Oh, Canada ... a kilting we will go

Six years ago, in August 2019, we participated in our third kilt race, our first international one, when we crossed the border into Ontario, Canada. Though I was exhausted from just having returned from four weeks on a dig in Israel, the trip was wonderful. We fell in love with Perth, Ontario, and were disappointed to learn that was the tenth and final year the organizers were planning to hold the run.

We all know what happened in 2020. Even if they had planned on holding a kilt run, it would not have happened. I have a memory that someone tried to revive it in 2021, but even if they had held it, the Canadian border was still sealed tight. A google search shows they held a virtual version in 2020 and 2021, but we did not participate in it.

I will write about the actual race in another post. 

When we learned the race was back on for 2025 we blocked the date off on our calendar. I noticed we already had plans: the wedding of a friend's daughter. As the friend told me about the engagement within days of it happening, I thought we would be invited, so I held off on signing up for the race. After we didn't get receive their usual Christmas card, and texts were taking longer to receive replies (and never initiated), we booked the trip. Since the invitation never came, nor were requested wedding pictures sent after the event, I have to accept the friendship is either on hold until the world calms down, or it is over. My door is open.

The trip expanded.

The forecast called for hot weather and thunderstorms each day. The heat was there, but thankfully most of the storms happened while we were sleeping or driving. I feared the smell of 1500 wet kilts if it happened during the race.

On Friday we drove to Smiths Falls, ON, a town I found even sweeter than Perth. Before arriving we had our NEXUS interviews. We must have passed them since the cards arrived in the mail on Saturday. This means we move to the short line when entering and leaving Canada.

Saturday was the race. We started the morning touring the Carnegie built library in Smiths Falls and the rest of the day in Perth.

Sunday we drove an hour into Ottawa for a three-hour walking tour by Toonie Tours, a virtual tour of their Parliament, and a tour of their temporary Senate building. I drew the line at also touring the House of Commons.

Monday was supposed to be the hottest day of the trip. We drove an hour and a half back over the border to Boldt Castle. We highly recommend that!

Tuesday was a planned no-plans day to do whatever we felt we missed out on. I thought we would return to Ottawa, but one hot day in the city was enough for us. Instead we lingered around Smiths Falls and Perth before heading to Merrickville for ice cream at Stella Luna. Merrickville looks like a charming town, but that was when the storms finally caught up to us. We drove to IKEA outside Ottawa to walk around inside.

We drove home on Wednesday. At the border, the confused border control agent was surprised we were in his lane since clearly we had NEXUS. Clear to him and his computer system, not so clear to us. 

My notes from the trip are a jumble. On the first day I simply floated in the feeling of a weight being lifted from my shoulders. We walked a lot, soaking up the charming Smiths Falls, and I did not take out my notebook to write my thoughs on the day. Two days later when I did, the 48-hours (or so) are a stream of consciousness in no particular order.