walking

 

 

 

Wednesday morning I drove a total of 55km to Shawnigan Lake and surrounding ammenities.

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Firstly, it was Kinsol Historic Trestle via West Shawnign Lake and Renfrew roads.

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Then I cycled to the north side of the trestle and put my drone up.

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Before heading back to Glen Eagles' parking I cycled 300m north to Riverside Road parking.

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Once back at Glen Eagles it was on to Shawnigan Lake Historical Society Museum in Shawnigan Lake Village.

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From there, it was 45km to home in Victoria. I was home by 12:10p.m.

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Kinsol Trestle Aerial Drone plus GoPro

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NB I am now a member-in-good-standing of said historical society.
Mid-Island 2022 Album Link

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Labels: ebike, kinsol, shawnigan

 

Sunday I cycled 37km roundtrip along the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) on Vancouver Island to the Tidewater Subdivision Trail which connects to Koksilah Road near Duncan, BC.

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I've been cycling these trails for over a decade on various occasions and have become quite knowledgeable regarding their histories and current usage. Relax, the gory details will not be published today.

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I had the brush cutter in the bike's carrying case but had no need to use it. The Tidewater is in better condition than ever and the TCT is a rough as ever but not much we can do about that except stop cycling it. It's rougher than a bear's ass — always has been.

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There's nothing like a pandemic to get everyone outdoors. The crowds and cars at Kinsol were the most I've ever seen in the decade since the rebuilt trestle opened. There were only two (separate) walkers along the Tidewater which is two more than the usual zero,

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The GoPro was on during the entire inbound leg so that means lots of good records from both trails.

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A fun ride on a beautiful day. Life is good. Biking CNR Tidewater Subdivision Southern Wye #448

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Koksilah Road trailhead GPS Coordinates

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Labels: cycled, ebike, kinsol, tidewater

Tuesday we drove 68km to the end of Rowe Road in the Glenora Valley region of Vancouver Island.

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We started here where the road meets the Trans Canada Trail and walked up to the Tidewater CNR Subdivision wye. Google Wye to find out what that is.

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CNR Tidewater Subdivision Rail Trail (Narrated by Eric Roberts)

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We then drove the Honda to the end of the Tidewater Subdivision at Cowichan Bay Terminal.

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The Rock Cod Cafe' does not open until noon so we carried on to the Kinsol Trestle. On the way we stopped in Shawnigan Lake Village in the hope of having lunch at the Village chippery but it is out-of-business due to Covid-19. Too bad. So sad.

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Once at the Glen Eagles parking lot we walked the 1400m up to the trestle. Lots of walkers and cyclists. Tom Paterson stated: “Build it and they will come.” He was right.

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We walked the 1400m up to and over the Kinsol Trestle. I went down to the river but Bernice sat and watched.

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Another good outing on which we learned a lot. I took a bad fall coming down from Holt Main logging road but should recover.

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Kinsol Trestle Re-Opens Thursday, July 28, 2011

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Labels: cowichan, kinsol, walked

Thursday we walked 4km roundtrip from Glen Eagle parking lot to the Kinsol Trestle and back. The parking lot sign says it's 1km to the trestle but it's 1.3 (1300m) to the centre of the trestle and another several hundred metres down the trail to the Koksilah River. Trust me: The ViewRanger App in my phone says it's 4km roundtrip and we have a GPS track to prove it.

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We were in on the groudfloor-meetings (2007) when the reconstruction project was still not defined. Thanks to Tom Patterson he convinced enough supporters to go ahead and after sufficient funds were raised, the trestle is as it is today.

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See My Blogspot Post Tuesday, April 24, 2007

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We haven't been to the trestle in a while but heard a new viewing platform was completed and that the southside one is under construction. This was enough to motivate us to drive the 50km (31miles) from Victoria to check it out.

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We had lunch at the Village Chippery family restaurant in Shawnigan Lake village. It's tucked into the Dundas Rd side of the commercial block in that town. What a great place to dine: good food, friendly staff and reasonable prices.

Labels: kapoor, kinsol, walked

Today we walked 4.2km roundtrip from Glen Eagles' parking lot to the Kinsol Trestle and return. Jay & Suzanne drove us up in their new Prius Hybrid SUV. Very nice.

