The Annual Royal Lepage Snow to Surf Race is a “don’t miss" event

by Keith and Heather Nicol

 The annual Royal Lepage Snow to Surf Race is a bunch of fun and a great way to meet people. It is also the longest

Keith on the xc ski leg

running multi-stage event in Canada and this year celebrated its 37^th anniversary. We had watched this event a couple of years ago but other commitments (including buying a house with a closing date on the same weekend as the event) had prevented us from entering it in the past. Last year I was contacted by a team from Parksville who needed a cross country skier and jumped at the chance to join a team. Island Cycle has been competing for several years and had made the podium in the 40 plus age category (Grand Masters Men) in the some years. This year the Island Cycle team registered late due to injuries and health of some members but in the end we had a great showing with 3 new faces on the team.

Team mate Douw Hattingh on the trail run

For readers that aren’t familiar with the event it starts at Mt Washington Alpine Ski area with an alpine skier , who then touches cross country skier. The next 2 legs are run legs followed by a mountain biker who passes to a sea kayaker. The final legs are a taken over by a road biker, followed by a short run which connects to the final stage- canoeing down the Puntledge River to the Comox Marina. This year there were 139 teams and so in all there are close to 1000 athletes involved. And they come from all over Vancouver Island with some teams coming from the mainland. This year the fastest teams came across the finish line in just 3:04.42!!  Our team came in 19^th overall and we were about an hour behind the winners. Our time of 4 03.02 was good enough for 4^th in our age class out of 11 teams so no podium this year. In “justifying” our overall time our team captain did point out that we were the 9^th oldest teams in the event so perhaps 19th out of 139 teams wasn’t too bad. Also the stellar weather this year made for fast snow conditions and ideal spectator viewing. 

A runner along the scenic ocean front in Courtenay

The whole event finishes with an awards ceremony and social/beer garden in the Comox Marina Park which was a perfect way to rehash the event and chat to other teams.  If you can do one of these activities listed above and have not been in this event, think about putting in a team for next year. Or if you can’t create a team, teams are often looking for specific people to fill in for certain spots so you can join a team like I did. For more information on this event check out this web site: http://www.snowtosurf.com/

You couldn't find a more picturesque course in Canada

The Snowbirds even did a flyby at the finish line

Cumberland’s Japanese Town and Coal Creek Historic Park

By Keith and Heather Nicol

Heather at the main interpretative sign

About 2 weeks ago we headed to this area just outside Cumberland to see what bird life and plant life we could find (see: http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2019/04/checking-out-cumberlands-coal-creek.html ). This time we wanted to see if the cherry trees were blooming at the historic Japanese town which was located on the outskirts of Cumberland and was occupied from 1893-1942. There is interpretative information about the Japanese who lived here and worked in the coal mine. Evidently up to 36 homes and businesses were built in this area and they lived separately from the Chinese who lived a short distance away and the “white” community of Cumberland which was about 2 km away. Once World War 2 broke out there properties were confiscated and they Japanese were interned in other communities on central BC. In 2009, to symbolize the 31 families who were forcibly removed in 1942,  31 cherry trees were planted in the area of their townsite. 

Heather along a walking path flanked by cherry trees in bloom

    No buildings remain today but this part of Coal Creek Historic Park is well worth visiting to see

Wood ducks can be seen here

the cherry trees which are now starting to bloom and to walk on the paths. To get here drive through the community of Cumberland toward Comox Lake. Next drive past Jumbo’s cabin (on the left) and  park at the Japanese town parking lot (coordinates 49 37.165 N , 125 03.483 W) where there is space for at least a dozen cars. Once you walk through the 200-300 meters of trails through the old townsite, be sure to head along the nearby Wellington Colliery Trail toward the Chinatown Interpretative site. Shortly you will arrive at some ponds and wetlands and on this most recent visit we saw a colourful wood duck, a red headed sapsucker and some hooded mergansers. This area is rich in bird life so is well worth a visit. We also some trillium still in bloom so bring your camera and binoculars. For more information on Cumberland’s Coal Creek Park  see: https://cumberland.ca/coal-creek-historic-park/ 

Hooded Mergansers in the small pond

 

Testing the Rudy Project Tralyx Sunglasses

By Keith and Heather Nicol 

   I am always on the lookout for great quality sunglasses that are easy to use and built to last. In the past I have had many sunglasses which broke after a few lens changes, that were too tight on the temples or slipped of my nose when I was working up a sweat.  So when I discovered that Rudy Project sunglasses were very adjustable and had a clever way of changing lenses I was more than ready to test them out. As a ski instructor I am on snow lots over the winter season so need a pair of sunglasses that can also take every day use.

