After the race was over, we scooted over for a nice evening with Herman and Bev in Kemptville at their place at the edge of a golf course.
Herman and Bev knew Allan since the 1980s. Herman was one of the doctors with the Canadian National Ski Team and started the first medical unit at Mosport. Bev was a nurse and also instrumental as a communication liaison with the ski team and Mosport. There were many stories about things “back in the day”!
It was on to visit another friend, John. This is the John of Allan’s Argentina story fame. If you haven’t heard it yet, ask Allan to tell it to you.
Then we met up with a couple of Super-fans. If you don’t know what a Super-fan looks like, meet Peter and Maris, auto-racing Super-fans extraordinaire. Even Maris’ mother, at 93, watches Formula 1.
We went on a little walking tour of Ottawa, firstly to see some important landmarks from Allan’s life in Ottawa, like this building where his studio used to be. Picture this with chocolate brown walls and gold awnings and women charging high prices strolling the street.
This was the site of his friend Dana’s Café Crepe de France.
This used to be Paul King’s Food for Thought bookstore. It was here on an icy November evening in 1982 that Villeneuve the original book was launched. There were so many people lined up around the block that it had to be moved partway through the event to a Holiday Inn ballroom.
I guess this was a place he used to frequent as well.
We had a short walk through some other areas of Ottawa before heading out to dinner with Jon and Mike.
On our way to dinner we ran into a rain storm. Most people would try and get away as quickly as possible. But a photographer’s first instinct is to stop and take a picture.
Topping off our Ottawa visit was a nightcap with Jan and Bob, friends from the 1980’s. She owned a balloon delivery company back then called The Runaround.
It was a great day of quick visits with old friends.
