Where my summer plans were up in the air before, I now know that at the end of June I will both treat and punish myself by walking 77 kilometers along Vancouver Island from Port Renfrew to Bamfield. The people at I-needtoknow.com have this to say about the West Coast Trail, and more:

  • it’s a near perfect hiking experience in pristine Canadian wilderness
  • on no other trek have we taken as many photos
  • mystic dawns and mind-blowing sunsets
  • pretty beaches, cool caves, hidden pocket coves, weird cliffs and coastal geology
  • it’s challenging — though 99% of those who start (somehow) finish
  • thrilling boulder and log walking between Thrasher & Owen Point
  • scrambling up slippery Sandstone Creek
  • playing at Hole in the Wall
  • impossibly situated pretty Tsusiat Falls
  • walking in impressive old growth forest
  • share the trip with whales, sea lions, mink. Maybe bear and cougar. Or even wolves!
  • ship wrecks and other historical artifacts
  • cable cars and ladders can be “fun”
  • campfires below the tide line
  • no biting insects

So you can see that Fish and I are in for some challenges. Between now and when we leave, we’re both training to get closer to peak physical condition. For the rest of the summer, I’ll be biking to work every day (unless it snows, like it’s supposed to next week) and training at the gym about five times per week.

This process overrides the Fat Zombie mission. Since I got my bike a few weeks ago, I’ve trimmed down, but not lost any weight. So now it’s Training for the WCT. I may or may not keep you updated on my progress.