2009-Spring-OttawaOutdoors

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LOCAL OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SCENE

hiking trails in easy reach5

Solo tour biking

Ottawa Valley Adventure Guide

Keeping your head while out in

the bush

Women only, please why

they’re great on guided trips

IN THIS ISSUE >> A Few Adventurous Women FREESPRING/SUMMER 2009

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SPRING/SUMMER 2009

>> FEATURES5 Bike clubs in Ottawa-Gatineau

6 Don’t go out of your head in the bush

8 Adopt the pace of nature

11 Fat broad on a bike

14 Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour

18 Adventure guide through the Ottawa Valley

22 Women only, please

24 Five hiking trails in easy reach

26 Solo tour biking means you rule

29 25th Anniversary Club

>> DEPARTMENTS4 PUBLISHER’S LETTER

21 EVENT CALENDAR & OUTDOOR LIST

23 OTTAWA OUTDOORS MODELS

45 THE BACK PAGES

46 THE LAST BISCUIT

Solo Biking, Are your prepared?

26

14

24

225

Now you can get each issue e-mailed

direct to your inbox!It’s TOTALLY FREE too! There’s loads of info, videos and more about the local

outdoor adventure scene, all delivered in this extremely cool animated version.

Just go to www.OttawaOutdoors.ca to sign-up at the top right of the homepage and we'll send you an extremely cool digital

version of the print issue.

23COVER PHOTO: Hiking at King Mountain

OTTAWA 3www.OttawaOutdoors.ca >> SPRING/SUMMER 2009

http://publishing.yudu.com/A7850/OOM-SumFall2007

IN HONOUR of entering our 8th year in publication, I’d like to devote

this section to thanking the staff of editors (the top row) and writers

who have contributed so much over the years. Here’s just a few of them

for now with a promise to spotlight the others in the near future. Enjoy,

have a great spring, and we’ll see you with a packed-filled summer/fall

issue. Dave :)

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVE BROWN

EDITORS ROGER BIRD / SHEILA ASCROFT

MANAGING EDITOR ANNE DUGGAN

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATORS KEITH MILNE, GORDON COULTHART

DESIGN CREATIVE UNITY

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Sheila Ascroft, Gerry Godsoe, Stephen Johnson, Allen Macartney,

Meredith Brown, Michael McGoldrick, Kathleen Wilker, Ken Whiting,

Rob Harris, Adam C. Smith, Anthony Snippe

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Selena Karkash, Kevin Callan, Jim Cummings, Ottawa Valley Tourism

Association, Michael Haynes, National Capital Commission

ADVERTISING INQUIRIESDave Brown, Publisher/Editor-in-ChiefOttawa Outdoors Magazine is an independent publication published seasonally every four months and distributed FREE at sports stores all over the region, as well as at 100 other locations.E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 613-860-8687 / 888-228-2918Fax: 613-860-8687

CONTRIBUTIONS

Ottawa Outdoors Magazine welcomes story and photo contributions. All

photos should ideally be shot with a high-resolution digital camera, but

otherwise scanned at 300dpi resolution and burned onto a

CD-ROM or e-mailed. No unsolicited contributions will be returned

unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Publisher

assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts,

photographs or artwork. Publisher may publish any and all

communications with Ottawa Outdoors magazine, and may edit for

clarity and style. Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index

ISSN No. 1204-69556. © Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any materials published in Ottawa Outdoors Magazine is

expressly forbidden without consent of the publisher unless otherwise

agreed between partners. Printed in Canada.

ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIPSOttawa Outdoors Magazine aligns with local and international environmental groups. Recently Ottawa Outdoors Magazine joined and supports the following groups. We encourage you to do the same.

Leave No Trace Canada is a national non-profit orga-nization dedicated to promoting and inspiring respon-sible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. Leave No Trace builds awareness,

appreciation and respect for our wilderness areas. www.leavenotrace.ca

Friends of the O-Train is a group of volunteers whose goal is to raise awareness of workable transit options in Ottawa. We’re comprised of transit experts, rail enthusiasts and regualar individuals like you.www.friendsoftheotrain.org

One Percent for the Planet is a rapidly growing net-work of companies that give at least one per cent of their annual sales to environmental causes. Their commitment provides vital resources and aware-ness to organizations that work to keep us on a sustainable path. 1%FTP provides members with a

straightforward and powerful way to become part of the solution. We are proud supporters of One Percent as a movement as well as their members which include Mountain Equipment Co-op and more than 20 other businesses across Canada. www.onepercentfortheplanet.org

DAVE BROWNPublisher, Editor-in-chief

cURRENT AND PAST cONTRIbUTORS

ARE YOU AN OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE?To submit articles or photos, all you have to do is e-mail us at: [email protected].

PUbLISHER’S LETTER

Allen Macartney Sheila AscroftRoger Bird Anne Duggan

Geordie McConnell Meredith BrownKathleen Wilker Nigel Brereton

Andrew Westwood Derrick Spafford & Sara MontgomerySteve Johnson

Joanne Steventon Mark ScriverEric Martinat Gerry Godsoe

Shannon Jessop Sheila HoweRoss Francis Chris Lennon

4 >> SPRING/SUMMER 2009 www.OttawaOutdoors.caOTTAWA

And if you can’t find what you want from the clubs listed below, check out local bike shops because some offer weekly group rides. Among them, CycleLogik is known for its tough Saturday morning rides (http://cyclelogik.com).

The grandfather of local clubs is the Ottawa Bicycle Club, founded more than a century ago in 1882. With more than 1,000 members, it not only offers Sunday club rides, but group riding clinics so everyone can learn the techniques of riding safely in packs. As well, this club offers weekly time trials, Tuesday evening rides for novices, multi-day events such as the famous Rideau Lakes Cycling Tour, racing teams, fall cyclocross (cross-country racing on bikes) events, and monthly get-togethers.

Membership brings a monthly newsletter, access to forums on the website, discounts at bike shops and distinct club cycling apparel. For more info, it’s www.ottawabicycleclub.ca.

The Almonte Bicycle Club offers both fair-weather touring and time trials. Rides in Lanark County range from easy to hard over terrain that varies from flat and open in the Mississippi Valley to hilly and forested in the Calabogie Highlands. All cyclists in the region are welcome to join. Membership includes a 10 per cent discount at the

Beckwith Bicycle Company in Carleton Place, and free entry to Ottawa Bicycle Club time trials. Find out about it at www.magma.ca/~abc.

The Kanata-Nepean Bicycle Club is a volunteer group promoting the whole shebang – the social, recreational, utilitarian, adventure and fitness aspects of cycling while downplaying athletic or competitive cycling. The unofficial club motto is “sometimes ambitious, always social” and its cyclists venture both within and beyond the network of recreational pathways. Rides start in Kanata and Centrepointe and locations further away like Picton, Appleton and Merrickville. It welcomes new members, so check them out at www.knbc.ca.

The West of Quebec Wheelers includes a range of skills among its members. The club has racers who work as a team and share expertise with seasoned and novice cyclists, riders interested in learning how to race, others looking to gain group riding skills, and anyone who enjoys regular group rides. Currently, it puts “as much emphasis on the social aspects of group cycling as the physical challenges associated with the sport,” according to the club website. Last year, the spring version of the Tour des Ponts was replaced by the first-ever Mufferaw Joe Sportif ride (Joe’s a legend up

the Valley, both sides). The October version of the Tour starts and ends in Quyon, with 105- and 155-km routes through the Ottawa Valley. To join, get a current member to sponsor you. For more information it’s http://home.wqwheelers.com/news.htm.

New on the cycling scene is the University of Ottawa Bike Club. The 300-member club is active in all kinds of cycling: road racing, urban, mountain biking racing, cross-country, downhill, and recreational. It spreads the news to students on bike-related issues, and provides weekly workshops and clinics. The club works closely with other organizations to ensure that cyclists on and off campus have a voice and that their rights are recognized. For more information: www.geocities.com/uottawabikeclub.

Other clubs in our region include the Brockville Cycling Club (www.brockvillecycling.com); the Cornwall Cycle Club, with competitive and recreational cycling in the Cornwall area www.cornwallcycleclub.com); and Kingston Velo Club, which offers recreational rides Tuesday and Thursday evenings and weekends (www.kvc.ca).

