Day 17: Ottawa

I like riding at the weekend. And today is a holiday Monday, so it still feels like the weekend. There are lots of people around, walking, cycling, out with their dogs, mowing their lawns. Everyone seems more chilled out, too, and friendly. 

I found the cycle trail I should have been on yesterday and set off towards ottawa. At first the trail was paved and I cursed myself for missing out on it yesterday. But of course it didn't last and I was back on the fine gravel thinking that the riverside road yesterday was nice too. 

Some sections of the trail had cresent moon craters where people had ridden horses on it, and I clattered along through the divvits. Where I was sheltered from the wind, I couldn't stop for a rest without being munched alive my mosquitoes! So I put my trail mix in my bar bag and ate on the go.

I was going in a straight line along the trail for so long that I almost rode into a ditch when it suddenly ended in the middle of nowhere. What?! Ahead, the train tracks were overgrown, where they hadn't bothered to turn it into more cycle path. I rode 2km back to the last road junction and saw a miniature 'dead end' sign. Bastards.

There were a lot of recreational cyclists out today. The lycra-clad ones overtake me but I coast past the plain clothes riders. One couple were making a meal of riding into the headwind, legs pumping, heads down, trouser legs flapping, and I soared past them with all my luggage and waved hello. They saw me and laughed at themselves. 

I chatted with a few people at rest stops. It's funny how people look at me, like they can't reconcile winter boots and muscular, hairy legs with long blond pigtails. I feel like one of those picture books where you can swap people's heads, torsos and legs around to make firemen in high heels, lumberjacks with mermaid tails, and young women with touring cyclist legs. 

The headwinds only got me down for the last 10km when I was rumbling uphill along the pavement into the hot afternoon sun. Seriously, riding the other way across Canada must be a walk in the park!

I'm staying with my great Auntie Joan tonight in Nepean, Ottawa. She's 89 years old and welcomed me into her lovely home with hugs and home made orange cake! After dinner, we're doing a tour of the town with her friend.