home by 2 30 pm.

We would like to repeat this ride one Saturday morning in July with "The Wheels of Fortune," Glen Cairn United Church's cycling group. We would suggest stopping for lunch at the "Canal Ritz," a resturarant on the canal.

A birthday outing

 For my birthday, yesterday, Anne and I loaded our bikes on the bike rack and drove to our favourite park, the Andrew Haydon Park. There we off loaded the bikes and prepared to ride on the Ottawa River bike path to downtown Ottawa, a distance of around 15 kms (9 miles). Our destination: the flight of locks that connect the Rideau Canal to the Ottawa River, adjacent to the Parliament buildings.

 It was a pleasant ride in the cool of the morning. It took us perhaps 65 minutes to get to the locks. We enjoy viewing the boats as they ascend and descend this flight of locks. Here the locks are operated by summer students.

In our trips to England we have so many fond memories of canal trips. Our honeymoon was spent on a canal boat on the canalised section of the Thames river. There too the locks were operated by lock-keepers.Only once did our boat get loose as the waters cascaded into the lock. "Three men and a boat" revisited!

 On two other occasions we have rented canal boats when revisiting England. On these occasions we travelled, at a majestic 10 kms per hour maximum speed (6 mph) on sections of the Trent and Mersey Canal in and through our home town of Stoke-on-Trent. On these canals, after perhaps 30 minutes of instruction, you are cast loose to operate the boat as well as operate the locks without supervision. It was fun.

The leisurely speed of the English canals leaves many treasured memories. We remember slowly catching up with walkers on the tow path, passing them and then being passed by them once more as we came to the next lock.

Yesterday's outing brought back these lovely memories as we sat by the Rideau locks for 30 minutes or more and watched as several boats ascended from one lock to the next.

Winterlude 2011

As is our annual tradition, we took Adrian with us as we visited Ottawa's "Winterlude 2011." Winterlude is Ottawa's winter festival. This Sunday was the first Sunday of the opening weekend. Of course, I forgot to take my camera!

We drove towards the Rideau Canal, open for the festival as "The World's Largest Skateway." It is 7 km of skating from downtown to Dows Lake. We found parking space, free on Sundays just a block away from the canal and headed onwards. The spot we had chosen was 1.5 km away from the downtown park where the ice sculptures are to be found. The canal was packed with skaters, walkers and all manner of toboggans being pulled by willing parents and grandparents. There were people in masses in all directions.

Adrian enjoys this annual trek. "Once a year," was his comment, and that with his tongue hanging out, a sure sign of enjoyment. As we got nearer and nearer to the ice sculpture park, the crowds thickened. After all, it was 2 C with no wind. A most pleasant Ottawa winter day.

When we arrived at the sculptures, the crowds were even thicker. They seemed to be ten deep in front of the sculptures, and line-ups to view them curled and twisted for maybe 100 yards. Adrian can get agitated in crowds so we did a circular tour of the park before heading back to the canal. The walk back was enjoyed by all. An hour of walking on the canal was well worth it.

The 2010 Ottawa Tulip Festival

On the first warm and sunny day for a while, Anne and I decided to drive to the Hogs Back Falls and then ride our bikes to see this year's edition of Ottawa's Tulip Festival. We left shortly after the church service, and decided to lunch at Canal Ritz. The restaurant was crowded and lunch was a leisurely affair.




The view from our table was of the Rideau Canal.








After lunch we rode for a while till we reached the major tulip displays. There we had to dismount and push our bikes since the crowds were very large. Next year we must remember to go on a weekday.





Despite the early spring, the tulips were spectacular.








Massive beds dazzle the eyes.








We returned to Hogs Back, crossing the Hartwell Lock without difficulty.

(If you click on the photo and enlarge, you will see the hand-made basket that graces Anne's bike.)

A beautiful winter's day.

Today is the kind of winter's day that calls for getting outside and enjoying it. The sun is shining, there is hardly a breeze at all, and, at -9C (17 F) its nice and brisk.







The walk too and from church this morning was invigorating. When we left it was -14C, but a balmy -9C when we returned. Definately Long John, scarf, mitts and Parka weather, but weather that makes you glad to live in such a climate. With more of these temperatures and not much more snow, the Rideau Canal skateway will soon be open.

The willows in the photo above are the kind of willow I harvest either in the fall or the spring for my basket making. The long, narrow "Whips" are ideal for making the ribs of my rib baskets.