Motorcycling, the Diefenbunker and a picnic

07.06.2008

I went on a little day trip to Carp and it was quite fun. My friend Toby (aka Damita) invited me over to come see his farm just outside of Ottawa, so I took him up on that offer. I got up pretty early and tried to get the nerve up to take my motorbike on the road for the first time. I managed to do this in about one hour. Then it took me another hour to actually pull the huge green tarp off of the thing.

OK, so I went out around the block once, just to see if I could, and that went OK. Then, I had to convince myself that I would also be OK if I just went a little faster... about 50 km/h faster...I don't know how I did it, but I turned right onto Hunt Club and just gave 'er. I didn't know what I was doing, but that's...OK. I drove and drove and drove, stalling at every single red light. I quickly discovered that riding a motorcycle and stopping a motorcycle is not difficult. It's the starting part that I can't quite grasp. Maybe God is telling me something...nah...

I got to Carp way too early for lunch, and I knew that the Diefenbunker was just down the street from Damita's house, so I stopped in there. It happened to be "Doors Open Ottawa", so the top level was free. I went in to check it out and I thought it was pretty cool, so I shelled out the $13 to see the other three floors and take a guided tour. I enjoyed the sixties decor, and I liked stepping back in time, imagining what it would be like to live and work at the bunker, but it ended up being a little boring. It's interesting that all this stuff was ready to go at a moment's notice, but in the end, no Prime Minister ever set foot in the building, so the whole thing was a complete waste, an exercise in fear.

Anyway, that was a good time, and I went back to the parking lot to head over to Damita's house for lunch. I hopped on the bike, and started to go as all these people were watching me. I got a little nervous I think from all the stares. I just imagined all these people were thinking "Such a small girl, such a large mechanical apparatus". Anyway, I hit a little patch of grass and flipped the bike over, completely crushing my left leg and smashing my arm on the pavement. Nice.

After about 10 people run to help lift me and my motocyclette off the ground, I head to Damita's and get there just in time to help make some homemade buns and lemonade. We had a nice vegan picnic and chatted with the guru guy who was visiting from Virginia.

After that, we went on a little hike to go see the "mighty Carp river" where Damita's dog found a dead rat or beaver or something and ate it.

By then, it was soooooo hot, we went inside, and chatted it up for a couple of hours, and I drove home, got lost and ended up in Manotick, and I somehow made it home, so the day was OK.

Uh oh!