Do You See the Forest?

Another Walk in the Woods

I keep forgetting if this area of Vancouver Island is known as the West End (of the South Point) or just part of the South End. Maybe it is Down Island because when you head NW of Duncan you are going Up Island.

Whatever the geographic descriptive term, there are miles and miles and kilometers and kilometers of trees and forests.
Obviously, one of the biggest industries was and is lumber.

All These Trees Are Massive

I took another walk in the woods with the Thursday morning walking group this past week.

Another Walk in the Woods-001

Some of these folks are quite knowledgeable about their neck of the woods and can name every tree, bush, berry, and bird. Although they are very willing to share and I enjoy hearing the information, I have forgotten the names of most by the time we follow the same route back to the cars. Which, by the way, were parked this week at a member's house in the middle of the forest!

I was committed to find my way through the Avatar Grove to view the world's gnarliest tree. I had turned back the previous week as evening approached, the trail steepened, and I had no idea how long the trail was.

Trees with Moss

Here's the Boardwalk

Often the trail is difficult to discern, but they have done a good job of making this route "wild" with some hewn assistance over the rough spots.
I met some folks coming down the trail.
"I don't know what I am going to see. How will I know when I come to the end of the trail."
"You'll know," they answered.

Sign at the End of the Trail

They were right.

World's Gnarliest Tree

Okay, I saw the world's gnarliest tree. It really is more interesting than shown in this picture. It's one of those you had to be there things.
I had overheard people in a restaurant talking about their objective to see all Vancouver Island's biggest trees. That seemed like a more manageable goal than climbing all Colorado's 14ers.
I saw an evergreen icon on the map for Harris Creek Spruce. That was one of the biggest trees. It was only about 40 more miles northeast on this Vancouver Island Marine Circle Tour. I decided to continue on this winding road with one lane bridges through the forest to see this tree.
Somehow I missed the turn-off to this tree. I did see a sign designating Tree Hill.
As hard as I looked, I couldn't see any difference in this hill from the million of them I had seen in the last week nor the billions of trees I had driven and even walked passed.
I crossed a mountain peak and suddenly saw acres and acres that had been completely logged. It also appeared it had been ravaged by some kind of disease. This was a surprise after the miles of trees I had been seeing.

I arrived in the settlement of Honeymoon Bay and then Lake Cowichan, There was a nice restaurant with a deck overlooking the lake. This was supposed to be The Lakes Weekend, but they had run out of money. The three day festival had lasted only day. I was a dollar short and a day late. Good thing I had a credit card and they had a museum.

Cowichan Lake Museum

Please Touch

This was typical of the items in the museum, but they did have good print displays of old newspaper articles. One exhibit on the Chinese workers was especially poignant.
I asked at the Visitors' Center what else I should see while I was there. She asked, "Have you seen our lake and river?"
I left the center, looked across the street, and found a spot a bit more interesting to my tastes.

This Is What I'm Talking About

Everyone in town encouraged me to continue on the circle route to get home so I could have the thrill of going "full circle" and driving through Duncan and Victoria.
I decided to return the way I had arrived; the winding road for 75 miles (that's 120 kilometers!) on which I could maintain a speed of about 40 MPH.
(That's about 60 KPH; I remember that by saying 60 is the new 40 and 50 is the new 30.)
I'll be damned if I didn't miss the turn off for that Harris Pine again.
I am not making a return trip.
Although the woods are lovely dark and deep, I really find them a wee bit depressing after a a few hours in the forest. The massive fir trees loom green on either side. The road is merely an asphalt ribbon in front and a bit of blue sky is a thread above. I feel as if my brain has blinders on it.

When Juan de Fuca'a strait slammed fully in front of my windshield, I shouted with joy. I had to talk a walk and sit on a bench just staring at the sky and the horizon. I felt as if a very heavy and damp hooded cloak had been taken off my shoulders.

Ah Yes

The Blinders Are Removed