walking

E&N Railway at Malahat BC Tuesday, October 1st I drove the 27km (16miles) from Victoria BC to Malahat, BC.

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The purpose being to find a level access to the E&N Railway near this location.

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After driving through Cedar Springs Ranch campground I ended up at Malahat Mountain Meadows Campground.

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The campers here told me how to get to the tracks using the nearby trail.

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This access had too much gain for my purposes so after walking the tracks southbound for ten minutes a level xing appeared.

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This level xing connects from Cedar Spring Ranch campground (the place I just drove through).

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We remember this campground from the 60s and is where our kids learned to swim in the outdoor pool.

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Labels: e&n, malahat, walked

Goldstream Suspension Bridge via E&N Rail Grade Tuesday our son and I walked 2km from Humpback Rd along the E&N railway to Goldsream Suspension Bridge

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The plan was to walk the 5km to Cisco Bridge over Niagara Canyon but that didn't happen.

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The CRD aka Capital Regional District Victoria Water Supply has the tracks gated and locked at their facility.

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We walked up and viewed the suspension bridge but didn't walk down the 150m grade.

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On the way in our son got stung no less than three times by bees. The bees had built a nest on one of the rotted-out railway ties.

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It was a great day to be outdoors and we met others along this route. Addendum We enjoyed beautiful weather this morning by hiking 4km roundtrip along the Esquimalt and Nanaimo railway tracks. These tracks have been abandoned to train service since May 10, 2011 but are frequented often by locals and hikers. This section provides a shorter and flatter access to the Goldstream suspension Bridge than does the Great Trail. Our walk stated at Humpback Road where it crosses the railway tracks. The Great Trail (formerly known as the Trans Canada Trail) is one of the world's longest networks of multi-use recreational trails. Once fully connected, it will stretch nearly 24,000 km from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans, through every province and territory, linking Canadians in nearly 1,000 communities.

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Our son was good enough to join me on a hike with which he was not familiar. Shortley after departing our trail-head he may have been having second thoughts after being stung by no less than three bees! Being a tough lad he carried on without comment. The suspension bridge is located where the Victoria Water District has a treatment facility so there are many gates and signs reminding users of restricted areas. The down side for users is they also block access along the rail grade. The VIA Rail Dayliner could run through here but appearenttey walkers cannot. The Capital Regional District has it locked down pretty good.

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Labels: djineo, e&n, goldstream, walked

DJI Neo First Flight These two images are screenshots from my Youtube video. The images could have been taken from the camera recording but for me the ultimate test is what it looks like on YouTube. For my money, the DJI Neo video camera at 4k/30 does an excellent job of recording one's surroundings. “This is where I went and this is what I saw.”

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Labels: djineo, drone, saanich

 

Friday morning I cycled the Lochside Trail 15km out to Michelle's Field and back (30km roundrip)

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Across the road the industrial site manager gave me permission to launch my DJImini2 drone

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While keeping the drone over the industrial site, the 4X zoom lens gave some good views of the Keating Overpass construction site.

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It was a beautiful morning for a bike ride with 20°C (68°F) temps and little wind.

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One always has a wind while cycling at 25km/hr.

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The whole outing only took less than two hours.

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The Highway 17 Keating Cross Road “Flyover” Overpass Project will allow vehicles to travel this busy corridor more safely and efficiently, helping keep local businesses competitive and promoting regional economic growth. The total project budget is $76.8 million 🇨🇦.

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Labels: djimini2, drone, keeting

Times Colonist July 16, 2024 Jeff Bell jbell(at)timescolonist.com Driftwood mammoth sculpture set ablaze at Colwood beach. The Colwood Fire Department was called after the driftwood mammoth statue at Royal Bay Beach was set on fire on Monday. A man was arrested Monday morning after a driftwood sculpture of mammoths on Colwood’s Royal Bay Beach was destroyed by arson. West Shore RCMP made the arrest after finding the man nearby. Colwood Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Greg Chow said the sculpture of an adult and a baby mammoth was commissioned several years ago by an area developer. “Unfortunately, somebody set it ablaze this morning,” he said Monday. 

