Tash is 14, off road day trip

So Tash turns 14. Where did the time go! Opened up her cards that we had brought with us then headed to hotel for breakfast. Were down there about 7.40 but it took them a while to bring the food - was proper service not buffet. Was geared up for leisurely time whereas we were in bit of rush, needing to meet the off road guy Blain at Pacific Rim visitor Centre about 25 minutes away at 8.45. Ended up getting there about 8.55. Blain was waiting with his pickup with two rzr' s on it. A German/Austrian couple were also waiting and did the trip with us, they had two seater, us a four. We went to loo, Blain said was last proper one before we went wild for rest of day. Tasha's face was not impressed by this news!

We followed Blain about 5 minutes down road to a small parking lot with gravel road going off it. We filled in waivers again while he unloaded the 4 by 4's. Germans had a practice in theirs, then we got in ours. Basically same as ones we had driven in Whistler. Blain gave slightly scary speech about what to do and not to do, then we had a practice run. Ours had tendency to stall when you came to halt we were told, so bst to try and keep some revs on and slow slowly. Wasn't really a problem when we got used to it, it did stall but just restarted. Blain wanted much more distance between us than in Whistler where it had been a car length apart. 30m here, much more comfortable! Then we set off. Me and Tash in front, Ed and Sam in back. We drove along a reasonable gravel road for maybe 20 minutes and stopped on a wooden bridge over Kennedy river. Hadn't been that exciting so far and I think we all wondered whether we had signed up for the wrong thing. Ed was miserable as his helmet was uncomfortable hitting the seat back. Blain talked about Kennedy lake and Kennedy river and lots of cars came past, apparently a piece of land down road is used as overflow basic i.e. No facilities campsite where people end up when they arrive in Tofino and find everything better is full! Noticed one car had toilet roll in front window. Ed swapped to front and we pressed on. Road got bumpier and less maintained but continued at 50 to 60 km/h. Not too much dust unlike Whistler. Things were more exciting now as bumpier and the overnight rain had left puddles in the track, which I decided to aim for to spice things up. First one was bigger than I expected and we got a big wave of water up over the front of the vehicle. No windscreen so we all got wet. Ed loved this and think Tash did too and wanted to hit every puddle and get very wet, which we duly tried to do.

After a while we stopped at viewpoint across the inlets and islands where we had bear watched yesterday. Was still but overcast. Quite few flies about, most we had encountered I think. Took opportunity to use facilities! Blain said road had been improved in last year or so for big logging trucks to get down, filled whole road and stacked high. Hard to imagine bringing lorry down that track. We swapped again Ed in back Tash in front and pressed on with road getting bumpier, quite a few narrow bridges over creeks. And quite a lot of puddles. The others were avoiding them, which gave me an indication of where to drive to hit them!. About 2 hours in we stopped and turned around, we were at Virgin Falls. Short walk through woods to base of falls. Spectacular, better given the rain night before. Small pool at bottom which even Ed declared too cold to paddle in - he did try with shoes and socks off. Certainly not swimmable though we had brought costumes in case.

Lunch was set up on a fallen tree (huge) across the beach area. Very tasty. Rolls, ham, roast beef and mayo and mustard. Blain's wife had packed avocado for Sam instead of butter/mayo to spread on. Lettuce, cucumber with skin off. Tasted great in wild and even kids ate it. Cookies too which kids devoured and peaches, nice and ripe. Loads of bottles of water to drink. Ed climbed along the fallen tree and explored the roots - got a bit stuck trying to get down roots so Blain went across and rescued him. Really nice man. No one else was there and it was very peaceful. Good place to have a memorable birthday lunch.

Back in vehicle we retraced steps. We followed Blain and Germans behind this time. They had great fun watching us hitting the puddles. One deep one spanned the path and I accelerated through it, water went right over top and continued to drip through gap,in roof onto Sam and Tash for a while.

I let both kids steer as I did accelerator which they enjoyed, Tash more than Ed, who wa bit nervous of going wrong. At one point we took a wrong turn, upper rather than lower fork. To be fair Tash had steered right way but I had overruled. Could have carried on but didn't know that at time so reversed and rejoined. Back at start Blain refuelled then we crossed the highway and went down path the other way. It narrowed and we met a couple of logging trucks loaded down. Had to steer into verge and park at an angle to let them past, Ed felt he was falling out. Went higher up mountain and then hit track that barely looked like a path. Was very overgrown on each side and barely wide enough for vehicle. This meant we got hit in helmet with foliage and quite a lot of branches ended up in the vehicle. Ed and Sam in the back in particular were holding various branches by the end, Ed thought it hilarious. At some points we crossed streams not much water but quite uneven. At one Blain went through but told us to stop and he came back to give me instructions on line to take in case we tipped over. He offers to drive it himself but I declined. First go got it little wrong and seemed like we might tip, Blain came in to support vehicle if it did and we let it roll back and readjusted and went through fine, though quite rocky and Ed was worried. The two seater was easy to get through as much shorter wheelbase.

Trail got narrower until everntually opened out into little clearing, with great views over Barkley Sound and the Broken Group of islands. Blain talked about wanting to come up here with a tent and watch the sunset and sunrise. We also talked about salmon fishing and fact Fisheries Ministry controlled fishing numbers based on predicted numbers returning. Got it wrong this year. Thought would be low number but already exceeded. Also talked about First Nation guys. Blain has remote house he uses on their land so has dealings with tribal chief. Tribe used to be 5000 or more, now about 300,

Had some great cheese (a cheddar called English Tickler) crackers and beef jerky. Slightly spicy with Korean spice. Tash didn't like the spice despite liking jerky. Sam and I loved it and we all loved the cheese.

Retraced route, Ed in front this time. More foliage and easier to get through tricky section this way, though still needed Blain's advice on line. We blitzed back to base and Tash managed to fall asleep in back - she can sleep in any moving vehicle!

Said our goodbyes and headed back to Long Beach Lodge. Got back about 4.30 and changed and went to beach. Ed went in with hoard but declared it much colder than day before. Wind was less so was warmer on beach but day had not been as sunny so water not warmed up I guess. He had a coupe of surfs then decided to build in sand. Sam and Tash come down but headed straight back as Tash tired and they dropped boards back.

Ed built a turtle in the sand then we went back and into hot tub. Had good soak for 40 minutes or so (Ed less) almost fell asleep. I got out and Tash got in for 15 minutes or so then we headed off to her birthday dinner at Wolf in the Fog. This turned out to be a cool place using local produce and funky menu with really friendly staff. I had put birthday on booking so they mentioned it straight away when we sat down and continued to mention it to Tash. They did mocktails, Tash had three different types. The crockery and cutlery was all old chine, none of it matching, you just got what came. We had some great food, shared some starters - foie gras for me with hinit of earl grey was great. Scallops and pork belly for Tash which Ed also loved. Herring for Sam - little daunting as whole herring skewered on sticks.

Halibut main for Tash - waiter checked as was experimental dish with unusual things on it, but she was fine with it, apart from not eating the veg obviously. Sam had beef, I had green soul, which was bubble and squeak with other veg and a vinegar sauce. Ed had kids chicken fillets and chips. We all struggled to finish as was filling. Then desserts, only 3 so had them all, Tash had brown ice mousse cake, Ed lemon biscuits with dulce de Lethe cheesecake. I had coconut creme brûlée, which was excellent and fairly light given how full I was. Tash's came with a candle in it for her birthday.

We tipped them well as they had been great and was good end to birthday.Read more