Ontario Part II – Ottawa – Postcards from Canada

National Gallery of Canada, Kiweki Point, Canadian Museum of History, Rideau Canal, Tours of the House of Commons and Senate

But first, a note to Readers,

As you know, I wrote very few posts while I was on the road and camping during my cross-Canada trip last summer. The following post continues on from my Ontario Part I post. I’m sorry if the lack of chronology is confusing, and I hope that you can enjoy the coming posts despite the jumping around from here to there!

Fitzroy Provincial Park to Ottawa – 63 km

Even a short distance can seem long when there is a torrential downpour and one is unfamiliar with the roads. Thank goodness for the Google lady who gives me directions over my phone! The rain started at about 3 a.m. in my campsite at Fitzroy Provincial Park and I finally got up at about 7 to discover that my Toyota was in the middle of a small lake, one inch deep, in my grassy campsite. Not for the first time, I felt very very grateful to not be sleeping in a tent! I was also grateful that the first half of the drive into Ottawa was on a quiet secondary road because visibility under the continuous and driving rain was very poor. I had a service appointment at a Toyota dealership, which lasted longer than expected (don’t they always), and then I made my way to my accommodation, the excellent, characterful, and reasonably-priced L’Auberge des Arts Bed and Breakfast, which is located on a quiet residential street within easy walking distance to Ottawa’s major attractions. After meeting my very kind host, I set off to visit the National Gallery of Canada and I spent a happy three hours there, primarily looking at Indigenous and Canadian art. But first, the architecture!

Perhaps my favourite piece of all was an intricate and beautiful carving of a full set of caribou antlers, by Jacoposie Oopakak, 1988-89. (Please do click on any photo to better view the exquisite details of the carvings).

I also loved these two prints by Inuk artists Pudlo Pudlat, “Landscape with Caribou” 1977, and Etidlooie Etidlooie, “Camp Scene with Whales, Fish, and Plants”, 1976.

After having finally experienced the landscape around Lake Superior, I was excited to see works by the Group of Seven. Clockwise from top left are: “Lake Superior”, by Lawren S. Harris, c. 1928, “”Ile du Pic, lac Superieur”, by Lawren S. Harris, 1924, “Birches” by Tom Thomson, 1916, “Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay”, by F.H. Varley, 1921, and “The Pool”, by Tom Thomson, 1915-1919.

These next two paintings made me think of my parents and relatives in Quebec. On the left is “Saint Urbain in Winter”, by Marc-Aurele Fortin, 1940-42, and on the right is “Winter, Quebec”, by A.Y. Jackson, 1926.

I was captivated by each of these beautiful portraits of women. Clockwise from top left are “Vera” by F.H. Valley 1930; “A Meeting of the School Trustees”, by Robert Harris, 1885: “Sister Saint-Alphonse” by Antoine Plamondor, 1841; “Portrait of a Young Woman” by Louis-Leopoldo Boilly, 1800-25; “Mrs. John Beverley Robinson” by George T. Berthon, 1846; and “Girl with Plant”, by Will Ogilvie, 1933.

I also visited the American and European Art galleries, and viewed a good deal of contemporary art. It was a fabulous visit, and a great way to spend my first afternoon in Ottawa. I exited near closing time to find that rain was still falling. Under my umbrella I took a walk to Kiweki Point, a newly-constructed walkway and viewing platform that was lined with native plants and iron sculptures of Canadian animals and their importance, traditional and modern, to the Algonquin Anishinabe. They included the Walleye, which has fed generations, and the Thunderbird, an important spiritual being in Algonquin Anishinabe stories and legends that controls the upper world and creates thunder and lightning with flaps of its wings. There were views to Parliament Hill, and across the Ottawa River to Gatineau, Quebec, and the Canadian Museum of History.

It was a peaceful place, and I returned to my accommodation happy with my first afternoon in Ottawa. I sat on the front porch of my excellent B&B in the relative cool of the evening and had great calls home with my sister Dede, and my brother Serge. It was his birthday!

