Entry Eleven

I got to Quyon, Quebec, about 35 miles west of Ottawa last night. I got permission from a nice old Lions Club Member to camp in their Town Park for the night. The park is located next to this nifty little ferry dock. These itty, bitty ferries are constantly moving back and forth ferrying three to five cars at a time across the Ottawa River from Quebec to Ontario. I was once again camped right on the water and you sure can't beat FREE for a price.

The ride down the Ottawa River Valley into Ottawa this morning was scenic. The highway I was on did not have any shoulders (as usual), but the traffic was considerably less and was travelling slower than the last couple of days; so I was able to enjoy the ride. Ottawa is the first large city I have encountered on my Journey. It is the Capital of Canada. Its Parliament and other governemnt buildings dominate some commanding heights above the river and make for a very impressive view from afar. I had no trouble finding them. I arrived just in time to miss the spectacle of the Changing of the Guards. I stopped to take a tour of the Parliament, which is out of session during the summer. Adjacent to this governement center are a series of small locks which drop a city canal down to the river. Unlike our Ballard Locks, these are quite small and narrow, and there are 6 locks, one after the other,to step down the required elevation.

Talking with a number of residents, I was aware of a host of other tourist opportunities that are available in this Capital City. The National Art Museum and the Museum of Civilization are two of the more prominent attractions, each with very dramatic architecture. But I need to be camped along the St Lawrence River this evening, 40 miles away. So as is all to often the case, I am only barely able to touch on the possibilities of the area I'm traveling through.

I will be entering New York State tomorrow. Distances are much shorter in the East. My crossing of New England to the Atlantic Ocean represents only a fraction of the distance I traveled across Montana, North Dakota or Washington. It is only a few days before I hit saltwater again and fulfill my Journey. That should leave me some time to actually enjoy the final portion of my vacation as I make my way down to Boston and my flight home on August 4.

PS. Julie Ewing told me weeks ago that some of the people at Work had started a Pool, wagering where I would be on July 20 (if I heard her correctly). Well, for those who wagered that I'd be back at my desk at work, YOU LOSE! For the rest of you who know me better, the evening of July 20 I camped at Nair Carn, 30 miles west of Sudbury, Ontario.