Today, I can hardly walk, never mind run, since we took the opportunity on the May holiday to start our hiking training for the trip to Mount English next month. We walked to a trail on the map which looks like it gives access to the creek which in turn leads up to the KVR. All this to avoid the long trudge up the road and along the KVR which, although pretty, is not very exciting. However, our little creek side path had a big sign on it saying no trespassing, trespassers will be prosecuted etc. We reluctantly continued along the road to look for other access points and found what was once a vehicle track with a chain strung across it but no signs. There were a few trees growing in the vehicle track so it obviously hadn’t been used for a while so we were essentially walking through meadows. It was lovely. We accessed the KVR hoping to find ourselves near the Rock Oven Trail. (Rock Ovens were left by the railway workers in the 30’s and remain in use today by hikers out of the fire season). The trail we found was not the Rock Oven Trail but a nice path still following the creek which wound through the woodland. The ponderosa pines native to the area smell of ice cream in the summer – well, of vanilla actually – but ice cream sounds better. Combined with the sage and the juniper bushes our senses were being truly tingled.
Having accessed the upper KVR we made our way around a small campsite set up RIGHT ON the trail (idiots) and proceeded to cross a streambed by way of bushwhacking and walking over a fallen log then found that the reason the people had camped in the trail was that the trail had been bypassed by a larger more convenient one. My most hated thing about hiking here – too many idiots with toys – quad bikes, dirt bikes, SUVs (with air conditioning) that many of the trails get turned into minefields of offroading playgrounds and just when you think you’re in the middle of nowhere, zoom, some idiot goes by with his stereo blaring and his cellphone, two way radio and cigarettes. That’s why I’m looking forwards to MtE. Moving on. At the next turn we found an ancient irrigation water flume made from wood and steel half-tubing. Some of it appeared to be from the 30’s some of the repairs from the 2004s. We followed it instead of the path and got lost so found ourselves bushwhacking again for 500m to access the top level of the KVR – where aforementioned idiot drove by just as we’d finished our lunch. There was even a little bit of scrambling going on – and hoping beyond hope that the rocks I was holding onto did not have any snakes underneath them. Just then we were beginning to doubt whether we’d make it to our chosen destination – Naramata lake (our water source). We’d done 8km and there were still 3.5 to go with 300m of climbing but we trudged on. We were obviously tired and watching our feet because hubby found three pyrotechnic cartridges (!) – god knows what they’re for - and an “artifact” – an old bottle opener with “TONIC” inscribed in the handle.
We got to the lake which was a big brown puddle – now we know why we buy our drinking water. It would probably have been nicer but the cloud came in and we had to sit in the lee of the damn out of the wind to eat chocolate and bananas for the long walk home. On the way down Hubby found the igniter for the pyrotechnic device so is no doubt on the internet today trying to figure out what it is, how it works and if it’s broken beyond repair.
In the end we walked for 8 hours – 23km. I had my new feet in the whole time and today muscles hurt that I didn’t know I had – one in particular in my calves which explains why my cycling legs never looked the same as anyone else’s. Although I would much like to be pinned to my desk all day, I occasionally have to get up and walk around just so my legs do not permanently cease up beneath me. Besides, I have to go run tomorrow.
I took out my slow camera yesterday so will update this blog when I finish the cartridge filmy thing and take it to the shop for them to work their magic - a copy to post to the parents and a digi copy to post to the world!