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We enjoyed our Subway sandwiches at one of the many new picnic tables setup close to this icon of Canadian history. Thanks again to Tom (T.W.) Paterson whose vision rallied the community to action and save the original CNR trestle from oblivion.

Labels: kinsol, tct, walked

Today we walked 300m from the northside of the Kinsol Trestle to the southside picnic tables. This is where we ate our Subway sandwich which we just purchased in Duncan, BC. We arrived at Cowichan Exhibition grounds just after it opened at 10:00a.m. to return books to T.W. Paterson. Tom is British Columbia's most prolific, historical writer alive today; perhaps, BC's most prolific, historical writer of all time. At last count he's published over 30 books and still writes a biweekly column for the Cowichan Valley Citizen.

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Tom had a table set up in Mellor Hall to market two of his latest publications: Rails to Trails and Historical Sites. Both publications inform the reader regarding the location and history of many Vancouver Island abandoned railways which have been converted into trails. Hence the moniker: Rails to Trails.

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Mellor Hall is one of the many new, permanent structures at the Cowichan Exhibition grounds just north of Duncan beside Hwy-1. The Exhibition was founded in 1867 and has been going ever since. This blog often reports what a vibrant community the Cowichan Valley is and the support and dedication its citizens have put into this world-class fairgrounds is a testament to this fact.

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This day, the main event on the grounds was the Island Spirit 2012 Geocaching Mega-Event. Admission was free and it was well attended. Parking was free. My main interest in this event (besides returning TWP's books) was to get a recommendation from experts regarding a GPS tracking App for our Android smartphones. After checking with three different vendors and talking with an equal number of geocaching enthusiasts, we came up nada, zilch, dickall. Anyway, Sports Tracker is a free droid-app worth a try. I'll keep you posted. Any geocacher or tracker worth their salt would post the coordinates of the geaocaching fair just attended. Here's mine from my Magellan 210 handheld: Cowichan Exhibition GPS Coordinates: N48°50.206', W123°43.307', 57 m. The last item is the altitude.

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After leaving the Kinsol Trestle's northside parking we arrived back on Koksilah Road where it crosses Koksilah River. Immediately adjacent to the east side of the bridge are another two significant sites worth stopping to take a look at. Firstly, we turned right onto the road leading a short distance to the Esquimalt & Nanaimo's (E&N), Cowichan Station. How it ever got this name is quite beyond me: It's right beside Koksilah River, off Koksilah Road and not actually located in the Cowichan Valley. We best leave this one alone for awhile. E&N Cowichan Station was built iN 1885. The Last Spike on the Esquimalt & nanaimo Railway was driven at Cliffside (MP25) August 13, 1886.

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If that isn't enough excitement for one day, after leaving the train station, we crossed the road (to get to the other side) where St. Andrew's Cowichan Church is located. St. Andrew's Church Committee was formed in 1905 and construction on the Church commenced soon after its formation. St. Andrew's, Cowichan Station, was consecrated on February 8, 1906 (also known as St. Andrew's, S. Cowichan). We took a few photos for your viewing enjoyment.

Labels: duncan, kinsol

Today we walked 4km on the Trans Canada Trail to the Kinsol Trestle. We parked the limo at Glen Eagle's parking lot and walked the 1300m to the trestle. We took the new trail down to the river and walked the riverside trail to the gas pipeline. This made our roundtrip distance the 4km reported.

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What a beautiful day! Under overcast skies, we were totally immersed in what can best described as a "Scottish mist". It did not rain, but still all the trailside trees appeared to be smiling. They are rife with new growth and appear to enjoy this weather better than what is ahead in the summer heat.

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We started the up-island sojourn with a visit to Equine Emporium at Koksilah to pickup some western garb we had ordered. It was disappointing the Bentley could not get away to come with us but maybe next time. Goodonya, Bentley.

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Kinsol Trestle 1-minute video.

Labels: kinsol, tct, walked

Today we walked 3km roundtrip from Glen Eagles parking to the Kinsol Trestle. We met an interesting couple from England while walking the trestle.

I even got a bit of cardio exercise by walking below the trestle and back up. The weather was perfect! What a great day.

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We stopped off at The Old Mill Park on the shores of Shawnigan Lake to enjoy our picnic lunch.

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Today's photo is Jill doing her Tai-chi on the trestle.

