Total distance: 4917km
Average speed: 18.3km/h
Weather: sunny
Happy Canada Day! When I was drafting up a schedule for this trip it couldn't have worked out better that I would be in the best place in the world on Canada Day in order to meet my timeline. Turns out that I got in early which has been a wonderful bonus. I got up nice and early (7:30 so not really but in comparison to the last few days it's early!) and saw the last of the Flag Raising Ceremony at Parliament Hill just as I rode there. At 9:30 it was already completely packed with people donning a sea of red and white (300,000 of them!). I managed to catch glimpses of the Changing of the Guards Ceremony between heads and then spent most of the morning wandering around the booths in Major Hill Park. Clara Hughes, who has been biking across the country since March, had her celebration booth there and was finishing her ride in the city today! I never did meet her out riding as she was just a few days behind. In the afternoon, I took advantage of the free admission to museums today and went to the National Gallery of Canada and then the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. The gallery was humongous and one of the best that I've been to. My favourite part was looking at paintings of the places that I'd seen on this trip, especially those around the Great Lakes. The Museum of History was even better, entailing a very comprehensive historical account of Canadian history from the perspective of both Europeans and First Nations. They also had a cool snow special exhibit, showing what a true Canadian winter, which admittedly I've never had, is like. Before I knew it it was almost 7 as I walked back across the bridge to Ottawa. I got some of the last grilled chicken sandwiches from the Great Canadian Chicken BBQ and sat down in front of the crowded Parliament lawns enjoying the concert. The only thing left to cap off my incredible stay in Ottawa are the fireworks!
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