I just got back from a ride along the World's Largest Skateway
A highlight of winter in Ottawa is the Rideau Canal Skateway, the world’s largest skating rink. Skate through the heart of downtown Ottawa on the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Skateway is 7.8 kilometres long, and begins just steps from Canada’s Parliament Buildings. The scenic skating rink extends to Dows Lake, where you’ll find an outdoor art gallery on the ice! In between, warm up at rest areas, where there are toasty fires, hot drinks and tasty snacks.
When the temperature drops this winter, it’s time to celebrate! A cold snap is exactly what’s needed to create the Rideau Canal Skateway. Typically, the Skateway opens in January and, in February, many activities take place on the frozen canal during Winterlude.
It wasn't terribly cold today - only -4C (28F?) so I thought that since I got my new tires on my wheelchair yesterday so figured this was a good time to test them out.
Well I got stuck in some snow before the ramp to get down to ice level. They empty most of the water out of the canal and freeze about 3 feet of it for the ice. So you have to go down stairs or ramps to get to ice level. They also put cabins down on the ice level for info, warming anc changing shacks and food stops along with rest stops with benches so people have plenty of places to get on or off the ice, rest, get warm.
Anyways I got stuck and someone came to push me through the snow. I got down on the ice and went rolling. I stopped along the way I stopped and had a bite to eat and then went off again. Then this little boy comes up on my left and he keeps looking over his shoulder at me. He couldn't have been more than 4 or 5 but he sure could skate. I realized he was racing the wheelchair so we raced.
If I got too close I would slow down and let him get ahead but then would speed up and catch up to him. He would stop and wait for his parents to catch up and then all of a sudden he would roar past me on the right in a big spurt of enregy and the race would be on again with him taking quick looks over his shoulder to spot me. We kept this up for about 3 kilometers Then his family turned to go back to the beginning while I kept going to the end of the skateway.
What a joy this little guy was. He had me laughing out loud as we raced down the skateway.
It's good to enjoy the small things in life.