Saturday, March 19, 2022

The Skateway

 Another odd tradition, and this has been part of Winterlude longer than the ice dragon boat races we saw yesterday. The Bed Race is held each year during the festival. Teams are assembled, some from various companies or occupations. Some make a point of wearing odd costumes, such as our friend in a Tigger suit. A bed frame is fitted out with wheels. Several teams at a time race down the ice with one team member on top of the frame. It's all a lot of fun. This is how it looked in 2017 at Dow's Lake with the Arboretum as my backdrop.


This dog was among the spectators. A very good dog, no doubt thinking humans are a bit nuts.


The Canal Skateway has its start downtown at Plaza Bridge, with markers every two hundred metres along its 7.8 kilometre stretch.


Here we have the view looking east again from the Bank Street Bridge on another day.


And at dawn on another day that year, the view west from the Bronson Avenue Bridge shows where the Canal widens into Dow's Lake.


These last two shots are from the same day where I started this post from, departing from the races.

30 comments:

  1. Love the header of your blog. That is an interesting game to play and watch.

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  2. I bet that is a really funny race to watch. Snow and ice certainly provides a lot of fun, entertainment and art in Canada.

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  3. I've seen many competitions on the ice, but this bed race beats everything.

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  4. Looks like fun indeed, crazy fun :-)

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  5. @Nancy: it's quite something.

    @Gemel: I found it amusing.

    @Italiafinlandia: so it seems.

    @fun60: quite mad!

    @Jan: it's a blast.

    @Iris: very much so.

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  6. Looks a bit like the Carnival in Germany without the snow of course !

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  7. I have NEVER seen a bed frame race! It looks fun. By the way, love the new spring banner.

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  8. Your city has so many ways to enjoy the winter months.

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  9. Haha such fun! Hope those days shall return soon!

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  10. Ottawa seems to have fun in a normal winter.
    Sometimes your comments don't show up on my post but I do see them on my dashboard.

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  11. @Gattina: I can see that.

    @Marianne: it's not much snow now.

    @Jeanie: it was fun.

    @Sharon: we do indeed.

    @Marie: that it is.

    @Anvilcloud: indeed..

    @Magiceye: thanks.

    @RedPat: in the last few months I've noticed legit comments somehow going right to spam. I check that folder a couple times a day and transfer the comment to published.

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  12. Lovely wintry scenes and such fun ~ love the doggie, of course ~


    Wishing you lots of laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  13. I think they have lots of fun.
    PS. your header in so beautiful

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  14. That's a very nice header. All that snow - Brrr. Greetings from warm Hawaii.

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  15. @Maywyn: indeed.

    @Bill: definitely.

    @Carol: quite a doggie.

    @Orvokki: thank you.

    @Gigi: thanks.

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  16. These are magnificent winter shots. And I like the wise dog very much. Waikiki has a yearly bed race as well!

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  17. You get so many winter events! Our cold spells come and go, making it hard to plan.

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  18. I'd forgotten about those! It must be a mess right now, with all the rain.

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    Replies
    1. The ice on the canal is breaking up at this point.

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