Our Events 2021




Contents

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Heather & Sara Get Engaged

Heather and Sara got engaged on New Year's Eve, while in Ottawa.

Heather & Sara


Ice Skating Starts

Winter has been slowly creeping in this week and the outdoor, artificially-cooled ice rinks are starting to open up for skating. I got out for a skate today and had the whole rink to myself for the first 15 minutes.

Adam


Kathryn in Thunder Bay

Kathryn spent a week in Thunder Bay and got to spend some time with grandson Leo.

Kathryn & Leo Kathryn & Leo Kathryn & Leo Kathryn & Leo Kathryn & Leo


Hike on Trails 51 & 53 in Gatineau Park

We did a 7.5 km hike from P19 around the trail 53 and 51 loop on a day with a high of +14°C.

Trail 53 Trees Shadows Larch trees Adam Kathryn Signs Rock American red squirrel Mossy trees Seeds


Hike to Shilly Shally in Gatineau Park

We did a 9 km hike from P7 to Shilly Shally on a fall day with a high of +9°C and no wind.

Frozen swamp Ice Kathryn at Keogan cabin Adam at Shilly Shally Pileated woodpecker Male white-tailed deer Female white-tailed deer


Vesper's Haulout

Vesper was lifted out of the water today by dock crane for the upcoming winter.

Vesper on the crane Vesper on the crane Power washing Parked


Sailing Season Ends

Despite our sailing season being interrupted by COVID-19 measures that cost us much of spring sailing, we completed 41 voyages and 99.1 hours of sailing on Vesper.

Kathryn Vesper sailing Vesper Adam & Kathryn


Hike to the Ramparts Lookout in Gatineau Park

We did a 10 km hike from P10 to the Ramparts Lookout on a beautiful, if rather windy day.

Kathryn Adam Lac Fortune Kathryn Trail 3 Swamp Trail 28 Ramparts Lookout Adam & Kathryn Female downy woodpecker


4,000 km of Biking

We have had a fantastic biking season this year, reaching 4,000 km today and 4,137 km by the time biking was over on .

Kathryn Kathryn & Adam Kathryn Kathryn & Adam


Another Hike in Gatineau Park

We did a 12 km hike from P20 at Lac Philippe around Trail 55 on a gorgeous fall day.

Renaud Cabin Lac Renaud Lac Renaud Adam Kathryn Mirror Birch trees Lake and clouds Blue jay Mourning Cloak


Hiking in Gatineau Park

We did a 10 km hike from P7 to Lac Fortune and back. There were signs warning about bears, but all we saw were chipmunks.

Trail Mountain bikers Lac Fortune Kathryn Chipmunk Beaver lodge Sign Adam


Tennis

This was the summer that we decided to take up tennis, making use of the free city courts around town.

Kathryn Adam


Hike to Meech Lake with Heather

With Heather visiting, we decided to do a hike to Meech Lake on a beautiful late summer day.

Meech Creek Meech Creek Kathryn & Heather Meech Lake Meech Lake Adam, Kathryn & Heather Kathryn & Heather Astirs


New Bike for Adam

Adam last bought a bike in 1986. It was a mountain bike which he rode everywhere since. After 35 years of riding, the steel frame broke at a weld and the bike was beyond repair. So today Adam got a new bike, an aluminum framed touring bike, with many modern new features, like an 11 x 1 drive train, integral lighting, a 40 kg capacity rack and disc brakes.

Adam


Crew on Vesper

With the pandemic restrictions reduced somewhat we were able to take Jessica and Alexis sailing on Vesper, the first time we have had anyone else on board in the past two years.

A few weeks later were were able to take Carolyn and Debbie out and Heather during a visit.

Jessica, Kathryn & Alexis Debbie, Carolyn & Kathryn Kathryn & Heather Kathryn & Alexis Adam


Laser Sailing

While visiting friends we got to sail a Laser on Mississipi Lake. Alexis shot a video of us bringing the boat back into the rocky beach, downwind.

Landing the Laser Landing the Laser


Biking to the Mackenzie King Estate in Gatineau Park

Today we biked to the Mackenzie King Estate in Gatineau Park and had lunch at the outdoor Cafe Pat there. This was a ride of 67 km round trip, with some hills as well.

Kathryn Cyclists Adam & Kathryn Cafe Pat Cafe Pat sign Adam & Kathryn Kingswood Kingswood Carriage house at Kingswood


Overnight on Vesper

We did an overnight onboard Vesper on a really lovely evening in Crystal Bay. The next morning we had great winds and sailed to Aylmer Island and back.

Kathryn Adam Solar panels At anchor Kathryn & Adam Sunset Sunset Aylmer Island


Wildlife

We see quite a bit of wildlife around the city and I try to get photos, whenever possible.

