Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 26th September.

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

Last week we had another rainy day again, it was quite a windy day as well and we did not hike quite as far as we usually do.  At the lunch stop we were out of the wind with a view out over Mouat Bay where the regular Alaska barge was fully loaded and heading north quite fast with the strong south-easterly pushing it from behind. 

My photo is of a common grasshopper, an insect that we don't often get to see in closeup.  This is not a cricket, they are normally black in colour and quite fat.  Some of our  grasshoppers snap their hindwings rapidly as they fly, and make that distinct crackling sound when they are disturbed.  Other kinds of grasshoppers have a row of pegs along the inside of the hind leg that acts as a file, or rasp. The grasshopper rubs this leg surface against the thickened forewing, causing a vibration and thus a sound. 

On a recent hike I was asked what a geocache is.  I tried to explain a bit about it and I do know where a few are hidden on Texada.  However, I do think it's an outdoor activity that needs to have a bit more publicity if only to encourage more visitors to rural areas such as Texada Island.  It's something that young people are more likely to enjoy and if that means getting more adults outdoors so much the better.  Here is a link to a video that young Alec Fischer produced that will explain everthing you wanted to know, and more, about this high-tech hobby. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDB8bXxqIIQ

Alec is, I think, the most enthusiastic promoter of hiking I have ever come across!  Enjoy!

JD.

A closeup view of a brown grasshopper at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay.  The hind leg is much larger than the other legs and has V-shaped rows of dots.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 19th September.

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

Last week we drove to the Macyk Farm turnoff and parked at the gravel pit there.  It was a pleasant hike through the forest and we were expecting to find at least a few mushrooms as we had found quite a few the week before when we hiked the nearby Plateau Mt. trail.  There was a strong north wind blowing and the tree tops were moving to and fro as we climbed the steep trail up to the top of Black Mountain.  The lunch spot and view point is on the south side and sheltered from the wind and it was a perfect chance to really admire the view which was made all the more interesting by the sail boats and speed boats taking advantage of the wonderful weather.  My photo tells it all.

JD.

 

What a perfect day it was for a hike to the top of Black Mountain! The view is across Malaspina Strait to Nelson Island and the mainland.

The Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 12th September.

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

Last week we drove south along Bell Road and parked at the pipeline cathodic protection station near First Lake.  This time we finally had dry sunny weather instead of the windy rainy weather that dogged us earlier in the summer. The old logging road we took to take us up onto Plateau Mountain was looking really quite verdant thanks to the recent modest rains mainly during the night. With the moisture on leaves and grass it was no surprise to find frogs here and there not far from the lake and creek .  All were bullfrogs, an unwelcome immigrant from the eastern side of the continent.  They were probably introduced to Texada to provide a source of edible frogs legs for restaurants in the towns on the coast. In my photo you can see the meaty part of this frog's leg, but none of the hikers seemed interested in taking it home for supper.

JD.

 

Our youngest hiker caught a Bullfrog and so we had a chance to look at it's muscular hind leg.   It didn't seem too bothered by all the handling!

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 5th September.

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

This year we had one of the driest and warmest summers I can remember, but even so we still had several Saturdays when the drought was broken by periods of rain.  Last week we started hiking with some gusty winds, but it was clear and dry for a while.  We unwisely chose to climb a steep mountain and at lunch time the weather had changed, the wind became even stronger and then  the rain began.  We found a fairly dry place under trees to eat lunch, but afterwards as we began the walk down the slippery hillside the rain increased and we began to feel quite cool.  It was hard now to avoid falling and we moved slowly. Crossing an area of grassy bluff the view of Gillies Bay we had had on the way up in the morning was replaced by a thick grey fog!  Soon we were walking more comfortably on an old logging road through the forest and before we had reached the road again the weather changed once more. Suddenly the sun came out as the wind moved the clouds rapidly away and we were happy to shed our rain gear.

JD.  

After a dry start to the hike the wind increased and the deluge began. Hiking in the rain on Mount Pocahontas.