Sunday and Monday
18-19 July 2010
We snuck out of our parking lot spot and headed west toward Pacific Rim National Reserve. We had been here about 24 years ago with Trina and Liza. [Remember that trip?] Soon we morph into fog and cloudy conditions. The road is nothing like we remembered. It's mountainous, lots of river and creeks, curvy, curvy roads, even an 18% downhill grade plus incredibly tall trees. About 10:00 AM we reached the only campground in the park, put our names on a waiting list and waited. At 11:00 AM we had a site. We marveled at how this does NOT concur with the Pacific Rim Park that we remembered from 1986.
So we set off on a two-hour hike on the beach ending up on Combers Beach. We found a few shells, some sea anemones and sea stars. It was a loud and raucous day at the beach with surf pounding loudly. The clouds hung low. We did see sea lions on Sea Lion Rocks--no binoculars, however.
After lunch we drove to the Wickaninnish Interpretive Center where we watched a film about the park and its three parts: Long Beach [where we are camped], the Broken Group Islands and the West Coast Trail, and then went through the exhibits about the local First Nation people. Then we opted to do the South Beach hike looking for shells and rocks and driftwood and then the tide coming in. On the way back into the Park the Ice Man was open to sell firewood and ice. His young son wanted to help so he took me to the ice machine, pointed out which was block ice and which one was cubed ice and said that he should carry it to the van for me because it was very heavy. How could anyone resist a four-year-old like that?
After supper, another hike on the beach and then we went to the Ranger Talk: "Pirates of the Intertidal." Most entertaining. We learned to identify the various strata at low tide and what lives in each one. On the way back we walked the beach again to experience high tide.
Next morning: we donned our tall rubber boots and went into the tidal pools and the surf. All went well until that third wave in the series of three sets. It went over the tops of my boots and soaked my wool socks. I had failed to heed the law of the Pacific: Do not turn your back on the ocean. So we hiked inland a bit and I drained the boots and wrung out the socks and finished the hike.
For lunch we had company: a bright blue Stellar Jay looking for a hand-out. Sorry, bird, we keep a "bare" campsite.
After lunch we hiked both loops of the Rain Forest Trail. One loop emphasized the cycles of the forest while the other one talked about the structure of the forest and its inhabitants. We finally saw our giant slug--but it wasn't the bright yellow ones we remember from a previous trip. Still. it was big and left a giant slime trail. Next we drove to Radar Hill for the view but the view was hidden by the low clouds/fog. On the return to camp we stopped at another access to Long Beach and were rewarded with a brilliant blue sky and warm sun. Shoes off. Toes in the water. Feet in the surf. And do not turn your back to the ocean.
Lovely.
Evening: did another Ranger Talk. This one dealt with the spiny, sticky and poisonous things of the ocean.
We are leaving tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
On the road again
17 July 2010
Saturday
Drove through some extremely pretty farm country today on our way south through British Columbia. There were also some very interesting names for towns: 100-Mile House, 75-Mile House and 42-Mile House. They were named for the number of miles each roadhouse was along an old trade route. Imaginative, eh?
As we approach the town of Cache Creek, the valley is getting more and more narrow. Just before the town itself we exited onto a "scenic" route toward the coast and Vancouver. We passed through two mountain ranges: the Lillooet Range and the Coast Mountains. It is a high, dry desert much like the area around Santa Fe, NM. There is a creek flowing through the U-shaped valley from which farmers get water for irrigation so that there is a patchwork of green appliqued throughout the desert. Then we turned into another valley: this one is lined with tall limestone peaks and punctuated by beautiful little lakes, one so turquoise green that it looks dyed.
Once we passed the town of Lillooet we traversed mountains via an old logging road: switchbacks, one-lane bridges, curvy, steep with drop offs on one side and steep mountains on the other. The scenery is fabulous at least for the passenger. Finally we reached the valley floor. Next we passed through Whistler: yup, where the Olympics were. Then we meandered downward only now the road is much better. It was redone for the Olympics. Next we drove along the Howe Sound, literally hanging on the side of the coastal mountains. We soon arrived in Horseshoe Bay and suddenly we are in line for the ferry to Vancouver Island. Not quite the time line we had planned but it worked and the crossing was smooth and sunny.
And so we say farewell to the Milepost, our Bible since entering Canada north of Whitefish, MT. We will now have to rely on brochures, maps and atlases. We didn't realize how dependent upon it we had become.
After almost two hours on the ferry crossing the Strait of Georgia, we dock in Nanaimo on the island of Vancouver. We headed toward Port Alberni in the center of the island hoping to find a campsite for the night. When we found the Sproat Lake Provincial Park we were disappointed to find that both campgrounds were full so we followed the example of a couple of campers and made our home for the night in the parking lot. Hey, it beats camping in a Wal-Mart parking lot!
The worst they can do is tell us to leave.
