Ucluelet, BC

We've opted to leave Campbell River a day earlier as we were able to get an extra night in Ucluelet where we are staying.  Campbell River has been a wonderful new town, but we're all excited to get to the next adventure.

A yummy pastry breakfast was had at Freya Bakery in town, and we were soon on the road headed south, then west.  It's 2 highways to Ucluelet.  Had to make a stop on the way out of town and get a photo at the 50th parallel (Dad stuff).  The family reluctantly joined me, but they'll thank me one day (?).  

BD&L, 50th Parallel, Campbell River, BC

The 19 goes south for just over an hour before you head west on the 4.  Not long after heading west we made a stop at Cathedral Grove, situated in Macmillan State Park.  Parking was scarce, but after turning around and waiting a few minutes we got a spot on the south lot.  Cathedral Grove is not that different form Santa Cruz's Redwood Forest that we visited last year.  800 year old Douglas Fir Trees dominate the landscape.  We wandered through the small hike under a cool canopy and enjoyed this little park.  On the other side of the highway it was more of the same, but close to Cameron Lake.  The hike on the north side also was built on a raised walkway, so a lot more floor growth in the forest.  The well maintained walkway meandered through for only a mile, but it was so relative to the endless trees we've seen in and around this area since we got in BC.

ML&B, Cathedral Grove, MacMillan Provincial Park, BC

DBM&L, Cathedral Grove, MacMillan Provincial Park, BC

It was well and truly lunch time by the time we'd finished.  We were only 20 minutes away from the town of Port Alberni, so we did some research in the car, and came to the conclusion the Aussie owned Boomerangs Cafe was to be our spot.  The boys got their beloved pies as we watched some England v Croatia in the World Cup.

Our time in Port Alberni was only the lunch hour, and A drove us the rest of the hour and a half into Ucluelet.  The road it was slow going, as 1 lane each way wound and bent its way through the forests.  We did have a time where we got to see the beautiful Kennedy Lake on the north side of the road, but other than that it was trees all the way into the coast.  We drove straight into our place at The Cabins at Terrace Beach.  The waterfront cabins are beautiful and the view from our place is sublime.  Through the trees you look west over Terrace Beach and into the Pacific Ocean.  Inside and out this place was beautiful.  We were on the beach walking in no time, just to get out and stretch if anything.  WE got in the car and did a quick lap through this small town and picked up food at the local Co-Op to eat home made pizzas for dinner at home.  This place has the World Cup channel that everywhere else has lacked, so the boys were happy.  We spent the night in the cabin, and sitting on the patio as the sun set well after 9pm.  More exploring tomorrow.

View from our Cabin, Terrace Beach, Ucluelet, BC

DMB&L, Terrace Beach, Ucluelet, BC

Campbell River, BC

A nice, easy morning, spent sitting in the coolish outside dining area of the hotel's restaurant, where we ate breakfast just enjoying a summer where we can be outside, and not hiding from the oppressive Charlotte heat.  Just a typical bacon, eggs & toast breakfast.  Nothing special, but enough to get us through most of today's adventure.

We have a helicopter tour booked with 49North Helicopters.  It is their West Coast Glacier Tour.  We drive out to the Campbell River Airport, where we are greeted by out pilot, Lionel.  Lionel is a Swiss search and rescue pilot during the winters at home, and comes to Vancouver Island in the summers to help fight fires.  Pretty much the person you want piloting you into the remoteness for the next couple of hours.  What a trip!  We cruise out above Vancouver Island, and head north-east.  Over Quadra and some of the smaller islands and through Bute Inlet.  You can see trees forever, but also where logging has happened, and where regeneration has taken place.  Pristine clear waters are beneath us, as rarely a boat is in this area.  

B Leaving Campbell River, BC

View From Helicopter Tour, BC

View From Helicopter Tour, BC

We then started the climb into the ranges, and it's not long before snow and ice dominate the landscape.  Not a building in sight, just nature as far as the eye can see.  We flew for about an hour before Lionel picked a spot to land on a glacier at an elevation of 6000 feet.  He did a couple of swooping circles looking at the landing sight before touching down.  Shittily enough, I froze, and couldn't get away from the helicopter.  I saw where we landed was a wide open space, but once on the ground, rolling snow drifts looked like major cliffs and I literally couldn't let go of the chopper.  Lionel, A & the boys wandered around for 20 minutes.  I was awed by what I could see.  Just from inside the helicopter.  It was 59 degrees up there (it was 73 back at sea level), so pleasant enough to be outside for the others.  When we took off again, we continued to climb to about 8000 feet.  Glaciers, frozen lakes formed between mountains, mile high waterfalls and white was everywhere.  We also saw a lake that had been dammed by beavers.  So much wood stopping water leaving the lake to form another waterfall.  Again it was an hour back, and the view was just spectacular.  So different to previous trips we'd done in helicopters out from Vegas tot the Grand Canyon.  The natural beauty, the steady water below and the isolation was just awe inspiring.  Once we got closer to civilization it was neat to see the golf course on Quadra Island, and how the sprawl of Campbell River extended along the coastline.  I hope the boys, at 15, understand the experience they just had, because I was still taking deep breaths thinking about it for the rest of the day.

