Only in Tofino…
This Thursday, April 28th marks Tofino’s seventh annual Box Parade.
The Box Parade may not be one of the events that visitors ever hear much about—but it is actually an event that gives a look inside this strange community, an example of the town’s quirkiness.
> Read more of Tofino local Jacqueline Windh's post on the A-Life Blog!
Are you up to the challenge?
The 2011 Edge 2 Edge Marathon, Half-Marathon and Relay is just around the corner, happening on June 12, 2011 in Tofino and Ucluelet.
Both the full and half marathon courses have spectacular views; a portion of the race crosses Chesterman Beach on the hard-packed sand and another portion follows the stunning Wild Pacific Trail.
Last year the half-marathon event sold out, so register early this year if you want to run this challenging but beautiful course!
Read last year's race recap on the A-Life Blog.
Although it seems hard to believe right now, with all of the snow we have had in Tofino and Ucluelet this week, the Pacific treefrogs are about to emerge from hibernation and fill our puddles and ditches with song.
What awaits us is a chorus—months of ribbeting—so incessant that it has been known to drive some people to fill in their backyard ponds to make it stop!
But not me. I love it! The sound of the first frog in spring brings me such joy.
The frogs here on the west coast of Vancouver Island usually start to sing around the first week of March. Pacific treefrogs (Pseudacris regilla) are one of only two native frog species we have here on the island.
A grassroots community effort has created one of the gems of the West Coast: Ucluelet’s Wild Pacific Trail.
This past weekend, another new section of the trail was inaugurated: a new half-kilometre section called the “Artist’s Loop,” which branches off from the main trail, with viewing platforms and benches perched over the steep rocky shoreline.
Waves crash relentlessly on the gnarled outcrops below. The views out to the horizon are of the wide, open Pacific; somewhere off to the right lies Japan, and somewhere off to the left is Hawaii.
Looking for something fun to do with your kids while visiting Ucluelet?
Check out the Ucluelet Aquarium and learn about Vancouver Island's diverse local marine life.
All of the creatures at the aquarium are from local waters and are released back into the wild, minimizing the impact on the environment.
Visitors are welcome to interact with the marine life, and knowledgeable staff are on hand to educate and inform you about local marine biology.
For more information, please visit the Ucluelet Aquarium's website.
Staying at Water's Edge? Explore Vancouver Island's west coast on the Wild Pacific Trail, a spectacular trail that curves around the rugged and rocky shoreline of the Ucluelet Peninsula with incredible views of the expansive Barclay Sound.
For more information, please visit the The Wild Pacific Trail's official website.
Have you visited Water's Edge Resort in Ucluelet, BC yet?
Ideally located for exploring impressive natural landscapes, discovering wild and rugged coastal trails and walking miles of sandy beaches, Water's Edge is the perfect West Coast getaway!
On Sunday, June 13, 2010, over 500 runners from all over tested their physical and mental limits by running on forest trail, sand and pavement at the Edge to Edge Marathon and Half Marathon in Ucluelet and Tofino, BC.
Water's Edge Resort in Ucluelet was a sponsor of the event, and was booked full of runners on race weekend - the resort is close to the starting line of the half marathon event in Ucluelet and close to the shuttle bus that takes the marathon runners up to the starting line in Tofino.
Both courses have spectacular views; a portion of the race crosses Chesterman Beach on the hard-packed sand and another portion follows the stunning Wild Pacific Trail. Read Rumon Carter's course preview report for an excellent description of the the race course.
So what was it like to run a marathon from Tofino to Ucluelet?
"Chesterman Beach was, by far, the prettiest part of the course. The tide was out a fair bit, leaving hard-packed beach to run on; it was nicer on the knees than pavement, but it was hard enough that you didn't sink," wrote marathon runner Skye Overall on her blog.
"The view was spectacular! The ocean waves, and nothing else on the horizon but ocean until it met the sky. I should have stopped to take a picture, but I didn't, and Lil had checked her camera. We both commented on how great the view was, and how it was worth doing the race just to run on the beach."
To read more about Skye's experience running the Edge to Edge Marathon, check out her full race report on her blog.
Want to run it next year? Check the Edge to Edge website for more information about next year's event as it become available.
