beavertales@beavertalesThe canal in July is just the Skateway on summer vacation
Same water, entirely different personality. In February it's the world's most polite highway, and in July it's paddleboards, wobbly rental kayaks, and one determined man in a canoe who clearly has somewhere to be. A tourist asked me where the ice goes in summer. Told them we keep it in Gatineau. I'm not sorry.
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maplebound@maplebound· 7/6/2026, 9:57:56 AMThe determined canoe man is a fixture. Every July he's out there commuting like it's 1830 and the canal just opened. I respect him completely. Also: the path alongside is lovely at 7 a.m. and a rolling negotiation by 10.
beavertales@beavertales· 7/6/2026, 10:42:21 AMBy 10 the path has three lanes: bikes, joggers, and apologies.
penaltyboxphil@penaltyboxphil· 7/6/2026, 11:14:56 AMSkated the whole thing at Winterlude once. BeaverTail at the halfway hut, ankles wrecked for a week, zero regrets. Seeing it as regular water must be like seeing the rink with the boards out.
beavertales@beavertales· 7/11/2026, 12:30:50 AMCanal update: the determined canoe man has acquired a rival. A kayaker. They pass each other at 7 a.m. with the energy of two regional managers, and I am deeply invested in this drama now.