Into the Pacific Ranges, BC

Lionel,M, L & B at 6000 feet, Pacific Ranges, BC

L, B & D, Helicopter Tour

Frozen Lake, Pacific Ranges, BC

Campbell River From The Air, BC

L, M, D & B, Campbell River Airport, BC

Lunch was had at Healthyway Natural Foods.  Amy shopped through their groceries, while the boys and I had delicious sandwiches and smoothies from their deli out the back.  The food was taken back to the hotel, and again we sat on the patio and looked east to where we had just been earlier in the morning.

We still had all afternoon, so we took a 15 minute drive out to Elk Falls Provincial Park.  There is another suspension bridge here, but maps took us to a parking lot by the John Hart substation, where we found a trail head that went up to the suspension bridge.  Early on we walked next to the Campbell River, but we then moved away for a while and started an uphill plough to Elk Falls.  It was a strenuous but enjoyable a walk trough the woods for about 2 miles.  When we finally made it to the bridge, it looked worse to me than Capilano.  The bridge looked like a long steel grate, and while a third of the length it just went to a small fenced area, not much bigger than out kitchen, that had s single small bench.  It looked like a prison.  Again, not for me.  The downhill walk back tot he car was a lot easier, and therefore more enjoyable for everyone else, as whining dad was at a minimum.

D, L, M & B, Elk Falls, BC

We went back to the hotel to clean up before heading back into town to eat dinner at Riptide Marine Pub.  Just regular pub fare here, and a great meal, but it also had access to World Cup (essential for B&L as everywhere we've stayed do not have the station that has coverage) and a view of the river, where A & I marveled a the massive cruise ships heading back into Vancouver after their journeys up to Alaska.  

After dinner we just drove south down the coastal highway to see some more of the town.  I specifically wanted to see the humpback whale sculpture, Drift, that lies by the water that is made entirely of driftwood.  It definitely did not disappoint.

Drift by Alex Witcombe, Campbell River, BC

Monterey, CA

Before this morning becomes a driving day, we have breakfast at Bagel Bakery, just up the road from the hotel.  We sit and enjoys a coffee/tea and dive into these great egg bagels.

Today we are headed down the scenic 17 Mile Drive.  This starts just south of Monterey and goes through Pebble Beach, along the coast, and down to Carmel.  The drive starts foggy, but its clear enough at each of the many stops we make.  One of the early (and favorite) ones is at Bird Rock.  While seals aplenty swim in the water, their need to get up on this rock island is overpowered by the shear amount of black birds on sunning themselves already.  Also at this stop is some volunteers, offering information and binoculars.  While L & I stayed up high, M & B climbed down to Fanshell Beach for a quick look around.  At Cypress Point we saw a lone white seal.  I'd never seen one that color before.  The next stop was The Lone Cypress.  A top a rocky point sits this single tree.  We got there and got photos,  but 15 minutes later, as we left, there was so much fog you could not see the tree, or the ocean.  We left and headed to Carmel before realizing that we'd been so fixated with the ocean that we had not seen any of world famous Pebble Beach Golf Course.  Maybe on the way back.

Bird Rock, 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA

Lone Pine, 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA

DML&B, Lone Pine, 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA

We drove in hoping to stop at Carmel Beach to look around.  There was too much traffic and literally nowhere to park, so we headed into town to look around.  We spent an hour looking around town and through all the local stores.  WE opted for Brophy Tavern for lunch.  It was a little bit out of the main area of  the town, and the only place without a long wait.  A nice pub lunch before we are back in the car again.

Our trip sees us continue south on the CA1.  We are hoping to get to Big Sur, but the road is not an easy one to navigate.  Between fog rolling in, road works, and the naturally tight one lane each way, it is actually slow going.  A has volunteered to drive, and I know it is taking it out of her, becasue I fell exhausted from the drive in the passenger seat.  

There are a number of places to stop on the way, and we do so.  Garrapata State Park is where we stop the longest.   We walk along a trail out to the cliff's edge.  The coast here is rocky and has many cliffs, not the sandy beaches I've come to know all my life.  And the fog!  So much of it.  Blinding one minute, then clear blue sky the next.  With stops due to roadworks (because of last years landslides) it takes over another hour to finally make it to Big Sur.  We don't arrive until 5pm, so we didn't go into the park.  Both because we had seen all the Redwoods in Santa Cruz and we were a little worried about driving back in the pending darkness.

D&M, Garrapata State Park, CA

B&L, Garrapata State Park, CA

No stops going back north.  That is until we get into the 17 Mile Drive again.  We stop at the clubhouse of the Pebble Beach Golf Course.  While none of us are golfers, you don't have to be to enjoy the beauty and history of this course.  I wish I had taken up the sport when we lived in Vegas.  So many times a knocked back a round.  It would have been amazing to try and play a round here.  Mind you we were heading into dusk as we got here.

