Directly across from our hotel is the BC Forest Discovery Centre complete with their working steam train. As we were guests of the hotel, our three children were furnished with no-charge admission tickets which saved us $15.00 right off the bat. Two adults were $18.00 taxes in. We went in and toured around all the interesting displays and then came the time for the real reason we were there. A ride on the CVR #25, a 0 -4- 0 that (we are told on the ride) was used to construct part of the CP Rail tracks up through the Fraser Canyon, and was later used to fill in some of Burrard Inlet in Vancouver. From there, it was moved to the Cowichan Valley where it was used in the logging industry for many years. Retired and refurbished, it offers an awesome ride around the spacious park site and over a trestle on Somenos Lake! The cool part? Once you've paid your admission, you can ride the train as often as you like! And ride we did. Steve (the engineer) had a 40th Anniversary lapel pin on for the BCFM and gave it to me for the railway lapel pin collection that I am putting together to display at the WCRA museum in the future. He also told me that he looks forward to getting our WCRA News every month!!!

The next day out was a trip to Lake Cowichan to see some friends. On the way we saw the E&N train running up island (Don't blink or you'll miss it). A tour around the lake with our knowledgeable-of-the-area friends and we ended up in a small town called Youbou. This is where the #25 plied some of it's trade to the old sawmill which was dismantled a couple of years ago.

Next day out was a daytrip to Tofino and Ucluelet to see the "real" Pacific Ocean and the waves. On the way we decided we would stop in Port Alberni for the railway museum tour there. After trying to find the museum (which showed no signs of life), we went to the local fire department for (you guessed it) more lapel pins. While there, the fire chief told me that his son was working part-time at the museum and that if we were looking for the train, it had already left for the day. Upon further conversation we discovered that unless you get to the museum by 10:00AM, you're out of luck for the day.

The train leaves somewhere between 10:00 and 10:30AM and heads out for a half-hour train ride through Port Alberni and along the river to Canada's only steam powered saw-mill. After touring the saw-mill, patrons are then given another half-hour train ride back to the museum in the afternoon. Further to that, the museum is undergoing some kind of a face lift and they are planning to restore some railway equipment. We were told we could take the drive out to Beaver Valley to the saw mill to catch up with the train if we like, but we decided against that. We went back down to the museum for a look see, but it might as well have been an old abandoned railway station. Nobody there, no prices, no inviting signage out front. Too bad really. The kids were pumped for another great adventure.

It was supposed to be raining all day (according to our weather forecast back at the hotel in Duncan) but when we reached Tofino, it was a balmy 23 degrees in the sun and a storm had just gone through the region that morning. The waves in Pacific Rim National Park are rated on a scale of small to extreme. We just happened to be there on extreme day. So with no bathing suits (based on the forecast) and a disappointing time in Port Alberni, it was off with the socks, shoes and jewelry, and into the 10 foot high waves to cool off. The "Baywatch" style lifeguard station was right there along with a rescue ambulance and sea-doo and they were watching us through binoculars tossing our kids in the waves having a blast! I read on the sign (as we were leaving) that we were in the extreme danger zone for the waves and the riptide! No wonder they were watching us (ha ha ha!)

I recommend a trip to the Island—there are lots of interesting things to take in, and many more for us to discover on our next trip.