N.B. 'RCMP' is Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Labels: beach, elephant, viewroyal

<b>DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST</b> Times Colonist Sunday, July 7 2024
<b>Kathy Haesevoets at the Leech Tunnel</b> near the CRD’s Sooke Lake Reservoir. The <i>Capital Regional District</i> (CRD) built the tunnel linking the Leech River to the Sooke Lake Reservoir in 1987, but it has never been used. According to the CRD Regional Water Supply 2022 master plan, the tunnel is expected to come into service by 2042.
<b>Although Canadians</b> use more water per capita than other countries around the world, many in the Capital Region have embraced water conservation through measures such as letting lawns go brown in summer and planting less water-hungry plants, driving down consumption from 559 litres per capita per day in 1998 to 337 litres in 2022 — among the lowest in the province for a major metropolitan area.
<b>That’s happened despite</b> a population growth of between 1 and 1.5 per cent per year, said Kathy Haesevoets, an information technician with CRD Integrated Water Services, who notes that if consumption drops to 300 litres a day, the CRD could put off supplementing the Sooke Lake Reservoir with the backup plan — Leech River-area water — for 20 years.
<b>Elk/Beaver Lake became</b> the growing city’s water source in 1872. The two lakes, once separate, were joined with the damming of Colquitz Creek. Filter beds were installed in 1896 after residents complained of finding fish and tadpoles in their drinking water.
<b>When residents turned on</b> their taps in 1905, the water was flowing from reservoirs in the Goldstream area, which still has four surface-water reservoirs, with a volume of approximately 10 million cubic metres and a catchment area of 2,109 hectares.
In 2007 and 2010, the CRD purchased land from private forest land holders that forms the catchment area around the Leech River to ensure access to the water source and prevent any contamination from industrial or agricultural use. That property, which had been 95 per cent harvested, according to the CRD, has more than 400 kilometres of roads, and is currently undergoing restoration to remove old logging infrastructure, upgrade main roads and deactivate and rehabilitate excess roads.
<b>The ability of the CRD</b> to own and manage 98 per cent of the land that drains into the Sooke and Goldstream water supply reservoirs — the catchment area — makes the system unusual, as most municipalities rely on public lakes for their water.
<b>To ensure the water</b> is safe for human consumption, it’s run through a three-step disinfection process that starts with the use of ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and parasites.
<b>A low dose</b> (1.5 to 2.5 mg/litre) of chlorine is added next, to kill viruses. <b><i>Ammonia is added</i></b> as a final step to prevent bacterial contamination as the water travels through the distribution system pipes.

Labels: crd, kapoor, leech, watershed

History Of Indian Tricolor Every free nation of the world has its own flag. It is a symbol of a free country. The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before India's independence from the British on 15 August, 1947. It served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. In India, the term "tricolour" refers to the Indian national flag. 

 The National flag of India is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes. *The Chakra This Dharma Chakra depicted the "wheel of the law" in the Sarnath Lion Capital made by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The chakra intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation *

 The Do's: The National Flag may be hoisted in educational institutions (schools, colleges, sports camps, scout camps, etc.) to inspire respect for the Flag. An oath of allegiance has been included in the flag hoisting in schools. A member of public, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days and occasions, ceremonial or otherwise consistent with the dignity and honour of the National Flag. Section 2 of the new code accepts the right of all private citizens to fly the flag on their premises.

 The Don'ts: The flag cannot be used for communal gains, drapery, or clothes. As far as possible, it should be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of the weather. The flag cannot be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water. It cannot be draped over the hood, top, and sides or back of vehicles, trains, boats or aircraft.

