The Great Walk and RV Combo	Back to the Current Issue Back to Features
by Darlene N. Dean

For the past 21 hundred years, thousands upon thousands have planted their feet on the Great Wall of China. But have you heard of the thousands of feet that have walked The Great Walk? I must confess that although I have lived on Vancouver Island since the sixties, I hadn’t, until several weeks ago when my neighbour who belongs to a walking club told me about this great adventure. Immediately my writing hand began to tingle and the RV antennas quivered. Was there a story and an RV trip here?

The Great Walk? Where? For the past 20 years its been held on the road between Gold River and Tahsis. June 6th, 1998, marked the 21st year of this annual charity fund raiser, sponsored by the Tahsis Lions Club. Some walkers choose to solicit pledges; others walk for the sheer joy of walking and the challenge it offers. And a challenge it is! It is definitely not for all of us because previous conditioning is required. A lot of conditioning. The walk entails 63.5 km of gravel road that traverses the rugged terrain between the two communities.

The Walk’s origin began in 1978 when Mayor Bill Lore of Tahsis challenged Mayor Vic Walsh of Gold River with: “I will walk to Gold River if you will walk to “Tahsis.” The bet was on and some $5,000 was raised for charities. And now 22 years later literally hundreds of people hit the starting gun at 4:00 a.m. The road is officially closed to all traffic, other than support vehicles, for 12 hours. There are 12 check points along the way offering facilities, sandwiches, drinks and moral support.

Those who complete the distance receive the “coveted Burning Boot Plaque” Make it halfway and you get a Great Walk T-Shirt. There are, of course, many prizes and awards: fastest, slowest, youngest, oldest etc. I was told about a Mr. Dys, 75 years, who walks for the Children’s Hospital and has raised thousands of dollars. Remarkable. Last year, 673 started and 544 finished. Fastest time being 6 hours. The eldest person finishing was 75 years of age and the youngest participant to finish, a seven year old boy. The oldest ever was 85 and the youngest six. Fastest recorded time 4 hrs 20 min. Wow! The Walk has also been sanctioned by the Volkssport Federation and gives credit toward the IVV Achievement Awards program. 1997 boasted walkers from as far away as Japan and Belgium. $75,000 was pledged to numerous charities!

As I previously mentioned, the RV’s antennas quivered. Would this be an experience for the RVers that flock to the Island for the summer? Never having been to Gold River or Tahsis, I would have to check these places out for myself before writing about them. My husband was quick to get the message. Actually, he’s always receptive to a new adventure so I had no problem enlisting his expert driving services. As this was to be a leisurely literary reconnaissance, we left the 5th wheel at home and took off in the truck, planning to overnight in a motel. We lucked out and got a beautiful sunny spring day in late March. Upon leaving Nanaimo, we chose Highway 19 because we like to travel near the ocean and we were in no hurry.

Our first stop was at Courtenay Chamber of Commerce (south entrance, right hand side) to pick up a Campbell River Forestry Map to supplement the B.C. Road map. We took the Campbell River Bypass and connected with Highway 26 (paved) to Gold River. This is a beautiful 92 km drive, weaving through beautiful forests and tracing beside the lakes and rivers where there are numerous fisherman casting for trout and steelhead. As Tahsis was our priority destination we didn’t explore Gold River at this time. We knew we had at least an hour of graveled road ahead. To our surprise and delight, the road was excellently maintained, no washboard and very few potholes---none that you couldn’t miss. We were told that this maintenance is due to the vigilance of the ladies of Tahsis who insist that the Provincial Government and the Forestry Company live up to their contracts. This scenic drive is outstandingly beautiful. I was glad to be the navigator so I had the privilege of just looking. Here is a wilderness area that remains totally pristine. Freshets run down hundreds of feet from towering mountains gowned in green and capped in frosty white. The Calla Creek Waterfall gushes from such an altitude, we had to stop the truck and get out to search its source. We followed winding streams, so clear one can see the fish lazing in the pools.

From Gold River the road climbs to an elevation of approximately 500 metres and then drops down to sea level at Head Bay at the extreme land’s end of Nootka Sound. Here the road turns northwest, climbing inland until it again drops down to the end of Tahsis Inlet and the village of Tahsis.

Tahsis’ signature is “The Beginning of History”, called such because it was in this area, just 19 miles from Tahsis at Friendly Cove in 1778, Captain James Cook landed and began initial communication with B.C.’s First Nation peoples. Captain Bligh, of the famed ship Bounty, also landed on these shores and so we have at the inlet’s entrance, Bligh Island. During the summer months the historic 136’ M.V. Uchuck 111 provides cruises in both Nootka Sound and Tahsis Inlet.

Tahsis, originally a fur trading settlement, is now a small forestry town. Its setting at the very end of the inlet, and semi-circled by majestic mountains reflected in the water, is breathtaking---especially in the morning sun with silvery threads of mists still hovering in the air.

We overnighted in charming Maquinna Lodge, which sits at the very edge of the water. The Lodge also includes a separate pub. We chose the dining room overlooking the curving inlet and watched the stars come out. No street lights here to dull their brilliance.

At this end of the village there is a mini mall with post office, liquor store and several novelty shops. It is best to bring your food supplies with you as there is no large supermarket. If you’ve brought your own boat there’s a convenient full service marina in the harbour. For those who are into kayaking, this is the place to be.

There are plenty of campgrounds and boondocking areas. The village also boasts an exceptional Recreational Centre with indoor pool, bowling, weightroom and gym. Tennis courts are nearby.
All in all Tahsis has much to offer the RVer before and after the Great Walk.

A neat circle tour can be mapped through this area, using Gold River as the nucleus. Rather than return via Campbell River, we took another gravelled road which led northeast to the Sayward-Kelsey Bay intersection, 62 km northwest of Campbell River. If you’re enroute to Port Hardy there is no need to return to Campbell River. This road, although not as well maintained as the one to Tahsis, was generally quite good and saturated in primal beauty. Again there are many lakeside and riverside campsites where avid fisherman ply their expertise. We took it slowly and did the 74 km in about an hour and a half. You definitely won’t encounter “road rage” along these quiet back roads. Treat the massive logging trucks with the respect they deserve and you’ll find the drivers will courteously share the road with you. But keep in mind, they do have the right of way. These are logging roads.

If you think you might like to participate in The Great Walk while enjoying an RV trip next year, practice up and give Jo Ann Grisic a call (250) 934-6570 or check website www.greatwalk.com. But whether or not you’re into big time exercise, give this drive some serious consideration. It’s a most refreshing change from Interstates and the residents welcome visitors. Our first trip won’t be our last.