We were excited when we awoke to sunshine and looked forward to exploring the Pacific Rim. After leaving Tofino, our first stop was Long Beach where we enjoyed watching surfers and a breakfast of yogurt, granola and nectarines. This beach was the closest to what we consider a real beach, but was surrounded by a winter forest. The number of people in the frigid water continues to amaze us.
A short drive south along the rim took us to an area of rain forest where we walked along a beautiful, boardwalk type trail through ferns, lichen and giant trees.
P- Stop petting the lichen!!
G- But I'm textural and I like to feel it as well as look at it.
P- That sign said there are many banana slugs in this forest. I want to see one!
G- Ok, I'll find one for you.
We walked on and I kept my eagle eyes peeled for a slug. Lo and behold, Phyllis walked right past it and I spotted a big, yellow slug clinging to the side of a tree.
G- Phyl, look!!
P- OMG! That is disgusting.
G- Not really. He's a very pretty color. Look at his cute antenna things. I wonder if he's slimy. (as I reached out to touch him............Phyl smacked my hand)
P- Do not touch him!!! Touching the lichen is one thing, do not touch the slug!!!
We completed our rain forest walk and drove maybe 10 minutes to the next trail which was through a bog. This area was completely different and contained trees that were as old as the rain forest trees, but were naturally bonsai 'ed and only a few feet tall. The guide pamphlet called this area the Broccoli Forest. This is particularly hysterical for my family members who have called me(Gina) broccoli head ever since a certain trip to Disney World where my permed hair (it was in style then) looked like the broccoli stalk in the veggie band at one of the Epcot exhibits.
We finished the Pacific Rim National Park and continued south to the town of Ucluelet. Even smaller than Tofino, but with a completely different feel, we wished we had first checked here for lodging last night. We drove to the end of the road and began looking for a place to have our picnic lunch.
G- I think we can drive a little farther, then take a left to get to the spot on the map that showed picnic tables. Look at that deer!!! She's just walking through town like the moose in Northern Exposure.
P- AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Phyl screamed so loudly, it scared the shit out of me, and even though I didn't know why, I slammed on my brakes! Thank God that was my response because Bambi, who I had not seen because I was looking for a street sign, was right next to the car. When Stormy stopped, Bambi lept across the road and into the woods on the other side of the street.
G- OMG!!!! I'm so glad you screamed because I did not see that little deer (which still had the white spots) and definitely would have hit it. OMG!!!!
P- If you had hit that baby deer, we'd have had to stop the trip for you to go through therapy! You, the gecko and spider saving, baby bird helping, animal loving freak. I'd have had to put you in a straight jacket. Let's stop here for lunch.
After a very chilly lunch in the shade along the coast, we walked down to a pristine little inlet, absorbed the rugged beauty, and snapped a few photos before we froze to death. We then headed back to the main highway to make the return trip across the mountains to the east side of the island. The return drive reiterated that this was the most beautiful area we had seen since leaving San Francisco...... the green alpine lakes, the streams that babbled over small rocks and, in some areas, crashed over large boulders, and the sun framing some tree covered mountains in bright light and others in shadows. We found numerous areas where we stopped briefly but wished we could have spent days.
We stopped in Nanaimo and got a room at the Port-O-Call Motel which made us crave big, juicy burgers and jazz (a place in Nola). A quick internet search revealed that this location was the perfect place to stop because a ferry landing was nearby and we wouldn't have to drive all the way back to Victoria.
