Muskrat Ramble

 

6 September:  Muskrat Ramble

 

 

Can you ramble on a bike?  If so, we did plenty of it today.

 It was just one year ago that we reached the end of the bikeable section of the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail (OVRT), at Turcotte Road, about 2.5 km north of Cobden.  Thanks to another miraculous effort by the construction teams, the trail has now been improved all the way into Pembroke, thirty kilometres further up the Ottawa River valley.

 An overcast morning in Perth gave way to cloudless skies to the north, on a day made for bicycling.  We based ourselves exactly halfway between Cobden and Pembroke at the Muskrat River bridge, where there is an ideal parking area beside busy Highway 17.  From there we travelled south to Turcotte Road, the end of last year’s journey, then north right into the heart of Pembroke, at the colorful oasis of Waterfront Park, beside the Ottawa River.  By the time we returned to our car at the Muskrat River, we had biked just over 57 kilometres.

 These photos - in a south to north sequence from Turcotte Road to Pembroke - will show the interested traveller what to expect along this latest stretch of biking trail.  Don’t miss the experience.

 Having already completed the next section from Pembroke to Petawawa, this Passionate Biker now awaits improvements to the railbed further up the valley to Mattawa.  Knowing the amazing work done to date, I’m sure it won’t be long until we can continue our journey northwards to the end of the trail.

 In the meantime, enjoy this classic piece of jazz from the one and only Sid Phillips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7N8Tsh0ceU 

Turcotte Road a year ago

Same place today: open for cyclists

77 miles from Smiths Falls

Snake River bridge

Snake River

Approaching Muskrat River and Hwy 17

Muskrat River:  handy parking area beside highway

Old CN route crosses over the OVRT

Approaching Greenview Rd 

Just north of Greenview Road: today

Same view a year ago

Tunnel beneath Hwy 148 to Quebec

First sight of Ottawa River

Muskrat River bridge in Pembroke

View out to Ottawa River

Pembroke from Muskrat River bridge

Waterfront Park, Pembroke...

... on a perfect day

Amazing lunches at the Courtyard Bistro in Pembroke