Winterlude here and there

Canadian winter festivals are upon us for the next few weeks. In particular there's Ottawa-Gatineau's Winterlude/Bal de Neige. I grew up skating on the canal where once upon a time beavertails were reserved only for those who braved the ice. Always memorable too is the annual Winterlude Triathlon (skate, ski, run) happening today, which I have participated in a few times.