The Kanata Bike Club is actually a web resource dedicated to all types of mountain biking – downhill, cross-country, trails – as well as every other style of riding from road to urban to cyclocross. It welcomes all riders, whatever age, skill, location, or style. You can post your mileage logs and get into its biking-related forums. For more info, it’s (www.mtbkanata.com).«OO

bike clubs offer that social something with two-wheeled adventureOttawa-Gatineau region have clubs of every flavour

If yOu’RE TIREd of cycling alone and want some social contact while riding to perk you up, Ottawa is the right placed to live. The city has several good cycling clubs offering all kinds of group riding.

By ShEILA ASCROfT


IN THE EARLY 1980s, a forestry worker went missing on Vancouver Island and the RCMP called in Search and Rescue volunteers to help find him. Within 24 hours, they had followed a trail of discarded clothing into a small valley where they saw the man running erratically back and forth.

The forestry worker did not respond to their calls and actually seemed to be trying to get away. He had to be chased and tackled to the ground. With the exception of one sock, he was stark naked. According to the rescuers, panic pushed him to run wildly, he became overheated and in his irrational state he had stripped off his clothes.

“Bush madness” has often been used in the past to describe a wide range of symptoms when lost persons do seemingly irrational things. They wander aimlessly instead of staying put and saving their energy. They travel at night and injure themselves. Even in daylight, they may try to cross raging rivers, or tumble over cliffs, or run across roads without recognizing a lifeline to safety.

In this nightmare, one thing that may happen is “paradoxical stripping.” Lost people, even skilled mountain climbers, have been found dead in various stages of

undress, despite icy temperatures. There are several theories on what

causes paradoxical stripping. We do know that when the human body becomes hypothermic, it concentrates the blood in the central core and essential organs. One possibility is that the vessels constricting the blood tire and allow the blood to flow back to the extremities. Another suggestion

is that the temperature-regulating part of the brain, the hypothalamus, becomes confused.

In either case, it appears that victims feel too warm and shed their clothing, hastening heat loss and possible death.

As outdoors enthusiasts what we really need to know is how to take care of ourselves. Our bodies need oxygen, water, food and shelter. Reading, training and practising outdoor skills can help us learn how to ensure these physical essentials.

Another essential is the will to survive. It is easy to listen to the theory about the importance of a “positive mental attitude” in a life-threatening situation. It’s a different matter when panic knots your stomach as you realize that you are lost or injured. If that happens think “STOP,” the acronym in survival books – Stop, Think, Observe, Plan.

If you do get lost, stay put, keep warm

and dry, help searchers find you. Your job is to stay alive until you are found. After all, it shouldn’t be too long. You did tell someone where you were going and when you would be back. Right?

Gerry Godsoe has been active in scouting, canoeing and camping. He paddles whitewater nine months a year, is an instructor with the Ottawa Y Canoe Camping Club, and a volunteer with Search and Rescue Global 1 (www.sarglobal1.ca. And, yes, he has been lost in the woods! «OO

By GERRy GOdSOE

Don’t go out of your headwhen you’re out in the bushWeird behaviour can be fatal

“With the exception of one sock, he was stark naked. According to the rescuers, panic pushed him

to run wildly, he became overheated and in his irrational state he had stripped off his clothes.”


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5:43 a.m. The green luminescence of my watch

glowed as I slipped quietly out of the sleeping bag. The tent was silent except for the gentle, slow breathing of my sleeping wife tucked in beneath warm folds of down and fleece. Only her nose was visible in the filtered light – a pretty nose.

Zipping the tent open, I could see my breath misting slightly in the cold, still air at our campsite on a lake deep in Algonquin Park.

Carrying a thermos of hot chocolate (made the night before), I picked my way down to our canoe on a narrow strip of sandy beach. Not wanting to disturb the utter silence, I planted each foot carefully to avoid fallen branches and stones along the steep trail. Minutes later, sitting beneath spreading pine boughs, I watched mist rising slowly off the water as a loon called from somewhere beyond the thick curtain of grey.

The muted colours of a late August sunrise seeped across the horizon. Total tranquility reigned, both outside and in my heart.

“Adopt the pace of nature” – advice from Ralph Waldo Emerson long ago. But sometimes it’s difficult to do just that, even on vacation.

“Yeah, I’m all for that!” we might respond to his wisdom. “Preach it, Ralph! I’m listening.” But in most of us have settled into a radically different lifestyle – one of blinding speed and ever-fuller schedules until our days leave us dazed.

We’re like ramped-up, tuned-in and adrenaline-charged hamsters wired on energy drinks running madly around a cage. The exercise wheel spins impressively, but are we going anywhere we really want to be? Does the on-ramp to the express lane lead only to more express lanes? Emerson would not be amused.

Our turbo-charged society has made multi-tasking a mantra. We worship speed, and along the way sacrifice inner peace.

In this 21st-century world, chips in our cellphone/digital camera/video player allow near-instantaneous text messaging anywhere. Yesteryear’s high-speed Internet access is now “standard time” and

engineers are looking to jump-start it into hyper-drive. We’re a society trapped in a particle generator.

The faster we go, the less we see and enjoy, the less we relax. There are fewer connections to other people and things, connections that bring meaning and purpose to our lives.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m part of it too, a type-A personality raised on speed reading, channel surfing and fast food. I try to pack more and more events into less and less time. I love the rush. Speed is fun.

But so is coasting. If even our down time has to serve some purpose, meet some physical challenge, people feel guilty even playing a game of tennis just for fun, or taking a casual walk in the evening. We want instant gratification, but it irritates us.

It’s that chronic frustration lingering just below the surface of our society aimed at anyone or anything that gets in our way or slows us down. Road rage, air rage, gym

rage, shopping rage, even vacation rage, have crept into our vocabulary.

To look ahead, to relax this summer, to feel peace seeping into the soul, planning has to start now. Drop the punishing pace that voyageurs adopted 200 years ago travelling from Montreal to Thunder Bay and back in one season. Too many of them died on the portage trails.

Reboot your system before vacation so you can enjoy it when it comes.

On the way home from work, turn off your car radio and cellphone. Hum or sing instead, even if you haven’t done this since Grade 5. Roll up the windows if you’re embarrassed because your voice sounds as gravelly as Rod Stewart’s. (I like Rod Stewart.)

Listen more and say less. A week before your vacation begins, go for a really slow walk at lunchtime, especially if you don’t have time.

I’m thinking canoe trip, but these ideas are transferable. Portages don’t have to be

By ALLEn MACARTnEy

Adopt the pace of natureSlow down on vacation, or what’s the point?

THE RUT IS ON! Photo by Jim Cummings, Kanata “I happened to be up early one morning and looked out to see a very heavy fog. So I grabbed my coat and camera and set out to the local woods to see what I could find. no sooner had I arrived I heard some commotion from the trees, and through the fog I saw him, a huge eight-point buck on the hunt for this doe who seemed more interested in hiding behind me than anything else. I managed to move around just in time to see this site and snapped away hoping my camera settings and light were good...the rut is on. [ed. the photo is spectacular, thanks Jim]


high speed, knee-wrenching marathons over slick rocks and muddy leaves. They can be taken at a pace for seeing wildflowers, hearing bird calls, or even just listening to your own breathing as it echoes inside the shell of the canoe.

Look forward to a three-hour sunset at the end of the day. (They really do take that long to fully disappear.) Listen in total silence for 15 minutes to your crackling campfire. It’s a lullaby guaranteeing a deep, soul-refreshing sleep. Leave behind the MP3 with 5,000 hours of music and listen instead to haunting loon calls, or the ridiculously funny quack of ducks over the water.

Consciously walk or paddle a little slower when hiking or kayaking. Simple enough, but it can help unhook anyone from the life speed we’re accustomed to. And it might make you look forward to outdoor adventures more than you ever have.

To clinch it, get up at 5:30 a.m. in the woods to listen to the silence, watch the passing of time, and smell the aroma of coffee. And Emerson’s poetry sounds wonderful when whispered beside a still lake.

