walking

Thursday morning I walked 2500m roundtrip from Coombs Country Candy Store to Sherwood Falls and the Hole-in-the-Wall on Rogers Creek in Port Alberni, BC.

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Had lunch at Starboard Grill. They give regular service and their restrooms are open.

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Mercedes-Benz ran well.

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Took lotsa pictures

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Great day in the neighbourhood.

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Labels: ltt, portalberni, walked

Wednesday to Friday we walked in Ucluelet/Tofino area on the west coast of Vancovuer Island.

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Walked Wild Pacific Trail a short distance from Amphitrite Point Lighthouse.

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We enjoyed two breakfasts (inbound and outbound) at Homestead Cookhouse on the quay in Port Alberni.

Labels: portalberni, tofino, walked

Saturday morning we we were up-and-out of the Riverside Motel heading west again along Cherry Creek Rd to Milligan Rd looking for the Alberni Valley Moto Cross Track.

My first encounter with this site was September 8, 2013 while cycling the Log Train Trail (LTT). I took a brief detour to give it a look as we cycled westbound from Hwy-4 to Woolsey Road. This is how I come to know the LTT is adjacent to this dusty site.

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We were back at the Alberni Pacific Railway (APR) station in time to board the 10:00 steam train to McLean Mill. Fortunately for all concerned there had been a change in the weather for the better -- rain with cool temperatures. It did not rain while we were there but it was a pleasant 17°C and the rainfall already received reduced the fire hazard so the steam train could operate again.

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Normal temperatures in the Alberni Valley for July are in the high 30s (over 80°F) and this month already the train had to stop running when the temps rose to 40°C (104°F) for a few days. We really lucked out on the weather.

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We left the station at 1:45p.m. heading back home. We arrived at the Swiss Chalet in Victoria at 4:00p.m. for supper. Just another day in paradise.

Labels: portalberni, walked

Friday we drove 200km to Port Alberni, BC for a one-night stop-over to see the local sights. Today we visited the Mclean Steam Mill and had supper at Starboard Restaurant on Alberni Inlet.

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We enjoyed a brief stop at Coombs (west from Qualicum) on our way west to Port Alberni (PA).

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Upon our arrival in PA, we drove out Cherry Creek Rd to the McLean Mill where we snooped around for an hour-or-so. We've been there many times over the past five-years but always enjoy it. The last weekend in July is when the Steam Up & Antique Machinery Show is on so this was the first time we got to see it.

Labels: portalberni

Friday we rode the Alberni Pacific Railway (APR) Steam Train from its downtown station (formerly Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) station) in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada, 4.2 miles out to the Chase & Warren Estate Winery. After we left the winery we continued our steam-train ride out to the McLean Steam Mill; but we'll leave that part for another day.

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Chase & Warren are a father-and-son team who are the owner/operators (presumably with other family members) of the vineyard and winery operations. In conjunction with the Alberni Pacific Railway (APR) Steam Train, this professional team of vintners runs a marvelous operation at there estate situated adjacent to the CPR railway tracks at MP34.6 (7km from the train station).

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Please enjoy this two-minute VIDEO as the estate is so beautiful and the hosts so generous and gracious it's beyond description. And yes, the wines are perfect!

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Chase & Warren Estate Winery GPS Coordinates: 49°17'18.60"N 124°49'39.41"W

Labels: portalberni, railtrails

Sunday I cycled 20km wtin C&M westbound on the Log Train Trail. We had arranged with a local buddy who picked us up in our vehicle at the Woolsey Road end after our Hwy-4 start at 11:00 a.m. Quite a ride! Quite a trail!

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The Log Train Trail Regional Park is a Linear Park leased to the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District by the Ministry of Transportation and Highways and is located in the Alberni Valley. The Trail stretches for 20 kilometres along the foot of the Beaufort Range. It is accessible from many points along its serpentine route. The Log Train Trail is suitable for family outings by horse, bike or foot. The Trail is primarily for non- motorized use.

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This ride has been in the works for several months and we already made two, overnight reconnaissance trips to Port Alberni. We didn't really know what to expect in regard to trail conditions because most of the locals and visitors do only small sections along the route. After doing its entire length in one go we can appreciate why -- it's rough in spots. Hal Creek was our main concern: If the waters too deep it cannot be crossed. There seems to have been an inordinate amount of rain on Vancouver Island for the month of September so we were prepared to return to McLean Mill if needs be for our pick up.

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Hal Creek was dry-as-a-bone and here are pictures-to-prove-it. GPS Coordinates Hal Creek: N49°20.872', W124°53.369'

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Log Train Trail Hal Creek Xing -- 90-second video

Labels: cycled, ltt, portalberni

Thursday we rode the Alberni Pacific Railway Steam Train out to the McLean Steam Mill. What a hoot that was! Great fun.

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The Alberni Valley has much to offer visitors and most of it is appropriately advertised. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank you and members and businesses of your community for the friendly greeting my wife and I received during the two visits we've made to Port Alberni so far in 2013.
As aging cyclists we were first drawn to Alberni in April to sleuth out the Log Train Trail (LTT). We walked the LTT section from Hwy-4. After viewing the McLean Steam Mill grounds, we vowed to return in the summer when the mill is open. We stayed overnight at Cedar Wood Lodge and enjoyed our meals at the Starboard Restaurant.
We now just returned from your beautiful valley after riding the Alberni Pacific Railway Steam Train out to the mill and return. April 14th and 15th we stayed two nights at the Riverside Motel and enjoyed our meals at the Starboard Restaurant. Did I say Starboard Restaurant -- situated overlooking the marvelous Alberni Inlet -- is our favourite place to dine? lol
The steam train ride is remarkable: just the right distance and staffed with friendly people. The mill is remarkable for the same reasons. We especially enjoyed the young woman who was our tour-guide, greeter and musician all-in-one package. She sings very well and certainly knows everything there is to know about the mill and its various exhibits.
Thank you again for providing people like us living in Victoria, BC the opportunity to visit such an interesting location where no ferry rides nor passports are required.

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Alberni Pacific Railway & McLean Steam Mill -- 90-seconds

Labels: dinner, portalberni, walked

Wednesday we drove 200km to Port Alberni, BC. What a nice place! Situated along the southeast shore of Alberni Inlet this community proudly exhibits its industrial past while still supporting one of Vancouver Island's major industrial complexes: Catalyst Paper Corporation currently employs 280 people here and is a leading producer of telephone directory and lightweight coated papers for publishers and commercial printers throughout North America, South America, and Asia. The pulp and paper industry has played a central role in Port Alberni since 1947 and logging and lumber operations go back to the 1800s.

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We visited Coulson Aviation Water Bomber's base at Sproat Lake. We looked around and photographed the only two remaining Martin Mars aircraft: the Philippine Mars and Hawaii Mars -- only the latter is currently operational. Actually, we came to be at the base after seeing the Martin Mars flying above the lake from our lunch-table at the Starboard Restaurant.

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We spent the first of our two-night-stay this night at the Riverside Motel on Rogers St.

Labels: portalberni, walked