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TCT SWAG—NOT MUCH, BUT IT IS EXCELLENT!

Wednesday 9th Sep

I’m a gear junky. I admit it. I think when distance walking, hiking, camping—going on any adventure—if you’ve got the right gear it makes all the difference. I also like a pin or a sew-on patch for my pack saying I’ve completed a trail. It’s a memento, a little reward. In the UK the National Trails have both online and physical shops selling swag to promote their trails.

I’ve looked for Trans Canada Trail swag in Tourist Information Centres across BC—nothing! No sew-on patches for your packs. No t-shirts. No maps! Except in the Kettle Valley. They have maps. Excellent maps. But they only say Kettle Valley Rail Trail and the folks behind the counters across our fine province have barely heard of the TCT if at all. Again, Kettle Valley definitely knew the most. All the more reason we need to increase awareness of the TCT in BC.

 But what about that swag? I found the only thing available that I could buy to boast about—I mean, promote—the Trans Canada Trail, were socks. Well, when I found out they were 100% made in Canada by The Great Canadian Sock Company, I ordered two pairs. The are 75% merino, 20% nylon, 5% lycra. They are fantastic! So I ordered 5 more pairs. I highly recommend them! The Great Canadian Sock Company donates 20% of the proceeds from every pair of socks sold to help support the Trans Canada Trail. Now, that is an arrangement I’d love to see with more Canadian companies.

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SOOKE HILLS WILDERNESS AREA: WOLF MOUNTAIN

Saturday 5th Sep

Today was the perfect autumnal day for exploring our next section of the TCT. Bill, Matt, Taeho and I headed off from Westhills Park. Matt was going to show us where the elusive TCT was actually located. Turns out there were two critical intersections that did not have TCT signs and that was how Joy and I missed the trail on Wednesday. However, once into Sooke Hills Wilderness area the signage for the TCT is super. As you pass Humpback Road reservoir the trail is in excellent condition. A look out at Waugh Creek enables perfect views of the waterfall in season. The suspension bridge over Niagara Creek is a destination for hikers with young families. The forest is a tapestry of green made up of Douglas fir, cedar, broadleaf maple, spruce, hemlock, and alder. Arbutus greet you as you start to climb up the slopes of Wolf Mountain. I was thrilled to discover the TCT has found a beautiful route away from the highway, which was its earlier iteration in 2008. The climb is steady yet as you reach this side of the unmarked summit, Wolf Mountain does not offer great vistas to the west, but instead enables hikers to have a little taste of being immersed in Vancouver Island’s wilderness. Deep dark pockets of forest provide cool from the early autumn sun. Just past the summit there is a bike rack and a pit toilet immediately to the west of the trail. This is a beautiful and accessible section of the trail.

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ROBINSONS OUTDOOR STORE – QUIETLY ENABLING ACCESSIBILITY

Friday 4th Sep

Robinson’s is a family business that has been in Victoria for nearly 100 years. Yes, their service is exceptional, as is their selection of outdoor clothing and gear. But what I didn’t know, when I asked owner Erin Boggs to sponsor our team, was what they had been quietly doing for over 10 years. Erin explained that they are asked for donations and sponsorships multiple times a day. But when I mentioned our fundraising efforts were to go toward trail maintenance and making the TCT more accessible, Erin became very interested. She told me about Power to Be and that they have given donations and helped get individuals outdoors for over 10 years. She then handed me $300 and said, “Trail accessibility is so important! Go for it!”

Power to Be… In an earlier blog post I mentioned my remarkable visit with Jasmine, but in this post I wanted to highlight Robinsons as they have provided equipment to help Power to Be get people outdoors. A “Mini Robinson’s Outdoor Store” quietly exists behind the scenes, helping our community experience the outdoors. Thank you Erin, Matt and Gail, for helping ensure everyone can open the healing gift that Nature offers.

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TRAIL ANGELS

Wednesday 2nd Sep

You hear about them, but you wonder these days, do they exist? Today my friend and I were determined to see if we could follow the TCT past the Langford Lake Section.

