The Cooper's Hawk Disc Golf Course in Campbell River is well worth a visit

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

     It had almost been a year since we had played the Cooper’s Hawk Disc Golf course in Campbell River so when our bike group from the Comox Valley was heading that way we decided to have a bike and disc golf day. Monday Sept 13^th was sunny and warm with light winds so it was a perfect day for either biking or disc golfing. The course is located at Willow Point Park and this location is a hot bed for different sports and next to the parking lot we saw people taking on the jumps on the new bike park and skateboarders trying their tricks in the adjacent skate park.  There are also outdoor volleyball courts, an indoor sportsplex, tennis courts and playing fields. As well as an 18 plus hole disc golf course!

 

                                      Heather having a look at the map to check the course layout    

This course is nicely laid out and we really liked the combination of open and forested holes. We don`t have many open holes on the courses we have played in the Comox Valley so this is a pleasant change (see photo below).   It also has 3 possible concrete tee off pads for many holes so better players can really be challenged. . The longest hole off the red tees is 303 feet and the shortest hole is 154 feet but these get a whole lot longer off the gold tees. There is some elevation change which is nice and there is a good map to start so that you can see the general layout. We recommend taking a photo of the map with your phone since there are some gaps between holes.  Be sure to check it out. For more information see: https://campbellriver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/facilities/outdoor-facilities   

 

Cross country skiers need to know the difference between offseason exercise and training

By Keith and Heather Nicol

    When I teach at the Supercamps early season cross country ski camps I always ask my students what activities they did during the summer to get ready for the upcoming ski season. I usually get comments like “I hiked in the Rockies on the weekend and biked to work during the week” from skiers from Calgary. Or “ I participated in 2 triathlons and trained for those through the summer by running, swimming and biking when ever possible” from skiers in Toronto. Usually students want to focus on aerobic activity which is great for maintaining or improving muscular endurance. But when I ask “What exercises did you do to improve your 1 footed balance?” I usually get silence. Unfortunately activities like hiking and biking don’t have many specific skills that transfer directly to cross country skiing- for instance, the development of 1 footed balance (see biking photo below).

So we need to distinguish between exercise and training. If we want to get better at an activity we have to enact training that develops the specific skills needed to perform that sport.  Unfortunately none of the activities like running, biking, and swimming  actually help our one footed balance which is the key to good cross country skiing. Note that if I classic ski or skate on cross country skis that I move from balancing on 1 ski to balancing on the other ski(see photo below). The better one footed balance you have the better you can cross country ski. So you need to build in some specific balance training into your fall routine if you plan to become a better cross country skier. Also since our balance deteriorates with age we need balance practice drills simply to maintain good ski technique.  

 

So here are some of the balance training drills I go through in the fall.  I use a wobble board through the late summer and fall to improve my one footed balance (see photo to left).  It strengthens the muscles around the ankle and foot which are needed to stay balanced. When doing this try to be flexed at the ankles, knees and hips.  This flexed position very similar to what we use when we cross country ski. If you don’t have a wobble board then you can make this balancing device out of 2 by 4’s that you can see demonstrated in the video below.    Another activity that I ramp up in the fall is roller skiing since it duplicates the ski skills needed for cross country skiing very well. I do alot of no poles roller skiing since one of my goals is to improve my one footed balance which is best trained when no poles are used (see photo below).  So don’t simply get ready for the cross country ski season by getting some exercise like hiking or biking...build in some training with some balance drills that are cross country skiing specific. Thanks to Fitterfirst balance equipment and Jenex roller skis for their help with the following video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea9QdeMR4UY   which expands on these

 ideas. For information on the early season Supercamps held at Silver Star and Sovereign Lakes , BC see: http://xcsupercamps.com   They are a great tune up on snow for the upcoming xc ski season.

 

 

Sea kayaking from the Comox Marina

 

by Keith and Heather Nicol

      We don’t use this launch site very often but since we were meeting friends for a picnic later in the
afternoon at Comox Marina Park we decided to check it out. It wasn’t too busy on Tuesday, Sept 7 which we appreciated and we really like the fact that it is wide so that power boats and kayakers/paddleboarders can launch at the same time. The launch point is well protected as you might expect and in no time we were paddling out through the breakwater. A real bonus with this site is that if you head along the breakwater in a westerly direction you come to a float with many seals on it (see photo below and to right)  Now seals are not exactly a rarity in these waters but to see 20-30 hauled out on a float is something we don’t see everyday. 

 

 After checking out the seals another obvious destination is Goose Spit and it looked almost tropical with the golden sand and glistening blue water (See photo below).  We landed at the tip of Goose Spit for a snack and to enjoy the setting and then paddled around the spit for an hour or so before returning to the marina. Along the way were joined by several  standup paddleboarders who were enjoying the perfect conditions. The Comox Marina is located at the base of Beaufort Avenue in Comox and there is a nice park in the same location. This area makes for a perfect place to for people who want calmer water since much of paddling is quite protected. Be aware that there is often alot of boat activity so you need to be prepared for that.

 

Plenty to see at the 19th Artisans’ Festival at the Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

We have attended the Artisan’s Festival at the Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens in the past  were very impressed by the range of artisans which presented their wares in a relaxing woodland setting. We attended on Sunday, Sept 5 and there are over 50 exhibitors featuring  pottery to paintings to wood work and everything in between so there is alot to choose from. The exhibitors tend to be mostly located in small open meadows which is ideal given that Covid 19 still needs to be safeguarded against (see photo below).  But it is a sign that life is slowly returning to normal when we have events like this that are open to the general public. Many people wore masks but since you can be outside for just about all of the artist’s displays they aren’t mandatory.   

 

From the map we could see that there are many trails that wind through the forest and so we will have to return for another visit to fully explore the gardens. We did take one side trail to the labyrinth which is a special spot worth investigating. Be sure to ring the large wind chime before you start your walk labyrinth.  We also appreciated the musicians who were playing music along the way and each day of the festival there are different people playing at the different venues.  The festival runs from Saturday, September 4 to Monday, September 6.  The event is pet friendly and there is an ATM and food trucks on site.  The 24 acre Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens offers a tranquil setting to enjoy nature and this weekend there is an added bonus of the artisans’ festival.  We are looking forward on coming back to see the gardens when the rhododendrons are in full bloom since they have one of the largest collections of rhodos on the Island.  The gardens are located about 15 minutes north of Courtenay off the North Island Highway. For more information see:  http://woodlandgardens.ca/ 

                                            Some visitors having a look at the pottery of Rainforest Pottery