Black-capped chickadee Hairy woodpecker Raccoon Red Fox Common snapping turtle Red-winged backbird House finch Canada goose Canada Goose goslings Great blue heron Muskrat Wild turkey Canada Goose goslings House sparrow Eastern gray squirrel Eastern gray squirrel Eastern chipmunk Ring-billed gull Great Egret Common Tern Goldenrod Soldier Beetle Red-tailed hawk American crow Eastern cottontail Female Mallard Male Mallard Groundhog Common snapping turtle Juvenile double-crested cormorant American red squirrel Juvenile Ring-billed gull Eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) Wood duck (Aix sponsa) Wood duck (Aix sponsa) Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Banded woolly bear (Pyrrharctia isabella) Common raven (Corvus corax) Eastern gray squirrel Blue jay Mourning Cloak Female downy woodpecker Pileated woodpecker Male white-tailed deer Female white-tailed deer Muskrat Hooded Merganser


Sailing Again

We sailed today, only our third sail of the year and our first since . We were grounded due to COVID-19 restrictions (marinas closed) for five weeks and then one week of uncooperative weather.

Adam & Kathryn


Biking the New Western Greenbelt Pathway

We are still under a stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are allowed to get out for exercise, so today we biked the new Western Greenbelt Pathway, including a visit to the Black's Rapids Lock Station. The completed section of the western pathway is 4.3 km and runs from Black's Rapids to Woodroffe Avenue.

Black's Rapids Lock Station Black's Rapids Locks Rideau River Black's Rapids Lock Station Black's Rapids Dam Rideau River Kathryn & Adam Lock-keeper's house Western Greenbelt Pathway Western Greenbelt Pathway Western Greenbelt Pathway


Biking the Osgoode Pathway

Even with the stay-at-home order in effect we are allowed exercise, so we biked the 53 km to Osgoode and back today. This is one of our favourite trips.

On the way we shot a video:

Kathryn Kathryn & Adam


First Sail of the Year

With continuing unseasonably warm weather we did our first sail of the year today.

Kathryn & Adam Kathryn


Vesper's Early Launch

Spring was early this year and, despite the COVID situation, we were allowed to launch Vesper today. We were the third boat in the water.

Vesper on the crane Vesper Adam, Kathryn and Vesper


Hiking In Gatineau Park

Skiing was officially ended in Gatineau Park a week ago and the recent melt has left the trails with some snow, some ice, some mud and gravel. We did about 9 km round trip to Lusk Cabin and back. The cabin is closed for day use due to COVID-19, so we sat on the porch, overlooking the lake and had a picnic lunch there. The park was very quiet, with only a few people around.

Trail 54 Kathryn Adam Stream Butterfly Kathryn & Adam Lusk Cabin


Biking Season Starts

With unseasonably warm weather for March of 13°C and the skating rinks melted, we headed out to start biking early this year.

Kathryn & Adam


Snowshoeing Around Lac Philippe

With a big melt on the way for this week we ventured to the north part of Gatineau Park and completed a circumnavigation of Lac Philippe. It was about 10 km of snowshoeing and took us 3.5 hours. We also shot a video of our trip.

Adam Kathryn Kathryn Bark with no tree Sign Adam & Kathryn


Snowshoeing to Healey Cabin

With fresh snow on the ground and a warmer day, we snowshoed the 8 km from P15 to Healey cabin and back with Jane.

Trail 70 Adam & Jane Kathryn Jane Healey cabin Outhouses at Healey Trail 70 Kathryn


Skiing P9 to the Champlain Lookout

My seventh ski in Gatineau Park was 13 km from P9 to the Champlain Lookout on a really clear, calm and sunny day.

With warmer weather and rain on the way, this was our last ski for this winter.

Ski tracks Adam Champlain Lookout Huron cabin White Breasted Nuthatch American Red Squirrel


Winter 2020-21 Skiing Summary

First ski

Last ski

Days skied

Total distance

16

123 km




Skiing the Gatineau Parkway

Our sixth ski in Gatineau Park was 10 km from P7, up past the Wattsford Lookout on Trail 30 and then Trail 1 to the stone bridge.

Trail 30 Kathryn Kathryn on Trail 1 Kathryn Stone Bridge


Skiing the Gatineau Parkway

Our fifth ski in Gatineau Park was 9 km from P9 to P8 and beyond, on a day that was above zero and with conditions that were quite fast and slippery.

Kathryn Adam Sign


Skiing Trail 55 at the North End

Our fourth ski in Gatineau Park was 9 km from the new start point this year at P20, around the Trail 55 loop.