 

But first, let’s pick up where we left off… Yesterday we left off at the Selkirk Trestle. The route through Colwood is straightforward. Bill and I have walked it before. Its not the most beautiful path to walk, but is great to cycle.

 

The Bruce Obee map (2008) shows the TCT following the highway along the north side of Langford Lake and up the Malahat. The older version, created by Mussio Ventures & Trails BC (a 2001 edition I found in a thrift store which started my first awareness and passion for the TCT) shows a possible future route past Langford Lake through to Goldstream park. This would keep us off Highway 1. We were keen to find it.

 

There has been so much recent housing development that the TCT signage seems to stop at this point. After multiple starts and stops and backtracking we noticed a young man on his bike with loaded panniers. We were tired of false attempts and wanted to get some distance between us and the busy roads. We flagged the fellow down and asked him if he knew where the TCT was. He and his brother were from Denver and were biking part of the Vancouver Island TCT. They were heading to Whistler, so crossing over at Nanaimo. He waved his brother (the navigator) down and they spent a long time trying to find the TCT and then telling us which direction we should go.  Lovely. Perfect timing. Off we went.  Strange. We still felt our direction was wrong so we turned back around one last time.

  As we were trudging back up the hill we saw him. “Thank goodness I found you!” he said cheerfully. “I’m so sorry, I sent you in the wrong direction. It’s this way.” We weren’t soaked to the skin or out of food. We weren’t in a life-threatening situation. We just wanted to find the trail and were tired of searching. The fact that he came back, actually concerned about us, setting us on the right path, felt like a blessing. This afternoon we felt a little bit of that kindness known as “Trail Magic”. It reinforced, early in this adventure we call The Great Canadian Hike, that hikers can still have that beautiful way about them—a way of caring for complete strangers. Yes, it was a little trail magic from two young guys from Denver. They were our trail angels today.

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TRAIL ACCESSIBILITY 101-LEARNING ABOUT POWER TO BE

Wednesday 2nd Sep Today I had the privilege to tour Power To Be with my expert guide Jasmine Parr. I wanted to learn more about accessibility. Their slogan is EVERYONE BELONGS IN NATURE—that says it all. I will write more about Power To Be in future blogs but today, my heart was touched in such a deep and profound way. Part way along our tranquil pathway I asked Jasmine "WHAT MAKES A TRAIL ACCESSIBLE?" I was surprised and delighted by her answer.  “The grade is important. A packed gravel path, packed earth, hardened grass, not just a sidewalk. Its nice when its not paved so you feel you are adventuring as well. You feel like you're part of the group.”  Thank you Jasmine for my lesson in Trail Accessibility 101 today. I am excited to learn more. Share

OUR TEAM IS GROWING

Wednesday 12th Aug It’s been exactly a week since we’ve created our team. I am encouraged by friends signing up; keen to be part of something bigger than themselves.  Already awareness about the TCT on Vancouver Island is growing. That is my main goal—awareness and sharing the importance of our National trail.  I hope this will lead to financial support for the trail in a more organic way. I hope the businesses we support will support our team. I will start approaching them next week.  Share

GATHERING THE TEAM

Wednesday 5th Aug I’m excited. Yes, downright enthusiastic, about the Trans Canada Trail. I’m not a very techie person so setting up the links and trying to make it simple for people to join my team was a bit of a challenge.  Share

Supporting Canada’s Trail

Tuesday 4th Aug

The Trans Canada Trail is not just a trail. It's a 30,000-kilometre network that connects people and communities from coast to coast to coast.

I’m excited to join the Great Canadian Hike, a nationwide challenge to hike, bike, paddle or roll in support of the Trail.

From September 1 to 30, I’ll be logging my kilometres, contributing to the national goal of 100,000 kilometres in 30 days, while raising funds to help keep the Trail accessible, safe, and thriving — for everyone, now and for future generations.

You can sign up to participate, donate directly to my fundraising page, or share my campaign with your network to help spread the word.

Let’s be part of something great — together.

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