If your a Dog lover, changes are you've run into the issue of either dirty paws and/or a dirty dog, namely caused by mud. This issue is sometimes a result of traveling by car to a local dog park or open space to offer up some well deserved play time.  The end result, the area where your dog is placed while in transit ends up becoming dirty and even smelly.

The adjacent picture is a dog specific waterproof hammock that you can easily place in the backseat of your vehicle.  This nifty product can help contain any dirt your pet tracks into your vehicle.  The waterproof aspects of the product make for easier to clean-up once you remove it from your vehicle.

An additional benefit to the dog hammock is that it partial obstructs the opening between the two front seats and can reduce the possibility of your pet from leaping into the front area of your vehicle while in transit. 

In between Bayshore and Crystal Beach areas along Carling Ave. is the beautiful Andrew Haydon Park.  The park is an ideal location for picnicking and/or taking in the wide open Ottawa River views.  The Ottawa River widens to over 2km at this point and offers spectacular views extending toward Aylmer to the west and Britannia Bay to the east.

Thinking of an outdoor activity to do in the Ottawa area on the weekend?  Well on Sunday mornings from Victoria Day long weekend through to Labour Day you have the opportunity to bike, run, walk, etc. on over 50 km of closed to motorists NCC parkways throughout the Ottawa area. 

The adjacent pictures were taken along the Ottawa River parkway between Lincoln Fields and Island Park.  There are three Ottawa parkways open from 9am-1pm on Sundays and in Gatineau Park, three more from 6am-11am.

(The picture to the left and below has been hyperlinked to the NCC Sunday Bikedays for more info.)  

If your thinking of driving to one of the Ottawa-are parkways to take part in open road fun, you'll want to plan accordingly as traffic in and around the various closed parkways can build up mid-morning onward as a result of closure.  A good idea maybe to view Google Maps prior to departure and look for a suitable close by park or adjacent side streets to park.

In Gatineau Park, there is ample parking at various lots, you may also want to familiarize yourself with a parking lot prior to departure as it will make your route selection easier once you arrive at the park. (Click the picture for more Gatineau Park bikeday info.) 

From experience, you can section your bike riding (as example) with existing bike paths on the Ottawa side to extend your riding past the length of the parkway closures.  Also, trying to tackle all of the closed parkways in one day is a big feat and is more enjoyable to complete on separate occasions.

If you drive a lighter colored vehicle (namely white) you may have or start to see little specks of rust on the surface of your vehicle's paint.  Don't worry, its not the onset of rust, but more likely the result of brake dust - by-product of the wear process on your brake pads.

There is a method to removing brake dust from your paint, the draw back being that it will continually re-occur as result of the above description.

The adjacent picture (taken from our accredited auto-detailing location JREK Autocare) illustrates before and after utilizing a clay bar during the wash process to remove brake dust.

Clay Bar (as seen from the below picture) is a bar of clay that you rub by section on the paint of your vehicle during the wash process.  

From optimum results, you'll want to fold and/or twist the clay bar after you've rubbed a particular section of paint.  This enables the clay to replenish to a newer portion of the bar. 

Typically, a bar lasts about 6-12 vehicles (depends on how dirty paint is and how much time you spend claying a vehicle).

If your thinking of completing a clay job on your vehicle, we've hyperlinked the Chemical Guy's Clay Bar & Lube kit to offer an example of some products you can use to complete this task.

Of note, the longer brake dust has sat on paint the harder it is to remove.  This means you may have to clay a vehicle multiple times before achieving your desired results.

About a twenty minute drive southwest of the Canadian Tire Center is Almonte.  Easily accessible via the 417 - March Rd. exit past the highway 7 split, this small Mississippi Mills community intersects the Mississippi River - on its way from Carleton Place through Pakenham and onward to the Ottawa River.  You may recall that Almonte is also known to some as the "home of basketball" - the inventor James Naismith was born here.

  

If you've applied some paint protection i.e. wax, sealant during the summer months to your vehicle, there are some products you can use to help build and extend that paint protection.

The adjacent picture of the Mother's California Gold Instant Detailer is one of those products that can be easily applied to the paint of your vehicle after it has been washed.  

Typically, application is done in sections i.e. quarter panel and wipe on with a clean microfiber.  Working your way around the vehicle and using a clean and dry portion of the microfiber it should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

Ideally you can apply a quick detailer product (such as the Mother's Instant Detailer) once a month. Each application enhances the current paint protection barrier between the paint and elements,, in turn helping extend overall longevity.     

If your interested in a picturesque road trip to rural Ontario, venturing off to Perth (about an hour southwest of Ottawa) maybe in store for you. 
  

With a population under 10,000, the town of Perth is fairly easy navigate on foot or even by bike.  

Perth has been established for close to two hundred years, making for some very beautiful historic buildings. Taking a stroll off one of Perth's main streets offers up some great scenery of local Victorian homes.  

Additionally, there are many local boutique shops doted throughout the downtown core that will surely satisfy, including the adjacent picture of Code's Mill.     
 

Stewart Park (as seen in adjacent picture) and across the street from Code's Mill in the downtown area is one of Perth's most beautiful locations.  

The Tay river meanders through the park and is a great spot for a picnic to unwind after touring around this local Ontario gem.  

(The pictures have been hyperlinked to Google Maps)

If your fixing for something auto related to do on a weeknight (during the warm months), the longstanding Wednesday night car show at the Rideau Carleton Raceway is a great place to do so. 

The above pictures were taken last spring on a staff outing that involved taking in both the car show and the outstanding buffet dinner.  (The photos are hyperlinked to the Google map location).