Kathryn Skiing sign Signs Lac Renaud Kathryn Kathryn & Adam Steep hill sign


Skiing to the Champlain Lookout in a Snowstorm

Our third ski in Gatineau Park was a 12 km trek from P10 to the Champlain Lookout and back, during a snowstorm.

Kathryn & Adam Champlain Lookout Adam & Kathryn Kathryn Steep hill


Trail 53 in Gatineau Park

Our second day of skiing in Gatineau Park took us to the very north end and the 8 km Trail 51 & 53 loop from P19.

Signs Adam Kathryn Trail 53 Sign Sign Kathryn


First Ski in Gatineau Park

With our COVID-19 level now reduced from "white" to "orange" we can, at last, go and ski in Gatineau Park, so we headed out to do a 10 km ski from P9 up the Eardley Escarpment. Temperature was -9°C, but with sunshine and almost no wind.

Kathryn Fortune Parkway Sign Adam Kathryn Kathryn & Adam


More Skating on the Rideau Canal

The ice conditions on the Rideau Canal have been so good that we got out skating again this week, with our friend Jane.

Sign Kathryn Rideau Canal Adam & Kathryn Jane & Adam Jane Rideau Canal


Skating on the Rideau Canal

We didn't get skating on the Rideau Canal at all last winter just due to the poor ice and weather conditions. This year the canal opened very late, but today it was rated as "good" almost end-to-end so we got out and skated.

Adam Kathryn BeaverTails kiosk Rideau Canal


Skiing Pine Grove from P19

We did a 7 km ski today in Pine Grove from parking lot P19 on Trail 45. This was a new part of the greenbelt that neither of us had skied before.

Trail 45 Adam & Kathryn Kathryn Adam


Skiing Pine Grove

We did a 7 km ski today in Pine Grove to the Ramsayville Cemetery and back.

Sign Trail 43 Trail 43 Adam Kathryn


Skiing Dolman Ridge

Continuing to skiing in the Ottawa Greenbelt due to COVID-19 restrictions, we did a 7 km ski today at Dolman Ridge. We even made it to "L" and back.

Signs Bird feeders Kathryn Adam & Kathryn Adam Sign


Greenbelt Snowshoeing

We did our fist snowshoe of the winter on the Eastern Greenbelt Pathaway with our friend Jane.

Kathryn Jane & Adam Snowshoeing trail Jane Adam & Kathryn


XC Skiing Starts

This has been a very slow year for skiing so far. We have had only small amounts of snow until yesterday when 15 cm fell. All levels of government have been telling us not to go skiing in Gatineau Park due to the pandemic restrictions, even though we bought season's passes, so our first ski was in the Ottawa greenbelt instead.

Adam & Kathryn Pine trees Adam Kathryn Kathryn on Trail 42


Kathryn's Sewing Projects

These are Kathryn's completed sewing and knitting projects for .

Cuddle quilt Bunny Sweater Izzy doll Chair covers Elephant cuddle quilt Blue bear Giraffe quilt Picture quilt Black quilt Elephant baby quilt Elephant baby quilt Aprons Poppy wheelchair quilt I Spy Nature quilt Falling Charms quilt top Grid Lock quilt top


Ice Skating

After the holidays, when the crowds had thinned out a bit, we got back to ice skating. Winter sports are pretty limited right now, as there is very little snow to ski on and only the four outdoor, artificially-cooled ice rinks in the city are open for skating.

We made a video of skating on a local park's rink, too:

Adam & Kathryn ice skating Adam ice skating Kathryn ice skating


The COVID-19 Pandemic Continues

The pandemic started for us in and in I started a gallery of photos. As dawned, the pandemic was not only not over, but in fact was hitting record numbers, post Christmas, so I decided to continue with another gallery of photos for this year.

Line-ups Ice Skating No Ice Skating Outdoor Ice Skating Rules Outdoor Ice Skating Rules BeaverTails kiosk Sign on the Rideau Canal Sign on the Rideau Canal Line-up at Dollarama Shilly Shally cabin Sign at Huron cabin Sign at Huron cabin Jigsaw puzzle COVID clinic COVID shot COVID sign COVID sign COVID tape Kite Surfing Tulip Sign Sign Kathryn Adam Sign on a bus Sign in a Dairy Queen Sign at La Cantina Store line-up Sign on The McDonald-Cartier Bridge Sign at Home Depot Sign at Mackenzie King Estate Sign at T&T Sign at T&T Sign at Home Depot Adam Kathryn Sign


Winter Arrives

We have had very little snow since this winter began, but today we got 8 cm. We did a walk along the Ottawa River and saw our friend Jamil there, with his new snow trike, trying it out on the new snow.

Snow scene Snow tricycle