Riding the goose

[Tronhard]

The Goose is actually a rail trail, called the Galloping Goose to be exact, a path that runs along the disused line from close to downtown Victoria BC, about 55km to the North-west and the site of a now non-existant settlement of Leechtown.

The town was named after Lieutenant Peter John Leech of the Royal Engineers and astronomer of the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition.

The Expedition discovered gold on the Leech River in July 1864. Within weeks, thousands of miners, many veterans of the a previous gold rush six years earlier, travelled from Victoria overland by trail or by steamer the site. By August 14 of that same year, 227 mining licenses had been issued and by the end of the year there were 6 general stores and 3 hotels in business along with 30 saloons! Thirsty work mining...

At its peak, Leechtown and neighbouring Boulder City had 1,200 mines and 4,000 people but within a year the area had passed its peak and went into decline. As much as $100,000 in gold may have been taken out by a single miner, Donny Roux. Today there is nothing left but an information board and a stone with a plaque on its face. The rail trail is excellent, with a well-maintained surface and a route that allows it to function as a commuter, exercise and tourist trail.

I was riding the last 15km (30km there and back) through wild forest crossed by the occasional road, and home to lots of wildlife including bears, cougars and deer. On the trail we actually heard the sounds of bears in the bush, but with two of us the black bears are less inclined to engage with humans and their main intent is gorging on the prolific range of berries now in season.

It was a toasty warm day (about 33 degC) and a steady climb to the end of the trail, the strong sunlight heated up the trail (it was at times like standing behind a jet exhaust) and made for really strong contrasts between direct light and shade.


One of the original rail stations is kept as a shelter on the path


The trail has two restored trestle bridges, structures that as an ex-engineer (is there such a thing?) still fascinate me.

[tbob]

Interesting. Too bad they did not keep one of the saloons. An added attraction for an ex engineer, if your lot were anything like the batch at UBC in the 1970's.

[Tronhard]

Interesting. Too bad they did not keep one of the saloons. An added attraction for an ex engineer, if your lot were anything like the batch at UBC in the 1970's.

Actually I did most of my engineering education in New Zealand, but I can assure you that down under they make their best effort to maintain the reputation of engineers around the planet.

Actually at the time when I was studying, every election there would always be a referendum to ask how alcohol should be dealt with. The choices were: public sales (through liquor stores and supermarkets), government controlled sales outlets and prohibition. One year the students got it into their heads in Christchurch to vote for prohibition (for a lark). Well, you have to be careful what you ask for, and on the election night the news lit up the screens that the vote for prohibition was in serious danger of getting enough votes to become law. It missed by a small margin, and in their relief the Uni Students of Christchurch launched on a massive pub crawl of biblical proportions!

[Minerva]

Interesting and very well executed images Trev.

[tbob]

Actually I did most of my engineering education in New Zealand, but I can assure you that down under they make their best effort to maintain the reputation of engineers around the planet.

That is a relief. Although I often wonder about the wisdom of having large structures designed by that bunch. One of my friends/roomates from that time at university is a civil engineer, he subscribed to the theory that it was survival of the fittest and he was just winnowing out the weak neurons to make himself a more efficient thinker.

I found the liquor laws in NZ quite admirable. When they amended the liquor laws in BC several years ago I was hoping to follow that model. The argument against beer and wine in grocery stores was it would encourage more drinking. I fail to see how that is possible given the stream of people leaving the government store staggering under a load of two 24 tin flats of high alcohol beer and a forty ounce bottle of rye whisky.

[madcrow]

Looks like a nice place for a walk. Well done good capture. The bridge looks interesting.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[bnnrcn]

Nice set Trev