Allen Macartney is planning a 2,000-kilometre canoe solo into the Arctic. «OO


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WHAT’S A FAT broad like me – 200 pounds of flab squatting over skinny tires – doing on the road? I’m cycling just like everyone else and it’s a blast. Regardless of your shape, you belong here too! If you like cycling, don’t let your mind cheat your body out of doing something fun and healthy.

Being overweight and being a cyclist is not contradictory. I’ve been both for 22 years. Too many women are psyched out by those lean bodies dancing on the pedals up the Gatineau Hills, but cycling does not require a skinny body. Yeah, it helps if you want to go fast, but it’s not necessary to enjoy cycling.

So what does it take to ride comfortably as a larger female? Just a few mental and physical adjustments I’ve honed over the years. Here’s what works:

MINDSETI realized if I waited until I was thin, I’d

still be waiting to bike. Don’t let your size stop you from participating. Each ride is a chance to explore the limits of body and mind. Over time, you can work through any self-doubt and embarrassment by cycling farther and longer.

My first 30-kilometre 22 years ago was a revelation. The distance seemed so far and I was nervous riding on a country road, but then two cyclists going in the opposite direction gave me a nod. Suddenly, I felt like I belonged there. I was a real cyclist. You too can start simple and build on it. It can even be a short tour of your neighbourhood – just get out there, do it, and then do it again!

FIT If you have a hand-me-down or your

current bike just hurts to ride, it likely doesn’t fit your body properly. Maybe all you need is a new saddle or shorter handlebar stem. Or go for a bike fitting so a real pro like Giles Bertrand at Cyclo Sportif or Mary Paterson at Bike2Body can check out your leg length, seat height, knee-to-pedal position, arm reach, and comfort.

RIDEIf you’re buying or borrowing, match the

bike to your planned ride. If there are hilly dirt roads at your cottage, a single-speed cruiser won’t fill the bill, but a mountain bike will. Test-ride different types of bikes (hybrids, road, city, mountain) before deciding. Me? After buying (and selling) several bikes, I settled on a quality sport touring bike for long road rides and a low-end mountain bike for errands.

bAckUP This is crucial. If you don’t feel like the

staff is listening to your needs or taking you seriously, go elsewhere. Ottawa is blessed with many good bike shops so you can be choosy. Don’t be intimidated – you have as much right to buy a quality bike as the skinny guy beside you. Visit the shop when it’s not busy (avoid Saturday mornings if you can) so the staff will have more time for you.

Besides the correct size of frame (if you’re quite short or quite tall, there will be fewer choices), ask if the frame material is appropriate for your weight. I have been riding chromoly steel or aluminum frames for 22 years and have never had a frame crack or break.

SADDLEAll butts are different, but the right saddle

does exist. If your butt hurts or you feel pressure on your private parts, the saddle – or its position – could be the culprit. Paterson says any saddle will be uncomfortable if the seat is too high and suggests making it level or slightly tilted nose-down. “I find people prefer the slightly nose-down position 95 per cent of the time,” she says. Pointed too far down and “you end up sitting on the wrong part of the saddle.” A pointed-up saddle puts pressure on the soft tissues at the front of the crotch.

Thankfully, there are more women’s saddles to choose from than ever before, so no need to let discomfort stop you from

cycling. Almost any women’s saddle will do for a casual 30-minute ride, but if you want to ride longer, a saddle that supports your butt is vital. So what is best for your butt? • Avoid men’s saddles. They are too

narrow for a woman’s wider pelvis and sit bones.

• Forachartshowingwhichsaddlesworkbest for different kinds of riding, check out Terry Bicycles: http://terrybikes.forest.net/ftp/pub/2007_saddles.pdf.

• Youneedasaddlewideenoughat therear to support your sit bones (to feel them, sit on a curb); otherwise all the pressure will be on your soft tissue.

• A saddlemay fit youwell, but not beup to your weight and you might feel it sinking onto its rails – not a good thing. A wide plush saddle may look comfy but it will be too squishy when riding. It will press on your private parts and hurt. A hard saddle may hurt for the first two days, but then you come to appreciate its supportiveness

• It takes three consecutive rides beforeyou can tell if a new saddle is the right one. So ask the bike shop if you can return a saddle if it’s not comfortable after a week.

• Don’t be discouraged. It may take afew tests to find your right model. (My favourite is the Selle Italia Ladies Gel Flow.)

• Anybikesaddlewillbemorecomfortableif you wear padded bike shorts.

• Avoid chaffing and saddle sores bynever wearing panties under your

By ShEILA ASCROfT

Fat broad on a bike is loving it don’t hide – ride!


cycling shorts. Just wear clean shorts and remove them soon after the ride.

GEARS Given the chance, get a bike with three

chain rings. A ‘triple’ has an extra little chain ring with about 30 teeth. It’s called a “granny” for good reason! It helps old and overweight riders climb hills.

cLOTHESYou need to wear cycling shorts for any

ride longer than 30 minutes. The extra padding prevents chaffing on the inner thighs. If you absolutely refuse to be seen in Lycra shorts, put a padded liner under your civilian shorts or mountain biking shorts. Both will do the job for casual rides.

You also need cycling gloves. They provide a comfy grip and reduce pressure on the handlebars. Smart cyclists don’t leave home without a helmet. Get one! The latest models are well vented and will keep you cool.

Unfortunately, many local bike shops just don’t carry apparel sizes for big women. Usually, they sell “pro fit” rather than relaxed fit jerseys and shorts. Still, if you find a brand you like, check to see if it comes in larger sizes (such as those offered by Louis Garneau) and order it. Any top that wicks away the sweat will work, but a cycling-specific jersey comes with three back pockets to carry that cellphone, banana, or sunscreen.

Try Mountain Equipment Co-op, which offers a good variety of sizes, although sometimes you may be wearing the men’s version of a jersey. Who cares as long as it keeps you comfy on the road?

You can shop online for cycling clothes, but you’ll usually pay U.S. prices. Georgina Terry offers nice jerseys, shorts and skorts (www.terrybicycles.com) or try Junonia (www.junonia.com/thumb.htm?tl=2&ldid=18&sdid=50). Aerotech Design offers big-sized cycling wear for women and men (http://store.aerotechdesigns.com/spbeen12pa.html0.

RULES Finally, a bike class may be just what you

need to feel more confident cycling around the city. Citizens for Safe Cycling (www.safecycling.ca) has well-trained instructors and offers a variety of Can-Bike courses for children and adults.

Happy cycling, whatever shape you’re in! «OO

J U N E 1 9 T H – 2 1 S T 2 0 0 9P A R C M O O N E Y ʼ S B A Y M O O N E Y ʼ S B A Y P A R KO T T A W A O N T A R I O C A N A D A

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The Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour (www.ottawabicycleclub.ca/rlct) is a local legend, a demanding ride, and a scenic hit to remember. Organized and staffed by volunteers, it draws about 1,800 participants and has been running for 38 years. Riders leave from Ottawa or Perth to Kingston on a Saturday early in June and ride back again on Sunday.

As well as the 177-kilometre classic route that takes riders from Carleton University in Ottawa to Queen’s University in Kingston by way of Ashton, Perth and Westport, the tour offers more, and less, challenging options.

Cyclists can choose “the century,” which starts and finishes in Perth. What’s on offer? “We stop and swim at all the beaches,” says Dave White of Ottawa. “It’s a fun tradition and if some of us haven’t had a lot of time to train, we can still join in and not get injured.” White has been doing this route with friends for years, even though he’s an

experienced cyclist and triathlete who’s quite capable of longer distances.

For riders looking for a challenge who don’t mind an unsupported route with

no water and food stations, or support vehicles, the 185-kilometre Cruise through Kemptville, Merrickville, Jasper, Elgin and Battersea is a popular choice. And for those competitive riders who never say never, The Challenge, which is 220 kilometres each way, offers exactly that.

Last year I tackled the Rideau Lakes Classic route with my husband and we signed up for the 177 kilometres there, and the same distance back the next day.

