Backroads are the best roads. It's easy to convince a friend to wander on the thousands of kilometres of Ottawa Valley gravel and paved backroads. You'll spot swaying cattails, lily-pad-covered ponds, rolling pine-covered hills and rocky cliffs - it's an artist's dream.

As a child, I owned one all-around bicycle. It was granny smith apple green, with a banana-shaped seat and a kickstand, and I rode it everywhere - dirt, trails, sidewalks, streets, my parent's front lawn. Fast forward, and somehow the number of wheels in my garage expanded. It started with…

In 1998, a 700-pound moose collared by wildlife experts in upper New York State wandered out of the Adirondack State Park and headed for the Canadian border. Not stopping at the St. Lawrence River, the moose, named Alice by the researchers, jumped into the River, swam through the Thousand Islands, bravely crossed Highway 401 near the Frontenac area, and wandered….

Why move inside at the first sight of frost? Blessed with thousands of kilometres of trails on Crown and private land, the Ottawa Valley offers many choices for exploring outside this winter. Fire up your snowmobile, wax your cross-country skis and grab your toque, down mitts and woollies to explore these frosty trail options.

Disconnect for a fall weekend before the busyness of the Holiday season. Christmas markets, sipping wine, visiting cute towns with lazy rivers, cozy coffee shops, outdoor adventures and shopping - sign me up!

Renfrew County covers over 7000 square kilometres; it's impossible to explore it all in one weekend. A favourite area of mine is the Bonnechere Valley….