Another Bike Ride

This time I went in the opposite direction.  I biked to Petrie Island.  You've all been there - we went the last time we were visiting your grandparents but we also went quite a few times when you we lived in Ottawa.  Petrie Island is actually closer to where we used to live than it is to Gramma's house.  It was a long bike ride - almost 10 km to get there so it was close to 20km altogether!  good for me right?

This marina in the winter time used to be where countless ice fishing huts were set up.  I'll be curious to see if this still happens this winter.  I've been ice fishing before - I'd like to do it again but I no longer know anyone who does it.  Hopefully I'll meet someone.

This is a view of a very sandy and clean beach - what is significant is the building in the far background.  When we left Ottawa that wasn't there - they only started to build it once we left.  They are building more.  Its crazy how many building projects are going on in Ottawa.

A better view of the same I think

This is looking downstream.  The sand is very awesome on the feet!

The life guards had gone home but there are still people swimming.  It was actually busier than I expected considering the time of evening that I went.

They have quite a few beach volley ball courts set up at the beach.  Ottawa used to host the worlds largest beach volley ball tournament - that was a decade ago - I have no idea if its still the biggest. Edit: I just looked it up [ http://www.hopehelps.com/ ] - its the largest single day event in North America.  If you follow the link, its held at the Mooney's Bay beach on the Rideau River.  That's where the city high school track meets used to be held when I was younger - I wonder if they are still there.

Some guy fishing - I just thought it was a nice seen so I took a picture.  I have no idea who this dude is but i did watch him catch something.  I'm not sure I would ever eat the fish from the river.  The surrounding lakes for sure, the other rivers definitely, but the Ottawa River unfortunately does have a sketchy history.  In the 50s or 60s nuclear waste material was leaked far upstream in the river - its my understanding that it was still detectable in the 80s.  I have no idea if it still is but I still wouldn't risk it!