Day 1 -- Drive to Port Renfrew

Summary:

• Victoria to Port Renfrew, with some exploration on the way
• distance traveled: (185 km)
• regrettable decisions made: (2)
• wildlife seen: (1)
• a bluejay (look, after seeing only crows, robins and all types of seagulls, it counts!)

Well, I jinxed myself last night; my 3 am wake up was a bit tough to take this morning.  But that's what happens when you go to sleep before 9 pm.  Here's hoping I make it to at least 10 pm tonight (stupid pacific time zone!).

As I walked out of my AirBnB this morning (at a not-quite-so-absurd 7 am), the first thing I noticed was a not-yet-desperately-low tire on the CRV ...  this is not how I want to start a road trip, especially given that all tires were topped up yesterday before I picked up the car.  So, while at a local cafe for some breakfast (and desperately wanted coffee), I asked for a garage recommendation in the neighborhood.  Never have I been happier!  I had a local garage take the car, not once, but twice today on 30 minutes notice to patch up two different tires.  Silly me; I didn't have the garage check the other 3 tires when they took the car at 8 am this morning (regrettable decision number 1; rectified on the second visit).  So, after a few hours parked while I stocked up on the road trip essentials (you know, bear spray, cooler, roadside emergency kit, etc.), I had another low tire.  I called the same garage after the Canadian Tire I was literally parked at said it would be a 3 hour wait ... and within 45 minutes (30 of which was the drive back to their shop), I was on the road to Port Renfrew.  Thank you Fairfield Auto Repair.

Sheringham Point Lighthouse

The drive to Port Renfrew was on a windy, narrow road through the mountains, but it was gorgeous.  It's not just easy to take photos while you're trying to not drive off a cliff.   The first stop along the way was at the Sheringham Point Lighthouse.  It was a short walk off the main road, but worth the stop. 

Another hour or so on the road, and I finally made it to Port Renfrew.  It's a small little village on the southwestern side of Vancouver Island.  The clerk at the place I'm staying gave me the local highlights ... so off I went ...

... down the twisty, gravel logging roads in search of "Canada's Gnarliest Tree" and "The Loneliest Fir".  Based on the cartoon of a map I was given, both attractions were off the same road, and only ~ 16 km from where I was.  So, there I go at 4:45 in the afternoon without telling anyone where I was going, in a place that has no cell service (this is NOT regrettable decision #2, obviously.  Also, I guarantee you this will not be the only time I do such a thing on this trip 😏).

A creepy bridge across a giant gorge

A different giant gorge

Because it's further away, I head to fir first ... and after an hour (it's only 16 km, remember) ... I come to a really steep grade that the CRV can hardly manage to get up, given the loose gravel covering it.  After scrambling up it (barely), I decide it's time to turn around for fear of what lie ahead.  Given the tire drama of this morning, the last thing I wanted was to damage a tire.  This, my friends, is regrettable decision #2 ... after returning to wi-fi (another hour) and checking an actual map, turns out I was one corner, ~ 250m, away from "The Loneliest Fir" ... ONE CORNER!!! 😞😠 So, there are no pictures of "the Loneliest Fir".  Quelle Dommage!!

An "moderate" .03 km hike

After crossing single lane logging path bridges over gorges (see the above), I TURNED AROUND WITHOUT SEEING THE FIR TREE ... someone please smack me! OK, moving on ... after turning around, I still had one novelty to visit, "the Gnarliest Tree".  After backtracking 6 km or so, I stopped at "The Avatar Grove" to get the lay of the land (and make sure I don't miss it by 250m).  It didn't look too bad ... 0.3 km to the tree.

The Gnarliest Tree

Skyward at the Gnarliest Tree

What this "map" doesn't show you is that it's basically straight up ... either via stairs or, at times, walking up the slope of the very steep hill covered in needles and roots... my fitbit tells me I climbed 111 flights of stairs today ... and I think at least 50 of them were here.  But ... after only about an 10 minute climb (I do like to run stairs), I came upon ... this.  I'm not sure if this was worth all of those stairs, but it's kind of cool.  Coming back down that slope was treacherous though ... we'll see how the knee feels this morning.  It was time to make my way back to Port Renfrew again.  Here's hoping that all of my tires are still fully inflated tomorrow morning.

I'm finishing up the evening sitting in front of a fire pit at my Seaside Cottage in Port Renfrew, local brew in hand.  Not a bad way to end a somewhat adventurous day.