 No other flag or bunting can be placed higher than the flag. Also, no object, including flowers or garlands or emblems can be placed on or above the flag. The tricolour cannot be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting * Dharma Chakra Ashoka Chakra *Why does Ashoka Chakra have 24 lines? Ashoka Chakra - Wikipedia This is the motif taken up by Ashoka and portrayed on top of his pillars. The 24 spokes represent the twelve causal links taught by the Buddha and paṭiccasamuppāda (Dependent Origination, Conditional Arising) in forward and then reverse order. The first 12 spokes represent 12 stages of suffering.

Labels: chakra, flag, india, kapoor

 

The Deep Pool at Kennedy Flat at the confluence of the Sooke and Leech Rivers is Vancouver Islands best-kept secret. Those fortunate enoughto know of and have access to it can enjoy the best swimming hole on the Sooke River.

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“Kapoor Regional Park is ideally located at the end of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, and is also the northwest anchor of the Sea to Sea Green Blue Belt. With this key location, park visitors will be able to experience a relatively wild and remote area with comparative ease. The primary focus will be on providing visitors with opportunities to enjoy compatible, nature-based recreational activities, such as swimming, hiking, biking, and equestrian use. Opportunities will also be provided for education and interpretation of the area’s natural and cultural history. Community engagement in projects and activities to commemorate the park’s rich cultural history will be particularly emphasized.

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The management plan has received strong public support. The planning process has involved years of extensive input from the public, First Nations, governments, interest groups, as well as a Management Plan Advisory Group.

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On behalf of the Parks Committee, I commend staff and the many groups, agencies and individuals who contributed to the management plan, which will guide decision-making for these parks. It moves our vision further along its way, and eventually, towards a lasting legacy we can all be proud of.” — CRD Parks Committee

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Labels: kapoor, kennedyflat, leechtown

Kapoor Regional Park Miscellaneous Items 

Kapoor Regional Park Jackson Williams / Christopher Causton, Chair CRD Regional Parks Committee / Old Wolf Creek CRD Parks Goal Statement: To ensure park values and visitor opportunities are protected and sustained through the use of best management practices in all facets of park development and management, and to contribute to regional environmental, social, and economic sustainability. *https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/parks-pdf/sea-to-sea-management-plan.pdf?sfvrsn=46ce6cca_2 The management plan has received strong public support. The planning process has involved years of extensive input from the public, First Nations, governments, interest groups, as well as a Management Plan 

Advisory Group. *On behalf of the Parks Committee, I commend staff and the many groups, agencies and individuals who contributed to the management plan, which will guide decision-making for these parks. It moves our vision further along its way, and eventually, towards a lasting legacy we can all be proud of. p.37

 Visitor Experience 4.2.3 Kapoor is ideally located at the end of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, and is also the northwest anchor of the Sea to Sea Green Blue Belt. With this key location, park visitors will be able to experience a relatively wild and remote area with comparative ease. The primary focus will be on providing visitors with opportunities to enjoy compatible, nature-based recreational activities, such as swimming, hiking, biking, and equestrian use. Opportunities will also be provided for education and interpretation of the area’s natural and cultural history. Community engagement in projects and activities to commemorate the park’s rich cultural history will be particularly emphasized. 

*** Although the entire park is open to public use, travel on the road right of way north of Old Wolf Creek to the Greater Victoria Water Supply Area gate will not be encouraged in order to maintain a buffer to the Water Supply Area and to gravel extraction and forestry activities on adjacent private lands *** The central area of the park is a former log sort covered with Scotch broom. An annual broom cutting program should be maintained to keep the area clear for an emergency evacuation and staging area. = predated?: Complete the Galloping Goose Regional Trail to the Old Wolf Creek Bridge Phase 3 To be determined based on management concerns and visitor needs = 