Arriving back at the hotel we were too beat to leave it again, so we had dinner at Jack's in the lobby.  Although they were both super tired, the boys ploughed through a huge meal, and it wasn't long after we got back to the room that we surrendered completely for the day.  An absolute beaut!

Monterey, CA

Up pretty early this morning only to find my luggage had yet to arrive from American.  After a lengthy wait on the phone, we find out that this has been pushed back to late tonight.  Grrrr!

We had breakfast inside the hotel at Jack's.  Holy hell, there was enough food to do me for a month.  But gooood!

In the car and up the CA1 towards Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.  Just 9 miles north of Santa Cruz are these most beautiful trees.  A popular park, it took a while for us to get in.  The problem wasn't helped by the guy that didn't want to wait in line and during his u-turn he bottomed out on the edge of the road.  Once in, we had a quick pit stop at the general store before planning out the day  We got a map of the hikes, but went over and got a ticket for the Roaring Camp Railroad.  This is adjacent to the park, and we can get on a train in just over an hour.  Back in the park we decide to take the Redwood Grove Loop Trail.  It's just under a mile along, but our map has points of interest to stop at.  We saw banana slugs, a 277 foot Redwood and generally just took in these majestic trees, like none of had seen before.  The weather was perfect, and being in the shade of these giants just made the whole experience complete.

MBL&D, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Felton, CA

We made it back to the railway for the 12.15pm train up the mountain.  It is a laborious trip for the narrow gauge steam train, but one that has been done for over a century, for both logging and more recently, recreation.  The view out of the open top carriage is overwhelming.  You can't not see a magnificent tree any which way you look.  The commentary points out the larger trees, points out trees that have survived fires and all the interesting facts - did you know the redwoods drink 500 gallons of water a day and get 40% of their intake from fog.  There's a 10 minute stop at the top, as you wait for the train ahead to complete a switchback.  From there it's downhill cruising.  We all enjoyed this 1.5 hour train ride, and this ticks off our want to see the Redwoods while here.

BM&L, Roaring Camp Railroad, Felton, CA

Once we get back we leave the park in search of lunch.  In hindsight we should have stayed longer.  We drove 20 minutes down to Santa Cruz Beach.  Beaches here in the US still amaze me, with their piers and boardwalks.  Santa Cruz's having a massive amusement park.  We stop at the north end of the beach and sit outside, beside the ocean, and have lunch at Ideal Bar & Grill.  Another good meal.  All enjoyed under the non-intense sun without excess heat (I could get used to this).

After lunch we just cruise the boardwalk and walk though the amusement park.  This place was great.  Every type of person and family in this oversized Luna Park-esque fun park just having the best time.  I know I normally don't go for things like this, but there was such a positive vibe about the place, it was nice to be a part of.  We didn't do any of the rides because of the wait times, but we just liked being at the boardwalk.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, California

We went into downtown Santa Cruz momentarily.  I stopped at the Gap to pick up a couple of essentials, as we still had not heard anything about my bags.  Oh, and there was ice cream and cookies involved.

We took our time getting back to Monterey in the afternoon.  We drove through Capitola, just to see what it looked like.  The beach was packed, but it was a chill little seaside town.  We made it back to the hotel and the boys opted for a rest in the room while A & I wandered through Monterey.  We weren't looking at or for anything but wit was just nice to be somewhere new and see something different.

The late lunch meant A, B & I didn't want to eat anything, but I went back out to find L some Mexican.  I like when I get to spend 1 on 1 time with the boys (not easy to do with twins).  Another great day.  Let's see if we can top it tomorrow.

Lynchburg, VA

After a great night's sleep we did a quick walk around Lynchburg, before heading to My Dog Duke's Diner for breakfast.  I am pretty sure we've had our fill for the day after this smashing meal.

After breakfast we drove west for an hour to get to Natural Bridge State Park.  This park, as the name states, has a 215-foot natural arch, under which a mile and a half trail runs beside Cedar Creek up to Lace Falls.  The arch is pretty spectacular (bigger than anything I'd remembered at Arches National Park).  And the trail was an easy one in the beautiful weather.  The small Lace Falls makes for a good halfway point/photo opportunity/quick rest stop before heading back to the entrance.

L, M & B at Natural Bridge State Park, Virginia

Afterwards we drove up to Lexington to have a look around town, including lunch at The Palm.  A quick walk up and down main street before we were in the car headed back to Lynchburg along the scenic James River drive.

Took it easy in the afternoon, and while I thought we'd eaten enough for a lifetime today, we are travelling with two 10-year-olds, who can definitely put away some food.  We found a restaurant, La Caretta, within a 5 minute drive for dinner.  With Covid still ravishing the country, this is the first time we've eaten dinner in a restaurant since March of last year.  Got to admit, it felt kind of weird.  I hope this is the start of us working our way back to normality.