Monthly Archives: May 2022

Salt Spring Island

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After we left Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island, we headed north to Chemainus to catch the ferry to Salt Spring Island

on the way we stopped at the famous Malahat Skywalk, where we took in the breathtaking views of the inside passage and Gulf Islands from the top. The skywalk is a must-see for anyone traveling through the area, and the views from the top are truly spectacular. We also enjoyed the exhilarating slide to the bottom, which was a fun and exciting way to end our visit to the skywalk. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

’69 Mets 53rd Reunion, Brentwood Bay

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We left Ferndale WA early in the morning to catch the BC Ferry from Tsawwassen To Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. After quick tour and great lunch in Sydney we headed to the Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa to begin the 53rd Mets Reunion. After a little sightseeing around Brentwood Bay we all congregated in the bar and enjoyed a great meal rehashing old (very old) war stores. The next day we all met at Butchart Gardens under blue skies to enjoy the marvellous flowers and landscaping.  We finished the day with another group dinner at a local pub.  On our last day we all met at Tom and Margaret Lidkea’s home in Oak Bay.  Margaret took us all on a guided nature tour of Cattle Point and Uplands Park . We finished off with a great homemade meal at Tom and Margaret’s including a lot of small talk and ending with an epic reading of one of Alex Curries poems by Liz Seto. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Northern California

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On May 13th, we arrived at Redding, staying at the Mountain Gate RV Park, near Mt Shasta. We drove to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park and explored beautiful Burney Falls. Burney Falls, called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by President Theodore Roosevelt, falling129 feet, is truly magnificent. In March 2021, a National Geographic article declared the site to be one of “northern California’s most spectacular waterfalls”. The water comes from underground springs above and at the falls, which are 129 feet high, and provides an almost constant flow rate of 379 million litres per day. Several movies with scenes filmed at Burney Falls include, Stand by Me(1986), The Parson and the Outlaw(1957), and Tarzan’s Fight for Life(1958). Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Great Basin NP and Lehman Caves

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The Parachute Shield formation

Great Basin National Park was established in October 27, 1986, and encompasses 77,180 acres. The park derives its name from the Great Basin, the dry and mountainous region between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Mountains. The park rises from a sea of sagebrush to treeless rocky summits. It is notable for its grove of ancient bristlecone pines, the oldest known nonclonal organisms, and for the Lehman Caves at the base of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, as well as Wheeler Glacier. It is an hour drive from Ely to the Park, we visited the Visitor Center and bought tickets on line for the Lehman Caves then followed the scenic drive to the Mather Overlook for a view of Wheeler Peak. The Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is a paved 12 mile out and back road to an elevation exceeding 10,000 feet, to the face of Wheeler Peak. Due to snow on the road, it was closed after the viewpoint, but we enjoyed magnificent views of Wheeler Peak before descending back to Ely. Click on thumbnail to view image

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Ely Nevada

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Nevada Northern #81, built in 1917

This year our journey began from Oceanside, CA, on May 1st, 2022, heading north and eventually all the way to Alaska. Our first stop is Ely, Nevada, where we are staying at the Ely KOA Campground for 4 days. We explored the town of Ely and the Ely Murals. The walking tour of Ely’s Murals is a great way to understand the history and cultural significance of the town. Like many Western towns, Ely, has experienced major highs and lows thanks to the mining industry. Mining, primarily for copper, founded the town in the late 1800’s and has long been its largest employer. In 1999 the town’s leading copper mine shut down and many downtown shops closed and went dark. The Ely Murals were inspired by the murals in Chemainus, BC, and today the 28 murals are focused on the history of the town – mining, ranching, railroading and scenic beauty, with the cultural diversity of the community as a central theme.  Check out the video. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →