pcflvly
Well-known member
I'm working on the fourth book in my series "Travels as Peaceful Valley Walker" about my epic ride through eight countries and 48 US states. I just now got to the part about Ottawa where I had an invite from an STP friend. Nothing too special about the story but I haven't heard from Drengor since. Here's the excerpt:
It was near the end of May and after almost two years, I was back in Ottawa. I had a host this time, Drengor. We’d never met but he had been following my travels on Squat the Planet and invited me to spend the night. I think that he lived in Castle Heights, somewhere before the Rideau Canal. On my way to his apartment, a man in a motorized chair turned around to tell me that there was a free meal about to start just down the street.
The last time I was in Ottawa, I simply followed the river to Parliament Hill. It was near the end of the day and I had to clear the city by dark. Now I had time and this time I was in the heart of the city. The free meal made me feel at home and I met several people there. A quite normal young couple with very bright eyes was curious about my journey. They saw themselves in me and this made them think about traveling. Meanwhile, most of the guests were people who lived on the streets and they all saw my streetness. We were the same. The couple saw this but I had to explain what they were witnessing, brotherhood. They very nearly found themselves experiencing a new way of thinking yet, even with the present example of our own new friendship, the concept was difficult for them to grasp. Through my eyes though, they saw quite clearly that we all were blessed.
After the meal, Drengor met me outside his apartment and showed me where I could lock my bike behind the building. There were other bikes locked up out there. Although I thought of Canada as safe, I’d seen the streets of Ottawa and knew better. Sure enough, someone who had very likely seen me roll my bike back there stripped all the bikes in the yard that night. I’d insisted that I bring mine in though so that tragedy was averted.
After I hauled my bike and panniers up a steep flight of stairs, Drengor and I went out shopping. He wanted to cook me a nice meal but his cupboards were bare. We walked several blocks to a supermarket and I was surprised by the reasonableness of the prices. After the exchange rate, things were much cheaper than in the states and the selection was profound. There were foods from all over the world, suitable for the customers who were equally diverse.
Drengor loved having company. He’d spent many nights as the guest of others in his travels and that he could himself offer hospitality brought him full circle. For my part, I was soaking it up. I only spent one night and it would be some time before I took a full day off the road so I had to get the most out of it. This was relaxing and perfectly restful.
In the morning, and after a good breakfast, I rode on to the Rideau Canal. I remember dropping a couple levels, navigating the locks and the steps between them before I found the west trail which was more suited for bikes. I turned away from the canal at Parliament Hill. As before, I was awestruck by the architecture and by the diversity. There were people from all around the world but few new friends except for the many volunteers who were out to support runners in a marathon taking place that day. My route paralleled their route and I met several of these workers before the morning was over.
The trail out of the city followed the river through mature trees. It was my second time on the path and even now I count the route as among my favorites. I was going north this time though, where before I’d come in from the west. When I rounded the bend of the river, I found a bench where I could sit and collect my thoughts about the road to come.
It was near the end of May and after almost two years, I was back in Ottawa. I had a host this time, Drengor. We’d never met but he had been following my travels on Squat the Planet and invited me to spend the night. I think that he lived in Castle Heights, somewhere before the Rideau Canal. On my way to his apartment, a man in a motorized chair turned around to tell me that there was a free meal about to start just down the street.
The last time I was in Ottawa, I simply followed the river to Parliament Hill. It was near the end of the day and I had to clear the city by dark. Now I had time and this time I was in the heart of the city. The free meal made me feel at home and I met several people there. A quite normal young couple with very bright eyes was curious about my journey. They saw themselves in me and this made them think about traveling. Meanwhile, most of the guests were people who lived on the streets and they all saw my streetness. We were the same. The couple saw this but I had to explain what they were witnessing, brotherhood. They very nearly found themselves experiencing a new way of thinking yet, even with the present example of our own new friendship, the concept was difficult for them to grasp. Through my eyes though, they saw quite clearly that we all were blessed.
After the meal, Drengor met me outside his apartment and showed me where I could lock my bike behind the building. There were other bikes locked up out there. Although I thought of Canada as safe, I’d seen the streets of Ottawa and knew better. Sure enough, someone who had very likely seen me roll my bike back there stripped all the bikes in the yard that night. I’d insisted that I bring mine in though so that tragedy was averted.
After I hauled my bike and panniers up a steep flight of stairs, Drengor and I went out shopping. He wanted to cook me a nice meal but his cupboards were bare. We walked several blocks to a supermarket and I was surprised by the reasonableness of the prices. After the exchange rate, things were much cheaper than in the states and the selection was profound. There were foods from all over the world, suitable for the customers who were equally diverse.
Drengor loved having company. He’d spent many nights as the guest of others in his travels and that he could himself offer hospitality brought him full circle. For my part, I was soaking it up. I only spent one night and it would be some time before I took a full day off the road so I had to get the most out of it. This was relaxing and perfectly restful.
In the morning, and after a good breakfast, I rode on to the Rideau Canal. I remember dropping a couple levels, navigating the locks and the steps between them before I found the west trail which was more suited for bikes. I turned away from the canal at Parliament Hill. As before, I was awestruck by the architecture and by the diversity. There were people from all around the world but few new friends except for the many volunteers who were out to support runners in a marathon taking place that day. My route paralleled their route and I met several of these workers before the morning was over.
The trail out of the city followed the river through mature trees. It was my second time on the path and even now I count the route as among my favorites. I was going north this time though, where before I’d come in from the west. When I rounded the bend of the river, I found a bench where I could sit and collect my thoughts about the road to come.