The following day dawned bright and sunny, but it would grow to be oppressively hot and humid. Luckily, I spent much of my day inside cooled spaces. I woke early and walked across the bridge to Gatineau to visit the National Canadian Museum of History. I enjoyed the walk across the bridge amongst people cycling, jogging, and heading to work. There were views ahead to the museum,

and views back to Parliament Hill.

The museum had interesting architecture,

and the Grand Hall, which showcases Northwest Indigenous cultures with house fronts, poles, and other art and artefacts, was stunning.

Behind the house fronts were many historical artefacts on display including tools, blankets, baskets, masks, and personal and ceremonial objects. I admired the artful designs, both symmetrical and asymmetrical of this wooden screen, Nuu-chah-nulth (from around 1900).

I really liked that there was also a lot of contemporary art and objects, as well as audio and video of indigenous elders, community members, and artists sharing stories and reflections on their lives and works. It was very moving. Clockwise from top left, are: A serigraph, “Creation of the Squamish People”, by Floyd Joseph (1978); a ceremonial shirt, Tlingit (before 1925); a house post, Nuxalk (before 1920); a dance apron, Kwakwaka’wakw (1800s), and a chief’s chest, Tsimshian (before 1918); and finally a very impressive canoe, probably made at Waglisla (Bella Bella) around 1900. It was 16.5 metres long!

I continued to the second floor galleries which featured “Early Canada” and “Colonial Canada”. I took my time in these galleries and took many photos but I will only share a few. For Brent, who is a direct descendant of Leif Erickson, there were Norse objects found at sites in Nunavut, including a carpenter’s plane, wool cloth, and a knife of iron and caribou antler.

There was also a quote taken from the Saga of Erik the Red: “There they found fields of wild wheat…and the vine in all places…Every rivulet there was full of fish…There was great plenty of wild animals of every form in the wood…early one morning, as they looked around, they beheld nine boats made of hides.”

For my side of the family, in the exhibits on the French colonization of Canada, there was a map of L’Isle d’Orleans from 1709,

and a detail shows a plot of land owned by Pierre Roberge, a descendant of a former Pierre Roberge, my ancestor, who emigrated from Normandy to Quebec in 1679 (the plot can be found to the lower left of the “I” in “Isle”.). My mother’s family, Dallaire, emigrated to Quebec’s L’Isle d’Orleans from France even earlier, in 1658!

I next viewed the exhibits in the Modern Canada gallery. Here are just a few items and photos that appealed to me, clockwise from top left: the jersey worn by Maurice “Rocket” Richard (for my dad); Doug and Bob, eh?; Terry Fox; Queen Elizabeth II and Pierre Elliott Trudeau signing the Proclamation of the Constitution Act on April 17, 1982, and a photo from the early 1960s as debate began on the need for a new, distinctly Canadian flag.

After my visit to the museum I walked back over the bridge, from Gatineau to Ottawa. It was now past noon and swelteringly hot and humid!

I made my way down to where the Rideau Canada meets the Ottawa River and walked past its locks and historic buildings,

and then rose up onto Parliament Hill. I felt very excited to be there, as were many others! It was incredibly busy with couples, families, large tour groups, and a few solo travellers like myself taking selfies and group photos – there were Canadians of all cultural backgrounds, and visitors from abroad, and all seemed very happy to be visiting Canada’s capital. Here are the buildings of the Centre Block surrounded by cranes as they undergo structural rehabilitation and renovation (which will take until 2032!).

Here is a photo of the buildings of the East Block,

and here are the buildings of the West Block where the House of Commons is currently housed while the Centre Block is under rehabilitation.

I had booked a free tour of the House of Commons and it was excellent! After passing through security, our guide led us to the viewing areas used by the public and the press,

then we went to the lower level and gained a rare admittance to the floor itself as the Parliamentary Sargent At Arms happened to be on site and invited us in. (Our tour leader was surprised and pleased as she had never been on the floor herself.) The Prime Minister sits in Seat 11 (top right photo), and of course the Speaker of the House sits in the throne-like centre chair (lower right photo).

