Mooo-ve Over

I took another trip downtown.  This time it was going to be to the Canadian Museum of Nature, and a few other points of interest to see.  It would be a funny story if I rode in these, but alas, just a few extra pictures from the war museum.

I ended up getting a flat tire in The Glebe area of Ottawa.  I was just in front of the football field area were the CFL’s Redblacks play.  The good news was that I was only 400m or less from a bike shop.  The bad news was it was 9:20 and it didn’t open until 10:00.  Oh well.  I locked the bike in front of the store and walked the remaining mile or mile and a half to the museum.  I would retrieve my bike later.

The museum was great.  They had a special exhibit titled “Animal Inside Out”.  It included all kinds of animals that had been organized in such a way to see all the different systems of them.  40 metres of caribou intestines, 50 cm of giraffe tongue, 190 bones of cheetah, all kinds of brains and lungs - everything.  It was interesting.  6 or 7 years ago I was at the Body Works exhibit, so it was a bit similar....  But the Body Works was much better.

The museum has a huge rocks section, a significant ocean area, and even a big space section.  It all mostly comes back to Canada and how, where, why....  There is a big dinosaur fossil area too.

Had a lunch scoff at Eddy’s or maybe it was Fast Eddy’s in the Glebe area.  It was quite good.  Then back to The Cyclery for a $6 repair job.  I was in and out in less then 5 minutes to fix a flat.  Excellent service. 

With a fresh tube, I rode off north and cross into Quebec.  I rode a trail that ran parallel to the Ottawa River.  It is pretty neat because it offers really neat views of the backside of the Parliament Building, Supreme Court, and I suppose you can see the U.S. Embassy too.  It was a spectacular, but very short bike ride.

To add on mileage for the day I biked over to the Rideau Hall area on Sussex Drive.  It is a huge grounds.  It must be over 15 acres.  It has hundreds of trees, obviously, but each tree, or most of them were planted by foreign dignitaries.  So I saw the tree that John F. Kennedy planted back in the 60s, and a recent tree planted by Nelson Mandela.  It was worth the ride over.




Another really neat area is a spot dedicated to the Women's Movement in the late 1930's spearheaded by 5 influential Canadian Women - one being Nellie McClung.  The pioneered the fight that a women be recognized as a person in Canada, thus could be afforded many more rights and opportunities.  It is hard to believe that this movement isn't even 100 years old yet - women being recognized as a "person".

Another stop took me to the Canadian War Memorial.  I just so happen to be there when the had a changing-of-the-guards.  It wasn’t very flamboyant, but it did involve a bag piper, some marching, some yelling of orders, a bit of rifle rearranging.  The monument is quite impressive.  It was a hot day at 30 degree centigrade, so those soldiers must have baked a bit being in the sun so directly.

Scott has a salt water pool at his place.  Since it is still quite warm, the pool has been a refreshing awakening after these past few days of exploration around the city.  It is nice that he keeps it at a very reasonable temperature too.

And on Thursday I drove home - quickly.  I hit the road before 7:30 am with an eager appetite for pavement.  I got some gas outside of Kingston, filled up again in Bowmanville, and viola I was home.  The reset odometre indicated 670km, and it was 2:15 when I pulled into the driveway.  I really used the 6th gear on the 401.  Despite heavy traffic, the outcome also was 3 digits on the speedometre until I rolled past New Hamburg.  Then, I safely cruised it home.

With quick calculations, I suppose I drove 1325 km, on 70 litres of gas, spending about $84 bucks.  It makes sense I suppose.  I never bought gas for more then $1.16.  I spent about 80 bucks in museums, tours, guides and such, $6 on a new tire for the pedal bike, $120 on food, $20 on trinkets?  But all this is possible because of time. 

TIME is the greatest commodity to have which makes this all possible.  So I am super glad I have the time.  I am sooooo happy that I have a spouse who lets me use time in this manner.  I have a job that offers employees to bank money in exchange for time....    I didn't run in Ottawa, but had lots of mileage on the bike.  So far it has been a fun, and safe start to the year off.