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We wanted to give the Governor General of Canada a couple of Tom's books but did not know what time Their Excellencies were to be there. We wrote this letter:

Their Excellencies
The Right Honourable David Johnston
Governor General of Canada
and Mrs. Sharon Johnston

Dear Excellencies:

Thank you both for visiting British Columbia and its capital,
Victoria. My forebears arrived in Victoria 161-years-ago from the
Orkney Islands. We consider Victoria and Vancouver Island our home and
were thrilled and honoured that you chose to visit here.

We regret not meeting you both at the Kinsol Trestle because we were
late. That is the bad news; the good news is when we arrived two-hours
later the rain had stopped and we basked in the brilliant sunshine!

My wife, Bernice, and I have been strong supporters of the Kinsol
Trestle Rehabilitation Project since its inception and are thankful
for the Federal Governments' financial support to bring it to
completion. We were so pleased Your Excellencies got to meet T.W.
(Tom) Paterson and share his tremendous knowledge of Vancouver Island
history.

Your Excellencies' visit to this historical, Canadian icon, gives
immeasurable prestige and value to what -- in the beginning -- was
recognized by only a few. Today, another major link in the Trans
Canada Trail is procured for the future.

Thank you both, again, for coming out west to visit with us. We look
forward to your next trip to Vancouver Island. God Bless the Queen of
Canada.

Yours aye,

Labels: kinsol, tct, walked

Today we walked 3km roundtrip on the Trans Canada Trail from Gleneagles Road parking to the Kinsol Trestle and back. What a great summer's day!

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We ate our soon-to-be-world-famous egg-salad sandwiches at the newly installed picnic tables new the trestle.

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The Port Renfrew Road parking and Gleneagles Road parking lots were filled to overflowing with vehicles. "Rebuild it and they will come," was Tom Paterson's mantra throughout the initial stages of his effort to save the old trestle from destruction. He was correct.

Now, if the CVRD could figure out a way to cash-in on the Kinsol's popularity, they could raise additional needed funding. Right now, it's they came they saw they left. Period.

Labels: kinsol, walked

Friday, August 12, 2011, I cycled 35km roundtrip on the Tidewater Subdivision CNR Right-of-Way (RoW) to the Kinsol Trestle from Koksilah Road. After dropping the wife off in Duncan, BC, my vehicle transported us -- me and my Norco bicycle -- to the intersection of Miller & Glenora roads. There's an ample parking area here from which it's 100m to the Tidewater Trailhead beside Koksilah Rd.

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It's 6km uphill from here to the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) at Deerholme. From Deeholme to the Kinsol Trestle along the TCT is 11km. It was just another day in paradise.

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video Narrative:
Today we're off to the Cowichan Valley Trans Canada Trail & Kinsol Trestle. We'll start at the Tidewater Subdivision railtrail from Koksilah Road at Miller Road, south of Duncan, British Columbia. Sometimes finding the trailhead is the most difficult part of the journey and accessing the Tidewater railtrail is no exception. Directly west of the 50km speed sign on Koksilah Road is where we'll access the trail for today's 6km cycle up to the Trans Canada Trail adjacent to Rowe Road. This short section of the Tidewater
trail passes the TLC's Keating Historical Home to one's right and another hertiage home, Reneen, to one's left. At Langtry Road the trail comes to an abrupt end. Access beyond here is blocked by a farmers gates. A logical option here is to pick up the railtrail again at the Glenora/Seshia Road intersection. From here, the unmaintained trail continues uninterrupted to the former Deeholme Wye at the TCT. A WYE in railroad vernacular means where one railway line connects with another in the form of the letter Y - this permits access by trains heading in either direction. Once headed southbound on the Trans Canada Trail, it's 11-km to the newly, rehabilitated Kinsol Trestle.

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90-second Tidewater Video

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Total Tidewater Video

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GPS Coordinates Langtry Rd: N48°45.589', W123°42.324'
Glenora/Seshia roads: N48°45.709', W123°43.011'
Intersection with TCT N48°45.023', W123°46.008'
Southside Kinsol Trestle: N48°40.085', W123°41.646'

Labels: cowichan, cycled, duncan, kinsol, tct

Today I cycled 26km roundtrip with Cameron from Sooke Lake Road to Kinsol Trestle on the Trans Canada Trail (TCT).

Sooke Lake Road is currently the southern terminus of this section of the TCT on Vancouver Island. The Victoria Water District prevents this section from connecting with its more-famous counterpart: The Galloping Goose Regional Trail (GGT).

