I've been singing- "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain When She Comes".
The Mister and I took a bike ride from our house- Palm Villa, to the base of
Mount Prevost (Pree-voh) last weekend. It was a brilliant sunny day and good for a ride along the Trans Canada Trail to Johnston Street, then along Somenos Road to Mount Prevost Road. A bald eagle harkened our arrival at Mount Prevost road, sitting on a sturdy branch at the top of a Sequoia Tree. It was a brilliant sight. The bird's ultra-white head glowing in the bright, spring sunshine searching for prey I would bet.
At the end of the road, there was Prevost up close and personal. There is a further road to the summit but it would be hell pumping up on a bike. So, we stood surveying the mountain base and the area around us. Birds were chirping away. There were tulips and spring plants in a front garden at a two- storey, white house- facing us, next to the road. On the other side- at our backs, a small unkept house- maybe originally a trailer, with at least seven rusting vehicles- both cars and trucks, sitting in the yard.
The home and property both messy.
Uncared for.
A junkyard.
Unfortunately, we see this a lot in the Cowichan. A beautiful backdrop of nature marred by an unsightly property with garbage strung about, a selection of old vehicles and usually a string of Christmas lights hanging sloppily across the front of the house that have obviously been there for years.
What happened to caring for the environment?
Our Mother Earth.
A beautiful Island landscape turned into a dump and I will say it- usually a First Nations family.
Why?
I do not know and I do not understand.
When I ask fellow islanders they say-
"It is what it is...".
It is sad. That's what it is.
This can happen in a well-kept neighbourhood too. House upon house of nice yards and green gardens and then on a corner a broken down hovel with old coke cartons shoved in broken windows and a bathtub or old chesterfield flung in the yard.
~sigh~
There we were standing looking up at this tree-lined mountain. I wanted to see more so I suggested we return home on our bikes and come back with the van to make the climb.
So, we did.
The road was paved at first and then turned into a logging road- quite passable but still a logging road. It was a tight squeeze when a vehicle came down the mountain and going up we had limited space to pull over on our right. It would be several kms to the top.
As we rounded a corner, the landscape changed from green to white.
Snow on the road.
Icy patches made it slippery but we continued- slowly. The cairn was at the top and the signs directed us as we drove closer and closer to the summit.
 |
| The Pacific through the Trees |
We were marvelling at the views and the woods. Then, A final turn to our right.
More snow.
A steep slope.
An end to our journey.
The van's wheels started to spin and we were stuck half way up a steep grade.
Shite!
I had to back down, turn around and head down the mountain.
We couldn't imagine getting stuck and having a tow truck answer our call at 630 in the evening.
We did have a good cell phone signal however, even that far up.
 |
| The Island Highway in the foreground and the Islands |
So we drove the five kms or so back down Mount Prevost and took a couple of photos along the way.
We'll try it again in a few months when the temperatures are warmer still and the snow is gone.
We Love this Island paradise.
