Sometimes words are not enough…only whimsy will do.
A Geography of My Adventure
Monthly Archives: June 2015
The Romance of Myra Canyon
I hiked the beautiful Myra Canyon portion of the Kettle Valley Railroad trail yesterday, and it is a place full of history, with stunning vistas and inspiration at every turn. A little history first: the trail is the old rail bed of the Kettle Valley Railway, built between 1912 and 1914, which was abandoned in various stages, but which was officially closed in 1990. The railway ran from the Kootenays to the coast of British Columbia, and was an important piece of the province’s freight and transportation links. The province of BC took over (more correctly, took back) ownership of the rail bed, and the trail is now a world-famous biking and hiking trail, of which Myra Canyon is one of the most popular spots.
The canyon is steep and forbidding, and in order to build the railway with the appropriate grade (and given the tools and horsepower available at the time) 19 trestles and 2 tunnels were engineered, virtually hugging the side of the mountain. All of the trestles except one have been restored by the Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society, who also do much other work maintaining and enhancing this trail portion. I hope my hastily-shot images will speak for themselves, and inspire you with a little romance, too. I am pleased that this particular piece of British Columbia’s history has been so wonderfully preserved, and that thousands of people walk or bike this trail and imbibe a little of the past, and maybe the flavour of the future.
Looking down to Kelowna
Across the canyon
Myra Canyon Forest
Convoluted canyon folds
Side view of a small trestle
The rock face of the canyon
The forest in recovery after the fire of 2003
Quite a curve
One of the tunnels
Roof of the tunnel
Still across the canyon…getting closer
map of the Myra Canyon portion of the KVR Trail
My adventures continue, my imaginary friend! Thanks for coming along.
A Million Stars…
Summer heat, relaxing its fierce grip as the sun descends, and the cooling air redolent with the smell of blossoms. ‘Tis a quiet evening, even the birds a bit wilted. The lushness all around fairly pulses with life, however, and all living things rejoice in the fullness of midsummer approaching. And I, missing you, reflecting wistfully that every moment of beauty not shared with you is a small sadness and regret.
Beauty is timeless, no doubt, though these moments are fleeting, and I have moved through images of beauty this past year with a focused yearning to live them with you. And if I had to tell why, I would say because of the way you speak with more than words, because your every movement and action and nuance tells me how deeply you feel. Perhaps it will surprise you, my intensity of longing to share without words, for I am, after all, a woman of words.
There is much for us to do and experience, but the savouring of small joys and the intimacy of immersing oneself in the wonder of another seems to me the truest bliss I can imagine right now. A millions stars for you to wish upon…
Me, and my imaginary friend 