Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 1st November.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

I rather think the month of October this year will rank as one of the wettest months on record. Last week our hike was on a wet day and just about every day this week has had lots of precipitation.  Not surprising then that our hike included a visit to see the falls in action. We were rewarded with an impressive display as you can see from my photo. As the attractive little recreation area at the mouth of Stromberg Creek is not far from the falls we headed down there for our lunch stop knowing that we would find shelter from the steady rain under the tarp covered picnic structures beside the beach.  It did rain on us for most of the hike, but the temperature was quite high for the time of year, and with hardly any wind where we were walking it really turned out to be quite pleasant after all. 

The forecast for this Saturday is for a fairly dry day with perhaps some breaks in the heavy cloud cover, so lets hope the prediction is a good one.

JD.

A glimpse of Stromberg Falls from the narrow trail down through the trees. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 25th October.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week we were expecting rain and were happy when it held off until much later in the day. We drove up along the High Road to the turnoff to Pocahontas Bay and parked there on the grass. It was very pleasant walking weather as we climbed up the steep logging road that only starts to descend after it passes the turnoff to the site of the old Fire Lookout Hut.  This was a small white painted building that could be glimpsed at a few spots along the main road from Van Anda to Gillies Bay until it was no longer needed and pulled down.  The hike destination was the grassy ridge that overlooks Malaspina Strait and Nelson Island.

There were very few mushrooms to be seen anywhere along the hike route, but in just one spot a couple of the edible Cauliflower Mushroom had grown at the bases of two medium sized conifers  and I was happy to take one home.  This is not all that common on Texada, but it is quite nice to eat if washed very well before cooking and as long as it is not too old when gathered. It's one kind of mushroom that is unlike any other in appearance and so very easy to identify and quite unlike any of the poisonous or inedible kinds. 

JD.

 

The edible Cauliflower Mushroom, Sparassis radiata. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 18th October.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

As some of you probably know I was off travelling around in Europe for a month just recently and my photo this week is one I took in Salzburg, Austria.  You may well wonder what that has to do with Texada, but as I shall explain there is a curious ecomomic link between the two places which has lasted for a few decades I think.  I had hoped to stay in Frankfurt after taking the train from London to Brussels and Cologne, but the hotels were all full up and I had spent the night trying to sleep on a train travelling south to Munich. That was not so bad as I was in a almost empty first class carriage.  However, I decided to treat myself and booked into a rather more expensive hotel than usual on a narrow street in the central part of the old town.  I was given a very comfortable suite with a separate sitting room in the middle of which was a low table with a vase of roses with some stiff  green foliage.  I thought at first that the flowers were artificial, but closer inspection proved I was mistaken and there was certainly water in the vase.  The leaves looked familiar and they too were real and then to my delight I realised I was looking at a bunch of Salal leaves that had quite likely travelledall the way to Austria from Texada, reaching my hotel room not too long before I did!

  

Leaves of both Salal and our abundant Evergreen Huckleberry have been gathered on our island by local brush cutters for as long as I can remember and then sold in bunches to buyers in Powell River. From there it goes down to Vancouver where I believe some of the best quality leaves are selected and packed for air shipment to the Far East and also to Amsterdam where they get auctioned off to florists who distribute them all over Europe.  The German language title of the book translates "Best Austrian Hospitality", and I have to compliment the Austrians who, in my experience after several visits to the country, do  a very good job when it comes to looking after their visitors. 

JD.

        

        Roses and Salal leaves in a hotel room in Salzburg.  

Next Hike

We will meet in Gillies Bay at the Ballpark @10:00 am on October 11, 2014.

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0

Next Hike

We will meet in Gillies Bay at the Ballpark at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 11, 2014.  

John Dove is returning this evening.  He will lead the hike on Saturday.  Thanks to Diana Vaughn for continuing the hikes in John's absence.

Last week we hiked at Shingle Beach, through the woods to the cabin and returned along the beach to the vehicles.  Last week's photos were taken by Hanna.

What is this equipment?  Found on the beach.

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0

Next Hike

The next hike will be Saturday, October 4, 2012.  We will meet in Gillies Bay at the Ballpark @10:00 am.

Here is another photo from last week's hike taken by Diana Vaughn.

Pam

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0