Monday, June 20, 2011

Back On The Horse


We haven't camped since New Mexico. So we got into Long Beach campground and just went right to work setting up our place. When we checked in...I really had to laugh. The woman at the check in to the park right away told us that someone in the campground had seen a wolf, and there had been sightings. You know seeing a wolf is very rare...and sometimes when I tell people I've seen a wolf on the island, (and near Alaska) they think I'm full of shit or a poser. It's funny...those people simply have never been to British Columbia, Canada. The park warden explained that we had to maintain a totally clean campsite. No food. No toothpaste,. No clothes. Nothing left outside when we went to the beach or to sleep. All our stuff had to be stored in our vehicle because of cougars, bears and wolves. I said, "oh my god, now my husband is never going to fall asleep!" We didn't see any of the predators (which relieved Stagg very much)...but it is such a wonderful exciting feeling to know they are still living on the magnificent west coast! We took great care to keep our site to the "bare" essentials and everything away at night. Whew.


We made the best huge burgers. With sauted mushrooms, dill pickle relish, mayo and tons of slabs of cheddar cheese. YUMMERS!

Some of the forest around our campsite.

Sunset. Next stop, Japan.

This is one of my favourite places in the world. I feel like I could stay right here on the beach forever. We used to come here when I was a kid when we just camped right on the beach. Illegal now to do so, its a national park. I'm glad its a national park and protected...but a little part of me is also glad I grew up in a time when very few people ever came to this spot. It was pretty much locals only and some counter culture folks. I learned how to drive on this beach. We used to drive right up on the beach. Yeah, I know throw back. White trash. Red neck. Like, I said, I'm glad its a national park and protected...from people like I used to be ha ha. Sometimes we would just get our sleeping bagsd and sleep on the sand and look at the stars and wake up with actual sand in our eyes. We used to fish and make fires all night long.

It is to my heart still the most beautiful place I've ever been and my favourite. I am so so glad I got to bring Stagg here and show him. We took a small picnic on to the beach after we set up our campsite and just hung out here with a couple beverages and enjoyed the wonderful evening. Thank you Universe!

7 comments:

Furtheron said...

Next stop Japan... why are you thinking of swimming it one day? :-)

What a beautiful place - living in a country where even the places we have as national parks are just a frozen in time man made environment seeing true wilderness is always awe-inspiring for me

X. Dell said...

(1) This is one hell of a roadtrip. Great pictures. Good travels.

(2) I'm wondering if Stagg had fantasies about having a shotgun nearby. I wouldn't sleep too soundly with wolves around. It's all I can do to keep peace with the bears and the coyotes around here.

(3) I don't know how you'd ever get your arms around that tree to hug it. I'm kinda wondering how tall it actually is (the one you and Stagg are standing in front of, that is).

(4) Yeah, I was really saddened to hear about Clarence's passing. Lots of great music now silenced.

Candy Minx said...

Furtheron, more like it hits you how big the ocean is...when the next piece of land is Japan. Way far away.

The total feeling of wilderness...not countryside, or farms, or gardens...but how nature just has made it...is beautiful. It is a totally magic place to me.

X Dell, 1)yeah, this has turned into quite a crazy road trip. I wonder what it will feel like when we actually get back to Chicago? I don't know. No way when we left that day in Febuary heading to Memphis we'd ever really think we'd still be out here.

2) Stagg was surprisingly cool about the animals. The wolves wouldn't likely hurt a person, but cougars might be tempted to take down a kid at least. He seemed to have no problem going about camp after dark. I however have major bearanoia. Stagg has anxiety about ast patches of nature or water...and he has become fairly calm at handling the vast abyss of naturte these days.

3)The tree was taller than the leaning tower of pisa (according to the plaque with info) if that is any gauge of its size. YThe trees are mindblowing. It's like middle earth for real. Or remember the scene in second star wars where they are on
"hover jet skiis" being chased by storm troopers? Same kind of forest. I always wondered if they shot that in Canada but I think it was in California.

4) Yeah, Clemons was a pretty all-round interesting person. I'd think his bio would be fascinating actually.

mister anchovy said...

beautiful shots!...speaking of wildlife, I saw a coyote around the corner from our house the other day.

Going fishin' in the morning. Back in a few days.

Malcolm said...

Props to Stagg for being able to sleep with the threat of animals around. I probably would have been dead tired the next day because I doubt I could have gotten any sleep. By the way, the burgers sound scrumptious!

johnfellows said...

Wow Candy, I love your photos:) What a Revelation that you, who faves Frances Yates, lives in Vancouver. I am working on a project that embraces the 'idea' that Yates discovered about the Globe and 'The Theater of the World'. In grade 8, I built a model of the Globe as an English project, to find out in my 20's that I was descended from John Dee, who designed the Globe. Would love to chat sometime and hear your thoughts.
John Fellows Vancouver, BC
fellows.john@gmail.com

thehealingroom said...

Congrats on the successful night of camping. Yah!

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