ADDENDUM Sheilds Lake, Peden Lake, Grassy Lake, and Crabapple Lake have historically been used as camping sites. A cabin, built by area hikers, is located at the south end of Peden Lake. All other standing structures, with the exception of the historic fire look-out tower at the summit of Mount Manuel Quimper, have burnt down or been dismantled. SEE ALSO: The University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry offers scholarships to forestry students through the Kapoor Singh Siddoo Foundation, established in nineteen sixty seven. Read more about the KSSF legacy here: https://getinvolved.forestry.ubc.ca/2017/05/an-enduring-legacy-supports-forestry-students/ and more about the lands that were logged in Sooke here: https://www.sookenewsmirror.com/community/entrepreneurial-sikhs-created-successful-sawmill-operation/ 

BELOW; Elida Peers "The Galloping Goose Trail ends at a clearing which is the former site of the Cameron Lumber Company’s sawmill. The Kapoor station kiosk, bench and toilets are at the clearing. The town site of Leechtown is another half a kilometer along, closer to the Capital Regional District Water Services gates and fences. While at the clearing take a moment to read the historical information about this area. Continue along the trail across the bridge over Wolf Creek and look for a rough trail to the left that leads toward Sooke River. Deep Pool is a natural swimming spot located at the confluence of Leech River and Sooke River. This can be a lovely place for a swim as well as the possibility of fording the rivers when the water levels are low. The pool was named by the Leechtown." 

*** Downtown Leechtown” GPS Coordinates 48°29'42.02"N 123°42'46.45"W

Labels: crd, kapoor, leechtown

 

Thursday morning I drove my Benz 40km (24miles) to Sooke Potholes Campground.

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With my bike firmly mounted on its bikerack and my Burley Cargo Bike Trailer on the back seat I was ready to cycle to Leechtown.

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More precicely, cycle to Kennedy Flat, located at the confluence of the Sooke and Leech River — where the 1864 Leechtown site was located.

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Nothing remains of the former gold mining town as the forest has reclaimed its own in totality (as it is wont to do).

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The kids, grandkids and great-grandkids were set up in the campground for a three-night stay.

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I had time for a short visit before heading back home in Victoria, BC.

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The forest — as it has done with Leechtown — is actively trying to reclaim Kennedy Flat as well.

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Labels: burley, leechtown, sooke

“This is where I went and this is what I saw.” Our son took me on a bike ride to Leechtown for Father's Day

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We've cycled together many times over the past sixteen years.

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The lad took quite a tumble over his handlebars due to a stick jamming his front wheel.

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The surrounding surfaces were small brush and soft understory so he survived unscathed — actually came up laughing!

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We noted Kennedy Flat (at the confluence of the Sooke and Leech rivers) is getting quite overgrown by the forest reclaiming its own.

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There's also many large logs floated hither and yon by the floodwater released from Deception Reservoir over the past winter.

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Labels: izip, leechtown, sooke

 

Thursday morning I drove the Benz to Langford BC and walked a Jordie Lunn Bike Park Trail.

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It was early so I pretty much had the place to myself.

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Afterward, I put the drone up over Westhills Housing Development and put the drone up.

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Labels: dji, langford

Saturday morning I drove 60km to Duncan, BC to cycle 14km

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The local news reported a 40-metre section of the Cowichan Valley Trail between Agira Road and Sherman Road in Duncan was damaged during heavy rains in November 2021.

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Funding from the provincial program for repairs up to $848,575 was confirmed last July for both the trail and the culvert

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Being very familiar with this section of trail — which goes 28km to Lake Cowichan — I wanted to see for myself.

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After surveying the situation (pun intended) I cycled the 7km up to the Chinese Cemetery (another familiar spot)

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I was back home in Victoria BC before noon.

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Labels: cvrd, duncan, izip

 

Friday morning I walked our 3800m (2¾miles) loop over Mt. Tolmie and back thru Finnerty Gardens.

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On my way up The Grind> I took a picture of the ongoing, house construction.

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Once over the mountain it was down to Rattenbury to Henderson Rd.

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Labels: finnerty, tolmie, walked