The ski season started with teaching at Silver Star-Sovereign Lake Nordic Supercamps

 I have been using Rudy’s Tralyx sunglasses for several months of winter time activities. My first

Backcountry skiing near Mt Washington

impressions are that they do everything they say and then some. First of all, they are have many adjustments to fit every face. I find the flexible temple arms particularly useful since they can adjusted to fit under a ski or bike helmets and over ski toques. The nose piece is also adjustable but I really liked how easy it was to change lenses. Just snap one lens out and put in another better suited to the weather.  I found this very handy when skiing and teaching at Mt Washington near Courtenay on Vancouver Island, Canada since you can have foggy conditions in the morning give way to blue bird skies in the afternoon. I tested both the dark lens as well as their photochromic lens which allows various levels of light transmission depending on the weather. They worked great and are guaranteed for life. Rudy Project makes a variety of other lenses for the Tralyx which I am keen to try out.

Taking a corner on the xc trails at Mt Washington Ski Resort

Another thing I liked about these sunglasses was their wrap around lenses. This protects your eyes not only from direct UV radiation from the sun but also UV reflected from the snow and off of clouds which might come in at many different angles. So they are ideal for skiers or anyone else that does winter activities. 

Fat biking at Mt Washington

 Overall after 4 months of testing I can give these glasses great marks-they are my go to glasses for just about all situations.  Rudy Project is an Italian Company which also sells bike helmets and goggles.  For more information on Rudy Project see: www.rudyprojectna.com   

On the slopes at Mt Washington

 

Checking out Cumberland’s Coal Creek Historic Park

by Keith and Heather Nicol

      Our last visit to this area of Cumberland was in February when the ponds in this area had frozen, we could skate on the ice and people were skiing down the trails! See:

 http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-ice-skating-near-cumberland-is.html  But with spring in the air we decided to check this area out again to see what ducks or other birds might be around as well as to visit the Chinatown historical walking tour. So on Friday, April 12 we drove through Cumberland and took the road toward Comox Lake. At “Jumbo’s Cabin” (a can’t miss log building on the left) there is a small parking lot and large plaque discussing the Coal Creek Historic Park which features trails, picnic tables and interpretative signs.Be sure to pick up a map and information sheet  about this area in a plastic case at the trailhead.

Heather at the Interpretative sign near Jumbo's Log Cabin

    From there we headed down a few meters to the Wellington Colliery Trail  that heads toward a

There were many lively robins along the trail

wetland area and small ponds. There was much bird life about and once we reached the ponds we could see several Lesser Scaups as well as a pair of Buffleheads in the water. Greater and Lesser Scaups are difficult to tell apart but by carefully checking our photos against our bird book we decided they were Lesser Scaups- a duck that we don’t see that often. We had also been told to watch out for Wood Ducks but we didn’t see any of those colourful ducks on this trip. And we saw more robins that we have seen in quite awhile. They seemed to be everywhere chirping away.  Since we also wanted to go on the short walking tour through Cumberland’s historic Chinatown we turned around and headed back for 600 meters or so to where the Chinatown plaques are displayed.

 

Lesser Scaups in a small pond

       Chinese were brought in to work in the Cumberland coal mines as well as help build a railroad

Heather checks an interpretative sign on the Wellington Colliery Trail

which brought coal to tide water at nearby Union Bay. This settlement lasted for 80 years from 1888 to 1968. Not much remains today but at one time this area was apparently the second largest Chinatown outside of San Francisco! The walking tour passes by 17 plaques which have a photo of what buildings used to stand in that area or information about the  settlement.  The trail can easily be walked by a variety of ages and abilities since it is just a few 100 meters long along smooth gravel trails. The variety of buildings that once stood here is impressive from a bakery to general store to a restaurant that once served 10 course meals and was a ticket outlet for steamship travel to China! There is even a picnic pavilion so that you can enjoy your lunch here as well. This park is an ideal place to visit for anyone interested in nature or learning about the history of this area. For more information on Cumberland’s Chinatown see: https://cumberland.ca/coal-creek-historic-park/ 

The picnic pavilion is a real bonus