We next went to view a Committee Room, and this is where I learned new things about our Parliamentary process of creating legislation. Here, select Members of Parliament, along with experts and witnesses, assess and fine-tune legislative bills before they return to the house and then the senate.

I left my tour feeling very proud of our rules-based, highly procedural, and essentially collaborative and cooperative parliamentary process (though debates on the floor can certainly give a different impression). I was also very impressed with our knowledgeable young tour guide and with all of the staff that I encountered – everyone was fluently bilingual and seemed very happy to educate and serve the thousands of visitors who come here. I left the Houses of Parliament for the short walk to where the Senate is currently housed, and en-route I passed the National War Memorial, with two sentries standing guard.

The Senate is now temporarily housed in Ottawa’s Union Station building, a railway station which was completed in 1912 in the Beaux-Arts style with its columns, domes, and arches.

The Senate tour was also excellent, and again I was impressed by what I learned and by our knowledgable and excellent tour guide. I was so glad that I had finally visited our nation’s capital!

After my tour of the Senate Building I wandered for a time along the Rideau Canal,

and then made my way to the Byward Market – a large area filled with farmers’ market stalls, cafes and shops selling specialty foods, art, crafts, and clothing. It was busy with people and for once I enjoyed the hubbub of a happy milling crowd, but not for long! I had read about a casual and inexpensive Jamaican eatery, Island Flava, that was close to my accommodation, and I am so glad that I went there for a plate of their delicious jerk chicken, rice, plantains, and salad. I received a very friendly welcome, and chatted with the chef about road trips and travel in the Maritimes. 🙂

I returned to my B&B, tired but happy, to sit for a while on the front porch again and then spend time downloading photos and working on my blog in my room. I wished that I had booked several more days in Ottawa as there is so much more to see and do, but perhaps I’ll return one day, maybe in winter when I can skate on the Rideau Canal – an iconic way to celebrate Canada! Here are just a few more photos from my brief, but excellent, visit to our nation’s capital.

I Kiss My Toyota Everyday – Reflections and Gratitude

Visiting Family in Quebec, Northern Quebec to Ontario, and on to Manitoba, and Feeling Much Gratitude for our Spectacular Country

August 24, 2025

Hello everyone. Yes, I kiss my Toyota everyday, and often many times a day! I kiss my fingers and then pat the steering wheel and say, “Thank you Toyota. I love you Toyota”, and sometimes I say “Sorry Toyota,” when the road is extra-bumpy or the day is hot and the drive is long. I finally looked at my trip meter today and I have driven 14,975 km since I first left Vancouver (!), with still at least another 2303 km to go if I drive the most direct route home, which I won’t, as I prefer the secondary highways where I can take my time. My trusty and valiant 2007 Toyota Highlander is a star! (Youtube’s Car Angel, a used-car expert, says “Best car ever made, period.”) Here we are, this morning, stopped again at the longitudinal centre of Canada, just east of Winnipeg, but this time heading west.

I am so far behind on my posts, and I hope to publish some this winter, but a quick summary of the last few weeks is that, after visiting the Maritimes (if possible I would have doubled or tripled my time there), and after a quick tour around the Gaspé peninsula, I spent a week visiting my dear aunts and uncles and a cousin in Quebec, at Baie-Comeau and around Lac St. Jean. It has been seven years since I last saw them, and I was lovingly embraced and received (and very well fed!). What a joy it was to see them, and to exchange news and tell stories and talk from morning ‘til night, ensemble en français. Merci à tous! Je vous aime!

If I had more time (and more stamina for busy urban areas and complicated, traffic-filled roads) I would have also visited aunts, uncles, and cousins who live in and around Montreal and Quebec City. But, while touring the Gaspé peninsula, I noticed that the fireweed was full with deeply wine-coloured seed pods, and showing the last of its flowers, and a single dry leaf blowing across the highway almost had me in tears. “Time to turn back,” it said.