Hot, humid weather and a stiff headwind made last year’s Ottawa to Kingston route challenging. Well, for those cyclists who were facing the wind it did. I drafted my

husband the whole way – riding directly behind him so I didn’t have to contend with the wind. Riders usually take turns. But not me, not that time. I kept cool with chocolate popsicles and shady rest stops and managed to complete the route in about 10 hours.

Slow and steady may win the race, but it’s also going to give you – and the kind soul who’s slowed to a crawl so you can draft him – saddle sores. And a stiff neck. And an aching lower back. Anyway you look at

it, that’s a long time in the saddle. So this year, it’s the Classic Tour again,

but this time I have a training plan. My “racing” bike is a Norco with attitude. It’s got pink grip tape, pink cables, a pink back-rack and a classic leather Brooks saddle. It’s solid steel and not getting any lighter, so I had better peddle faster.

Long-time tour participants try to bike 3,000 kilometres before the Rideau Lakes and train for strength on alternate days. For a mom of two young kids, reaching those kind of numbers is going to be challenging. But my husband and I have our bikes on trainers in the living room and once the kids go to sleep, we’re ready to ride.

When Tour day comes, I’ll probably still fuel myself on Ice Caps and chocolate popsicles, but I’ll be in better shape while I’m doing it. Here’s what I plan to do:

cORE STRENGTHCore strength can ease some of those

pains in your lower back, shoulders and neck, and contribute to explosive energy for challenging uphills. I need more of it because a second pregnancy left me with muscle separation in my abs. About 20 minutes of Pilates three mornings a week as well as regular sit-ups, push-ups, tri-curls and planks will go a long way to restoring the core power I’m going to need as we reach the hills north of Kingston. Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings are for the core.

SPEEDEarly on in the ride last year, I heard a

distant thunder that sounded like a horde of Harleys coming up behind us, but it was only some extremely fast riders in tight group formation. Very impressive. Very speedy. I’m hoping to shave at least an hour off my time from last year by starting with small sprints – like going as fast as

By KAThLEEn WILKER

Rideau Lakes cycle Tour means get fit earlyunless there’s a partner who’ll let you draft on behind

When Tour day comes, I’ll probably still fuel myself on Ice Caps and chocolate popsicles, but I’ll be in better shape while I’m doing it

Check out time Saturday morning at Carleton


I possibly can to the next intersection. Over time I’ll increase the distance I sprint until I develop faster speeds. I’m also practising short intervals of upping my pedal speed on the stationary bike so my legs get used to it.

ENDURANcEIf you want to be a better cyclist, bike

more. And there’s no better way to get your butt used to the saddle than distance riding. Some riders change their bike shorts half way through the day to avoid chaffing. I plan to slather Chamois Butter liberally before putting them on in the first place. The kids will join us on trail-o-bikes and back seats for a long ride up to Champlain Lookout on occasional Saturdays, so we’ll combine family time with a long ride and strength training. Similar dual missions are scheduled for Sunday afternoons.

HILL TRAININGWhen the snow clears, nothing beats hill

repeats on Pink Lake. That’s where I’ll be on Thursday nights as soon as the Gatineau Parkway is open again. In the meantime, I’ve joined a spinning class at CycleLogik, www.cyclelogik.com to get some group motivation.

GROUP RIDING A big part of the magic of Rideau Lakes is

the sheer volume of cyclists that takes over the roads between Ottawa and Kingston. For everyone to stay safe and enjoy the ride, basic group riding etiquette is essential. Starting in April, the Ottawa Bicycle Club (www.ottawabicycleclub.ca/clinics) offers clinics on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. at the Experimental Farm. Before beginners can

participate in an OBC group ride, attendance at one of these clinics is a must. You can bet I’ll be at a clinic, learning all the moves.

See you on the route. I’ll be the one not drafting my husband – at least not the whole way.(Kathleen Wilker loves to be outside with her family. Skiing, cycling, running, camping and canoeing are her favourite ways to enjoy nature.) «OO

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WHEN DEB OZARKO turned 45 she thought her days as an athlete were over. Once a tri-athlete she’d already given up running due to worn-out knees, and could only tolerate “aqua-thons” — the cycling and swimming portions of a triathlon. But eventually her shoulder started to go as well, and soon swimming became impossible.

She was relegated to the long bicycle rides. And even that became tough with her chronic frozen shoulder. After nearly a year of traditional and alternative treatments she finally gave up competitive training.

Still feeling a need to sweat, stay trim and fit she purchased a new type oflow-heat sauna and resigned herself to sitting still after years of being on the move. That’s when her big surprise came.

“My shoulder which was plaguing me for 10 bloody months suddenly felt better,” says Ozarko.

“I’ve been to acupuncturists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, Active Release Therapists and I’ve had X-rays, ultrasound and an MRI. But after only three treatments in this sauna it feels better than all of that combined.”

The low-heat sauna is designed by a company called SaunaRay and is made in Ontario. Ozarko knew that the Ottawa Senators have been using one in the stadium for a couple of years. The Canadian Armed Forces are also using SaunaRay units in the nations infantry training centre on new recruits training for duty in Afghanistan.

The units operate at a lower temperature than traditional saunas and you can tolerate the heat much longer. It’s possible to stay inside for 45 minutes to an hour and let the gentle warmth from ceramic heaters penetrate soft tissue, speeding injury repair and helping to prevent stress related injuries from heavy training.

Ozarko is one of many aging endurance athletes finding that infrared sauna therapy can mobilize lactic acid and alleviate muscle cramping that occurs as a secondary problem to many sports injuries.

Glenna Ritchie of Mississauga is a perfect example of someone who is returning to a more fit life after years of becoming sedentary. At 73 years old she was developing severe chronic fatigue and bought a sauna to detoxify on the recommendation of her naturopath.

“I realized I’d stopped going to the pool in the past while,” says Ritchie. “I just couldn’t muster the energy. But after about a month in the sauna I just got up and went down to the pool and now I’m swimming thirty to forty laps again.”

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Your Ottawa Valley Adventure Directory 1-800-757-6580 OttawaValley.org

cOMMUNITIESBancroft & district Chamber of Commerce Bancroft On 888.443.9999 bancroftdistrict.com Bancroft - where adventure comes naturally

City of Pembroke Pembroke On 613.735.6821 pembroke.caheart of the Ottawa Valley - national Communities in Bloom Winner

Town of Petawawa Petawawa On 613.687.5536 petawawa.ca Petawawa - dynamic by nature

Township of Madawaska Valley Barry’s Bay On 866.222.8699 madawaskavalley.on.ca your official “mancation destination”

OUTFITTERS, REcREATION & GUIDED TOURS

Canadian Voyageur Adventures Arnprior On 800.833.5055 gocanoe.caGuided eco-tourism voyageur canoe excursions; one/multi-day/custom; beaches, wilderness

Renfrew County ATV Club Pembroke On 613.735.8882 renfrewcountyatv.caExplore a 400km network of trails over classic Canadian shield

Top of the Mountain ATV Tours Killaloe On 613.757.0288 topofthemountaintours.comProviding the guide, the ride (ATV), and four-wheeling fun

PADDLING ScHOOLS

Liquid Skills Inc. Beachburg On 613.582.3340 liquidskills.com10th Anniversary! Kayak instruction, junior camps (9-18), national-international vacations

Madawaska Kanu Centre Barry’s Bay On 888.652.5268 mkc.ca Canada’s first whitewater school for kayaks & canoes

Paddler Co-op Palmer Rapids On 888.233.3929 paddlerco-op.comhigh quality canoe & kayak instruction for adults, families, youth

WHITEWATER ADvENTUREOWL Rafting on the Ottawa River foresters falls On 800.461.7238 owlrafting.com One and two-day high adventure and family raft trips

ATTRAcTIONS & MUSEUMSBonnechere Caves Eganville On 800.469.2283 bonnecherecaves.com Our guided tours are appropriate for all ages

The Canadian Clock Museum deep River On 613.584.9687 canclockmuseum.caGuided tours: see and hear two centuries of Canadian clocks

hugli’s Blueberry Ranch, Ice Cream & Gift Store Pembroke On 613.638.1288 blueberryranch.ca

Country fun grows here! Popular agri-tourism attraction. Giant pumpkin boat races.

