Ottawa and Algonquin Provincial Park, September 16th – 21st

A lot of cities in North America claim to be bike friendly. Ottawa has them all beat, hands down, no contest.

From our campground twenty km from downtown, we took a beautiful bike trail all the way in as it meandered along the Ottawa River. It seemed like there was a park or greenway around every turn. Somebody had a lot of foresight to set aside this land and build a top notch bike trail system throughout the capital city.

River Art? What ever it is, this was pretty cool looking. Our ride into the City

When we first stopped to get our bearings we were right in the middle of the city among the monuments and statues of Parliament Hill. With our yellow/black mountain bikes, helmets and Camelbacks, we stood out a bit amongst the urbanites who were released from their offices for a lunch break on a gorgeous day. After crackers and cheese on the riverside bench below the Parliament, we rode on up along the side of the Rideau Canal observing this series of locks that runs 200+ kilometers to connect Ottawa to Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence. Built in 1832, this engineered waterway is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America. With bike and walking trails and ample parks now delightfully hosts boaters and skaters – and us bicyclers. From the canal we pedaled eastward to explore more, seeing embassies and landmarks along the river before turning around to wrap up a 50 mile ride. We were in an Ottawa state of mind.

*“What is it with Canadian hotels that look like castles?”*
The Hotel Fairmont Château Laurier, next to the Rideau Canal

There were bike paths along these camels, crazy and beautiful

Even bridges for walkers and bikers separate from the cars, with these beautiful views

Snack place before we end our ride for the day, we tried to imagine what this beach looked like during summer

Our 50 miles bike route. Wesley Clover Park Campground was in a good area to gain access to Ottawa, the hwy traffic noise was intense. The campground was really nice but can’t determine if the close proximity to Ottawa and nice campground out weigh the traffic noise, hmmmmmm…

The next day, a bit butt-weary, we drove in and checked out the Byward Market, Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, and then we walked over the Alexandria Bridge to explore the Canadian Museum of History. We soon realized that an afternoon was simply not enough time to take it all in. Oh Canada!

There was so much at the Canadian Museum of History, we did not give this enough time at 3 hours, need 5-6 hours at least if you take in one of their films which we did and it was terrific, Great Bear Rain Forest. I also took lots of pictures for carving ideas when and if I get back into carving.

And now it’s turning to Fall. The trees in the lowlands still stand in mostly green solidarity, but as we approached Algonquin Provincial Park, just a couple hours west of Ottawa and a little higher, a few renegade trees were starting to flame. We hiked the best trail in the park, Centennial Ridges, for a sneak preview of what the full display of fall color would be like. Once again, these are old mountains, foothills where we come from, and this trail rated as “difficult” was itself like walking in a county park. But the views from the cliff sides onto the spreading forests were a thing to themselves. And the pockets of erupting color accented the day.