Random and spontaneous adventuring has always been in my blood. It’s just what I do. At times a planned trip is where it’s at, or it’s just what has to happen. Even in those circumstances, I like to leave room for the unexpected and unplanned. Some of the best adventures of my life have been when I turned down that random road, bought that last minute ticket somewhere I never heard of, or simply seized the moment.
Upon arriving to Vancouver Island the only plans I had were to get from Comox to Port Alice. I booked a car rental with National Cars at the comox airport, and decided I was going to hit the road of open adventure with no real time frame. Just go with the flow kinda day.
With that kind of open mindset, the trip that is normally 3 hours, turned into 7 awesome hours, of ‘Me time’ adventures. It was exactly what my spontaneous adventure loving soul was yearning for.
Vancouver island has always been a favorite destination of mine to visit, it is such a beautiful place with endless things to see. I am sure you could travel and explore for a year straight and still not discover all the hidden treasures.
Here are a few treasures that I came across on this little road trip filled with random and unplanned pit stops.
- The sandy beach shores of Campbell River
With Campbell River sprawling down sandy and driftwood covered beaches, it is a stunner of a place. Resorts line the beach shores, and the fresh sea air is a sweet treat to inhale – that is, if you enjoy the smell of salty sea air.
There are ports for the boating enthusiasts, and cherry blossoms setting the scene.
I really enjoy the small quaint feeling of Campbell River, it feels free and open. I am sure that changes in the summer season, but in comparison to a city on the shores, it will still maintain a somewhat relaxing mellow charm I am sure.
I also made a coffee stop at this cafe called Fogg Dukkers.
It is full of rustic charm, with the water as the backdrop. Lined with picnic tables and a bonfire, it’s is a beauty of a place to enjoy some RnR while sipping on a fine cup of java. I am a lover of great coffee, and this was some pretty tasty coffee.
I decided this was the perfect stop to take myself on a lunch date, so I grabbed a table for 1, and dined with my coffee and veggie wrap, while soaking in the beautiful view.
- Stop in at a Cable Cookhouse in the village of Sayward
Built in and around 1970, the Cable Cookhouse is a steel framed building bolted to a cement base. The entire walls are wrapped with used logging cable. The weight of these walls is a massive 26 tons.
They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee and desserts. It has been a popular stop for tourists, and locals for many years. It is truly full of character. They have some seriously old and rusty tractors and such in the back, as well as a totem pole that was also built by the original builder.
There is a patio to enjoy the warm summer weather in the season, and they even have ‘Pooh Howses’ in the back, which I got a kick out of.
- Check out Telegraph Cove
Telegraph Cove was an old sawmill town established in 1912, it had deteriorated to the point where everything had to be restored and rebuilt. Everything has been restored and rebuilt, with an 800 foot long boardwalk and dock surrounding the old village put in. It was created into a resort in 1979, and has grown to welcome upward of 80 000 tourists a year.
There are so many activities on offer here, from whale watching, to fishing trips, and onward to grizzly bear tours.
I love historical places, and when things have an antique feel to them. However , this little visit I paid was before the season even begins, so it was completely empty. I love seeing places in that state though, it gives you a chance to really take it all in with no distractions or hustle and bustle. I enjoyed a nice stroll around though, I can imagine it’s pretty amazing when it comes to life, and I would love to come back in the summer and stay in one of those old houses.
Spontaneous adventures always bring you to places that you otherwise would never have discovered. Each of these spots made my road trip that much more interesting , and that much more memorable.
Before I reached the beautiful destination of Port Alice, I made sure to pop in to Port McNeil to check out the world’s largest Burl.
I never even knew what a burl was prior to this, but I learned that a burl is an abnormal tree growth. I suppose like a tree tumor. Who would have thought?! You really do learn something new every day.
For me, successful trips always stem from open mindedness, and not being too rigid on my plans. Just loving life everyday brings endless awesome adventures. So get out there and see what you unexpectedly come across, and don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers.
A Pursuit of Life - Barefoot& High Heeled 