When the whole day is clear, we can travel to a trailhead to a destination hike, but for much of the week, we have a pocket of time and so we pick a local area hike for a 1.5 – 2.5 hour outing. We have hundreds of routes, learned from exploring routes over decades. A few are shared … Continue reading →
Set in Darkness is the eleventh book in the Inspector Rebus series. Ian Rankin’s crime novels are all set in Scotland, mostly based near Edinburgh. The books are sometimes referred to as “tartan noir.” All of the books are dark, with layers of criminal enterprises, violence, and murders to be investigated. Rebus himself is a little enigmatic, a … Continue reading →
A new YouTube video is now available on hiking a backcountry route past Bulman Lake in the Roche Lakes area: A post on this hike is published on KamloopsTrails.ca
Continue reading →A YouTube video has been published on hiking through the Bute Lakes Burn. There are many more videos on the Ramble On Channel.
Continue reading →Remains of the Day is novel written in 1989 by Kazuo Ishiguro. It is narrated by Mr. Stevens, a butler at Darlington Hall. He decides to take a 6-day motoring trip across to the west and shares numerous thoughts and anecdotes along the way. He reflects on his profession, his long-term service to 2 masters, spanning two wars, political upheaval, … Continue reading →
I hiked the trail along the Murtle River to the Majerus Homestead site. I explored the area and returned on the ski trail track back to the start. This was the second hike of the day in Wells Gray Park. A post has been published on KamloopsTrails.ca A YouTube video is now available on … Continue reading →
The Last Argument of Kings is the third book of the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. The title is from a quote by Louis XIV. “The Final Argument of Kings” is the act of declaring war (Ultimo Ratio Regum). This series is very enjoyable, hitting all the right buttons – adventure, humour, irony, character development, plot twists, mysteries, warfare, … Continue reading →
In the latter part of August and in early September, I still got out to hike, paddle, or play tennis every day, but if the weather was iffy or the time available was short, I chose a local hike which would take 60 to 90 minutes. I have scores of routes for such occasions, three of which are shared here. … Continue reading →
I chose to read the first book in the Cork O’Connor series, his first book of 23. Unfortunately, this book did not resonate for me. I found it neither interesting, nor believable. The premises of the book were sound, but the execution was weak. At a number of spots, I cringed. I hung in there … Continue reading →
The Bute Lakes area is located off the McConnell Forest Service Road, east of Lac le Jeune, and north of Ross Moore Lake. There are a number of old double tracks, some single tracks, and ATV routes around a cluster of small lakes and marshes. I have hiked his area a few times in the past, but not … Continue reading →
The hike to the Pillar above Pillar Lake is short and steep. It is too far to drive as a destination, but it works well as a second outing if paddling Pillar Lake first. At the end of August I launched my kayak from the Pillar Lake Recreation Site and paddled the shoreline (5 km). I was just under … Continue reading →
Before They Are Hanged is the second book in the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. It carries on the story from where the first book left off. In my review of The First Law, I praised the book for being very readable, but also full of great characterization, dark humor, and clever dialogue. I suggested the plot was minimal … Continue reading →
On a sunny August morning we got an early start to hike the Mara Trail, starting at the trailhead on the Tranquille – Criss Creek Road. On a hot day, this is not a great choice for a later start. There is no shade and the hills seem to bake in the afternoon sun. Conditions were more moderate for us … Continue reading →
We chose to do a shorter hike (4 km) in Roche Lake Provincial Park, a route we have done quite a few times. We started near Roche Lake. A signed backroad heads east to Black Lake and beyond. The road is high clearance for sure, but 4WD in the spring. In about 1 km we arrive … Continue reading →
On a hot and somewhat smoky day I got an early start and hiked the western edge of Kenna Cartwright Park. The Trans Mountain Pipeline is buried but there is still remediation work to do, The construction equipment and some materials are in place, but there is no activity on the pipeline track at this time. I have used a … Continue reading →
On a warm summer morning I took my grandson up the Mara Canyon Trail, his first time on this intriguing route. The trail is also called the Cinnamon Ridge Trail or the Hoodoos Trail. We parked at the end of the dirt road, an extension of Ord Road, past the golf course. We hiked up into the dry … Continue reading →
