I realized I had found a really good boondocking spot when I returned there for the third week. This spot had good road access, good internet, good access to towns, and two fishing lakes within walking distance. Plus, there was a ton of logging roads to walk down in the area. I wasn’t in a hurry to go elsewhere, and some rainy days kept me from finishing my explorations. Plus I really wanted to catch a fish at at least one of these lakes while I was here.
There were still some colds nights in the area. Winter, such as it is out here, didn’t want to give up its grip quite yet. But the cold nights were usually clear skies, which meant sunny days – a trade I could live with. My morning walk up one of older roads revealed a beaver dam, half frozen from the overnight chill. The water puddles were frozen too on the road. No one was going to get in without leaving a clear track this morning.
I had been fishing both Beaver Lake and Kidney Lake during the better weather, but had had no luck so far. But finally one afternoon, I suddenly get a strike at Kidney Lake. I reel in a nice 30cm Rainbow trout, caught on my favorite lure, a Panther Martin gold spinner with a black and yellow body.
I tried to catch some more, hoping a bite was on – but it was one strike, one fish. I can’t complain, my dinner of pork steak was augmented with a nice fry pan fish, a combination I am christening as swim and oink.
The fish looked bigger on the plate – it actually was a pretty fat fish and could have been a meal for a light eater. But added to my pork steak, I was stuffed. Very tasty fish too, I could have done with more but one was all that Kidney Lake would give me.
Some days were just spent inside the RV, mostly because of rain. But I usually was able to get a little walk in at some point between showers. I did get to the north part of the Rupert 600, that is where I encountered the tree shooters for a second time. I went up there to explore for boondocking spot, then went back a second time to explore some scenery and a quarry.
Coming into a recently logged area on the R600
Boondocking in the recently logged area off the R600
Looking south towards the middle island mountains
There was some good boondocking back there but there is a bit of brush to drive through though. The terrain becomes a bit hillier giving you some good viewpoints along the way. Plus it was a nice day with only some light clouds.
Old R600 sign in good shape
The road had some ‘old style’ markers – I had not seen these before, but I suspect they are from a few years back; just still in use here as some logging has occurred further down the road in recent years. The wood and paint of years past has been replaced by plastic, with laminate plastic on top if it. Those signs last a long time, but don’t have the weathering charm of old wood signs. Come to think of it, I’m surprised how good a shape this one is in – the climate here is not kind to wood, yet this sign still looks great. Perhaps these were still being used not as long ago as I think based on the condition of the signs along this branch.
My destination the second hike was what I suspected and confirmed to be a large borrow pit, a more precise term for these small quarries. The ‘borrow’ is borrowing fill from an area to use on the road. Sometimes other fill is placed in the holes when they are finished digging aggregate, thus something is ‘returned’ to the pit. I have been calling these places quarries, I just could not remember the correct term for them.
I end up climbing up to look at the rocks. Seeing the view, I climb the rest of the way to the top to snap a few pictures. From here I can see the whole area I have explored in front of me.
It is a fitting end to my adventures in the area. I had enjoyed my longer stay here in this ideal spot, but it was time to move on. My intention was to pack up and head for Malcom Island. There is a nice campground there that is free in the winter, plus there is the town of Sointula to explore. See you over there next time!