Pembroke heritage Murals Pembroke On 613.735.3413 pembroke.ca Canada’s largest outdoor art gallery with 30+ murals

SPEcIAL EvENTSRockhound Gemboree (Jul 30-Aug 2) Bancroft On 888.443.9999 bancroftdistrict.com Visit the 36th Annual Rockhound Gemboree

Rodéo Pontiac (Jun 26-28) fort-Coulonge QC 819.648.5689, x224 rodeopontiac.com Shine those cowboy boots and dust off your hats

Waterfront festival (Aug 7-9) Pembroke On 613.735.6821, x1502 pembroke.caLocal Talent. Local flavour. Local flair. Celebrating the Ottawa Valley

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Golfaholics.ca Renfrew On 800.668.0466 golfaholics.caGreatest golf package value in Canada. 10 courses from $99

DININGWes’ Chips Arnprior On 198 Madawaska Blvd Serving the best fries in the Ottawa Valley

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The fans of Calabogie Calabogie On 613.752.1595 thefansofcalabogie.comA perfect spot.Overlooking Calabogie Lake and fabulous breakfast menu

The Paddlers Inn B&B Beachburg On 613.582.7337 thepaddlersinn.comfriendly, family atmosphere. five minutes to the Ottawa River

cAMPGROUNDS & cOTTAGES

Blue Moon Retreat Purdy/Barry’s Bay On 800.659.9448 bluemoonretreat.infoLuxury 4 seasons cottage resort - peaceful lake - great value for money

Bonnechere Provincial Park Killaloe On 613.757.2103 bonnecherepark.on.caSandy beach, hiking trails, cabins, canoe rentals, kids programs, playground

Pine Ridge Park & Resort Pembroke On 800.746.3743 pineridgepark.comA great playground on the Ottawa River with excellent fishing

Red deer Lodge & Campground Madawaska On 613.637.5215holidayjunction.com/canada/on/con0050.html

Pack your toys, leave the noise, come to where the wildlife isn’t human

Red Wolf Retreat Eganville On 613.754.5241 redwolfretreat.ca yurts and cottages nestled in the Opeongo hills

HOTELS & MOTELSBest Western Pembroke Inn & Conference Centre Pembroke On 800.567.2378 bestwesternpembroke.com

Pool, restaurant, easily accessible, great customer service, fitness centre, relaxing

Best Western Renfrew Inn & Conference Centre Renfrew On 800.668.0466 bwrenfrew.ca 2 for 1 hotel rooms - 10 golf courses to choose from

Pembroke Comfort Inn Pembroke On 877.289.9008 comfortinnpembroke.com We over look nothing but the Ottawa River

LODGES & RESORTS

Blue Moon Retreat Purdy/Barry’s Bay On 800.659.9448 bluemoonretreat.infoLuxury 4 seasons cottage resort - peaceful lake - great value for money


Famous for its stunning outdoors, cultural and heritage riches and a welcoming, hospitable nature, the Ottawa Valley is Ontario’s Adventure Playground. Surrounded by woodlands, more than 900 pristine lakes, four major river systems, the Ottawa Valley is conveniently located east of the Nation’s Capital, stretching for 220km east-west along the TransCanada Highway and south to the majestic Algonquin Park.

The Valley consists of a unique blend of towns, villages and municipalities, where you will find plenty of variety, from the urban centres to the rural areas, where beautiful artistry, seasonal agriculture and lush wilderness abound.

Known as the Whitewater Capital of Canada, the area is home to some of the fastest, cleanest, warmest and safest rivers in the country – perfect for serious kayak or canoe action. You’ll find rivers for all seasons and skill levels – the Ottawa, Madawaska, Bonnechere, Petawawa, Opeongo, Dumoine, Barron, Mattawa, Coulonge, Noire, Papineau Creek, York, Grant’s Creek and more. Rivers flow from March to the end of November making for a long paddling season. Each year the Ottawa Valley hosts a variety of international, national and provincial kayaking and canoeing championships, festivals

and paddling events. Want to master your J-stroke? The Valley is also home to Canada’s best paddling schools – kayak, raft or canoe.

Several seasoned outfitters offer a variety of guided packages from screamin’ high-adventure rafting to gentle family float-trips, sea kayaking and sport-yaking, canoe clinics, slalom racing and whitewater rodeos. If

racing down a Class III, IV or V rapid is not your style, then slow down and relax as you glide across one of the area’s

many lakes. Be sure to pack your camera, the photo opps are endless.

OK, so maybe you’re not a paddler. Don’t worry, there’s more. An amazing array of outdoor activities awaits you – from camping to waterfall viewing. The Ottawa Valley appeals to outdoor enthusiasts with expansive multi-use trails, breathtaking canyons, hunting, fishing, ATVing, geocaching, golfing, small town walking tours and spectacular fall colours. The list goes on.

Thriving communities host literary, film and art festivals, concerts, live theatre and studio tours. Storytellers and festivals help to preserve and share the Valley’s rich heritage and culture, not to mention the more than 20 museums found throughout the region. Did you know the Ottawa Valley is home to Canada’s only clock museum?

Nestled among the many towns, villages and hamlets lay many unexpected treasures. Urban hikers and cyclists can take a self-guided tour of the Pembroke Heritage Murals - Canada’s largest outdoor gallery or bike the historic Opeongo Line to Foymount - Ontario’s highest populated point. Amble the streets of Deep River, a planned community designed to accommodate the pioneers of Canada’s nuclear program, or celebrate Kashubian culture in Wilno - Canada’s First Polish Settlement.

Looking for some retail therapy? Shopping malls and professional services are available throughout the Valley, however, what keeps the visitors coming back are the numerous antique shops, boutiques, galleries and craft stores where the craftsmanship of artisans from across the region can be found on prominent display.

The countryside is dotted with a variety of accommodations from affordable cottage rentals and campgrounds to family-operated lodges and resorts or cozy bed and breakfasts to full amenity hotels. Tasty Ottawa Valley cuisine can be savoured in a variety of eateries; elegant inns and tearooms, family dining lounges, historic taverns and traditional parish suppers. Whether you are looking for a succulent gourmet feast or a quick bite to tide you over between destinations, the Ottawa Valley offers a great variety for diners.

For a romantic getaway, family holiday, a day’s shopping, the great outdoors, whatever you choose, let your sense of adventure guide you to the Ottawa Valley.

For more information about the Ottawa Valley or help planing your adventure, visit ottawavalley.org or call 1-800-757-6580.

Ontario’s Adventure Playground!

Let your sense of adventure guide you to the Ottawa valley…

Ottawa Valley is Ontario’s Adventure

Playground


EVEnt CaLEndar & OutdOOr LiStinGS

HIKING / BIKING / SAILING / PADDLING / ADVENTURE CLUBS / RUNNING / WHITEWATEROttawa Orienteering Club www.ottawaoc.ca We organize and take part in orienteering events in the Ottawa area.

Ottawa Hostel Outdoor Club http://ohoc.ncf.ca A rec club with hiking, cycling, canoeing, skiing, and snowshoeing.

Rideau Trail Association www.rideautrail.org A hiking club dedicated to maintaining the trail from Kingston to Ottawa.

Ottawa Triathlon Club www.ottawatriathlonclub.com A recreational organization dedicated to teaching the enjoyment of tris.

Ottawa Bicycle Club www.ottawabicycleclub.ca Offers a range of cycling programs from novice to expert.

Kanata Mt. Bike Community www.mtbkanata.com We ride our bikes, then do something related to bikes.

Ottawa-Carleton Ultimate Assoc. www.ocua.ca The largest Ultimate (Frisbee) league in the world.

Ottawa Sport and Social Club www.ossc.ca A co-ed, rec sport league, with tourneys and social events for adults.

Ottawa Rowing Club www.ottawarowingclub.com Come see what rowing is like on the picturesque Ottawa River.

Liquid Skills Paddling Centre www.liquidskills.com Programs and clinics, kayak lessons, expeditions and teen camps.

Madawaska Kanu Centre www.owl-mkc.ca Kayak lessons in-city and on-site. Weekend clinics for the whole family.