So, after my stay with relatives I began the journey westward in earnest and drove over 2300 kilometres in four days. First, I travelled from Lac St. Jean to a campsite at Lac Normand, east of Val d’Or. What a brilliant day of driving that was, with blue skies and bright white clouds reflected in every placid lake that I passed. Here are just two of many,

and here is Lac Norman as I sat on a large granite boulder on the shore and watched day turn to evening,

and then to sunset.

The next morning, I thought to take a photo of my “pour la route” Quebecois gifts – wild Lac St. Jean blueberries, picked with Richard and Paulette, a jar of caramel made by my Tante Liette, and canned moose and partridge given to me by my Tante Flo. Merci!

The next day’s drive, from Lac Normand to Wawa was equally beautiful with forests, rivers, lakes, and a few small towns. I stopped for awhile for wifi at the Cozy Diner in Matheson where I treated myself to a second breakfast of the day, and then couldn’t resist a maple-chocolate-bacon muffin for the road.

I was googling the possibility of a two-day jaunt north from Cochrane to Moosoonee and Moose Factory, just south of James Bay, by train, but I was too last-minute with my idea and it wasn’t possible to organize reasonably-priced accommodations. Oh well, perhaps another time! (When I taught grades 4 and 5, and we did mapping skills, we would explore a map of Ontario in the Nelson Intermediate Atlas, and one of my questions was always, “How can you get to Moosoonee at B4 (or whatever the grid location was), and the answer was “By train, airplane, or boat – there is no road.”)

So, I carried on west, towards Timmins, and the road was so fun to drive and mostly empty of cars. As on many days before, music helped to eat up the miles – Elton John, Chris Isaak, and CCR’s Greatest Hits album (especially) were fantastic to drive to, and my Toyota and I were one with the road and the sky and the music. (I wish I had a “curve in the road” photo to share, or one with a view from a rise, but the one below, on a straight stretch, will have to suffice.)

In Wawa, I camped stealth in town after having a simple dinner and a long walk at the town’s peaceful lakefront park.

The following morning, I felt a strong fondness for this little town, and I decided that I would take a photo of the giant wooden goose that it is famous for.

But the photo that I really wanted, but was too shy to ask for, was of an older couple, dressed in matching red-checked shirts, and carrying large cups of Tim Hortons coffee, he in a ball cap. They looked stereotypically very Canadian, and very happy to be on holiday and visiting Wawa’s giant Canada goose!

So, Canada. What a country! When I was on my way east, and travelling in Saskatchewan in late June, a few days before Canada Day, a radio host – Dave, “The Voice of Saskatchewan” – was asking listeners to call in and say how proud they are of our country, on a scale of 0-10. He started off with his own rating of 8.5, saying that he was generally very proud of Canada, but that there were some things to fix. His first caller, though, said, “Zero.” Omg, why? Because, he said, he pays too much in taxes and the “fat cats” in Ottawa waste it and take it for themselves, etc. He continued on with his whining and complaining so I soon turned it off. I felt sorry for the fellow, with a glass completely empty instead of, c’mon, at least half full! I thought to myself, at the time as I continued to drive, that I was also at about 8.5 or 9 on the scale, but after having driven across this great and beautiful country, with its friendly, kind, hardworking and down-to-earth people – young and old, with their families here for generations, or recent immigrants – I am beyond “ten out of ten” proud of Canada. That poor fellow. I think of him sometimes, likely listening to negative news each and every day that skews his perception of reality and makes him angry and unhappy. Turn it off, I would say to him if I could, and look around you and see all of the good things that we have – there is a whole lot to be grateful for in our, not-perfect, but nevertheless exceptional country.

Now, when I started this post, some hours ago, I had intended to write out a gratitude list, but I will save that for another time as the list is long! Instead, here are several more photos from my drive across northern Quebec and Ontario.

There was some industry too, but not much, as I passed through miles of beautiful wilderness. There were high-power transmission lines that cut across the land, or followed the highway in places, and I passed several mines including the massive open pit gold mine at Malartic. As well, I had to stop quite a few times where there was road construction going on. I don’t envy any of the workers those hard jobs!

