Date: Sat, 7 May 2016 19:06:52 -0500
Reply-To: KI4TLF <ki4tlf@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: KI4TLF <ki4tlf@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vancouver Island
In-Reply-To: <CAG0-GTzsSKk0dnLqSznvUv+OW-_8V6Vh0aXarCgKEEMsCVZa-Q@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
You pack it in, pack it out. Doesn't take any more space than it did and it should be lighter to carry.
GregM
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Roger Whittaker
Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2016 6:51 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Vancouver Island
Dear Alistair
My comment is and was directed at General Comments - you are intensely more knowledgeable than nearly any one I have met outside of active loggers - And yes the dumping of garbage in the woods is a serious problem - Muggles engaged in this activity should be punished - Logging shows doing a garbage dump in the woods also a problem -luckily Truck Loggers Association - of which I am a member - is trying to stop logging professionals from treating the woods like a personal waste oil drop - Hydraulic oil was likely the result of a blow out and yes that too should be dug up and carried away - I mean it is often an excavator - bad dog no treat to anyone tossing so much as a candy wrapper to the ground in the woods - As far as callus logging practices - well some of that is in the eye of the beholder - if a person is 100% no tree should ever be cut then all logging will look callus - The encouragement I see in the industry to be a responsible harvester of this renewable resource is heartening - with a long way to go - Again my apology if my terse tongue in cheek salutation read as with derision The intention was 100% inclusive humour
Regards
On Saturday, 7 May 2016, Alistair Bel <albell@shaw.ca <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','albell@shaw.ca');>> wrote:
> Hey roger,
>
> I'm not disputing what you said, it's just I haven't come across it.
>
> But I do come across, frequently, is illegal garbage dumping, callous
> logging practices, logging equipment maintenance garbage ( even
> though a lot of the spilled oil from logging equipment is
> biodegradable hydraulic oil).
>
> And illegal hunting.
>
> I see more damage done by yahoo types than anything else.
>
> And yes, forest ownership, leases,tree farm licenses, is different on
> the island from the rest of the province.
>
> Alistair
>
> On May 7, 2016, at 1:12 PM, Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dear VI Master - to whom has all knowledge of the Unknown (log roads
> and other woodland gunk holes especially ) and to all of us who
> lovingly learn from him -
>
>
> Re Eco warriors and the stuff done -
> After being a safety manager for a logging roads builder - for more
> than 7 years I can tell you from experiance that very little of what
> is done in the woods to thwart loggers is reported - most is
> circulated to safety departments of various stake holders -
> --- lest we forget many of these logging roads are owned and
> maintained privately - some on public land have private management and
> private use rules - Most of these logging roads are not under any sort
> of provincial "care "
> outside of the Tree Farm Lic the user is operating on the land with -
> and that licence may be 100 years old - Further to that the public use
> of the road is often at the pleasure of the licence owner -
>
> Regards
> On Saturday, 7 May 2016, Alistair Bel <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
>> Yes, roger makes some good points
>>
>> My experiences:
>>
>> Gates - yes there are gates and there are trenches and bermed
>> inactivated roads, and removed bridges. The gates locked usually in
>> areas of active logging, or if there is a big fire hazard.
>>
>> Road roughness - you should have good tires already :-)
>>
>> Truck traffic - it can be a little disconcerting to come across one
>> of the big loaded trucks barrelling towards you, especially when
>> roads are dry and dusty. I go slower when I suspect active logging. Never used radio.
>>
>> Eco warriors - new one on me. Never encountered anything of the kind.
>>
>>
>> And I should mention how I now navigate the roads. I have lots of
>> paper maps, and the back roads books. I seldom use them now. The
>> backroad series is ok, but I've found a few errors in them and I
>> don't trust them completely. They don't have up to date road
>> inactivation data and I have found mis labelled spurs.
>> Pretty well all of the area I outlined is beyond cell phone range, be
>> aware of that.
>> What I do now, and you can do this with lap top ( but now I use my
>> iPads) is when you are in wifi or cell coverage, survey the region
>> you want in google maps or earth, or Apple maps. Both are good, but
>> the satellite data differs, I have found more up to date satellite
>> images in Apple maps for my areas of interest, but annoyingly those images have thin cloud cover.
>>
>> But either will work. Survey the area to the detail you want. The
>> data is in cache on device. Then when out in the bush it becomes
>> trivial to navigate the networks of roads.