Ottawa Sailing School www.boattraining.com They offer the highest quality sailing programs and on-the-water adventure.Somersault Events www.somersault.ca Triathlons, duathlons, and running events for you or the entire family.The Running Room www.runningroom.com Ottawa’s running and walking club for team fitness.TriRudy www.trirudy.com Website and resource for duathlons and triathlons.La RoccaXC Mt.Bike School (Women, Kids) www.creativewheel.ca Camp for boys and girls, and women keen to enjoy mountain biking.Wilderness Tours www.wildernesstours.com In addition to rafting they offer kayak lessons and adventure camps.Owl Rafting www.owl-mkc.ca Rafting, sea-kayaking, lessons, plus adventure programs.Esprit Rafting www.espritrafting.com Rafting, canoeing and several training and certification courses.River Run Rafting www.riverrunners.com Rafting, family trips, kayaking, cabins and more.Ottawa Rowing Club www.ottawarowingclub.com Come see what rowing is like on the picturesque Ottawa River.

DATE EVENT NAME WEBSITEApril 24 Law day fun Run 2009 www.runningroom.comApril 25 Cornwall Run to End MS www.geocities.com/mssocietyofcornwall April 26 Minto Run for Reach www.runningroom.comApril 26 Paris-Roubaix Cyclosportif www.ottawabicycleclub.caApril 29 Women in Orienteering www.ottawa.caMay-August Ottawa Bicycle Club: Women’s Time Trials www.ottawabicycleclub.caMay 1-3 frontenac Outfitters Canoe & Kayak Sale www.frontenac-outfitters.comMay 2 CBI health hustle for hunger www.runningroom.comMay 2 Cumberland du www.somersaultpromotions.comMay 2 diefenbooker Classic www.ncra-ottawa.comMay 3 Kanata To Bank Street www.runningroom.comMay 3 Steps for Life www.runningroom.comMay 3 The Place d’Orleans Orleans half Marathon www.ncra-ottawa.comMay 5 Learn-O Clinic www.ottawaoc.caMay 9 Walk/Run for Wishes www.runningroom.comMay 12 nCRA Beaver Chase Series Event 1 www.nrca-ottawa.comMay 15 high School Mountain Bike Championships www.sgdhs.ca/bikerace/info.htmMay 16 5 Peaks Race: Kingston www.5peaks.comMay 16 Colonel By Classic 8 km/3km and Wylie Ryan dow’s Lake 1Km Run www.somersaultpromotions.comMay 16 Ottawa Early Bird www.somersaultpromotions.comMay 23/24 Ottawa Race Weekend www.ncm.caMay 30 5 Peaks: Mont Tremblant www.5peaks.comJune 3 Paint Ottawa Pink www.runningroom.comJune 6 Barrhaven Run for Roger’s house www.BarrhavenRun.ca June 6 Rideau Lakes Cycling Tour www.ottawabicycleclub.caJune 6 Kingston Self-Transcendence 6 hour Race www.ouser.orgJune 6-7 Wild Women on Wheels Weekend www.creativewheel.caJune 9 Beaver Chase Series Event 2 www.ncra-ottawa.comJune 12-13 Relay for Life- nepean www.cancer.ca June 13 Ottawa Riverkeeper Triathlon, duathlon, Relays www.somersaultpromotions.comJune 13 Britannia Beach 5 km fun Run and Wylie Ryan Quick Kids 2 km www.somersaultpromotions.comJune 13-14 Wild Women on Wheels Weekend www.creativewheel.caJune 14 Old Ottawa South River Run www.oldottawasouth.caJune 19-20 Relay for Life- Orleans and Stittsville www.cancer.ca June 20 Emilie’s Run for Women Only and Wylie Ryan Aviation Museum 1 km www.somersaultpromotions.comJune 21 Smith falls Classic Triathlon, duathlon & Relays www.somersaultpromotions.comJune 21 Alterna do It for dad www.alternadifd.ca July 1 Bushtukah Canada day Road Races www.nrca-ottawa.comJuly 5 Greater Kingston Sydenham Triathlon, duathlon & Relays www.somersaultpromotions.comJuly 11 Triathlon Gatineau www.triathlongatineau.caJuly 12 Graham Beasley Iron 113 Triathlon, duathlon & Relays www.somersaultpromotions.comJuly 12 Carleton Place heritage 5 km Run www.somersaultpromotions.comJuly 14 nCRA Beaver Chase Series Event 3 www.nrca-ottawa.comJuly 18 12th Annual Ottawa Bicycle Club Grand Prix www.ottawabicycleclub.caJuly 18 The Mitsubishi City Chase www.runningroom.comJuly 19 hintonburg Centennial 5k Run/Walk www.runningroom.comJuly 21 Smith falls figure Eight 5 km Run www.somersaultpromotions.com


skills and expertise. I just didn’t get it. Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not

knocking the male bonding type trip. I’m just not keen on guiding one. I’ve gone on plenty of those guy outings and had a positive experience, and it’s evident that for both male and female groups spending time in the wilderness has value. To me, however, women in the wilderness have the ability to deconstruct gender and gender stereotyping. As Walter Ong said it, “All real women have more sense. Not all real men do. Masculinity has something futile

I don’t recall ever guiding an all-male trip without unpacking the first-aid kit.

Constantly challenging my leadership had to be the worst dysfunction, though. Maybe I lack a few male hormones myself due to being brought up with three older sisters, but I never could completely understand why some guys in the group would have this strong urge to overpower the leader. They’d try to fish better, paddle better, brew better coffee, constantly question my navigational skills, and even try to fart louder than me. But at the same time they were paying me for my

THERE WAS A TIME when the major part of my income came from guiding people on canoe trips. I worked for a base camp in Ontario’s Temagami region and spent the summer traveling with a new group of clients every week. Surprisingly, it was my people skills that would make or break each trip, more so than my camping skills. Good group dynamics was the key to surviving each trip.

I guided a real mix of personalities and group combinations. There were high school youths, seniors, juvenile delinquents, married couples, co-ed clusters, women-only retreats and those memorable male-bonding ventures. When it came to choosing the worst and best groups to guide, men were always a nightmare and women were always the most pleasurable. My preference had little to do with me being a sex-crazed twenty-year-old at the time; at least I like to think that wasn’t the main reason. My pleasure in guiding women had to do with good group dynamics.

Experience taught me that women seemed to communicate better than men; they had a higher pain threshold than men; they were safer than men; and their personal hygiene always won over men’s. Guys, you’re going to hate me for saying this, but most of the time you were a pain in ass when it came to guiding you on a canoe trip.

Male trips always turned disastrous. Day one, guaranteed, was spent trying to gather everyone up like a herd of cattle. Each male in the group thought he was better than the other and desperately tried to prove it by paddling faster and harder. We made a lot of distance and it wasn’t that much of an issue, at least not until day three or four, when everyone was so exhausted from competing with one another that we would lose ground and fall behind. The more time we had to make up near the end of the trip, the crankier the men became; and with their inability to communicate their feelings, yelling matches or even fist fights became inevitable.

Danger Boy was always alive and well around an all-male group. There were the axe-throwing competitions, cliff jumping, or worse the ‘my fire is bigger than your fire’ contests that always got way out of hand.

By KEVIn CALLAn

Women only, please

If you’d like to experience a new “outdoor river experience” on the historical Ottawa River, now designated a Canadian heritage River, then contact RiverRun Rafting this summer. Experience and Learn about the ancient portage routes of the Algonquin Indians, the explorations of Samuel de Champlain and the massive logging industry that made history many years ago. The heritage River Tour is offered daily mid-June until early September. duration is approximately 4.5 hours and includes all necessary equipment, a riverside picnic lunch and a video re-run presentation of your trip. Cost: Adults $79.00 Children up to 15 years $60.00 (plus a $5 service charge and gst) note: minimum age is 6 years and 50 lbs in weight.

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about it.” I like the attitude that women generally have on a trip. They don’t push for mileage, traveling between two points as quickly as possible, but rather take in the pleasures of the social elements, a trip’s ability to develop teamwork and lifelong relationships. They also seem to soak in their surroundings better, even appreciate nature more. Again, I’m not saying men do not exhibit the same value system; it just seems that when I guided them this was an afterthought rather than a priority of the trip.