I loved this stop on the shore of Lake Superior as I neared Thunder Bay (so fun to scamper on those rocks),

and after Thunder Bay (which is aptly named) I lost the sunny skies to dark clouds, and episodes of light and sometimes heavy rain for much of the day.

But that was okay. Quieter music kept me company – Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Young, Patsy Cline, and Roy Orbison, among others – as I focussed on driving the increasingly very busy Trans Canada/Ontario 17 and 17A Highways across the border into Manitoba, and on to a campground at Falcon Beach. Then, this morning, those near-constant forests on both sides of the highway disappeared, and I emerged onto the Prairies, with views that stretch to the horizon in every direction. Hello Prairies!

Tomorrow, my Toyota and I are off to Riding Mountain National Park, (our National Parks, and Provincial Parks, and their staff, are definitely on my gratitude list – we should make more parks!), and then I will continue to make my way, not too fast and not too slow, back to Vancouver. Thank you, dear Toyota, thank you, Canada, and thank you very much to everyone for reading. Xxoo.

Starting from the Middle, Ontario Part I – Postcards from Canada

I guess that I have finally decided to continue with this newest journey, seeing as I am now in Ottawa! I had many reservations about doing a cross-Canada drive before I started out, and those reservations and worries have dogged me since I left Vancouver: I’ve been worried about the long driving distances, the wear and tear on my dear Toyota, the cost of gas and accommodations (although I am camping on most nights, many campgrounds have become quite pricey), the vagaries of the weather (too hot, too cold), the bugs, etc., etc. I have considered turning back west multiple times a day, pretty much every day, as of this writing, even though I passed the geographic centre of Canada, located a short distance east of Winnipeg, many days ago.

But, each morning, despite my misgivings (and a few panicked calls to Brent), I continued to head East, resulting in my arrival here in Ottawa! I had originally planned to begin posting about my cross-Canada trip when in Winnipeg, but I held off because I still wasn’t certain that I wasn’t going to turn around and head back home. So, I am finally making a start with this first post, “Ontario – Part I”, but I don’t know how often I’ll be able to post as I have little access to wifi as I travel. We’ll see how it goes!

Whiteshell Provincial Park – Falcon Beach Campground, Manitoba, to Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, Ontario, 531 kilometres

Shortly before leaving Manitoba, I lost the prairie, with its far-reaching, expansive, beautiful-sky views. The road was now bordered by trees, and would continue that way for many hundreds and hundreds of kilometres across Ontario. Luckily, that monotony would be interrupted often by quick glimpses (as I drove on by) of pretty lakes, beautiful marshes perfect for moose, and wide and impressive rivers.

On this first day in Ontario, there was a mix of sunny skies, and some very heavy afternoon thunder showers. I drove mostly in silence, but I also listened to CDs – Elton John, Neil Young, Van Morrison, and Abba were good company on the road. A highlight of the day was the sighting of a mother moose and her calf feeding by the side of the highway, and a short while later I reached Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, my stop for the night. I viewed the impressive falls,

and I walked the trail along the top of the gorge, with views back upriver.

The trail I was on was part of a portage route used for centuries by the Ojibwa, and later by the fur traders of the North West Company as they ventured westward from Fort William on the shores of Lake Superior (near present-day Thunder Bay.)

Kakabeka Falls to Pukaskwa National Park (342 km)

The next day I was back on Highway 17, heading east, despite having slept poorly and feeling strongly that I should head west instead! I made my first stop just past Thunder Bay at the Terry Fox Memorial which is located just west of where Terry had to end his Marathon of Hope due to a return of cancer, this time in his lungs. He is a hero of mine, and I always took time in my teaching, when it was close to our school Terry Fox runs, to impress upon my students how strong, courageous, humble, and determined this young man was, and how he contributed so much to our country and to the fight against cancer. He ran 5,373 km across Canada – nearly a marathon a day for 143 straight days – and since his run hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised for cancer research. I was happy to see others stopped there as well.

