My idealistic plans to make this summer an outdoorsy one were a bust. People to see, places to go; unfortunately, roaming through a forest did not make the cut as often as I had hoped for.
Luckily, Parkbus contacted me a while back to see if I was interested in coming along with them for a day of adventure — and of course I was! So, last month I was able to join them for a day of exploring Othello Tunnels, located in Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park. The bonus was that it was *technically* still summer for another week-ish, so at least I can say I squeezed in some time among the trees.
Parkbus is a transportation service running out of both Ontario and British Columbia. Both provinces being hubs for busy city life, Parkbus allows those of us living in cities to have easy access to all of the sights and sounds to be found in our provincial parks. What I particularly came to love about them as I learned what they are all about is that they are founded on the idea of providing collective — therefore sustainable — transportation. By organizing group trips to the outdoors, they reduce the environmental impact that would otherwise be created by people seeking adventure. It’s like a big old carpool to the most wonderful destinations. This is additionally great for people in the city as not everyone has access to a car to take on day trips to the outdoors!
Another aspect to Parkbus is their ActiveDays program, which I was able to experience on this particular trip. ActiveDays takes the Parkbus experience that much further by providing an organized group activity at the destination. This is so great if, like myself, you don’t have much experience in the outdoors but have always wanted to explore the stunning mountains and lakes of our province. Everything is planned for you! They offer activities such as hikes, outdoor yoga and canoeing.
Our trip to Othello Tunnels and short hike on the Hope-Nicola Valley Trail were truly wonderful. These tunnels have been on my to-see list for the longest time, as I’ve visited the nearby area a bunch during my childhood. We started the morning in the city, hopping on a bus for a two hour ride to Coquihalla Canyon. The day was drizzly, and looking out the window we saw low-set clouds wrap themselves between the mountains along the roads of Hope. Upon arrival, we began our journey to and through the Othello Tunnels, with our guides for the day, Jessilyn and Sasha. The great thing about the spirit of ActiveDays is that they encouraged all the travelers to go at their own pace, and to join in with the group hike if they felt like it. We were free to mingle, to take photographs and just roam. Often times I find that my lack of experience in long hikes deters me from even doing smaller ones. This program is great if you’re like me where you’ve always had the curiosity to try new things yet need some additional motivation to just begin. There is no pressure, only opportunity to get outside of your comfort zone, or, a chance to just go for it if you are already a pro-explorer!
Along our journey, we were met with the stunning darkness of the cave-like tunnels, which hold you above the rushing waters of the Coquihalla river in the canyon below. Once through, we proceeded within the scenic forest to the trail. We split in two groups for the hike. The guide for my group was Sasha; she was so knowledgeable about the plants and mushrooms we found along the way. Seeing the amazement on everyone’s faces made me realize how it had been so long since I had done something like this. Most larger group activities I’ve been a part of have been done through school. It was so different to be doing this as an adult, with a bunch of people I’d never met. Everyone was so warm and it was truly special to connect in nature by sharing our stories and life experiences. There were even people visiting from different cities; what a great way to explore a new place and meet new people!
I am so happy I was able to participate in this fulfilling experience on a typical west coast September day. I was reminded of the need to step outside, despite the weather. It’s easy to forget how lucky we are to live in such a place that allows us to disconnect from our phones and find ourselves, instead, in nature and in other people. There is certainly nothing like true presence which can give us the chance to look around and open up. Thank you Parkbus for inviting me along for this wonderful adventure!