>>
>> My iPad mini is connected to garmin glo Bluetooth gps device. This
>> gets a quick and very accurate fix, even in canyons and tree cover.
>>
>> My iPad Air 2 has built in gps and works almost as well.
>>
>> Also , you can find pdf maps with geospatial data embedded. With the
>> right app you can have your position displayed on a topo map.
>>
>> (I really should do a blog post detailing all this, it truly is a
>> game changer for getting around on e logging roads up here).
>>
>> I continue to be amazed when I am at one of my favourite camping
>> sites and I can see the site on the satellite image, with my blue dot
>> location, and then look up from the screen and see that I am pretty
>> well spot on. I mean really very close, within a couple of meters.
>>
>> Alistair
>>
>>
>> On May 7, 2016, at 9:57 AM, Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Dear VI Camper
>>
>> With Alister telling you all about the wonderful logging road system
>> there are three things you should take into account before venturing
>> on to said logging roads 1. Tires - the Michelin pkg offered by Go
>> Westy says right on the tires - NO ROCKs And many (er.... Some)
>> logging roads are blasted rock with all the sharp edges and all -
>>
>> 2. Some logging roads have gates - the gate may or may not be open to
>> where you want to end up - also it may be open upon your arrival and
>> closed when you try to get out - and no there is usually not a handy
>> list of numbers to call attached to the lock -
>>
>> 3. Many logging roads are active and the trucks moving in either
>> direction are calling miles up or down via a vhf radio - you may want
>> to think about getting one - does everyone have one - no - do the
>> truck drivers wish everyone had one - YES - a logging truck loaded or
>> unloaded actually meeting an unannounced vehicle is probly about as
>> common for logging truck as it is for urban drivers meeting wayward
>> bicycle - Not Awlays reported - happens lots - please be safe -
>>
>> And oh yes one more thing
>>
>> 4. Eco warriors leave many nasty things in the woods to hinder the
>> progress of legitimate users of the bush - razor blades on lock s was
>> one particularly hidious event recently catalogued - it is my hope
>> you do not become collateral damage to some of these misguided
>> protests
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> On Saturday, 7 May 2016, Alistair Bel <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>>
>>> Forgot to add that I have some pics of the areas described below, on
>>> my blog.
>>> For example, pics taken with David B. On a trip to bamfield and port
>>> Alberni a few years ago, and a cold April.
>>>
>>> https://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/another-logging-road-trip/
>>>
>>> Alistair
>>>
>>> > On May 7, 2016, at 8:12 AM, Alistair Bel <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Ok, a couple of options for the southern part of the island. I'm
>>> leaving out the obvious tourist attractions.
>>> >
>>> > From Victoria head west to port renfrew. On the way there are a
>>> > few
>>> provincial campsites that are worth a look. China beach, Mystic
>>> beach, sombrio beach. There is also a fairly rugged hiking trail (
>>> similar to the famous west coast trial) that runs along that section of the coast.
>>> > Any one of those parks is worth an overnight stay.
>>> > Jordan river is popular surfing spot with a small campsite.
>>> > At port can head out westwards and have a look at botanical beach.
>>> Very much worth it if you are into intertidal life.
>>> >
>>> > Port renfrew itself has a native run campsite in the beach. It can
>>> > be
>>> a a zoo on summer weekends.
>>> >
>>> > Fairy lake provincial campsite is close by, but again, it can be a zoo.
>>> >
>>> > The road goes north thru port renfrew, over a second bridge, and
>>> > you
>>> have the choice of turning left or right.
>>> > Turning right, and this is all paved, the road winds along Harris
>>> creek and then on to cowichan lake. This is now part of a popular
>>> circle route back to Victoria, very popular with motorbike riders.
>>> Some very nice views of the creek (popular in winter high water with
>>> those crazy extreme type river kayakers). No real campsites along
>>> the way, but old logging roads here and there if you want to explore.
>>> >
>>> > Back at the choice of turn, if you take the left the road winds
>>> > north
>>> then west to follow the Gordon river watershed and on again to
>>> cowichan lake. The road turns to gravel after the bridge over the
>>> Gordon. Just a little further is the famous avatar grove, big trees, really big.
>>> >
>>> > We head on this road to do our camping and exploring , but turn
>>> > off
>>> and head west. No campsites where we go, and road can be rough. If
>>> you are in the mood for that let me know and I can give you hints to
>>> navigate the confusing system of logging spurs.
>>> >
>>> > Back in the Gordon river road to cowichan. Lots of side roads,
>>> > again
>>> rough, to explore.