The example of Don Starkell and Victoria Jason comes to mind. Starkell received instant fame after his 1980 canoe trip, paddling 12,000 miles from Winnipeg, Canada, to the mouth of the Amazon River. In 1991, Starkell joined forces with Victoria Jason in an attempt to kayak the Northwest Passage starting in Churchill, Manitoba, and concluding at Tuktoyaktuk, just North of Inuvik on the Beaufort Sea. Conflicts between them arose and the paddlers eventually went their separate ways. Starkell never made it to the finish line. He was in sight of Tuktoyaktuk but

had to be rescued after being frozen in on the Arctic Coast, losing most of his fingers and some toes from frostbite. Jason, on the other hand, was successful and in her separate book Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak, was harshly critical of Starkell’s style of traveling. Jason claimed it was her common-sense caution and respect for the elements that enabled her to survive her journey unscathed, and it was Starkell using more brawn than brains that caused him to fail.

It’s an interesting case study. But who’s better men or women is not the point I’m trying to make here. It’s that I find traveling in the wilderness with an all-woman group very satisfying. They remind me that time spent in the wilderness tends to allow people to feel complete, not divided. The women I guided were interested in being a part of nature, not conquerors over it. The female group experiences even enriched and complemented my male experiences and I became a better guide, and person, because of them. «OO

An excerpt from Kevin’s new book Wilderness Pleasures, published by Firefly Books.

A FEW ADVENTUROUS WOMEN

Isabella Bird: In 1873 she covered on horseback over 800 miles through the Rocky Mountains.

Grace Seton-Thompson: In 1900 wrote about her Rocky Mountain travels in her bestselling A Woman Tenderfoot.

Mina Hubbard: Was the wife of Leonidas Hubbard, who died of starvation in 1903 during a canoe trip from North West River to Ungava. Mina returned to Labrador two years later to complete the route herself.

Isobel Knowles: Wrote her account of a canoe trip down Quebec’s Gatineau River in 1905 for Cosmopolitan magazine, highlighting the fact that she and her female partner successfully wore long skirts.

Esther Keyser: Became the first female guide for Canada’s Algonquin Park (1927).

Connie Helmericks: Set out in 1965 on an Arctic canoeing trip with her two daughters, twelve and fourteen years old.

Cindy Ross: Hiked the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail in 1979-80; more successful but less well known is her 1993 trek across the 3,100-mile Continental Trail with husband and two toddlers.

PHOTO CREDITS: SELENA KARKASH

Five hiking trails in easy reachA lot to choose from, so here’s a startWRITTEn & PhOTOS By MIChAEL hAynES

EVERYTHING IS LINING up for a great weekend spent outdoors. There are no chores outstanding around the house, a couple of friends are available and keen, and even the weather forecast is looking promising: reasonably clear and comfortably warm. You know that these ideal conditions only occur a few times during the year, so the opportunity can’t be wasted. But where do you go? There are so many trails, so many options: Greenbelt, Gatineau Park, provincial parks. How do you choose?

Well, I am here to help (and no, I am not from the government). Here are five not-to-be missed trails within a short drive of the city.

OTTAWA RIVER EAST – AVIATION MUSEUM

Let’s start easy and close to home. You can even take OC Transpo 129 to this one. One of the most striking features of Ottawa is how much of the river remains in public hands. The Ottawa River Pathway east of Rockcliffe Park follows the shoreline on a wide, crushed stone surface within a stone’s throw of the water for more than seven kilometres. The view of Kettle Island, the Duck Islands, and the broad waterway is tremendously attractive, and you can easily forget that you are in the middle one of the largest cities in the country because almost no buildings are visible. And there are not many trails where you can also visit a nationally famous museum after your walk.

The Aviation Museum is at the north end of the Aviation Parkway, 4.2 kilometres from the Highway 417/Highway 174 split. However, the only direction from which Aviation Parkway can be accessed is from Exit 112, Innes Road, on Highway 417. There is no access from Highway 417 from the west, nor from Highway 174 to the east. Park in the south end of the parking lot; trail starts in southwest corner. Trailhead: N 45º 27” 23.7’ W 75º 38” 42.3’

KING MOUNTAINThe Eardley Escarpment in Gatineau Park

looms like a fortress wall over the city, and draws sight-seers like a magnet. But where are the best views? King Mountain, sitting high above Lac Kingsmere and jutting a little

further out from the main row of hills, wins easily. While only a short three kilometres, the trail climbs and descends the steep knoll of King Mountain to deliver you to exceptional views of the Ottawa River

Valley. There are even handy interpretive panels so you can improve your education as you struggle up the steep slope from the parking lot. And if you want a longer walk, no problem! Check the park’s trail map. Connecting Trail 8 will take you to the rest of Gatineau Park’s trail network, and as far as you want to go.

From the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, take Exit 1, Boulevard Maisonneuve, toward Centre-Ville. Drive 400 metres on

Boulevard Maisonneuve, turning right onto Boulevard des Allumetières. Follow to end, three kilometres, turning on ramp to Gatineau Park, 300 metres. Turn left onto Promenade de la Gatineau and follow for 9.5 kilometres, turning left at major junction. Continue 5.3 kilometres; parking area on left. Trailhead: N 45° 29’ 31.6” W 75° 51’ 43.5”

SENTIER DES LOUPSThe Ottawa River is pretty and King

Mountain nice, but what about something challenging? The Sentier des Loups, climbing up Gatineau Park’s rugged hills from the direction of Meech Lake, should satisfy you – at least for half a day. This 9.5-kilometre grunt begins uphill, and continues so for its first half. Your reward will be some large flat stone hilltops where you can bask in the sun and even get some good views of the

Ottawa River Valley. This is almost as tough as it gets in Gatineau Park, so make sure everyone who comes along is prepared to sweat a little.

From the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, follow Highway 5 for 12 kilometres to Exit 12, Old Chelsea. Turn left and continue straight through community. Once in Gatineau Park, Chemin Old Chelsea becomes Chemin du Lac Meech. Continue

for 10.5 kilometres; look for P13 on your left. Trailhead: N 45° 32” 36.8’ – W 75° 54” 37.7’

PARCOURS LOUIS-JOSEPH PAPINEAU – ST-ANDRé AVELLIN

Not every trail should be evaluated purely in terms of its challenge, although at 20 kilometres for a return trip, the parcours qualifies as well. What is most distinctive about this wonderful trail is the public art sprinkled throughout its entire length. Dozens of creative pieces, from the whimsical to the bizarre (I was amused by the big geese, but my favourite was La Bibliothèque minérale) may be found in the fields and forest bordering the crushed stone path. This is no wide abandoned rail line. Although wide, the parcours climbs several substantial hills, ending in a


viewing platform with a reasonably scenic panorama of the neighbouring river valley and ridgeline. This hard-to-find trail is a true hidden gem.

From the Macdonald-Champlain Bridge, follow Highway 5 to Exit 2 and turn right onto Highway 50. Follow Highway 50 to Exit 166, about 30 kilometres. Turn left at junction with Highway 315, 600 metres after exit. Drive 500 metres to streetlight and junction with Highway 148. Continue straight, then left, following Highway 148 for 33 kilometres to Papineauville and

junction with Highway 321. Turn left, and continue for 13 kilometres to St-André-Avellin. Entrance to parking area is dirt lane on left immediately past the Bar Chez Max and opposite the Dépanneur du Village, 39 rue Principale. Trailhead back from road 50 metres. Trailhead: N 45° 43” 13.1’ W 75° 03” 28.8’

FRONTENAC PROVINCIAL PARK – SPLIT LAKE LOOP

There needs to be at least one overnight hike in this list, right? Everyone needs at least one night of manly – or womanly – bonding round the campfire each year. Frontenac Park is a marvellous sliver of Canadian Shield found almost in Lake Ontario, and its trail system is extensive and amazing. Of all its many possibilities, my favourite is the Split Lake Loop, starting from the Visitor Centre. This 28-kilometre loop passes several of the park’s campsites, alongside a number of the many lakes and ponds with Frontenac’s modest 52-square-kilometre area, and to the top of the highest point within park boundaries. It is enjoyable trekking, rugged enough to tire, but not so tough that you cannot enjoy your bonding at the camp. The Split Lake loop also connects

to the Rideau Trail, as do several other park trails, so side trips are possible if you decide you need another night of bonding!

