TCTrail

Saturday 17 March 2007 Thanks Mom! Rideau Trail kilometres 67.4-76.1 Opinicon The second adventure of the day began where the former CN Smiths Falls subdivision crosses MacGillivray Road. I headed towards Ottawa, turning south off the rail embankment after 3.5k. Here in quick succession, the trail climbs two nasty descent-ascents, meaning the hiker gets a bad scare in both directions. The next 30 minutes brought more such dangers. I have orienteered in greater danger but not after hours of carrying a heavy pack on weary legs. The descents should have had more mention in the guidebook. Take the blue trail, staying on the rail bed, Cataraqui Trail, Trans Canada Trail. By the time I got to the intersection with the Upper Rock Lake Side Trail (visited a year ago), I had had enough of that segment of the RT forever. I took the blue side trail to Opinicon Road, took off the snowshoes and walked the 7k (68:23) to the trail junction with Maple Leaf Road. This walk on pavement is included in the average heart rate but not in the time & distance data here. I was in zone 3 for 58:02. The only problem with the long walk is that I had to visit the same stretch of trail and same loud dogs that I visited in March '04.