I continued on, with peeks of Lake Superior as Highway 17 travelled sometimes close to the great lake and sometimes farther from its shores, up and around hills, and past many small lakes, marshes, streams and rivers. It was Canada Day, and I listened to some of my Canadian CDs (Neil Young (again), Joni Mitchell, and Spirit of the West), and I also tuned in to CBC radio for their coast-to-coast coverage of Canada Day events, including some of the performances being held at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. It was a good day of driving, and a highlight was seeing another moose – a female who crossed the highway about 300 metres ahead of me, surprisingly graceful on her incredibly long legs.

I had a reservation for the night (the first of 3) at the Agawa Bay campground in Lake Superior Provincial Park, but I had read positive reviews about Pukaskwa National Park which has a FCFS campsite, and many trails, so I took the access road and 15 km later I was able to get a great campsite and I knew that I wanted to stay there. It was such a wonderful park, with iconic and beautiful Canadian Shield, “Group of Seven”, scenery – rugged rocky headlands, off-shore islands, dramatic pines, three long curving beaches of golden sand,

and the seemingly endless expanse of Lake Superior.

The vegetation was gorgeous as well with many low-growing shrubs, mosses, and lichens,

and also wildflowers that were new to me. Yellow-blooming blue bead lillies, and tiny pink twinflowers, grew in areas of shade,

and I also met (clockwise from top left) bunchberrry, Labrador tea, Canada anemone, encrusted saxifrage (an Arctic plant that is able to grow this far south because of the cool conditions created by the massive amount of water in Lake Superior), and wild rose.

Three trails led directly from the campground and the Visitors Centre, and I connected all three to hike a total of about 8 kilometres. I was excited to find the iconic National Park red chairs atop a headland above Hattie Cove,

and I marvelled at the shapes of the ancient rocks, sculpted by glaciers, waves, and wind.

It was a truly marvellous park, and my favourite stop in Ontario. Thank you Pukaskwa!

Pukaskwa National Park to Lake Superior Provincial Park, Agawa Bay Campground – 276 km

The next day was a shorter driving day enlivened with views of lake, after lake, after river, after lake. Very scenic. Unfortunately, driving on HIghway 17 at speed, with other cars behind and not much of a shoulder, makes it very difficult to stop for photos. Fog had rolled in over Lake Superior as I entered the provincial park, and made for this atmospheric photo when I stopped at Old Woman Bay.

I continued on to Agawa Bay campground, at the far southern end of the park, and found my campsite with its view, across the camp road, of Lake Superior.

The fog came and went all day as I strolled the long beach, searched for pretty rocks, spent time at the Visitor Centre, and read an entire book. I broke up my reading sessions with small walks on the beach, and I was drawn there again to watch a long-lasting and beautiful sunset.

The next day, I drove back west to access several park hikes that I was interested in. First there was the short 500 m trail to the Agawa Rock where there are 150-400 year-old pictographs of animals, canoes, and supernatural creatures, painted with red ochre by the Ojibwa. Viewing the pictographs involves walking along a narrow slanted ledge below a rock face, and I found that my hiking boots were slippery on the very smooth rock. I was alone there, so I reluctantly decided against taking those last few steps to view the art.

Next, I drove to the trailhead for the Pinguisibi Trail which follows the Sand River for 3 km upstream, past a series of falls and serene stretches of river.

It was a wonderful trail, full of roots and rocks and hard packed soil, in the shade of trees and with the rush and roar of the river alongside. But, I was alone again, with no other cars in the parking area, and I was concerned about the possibility of meeting a bear. I kept up a nice loud silly and cheerful monologue, “Go away bear! I have bear spray but I really don’t want to use it!”, but after about 2 km, as I got further from the trailhead, I decided that I had best not go on. I turned back reluctantly, and of course passed a pair of hikers about halfway back. Oh well! My next stop was beautiful Katherine Cove where I had planned to have lunch,

but the highway was close and interrupted the peace so I returned back to camp. Feeling somewhat disappointed with my morning, I made lunch, read again for a while, revisited the Visitors Centre, and then decided to do the 3.2 km lakeside trail that led from the campground to the mouth of the Agawa River. My expectations were low, even though a young park interpreter had said that the trail was “pretty”. It was wonderful! And definitely very pretty, along an old road and then a sandy trail with grasses, flowers, birch trees, and tall, very old white pines.