>>> >
>>> > What ever road, Harris or Gordon, you take you end up at cowichan
>>> lake. You can then head east (paved) to cowichan village and then on
>>> east to the main island Hwy and back south to Victoria. If you do
>>> that stop at the logging museum in Duncan.
>>> >
>>> > But if you head west (gravel) you have a couple of prov park
>>> > choices
>>> on the south side of the lake. And then if you continue west towards
>>> nitinat lake, there is a somewhat hidden site on nitinat river ,
>>> nitinat falls. No organized sites, the road down is tight, can be
>>> tricky at bottom if you want to get onto the river gravel. But it's an option.
>>> >
>>> > On to a T in the road, left to nitinat village where there are
>>> > many
>>> kite boarders in the summer. The lake gets very windy in the summer
>>> afternoons. Mini industry serving (originally windsurfers) kite boarders.
>>> >
>>> > At the T if you go right, and over bridge that spans the nitinat
>>> > river
>>> ( gravel bar camping below bridge, but do you want to camp there?)
>>> you will be on the fairly well marked road to bamfield.
>>> >
>>> > You can turn off that road and get lost along the way :-). One
>>> > example
>>> is the alternate route to bamfield that passes flora lake. Nice
>>> little forestry campsite, buggy though, but if weather hot and dry
>>> it's worth a stop for swim and overnight.
>>> >
>>> > One of my favourite watersheds, the klanawa, is reached via this way.
>>> Lots of rugged calling to be had, again if you're game let me know.
>>> >
>>> > Bamfield has marine research station and is the north end of the
>>> famous west coast trail. Pachena bay is very much worth a visit,
>>> somewhat like a mini long beach, but a bit more sheltered.
>>> > There is a native run campsite near the national park there, right
>>> near the bay.
>>> > From bamfield you can head north east on gravel, along the side of
>>> > the
>>> Alberni inlet and end up at port Alberni.
>>> > You can stock up on crack and OxyContin here :-) But has a super
>>> > cool working steam sawmill, very much worth visit.
>>> > Then you can head west to Tofino and long beach etc, or east back
>>> > to
>>> the east side of the island and the main island hwy.
>>> >
>>> > Alistair
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >> On Apr 30, 2016, at 8:14 AM, Bruce Todd <beeceetee@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >> Hi all -
>>> >>
>>> >> Just beginning to put the first plans together around a trip to
>>> Vancouver
>>> >> Island in late July early August and so I am asking the group for
>>> great
>>> >> suggestions of where to camp and explore.
>>> >>
>>> >> I received some really great suggestions last year from the group
>>> that made
>>> >> our trip to Washington & Oregon memorable.
>>> >>
>>> >> Thanks in advance,
>>> >>
>>> >> Bruce Todd
>>> >> 86 Westy Syncro
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> roger whittaker 604.414.6266
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------
>> PR MARINE SURVEYORS &
>> http://www.tvthatworks.com
>> http://www.tvpowellriver.com
>> LinkedIn -
>>
>> - ca.linkedin.com/pub/roger-whittaker/14/78a/b71/Explore printed work
>> at: http://www.prliving.ca/
>> View the growing list of video work at:
>> http://www.youtube.com/user/LastonLastof#g/u
>> http://vimeo.com/42309497
>>
>>
>> http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2010/11/29/multimedia/video/doc4c62e5f
>> 80d228504902172.txt
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
> roger whittaker 604.414.6266
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> PR MARINE SURVEYORS &
> http://www.tvthatworks.com
> http://www.tvpowellriver.com
> LinkedIn -
>
> - ca.linkedin.com/pub/roger-whittaker/14/78a/b71/Explore printed work
> at: http://www.prliving.ca/
> View the growing list of video work at:
> http://www.youtube.com/user/LastonLastof#g/u
> http://vimeo.com/42309497
>
>
> http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2010/11/29/multimedia/video/doc4c62e5f8
> 0d228504902172.txt
>
>
>
--
roger whittaker 604.414.6266
----------------------------------------------------------
PR MARINE SURVEYORS &
http://www.tvthatworks.com
http://www.tvpowellriver.com
LinkedIn -
- ca.linkedin.com/pub/roger-whittaker/14/78a/b71/Explore printed work at:
http://www.prliving.ca/
View the growing list of video work at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/LastonLastof#g/u
http://vimeo.com/42309497
http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2010/11/29/multimedia/video/doc4c62e5f80d228504902172.txt