Saturday
Drove through some extremely pretty farm country today on our way south through British Columbia. There were also some very interesting names for towns: 100-Mile House, 75-Mile House and 42-Mile House. They were named for the number of miles each roadhouse was along an old trade route. Imaginative, eh?
As we approach the town of Cache Creek, the valley is getting more and more narrow. Just before the town itself we exited onto a "scenic" route toward the coast and Vancouver. We passed through two mountain ranges: the Lillooet Range and the Coast Mountains. It is a high, dry desert much like the area around Santa Fe, NM. There is a creek flowing through the U-shaped valley from which farmers get water for irrigation so that there is a patchwork of green appliqued throughout the desert. Then we turned into another valley: this one is lined with tall limestone peaks and punctuated by beautiful little lakes, one so turquoise green that it looks dyed.
Once we passed the town of Lillooet we traversed mountains via an old logging road: switchbacks, one-lane bridges, curvy, steep with drop offs on one side and steep mountains on the other. The scenery is fabulous at least for the passenger. Finally we reached the valley floor. Next we passed through Whistler: yup, where the Olympics were. Then we meandered downward only now the road is much better. It was redone for the Olympics. Next we drove along the Howe Sound, literally hanging on the side of the coastal mountains. We soon arrived in Horseshoe Bay and suddenly we are in line for the ferry to Vancouver Island. Not quite the time line we had planned but it worked and the crossing was smooth and sunny.
And so we say farewell to the Milepost, our Bible since entering Canada north of Whitefish, MT. We will now have to rely on brochures, maps and atlases. We didn't realize how dependent upon it we had become.
After almost two hours on the ferry crossing the Strait of Georgia, we dock in Nanaimo on the island of Vancouver. We headed toward Port Alberni in the center of the island hoping to find a campsite for the night. When we found the Sproat Lake Provincial Park we were disappointed to find that both campgrounds were full so we followed the example of a couple of campers and made our home for the night in the parking lot. Hey, it beats camping in a Wal-Mart parking lot!
The worst they can do is tell us to leave.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Can you spell C-O-N-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N ?
16 July 2010
Friday
After an oil change, a tire rotation, some grocery shopping, and a visit to the Info Center in Smithers, we headed east on Highway 16 aka The Yellowhead Road. It was a gorgeous day with blue skies, plentiful sunshine and a wind at our back. The scenery began to change as we encountered more and more farms and evidence of the lumber industry that is important to this area. The road was good and we continued to go up hills and down into valleys just not as steep as we have in days past.
At Prince George we turned south onto HIghway #97 headed toward Vancouver. We followed the Fraser River until it is joined by the Quesnel River in the city of Quesnel, British Columbia. It turned out that the city was having its annual rodeo for the next three days. We inquired about a space at Robert's Roost Campground on Dragon Lake just south of the city. There were two "tent" sites left and we got the one in the shade (and away from the doggie show.)
Since we are further south we are beginning to experience "night" again so as soon as the sun goes behind a big tree near us or sets [around 11:00 pm or so] we will be able to enjoy the shade of this beautiful place. We can see the lake from our campsite. After supper we plan on a walk. Supper will be leftovers from breakfast at the Aspen River House wrapped in tortillas. [We ate while waiting for the oil change.]
There are a million side trips around here but we feel like we need to push toward Vancouver Island and Pacific Rim National Park.
Sorry gang, no pictures were taken today. We were on a mission. We may have to stop at an ATM machine soon. We are down to one loonie, a dime and two pennies.
Friday
After an oil change, a tire rotation, some grocery shopping, and a visit to the Info Center in Smithers, we headed east on Highway 16 aka The Yellowhead Road. It was a gorgeous day with blue skies, plentiful sunshine and a wind at our back. The scenery began to change as we encountered more and more farms and evidence of the lumber industry that is important to this area. The road was good and we continued to go up hills and down into valleys just not as steep as we have in days past.
At Prince George we turned south onto HIghway #97 headed toward Vancouver. We followed the Fraser River until it is joined by the Quesnel River in the city of Quesnel, British Columbia. It turned out that the city was having its annual rodeo for the next three days. We inquired about a space at Robert's Roost Campground on Dragon Lake just south of the city. There were two "tent" sites left and we got the one in the shade (and away from the doggie show.)
Since we are further south we are beginning to experience "night" again so as soon as the sun goes behind a big tree near us or sets [around 11:00 pm or so] we will be able to enjoy the shade of this beautiful place. We can see the lake from our campsite. After supper we plan on a walk. Supper will be leftovers from breakfast at the Aspen River House wrapped in tortillas. [We ate while waiting for the oil change.]
There are a million side trips around here but we feel like we need to push toward Vancouver Island and Pacific Rim National Park.
Sorry gang, no pictures were taken today. We were on a mission. We may have to stop at an ATM machine soon. We are down to one loonie, a dime and two pennies.
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