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We lit out on the trail northbound at 9:00 a.m. and forty-minutes later had crossed the rehabilitated Kinsol Trestle. We secured our rides and got permission from workers to use the old trail down to the Koksilah River. The new multi-use trail down to the river was closed due to ongoing site improvements. We spent over an hour at the site enjoying the views and river.

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The return ride took us an hour. The southern end of this trail is downhill outbound but is uphill inbound for approximately three kilometres from Sooke Lake Road. That's just the way it is. Thus, after cycling this uphill on the way back, one's pretty tired at the end.

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Nokian Ultra Tour 2 PunCture Resistant (PCR) tires (with carbon-fiber liners) from
GPS Coordinates Sooke Lake Road Trailhead and Parking: 48°34'50.40"N 123°37'53.16"W
Cycling to the Kinsol Trestle

Labels: cycled, kinsol, tct

Kinsol Trestle Reopens Thursday, July 28, 2011
Kinsol Trestle: A Treasure Saved -- Times Colonist

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It has come together piece by piece, nail by nail, dollar by dollar. It has been a tough fight, but worth it — for today, the Kinsol Trestle is back in business. The trestle is a vital link in the Trans-Canada Trail system, the national network that encourages us to use people power to enjoy the great outdoors.

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But it is more than that. It is also a vital link with our history, to the days when steam-powered locomotives carried goods and people up and down Vancouver Island, making transportation possible before modern highways started grabbing the traffic away.

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80-seconds Kinsol Video

Labels: cvrd, kinsol, paterson, tct

Today I cycled 26km roundtrip with Cameron from the Southern Terminus of the Vancouver Island Section Trans Canada Trail at Sooke Lake Road northwest to the Kinsol Trestle. We were 01:15 covering the 13km outbound. What a great day for cycling. Due to the rough condiiton of the first 3km of the trail, Cameron road his mountain bike. We wished we had strated from McGee Creek Trailhead, thus, missing the rough section of the trail and permitting the use of street-rides. Oh well, live and learn.

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This was Cameron's first view of the soon-to-be-world-famous, Kinsol Trestle. He supplied the lunch and I the transportation. We chowed-down at the McGee Creek picnic table -- in the bright sunshine -- on the return leg. What a great day! Thanks for cycling with me, Cameron.

N.B. The downside of starting at McGee Creek is it cuts almost 7km off the outbound distance; thus, one loses almost 14km distance on the roundtrip. This would cut the roundtrip ride to only 12km.

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Labels: cycled, kinsol

B&B at Kinsol

Today we walked 4km on the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) from Renfrew Road to the Kinsol Trestle and back. We drove up to Shawnigan Lake to check out the TCT's Sooke Lake Road trailhead then carried on to the Kinsol Trestle using Glen Eagles' parking lot. We have been here before. We stopped in Marylin and Wilf's summer home at Recreation Park on Shawnigan Lake but they we not home.

Labels: kinsol, walked

View largerYesterday we walked the Trans Canada Trail for 30-minutes to the Kinsol Trestle which has garnered considerable press coverage of late. Being that the trail follows the old railway bed, it's relatively flat walking. It took nearly an hour to drive the 50km up beyond Shawnigan Lake but it was well worth it. We packed a lunch and took lots of water and explored many other points of interest in the area; e.g., Koksilah River CRD Park and the ice-cream store in Shawnigan village.
VIEW ALBUM HERE.

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Bentley had a successful weekend as a participant in the Fairfield Arts Festival and writes: "Just wanted to let you know that I have come out of my cave and the focus of my attention the last little while is now over. This past weekend was the Fairfield Artists Studio Tour and I put a little montage of my latest efforts together for you. There was less traffic through this year as I was furthest away from the epicentre of activity and there's been a lot of road construction around our place. I did manage to sell a piece though AND a member of the jury committee for "Artists in the Garden" at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific showed up and we had a great conversation before she said who she was and that the committee would like to extend an invitation to be one of the featured artists in their show coming up in August! So, it was a successful weekend all 'round."
Ben's Album

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We walked more than 25km last week with the longest walk being 7km from home, over Mt. Tolmie, along Cedar Hill X to Henderson, around Henderson then over to UVic and through Finnerty Gardens and back home.

Labels: kinsol, walked