I saw bunch berrry and twin flowers again, as well as a hardy plant with tiny yellow flowers growing in pure sand, orange hawkweed, and (wow) pink lady’s slipper!

Agawa Bay Campground to Lake Grundy Provincial Park – 516 km

This was a long day of driving, with a section of freeway that I hadn’t expected, just as I was beginning to feel tired. I made a quick stop at the French River, which I had been excited to see as it was an important part of an historic canoe route, along with the Ottawa and Mattawa Rivers and Lake Nipissing, that connected settlements on the St. Lawrence with the upper Great Lakes and the far West. The route was used by indigenous travellers, by the voyageurs, and by the great explorers Mackenzie and Thompson. The Visitor’s Centre was closed by the time I arrived, and despite my fatigue I began a trail walk, but it was buggy and I quickly decided to retrace my steps, take a quick photo of the river,

and continue on to my next campsite at Grundy Lake Provincial Park, not far distant, and luckily accessed on a quiet and slow highway.

Grundy Lake Provincial Park actually has four lakes, swimming beaches, and trails to hike so I had booked two nights here. I arrived hot and sweaty (so humid! 37 with the humidex), and should have gone for a swim, but I chose a shower instead and the water was really hot. Aaargh! The following morning, I woke early and set off to hike the short Swan Lake trail. It was an auspicious start as the trail led right away onto a floating boardwalk over a beautiful small lake with irises and pond lilies, a beaver lodge, and gorgeous rocks and trees all around.

But, after I crossed the boardwalk and entered the forest the black flies and deer flies began to swarm me. I probably should have turned back, but I continued on the 1.5 km trail at a faster walk, then a jog, then a quick stop to break off a branch of leaves to use as a switch, then a bit of a run, then a quick stop for another switch for my other hand, then a full run to get out of there, switching those branches back and forth around my head like a crazy person. I was hot, bothered, sweaty, and highly irritated, and it wasn’t yet nine in the morning! How would I spend the entire day here? And, the next day of driving was going to be a long one, so I decided to forgo my second night of camping at Grundy Lake to travel to North Bay, about two hours away, for a hotel night of AC and electricity, clean sheets and wifi. It was a good decision, with a lovely drive along quiet roads,

and a long stop in the pretty town of Callander, on Lake Nippising,

where I spent time in the welcoming library while I did laundry in the laundromat next door. The day was a welcome break from camping and the heat.

North Bay to Fitzroy Provincial Park – 313 km

A rainy day of travel, off and on, with just a few stops along the highway including here, for obvious reasons,

and here, at Deux Rivières, where the Ottawa and Maganasipi rivers meet.

Then, on the latter half of the day’s journey, the terrain changed to the rich farmland of the wide Ottawa valley, with its large dairy farms and fields of corn. The day grew very warm and muggy, the traffic increased as I got closer to Ottawa, and suddenly there was freeway driving and a missed turn. Thank goodness for the Google Maps lady who got me back on the right road to arrive at Fitzroy Provincial Park, located on the Ottawa River. I had planned to swim here, but the beach was incredibly busy with families and groups large and small seeking an escape from the heat on a Sunday afternoon (I took the least “crowded looking” photo I could).

I returned to my campsite, hot, sweaty, tired, and despondent to mope a bit (I don’t do well in the heat). But then, I put on my bathing suit and returned to the beach, determined to at least put my feet in. The water was cool, and I waded in, and then swam, out past the roped off area and the busyness, to better views of trees across the river and clouds moving across the sky. I was swimming in the Ottawa River, so I guessed that I was likely going to finish this drive across Canada…

Thank you for reading! 🙂