From Ottawa, take Highway 7 to Sharbot Lake, approximately 105 kilometres from the Highway 416/417 split. Turn left onto Highway 38, and drive 40 kilometres to County Road 19, Desert Lake Road, where you turn left. There is a park road sign. Continue 27 kilometres to Salmon Lake Road, turning left. Park entrance is reached two kilometres later; turn right to Visitor Centre, parking area on left. Map and day pass can be purchased at Visitor Centre. Trailhead: N 44° 30” 21.3’ W 76° 33” 15.8’. «OO

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The canadian kilometre Achiever Program wants you

– JUST bE PREPARED Solo tour biking means you rule

By ShEILA ASCROfT

IF YOU ARE LIKE MANY cyclists and don’t like to ride in a pack, don’t get stuck in the city – you can always create your own solo cycling tour. It doesn’t have to be a grand adventure like cycling across Canada, or even an out-and-back to Merrickville. It can be anything beyond your farthest ride into an area you’ve never cycled before.

Solo touring lets you go where you want, when you want, as fast or slow as you want. You can change the route on a whim because there is just you to please – and just you to get ready. Here’s how.

Be prepared on all fronts. Carry 1. some cash, a credit card, OHIP card, emergency contact information, a fully charged cellphone, and any emergency meds such as your asthma puffer. A vest or rain jacket is a very good idea in iffy weather. Bring a map, or log the route into your GPS. Adventure is good but being lost isn’t. (more on this in Sidebar 1)

Bring the basic tools and know how to 2. fix a flat (see sidebar 2). Cellphones don’t work everywhere, so you can’t depend on others. Bring a lightweight cable to deter an impulsive theft and leave the heavy Kryptonite at home.Bring water –at least two bottles 3. or a hydration pack for those long stretches of dusty country roads with nary a store in sight. Buy bottled water even if a kind local resident offers tap water. Your stomach may not like the different salts and

minerals (or whatever else!) in water not from home. Bring or buy Gatorade or whatever liquid “ade” you normally use. This is not the time to confuse your stomach with something new. Or bring the powder in a plastic bag and buy water to mix your own drink.You’ve probably heard this one before 4. but it is important. If you are riding more than 90 minutes, you have to eat and drink to keep your body fueled for the effort. (I bonked once from low fuel and was so shaky I couldn’t ride, until someone came by with a spare gel.) After a few hours on a tour, I stop for a two per cent chocolate milk. It

be PreparedPrepare before you get ambitious.

Setting a cycling goal does require training, but sometimes it seems like there just isn’t enough training time for the tour you dreamed of in March. But you may still be able to do it. Most cyclists believe that if you can bike two-thirds of the planned-for distance several times in the weeks before the tour, then you will probably go the whole way. Adrenalin? Maybe. Most cyclists are so psyched on “event day” that they make that extra one-third. Try it. If you plan an out-and-back route, the worst thing is you turn around early.

has the fluid, carbs and protein you need, and tastes good too. On five- or six-hour rides, I bring or buy a bagel with cheese, as well as power gels and Jelly Belly Sport Beans. Check out various food bars and gels in training to learn what works for you. Always keep a spare gel in your seat bag.Don’t be afraid to stop to smell the 5. roses or photograph a weird-looking mailbox, or take in a local parade. Speed is not mandatory. It doesn’t matter how slow you go, eventually you will get there – so enjoy the trip. Don’t worry about the wind. You can’t 6. stop it or change its direction, but you can change yours! Dogleg your route so headwind is interspersed with side winds. Offer assistance to any stranded 7. cyclist – you never know when you too might need a helping hand. Even if you can’t actually fix the problem, just offering continues the unspoken tradition of cycling camaraderie. And you might gain a riding companion for a while – always an interesting prospect.Listen to your optimistic self. Your 8. mind might tell you it’s a road too far, a hill too steep, or you are lost or, or, or …. Ignore that voice. Brighten up. Tick off the number of kilometres you’ve ridden, the new things you’ve seen (the raccoon in the tree, the 120-year-old stone kirk) and the feeling of going where you’ve never gone before, alone on a bike. Revel in your accomplishment.For overnight solo touring, add an 9. expandable rack pack for a change of clothes and toiletries with minimum weight. A rack pack forces you to bring only what’s necessary, unlike panniers (saddlebags) where there’s a temptation to stuff in more. You’re the one who has to haul everything up the hills. Don’t even think about a conventional backpack. You will feel the weight more, your back will ache, and you forgo the freedom that comes with a bike.Multi-day touring or camp touring 10. takes extra prep and equipment. Lots more. Check books and websites on how to do it right.

Here’s a start: http://bicycleuniverse.info/touring; www.cyclotour.com and www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/touring. «OO

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Avoiding flats or fixing them WHETHER you ride on pavement or a dirt trail, you will inevitably have a flat tire. So,

Put air in your tires once a week • using a floor pump with a gauge (check tire sidewall for min/max amount of air pressure).Don’t ride in the debris by the gutter • – you’re asking for a stray piece of sharp metal to attack your tire.Try to ride around broken glass. If • you do go through, stop and brush off your tires so the glass won’t become imbedded.

Consider putting Slime™ in your • tubes or using Mr. Tuffy™ tire liners. Buy a pair of Armadillo tires or • something equally puncture-resistant durable for tough terrain or touring. If you can afford it, buy tires with a higher PSI than 66. It will make your ride more comfortable. Carry two tire levers, a spare inner • tube, a patch kit and an air pump or CO2 cartridge.

It is quicker to replace a flat inner tube with a spare and then fix the damaged one at home. But still carry a patch kit, because sometimes one spare tube is not enough! Check the inside of the tire and remove whatever caused the puncture before pumping up the new tube or you may blow your spare.

CO2 cartridges give you only one or two chances to fill a tire. If you mess up, you are out of luck. After many experiences with mini pumps where I could not put in enough air to ride on the tire, I now rely on the Topeak Road Morph pump. It is a bit bigger and heavier than a mini, but acts almost like a floor pump guaranteeing you can actually pump up your tire to 100 PSI each and every time. «OO


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Find that well-rounded life you left behindWork isn’t everything

By AnThOny SnIPPE

I walked through the door this morning, ready for another day. I glanced at my ride, checking the wheels, seeing them clean and ready to roll well. I settled my bag into place and tilted my seat back to get comfortable for another long ride at the desk. I leaned forward, turned on the computer, checked voicemails and e-mail and dived into yet another workday.

Sometimes I think to myself, “Remember when I used to pedal to work or school? Remember when I could actually do a pushup?”

My concept of a pushup now is more of a push-away; I push away from my desk to go for a another coffee.

Somewhere over the last few years, my bike stopped coming down from the wall, my climbing gear got dusty and my snowboard edge turned to permanent rust. I can’t pinpoint it, but that rounded life way back when got squeezed flat among last year’s revenues, this year’s projected growth and today’s customers. Did I get lazy or just too busy?

Yes, for most of us life is busier than ever, but somehow we still find time for the necessities – TV, video games, the

computer, or whatever else you can’t seem to do without. So if I stopped riding my bike or snowboarding or paying enough attention to my significant other, I’ve done it by choice.

Which brings me to the question of why on earth would I stop doing the things I love so I can spend more time doing things I already do all day? Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. It’s fun, I’m surrounded by good people and the day flies by. While it’s true there’s work to be done, bills to be paid and sometimes you have to work a little harder or stay a little later, this should not become the rule. Family, friends and the activities you love should not become the exception.

I know I have the choice, so I’m deciding now that that bike is coming off its hooks and I’m going for a ride. The inline skates will get used more than once this year and I will spend time with my family and friends. I don’t need to do it every day like I used to, but life is about balance and only I have the power to decide what that balance is. See you on the trail! «OO

Anthony Snippe is the Owner of Creative Unity Ltd.

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