Pacific Rim National Park

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Wednesday September 21, 2011
Ucluelet

As I packed my bike this morning it started to rain. I didn’t think much of it as I have ridden through rain all summer long. I should have given it a lot of thought and stayed put in Port Alberni. It rained the entire day, all 100 km’s to Ucluelet. I have never ridden a full day through straight rain. There were a few short moments that the rain would lighten up but it never stopped. Every time I get wet on this trip I think it is the wettest that I can get. Today I and my gear are officially wetter than they have ever been. Everything is wet.

The road from Port Alberni to Ucluelet is very very hilly and winding. There are a few areas where there is a paved shoulder but most of the road is very very narrow. There are actually tons and tons of signs alerting cars for pull outs for slow moving cars. I would say that this road is the windiest, narrowest and with the most blind corners that I have been on. The Alaskan Highway had many of the same characteristics but this is pretty extreme. I would not want to ride this road during the travel season. There was a hill that I actually took a break climbing. I haven’t taken a break on a climb in the very longest time. I noticed on the way down a sign saying 18% grade. That means I have a pretty big climb on my way out. From what very little I could see (due to the rain) the landscape is very nice. Due to the rain my camera was never pulled out. I will wait for a break in the weather before I head out so I hope to get a few good photos on the way out.

I am at a hostel in Ucluelet and I don’t like it very much. The last two nights I have had my room to myself due to the fact that this is the end of the season. The hostel here is very busy and there is no real room to dry my stuff out. My boots will probably take days to dry out. Last night I was warm dry and had a room to myself. I have booked two nights here; so we will see how things go. There is part of me that was so miserable I wanted to scream but being by myself amongst so many people keeps my emotions in check.




Thursday September 22, 2011
Tofino

I woke up to rain; only I was in a hostel and not a tent. At first I was uncertain as to what to do. The weather looks like crap and looks to be quite crappy for many days to come. At 12:00 I finally made decision to head for Tofino. I had to at least get to Tofino before I decided to get out of here for good.

For the first time I left my bike trailer behind. It is actually kind of weird to see my bike without its trailer. It makes me think of a lizard without its tail. Those of you who have had lizards that have dropped their tail will know what I mean. And those of you know about my past will appreciate why I think of a “lizard without a tail”.

The weather was not too bad until I got closer to Tofino and then the rain hit. Prior to getting to Tofino I stopped at Long Beach. I should mention that the stretch of road (and land) between Ucluelet and Tofino is all part of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Once I got to Tofino I grabbed lunch and because of the rain I was unable to take any pictures other than the “Welcome to Tofino” sign so I fairly quickly moved on.

On the way back to Ucluelet I made another stop in the park at Radar Hill. Radar Hill was an old radar station during the Cold War that has since been dismantled. It was a short but very steep climb to get to the top. I am so glad that I had no gear with me; it would have killed me to climb the hill with all my gear. When I finally get to the top there was absolutely no view what so ever due to the fog.

My last stop was The Rainforest Trail. They have 2 separate trails and I had time to do 1 trail still before dark. What an awesome trail. Temperate Rainforest is so different than what I am expected to in Tropical Rainforest. The pictures speak for themselves. That being said the pictures were very difficult to take in the rain. I was forever wiping the lense dry. My camera has really taken a beating on this trip; it is wonder that it has not stopped working.

I was pretty soaking wet by the time I got back to the hostel. I rode 90 km’s today; 45 to Tofino and 45 back to Ucluelet.


Friday September 23, 2011
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

There is nothing like putting on wet socks and pants first thing in the morning. The weather looked better first thing this morning. But that did not last long. I have decided to stay another day and today the plan was to check out more of the park.

I rode out to Schooner Cove first and was soaked before I arrived there. It was an amazing walk through some temperate rainforest and out to the coast. From there I explored Combers Beach which was another trail to the coast. When I had checked out Combers Beach I did that second Rainforest Trail that I had left to do from yesterday. I am just so amazed walking through temperate rainforest and how different this rainforest is from the rainforests on Queen Charlotte Islands and then how completely different they are from tropical rainforests. The last trail for today was the Shorepine Bog Trail which was another very cool landscape. Shorepine Bog is a very different landscape than other bogs that I had visited. My camera battery died in the middle of walking that boardwalk.

Taking pictures today was very difficult today; but I did bring my decrepit and busted up umbrella to help shelter my camera from the none stop rain. I was forever wiping the camera dry with toilet paper that I would get from the outhouse at every stop (trail).

It rained the whole day until I got back to Ucluelet. So for a third day in a row I was soaked and it also felt colder today. I had plans to walk a trail in town that went along the coast but by the time I grabbed something to eat it was too late.

The hostel is mostly empty now; only 2 older couples that have private rooms. That means I get a private room also; just on a bunk. Two days ago they were calling for a better day tomorrow but now they are calling for rain forever so I don’t know what will happen in the morning.

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Comments

[Mom]

Good pictures. Is it cold? It looks cold.

[Mary Akis]

Rain, rain
wow travelling such a long distance on bike in teh rain must have been miserable..hope you have sunny days ahead..enjoying your blog M Akis (Thunder Bay) Ontario

[Steven]

Its me
Lets get rid of the rain already....Arent you tired of it?