G-WeBconnect
The New Millennium Hikers Go International
West Coast Trail, Vancouver Island, BC
(continued)
Marie's B+B:
Bamfield and Marie's B&B (Vancouver Island) was the final destination for The Boys on Day 2... the home of the best, most incredible pre-hike breakfast on Day 3... the first day on the WCT!

Part 2: Foreplay

On Day 2, the Boys took a very long, 4-1/2 hour ride on the West Coast Trail Bus to Bamfield. The last 2 hours took them on a narrow gravel logging road which was terrifyingly bumpy and twisty as they scooted along the edge of the road to allow huge logging trucks to zoom by at 60 MPH!

But, the Boys were finally together. They arrived at the small fishing port of Bamfield hungry and ready to tip a few pints. But, the real excitement was yet to come... the G-WeB Official Pack Weigh-in. Of course... the Knee was already boasting a (very) premature 32-lbs!

On day-3, the Boys awakened at 0600. They readied their gear in preparation for their first day on the WCT. Before breaklfast, they stood patiently in line as one by one... "g" weighed each pack - complete with water, personal food, 6-lbs of community gear, and the always-heavy Oscar's cured lunch meat that most had ordered from AXE ahead of time.

The weigh-in began: AXE... 41-lbs; "g"... 43-lbs; the Hat... an unbelievable 51-lbs (what the heck was he carrying?); and, the Knee... 43-lbs... NOT 32-LBS!

The Knee was furious! The veins on his neck and forehead were blistering! "How come I'm carrying all this weight? Yesterday my pack only weighed 32-lbs! This isn't right! I'm not carrying all this stuff!"

The Knee was flush with rage. And how did the Boys with backpacking tenderness respond? With laughter and sarcasm... there was not a moment of empathy reserved for the Knee. As the volume and mixture of rage with laughter soared... what must poor Marie have been thinking. She was on the floor above them and had to be listening to the mayhem as she prepared a most delicious, sumptuous, bon voyage breakfast for them.

Clearly, the WCT foreplay had begun. Now they were ready to hike.

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Bamfield's fishing port
  
Just outside downtown Victoria and it's beautiful port, the Boys hunkered down and waited for the late night arrival of the Hat. It was quite possible he would miss the 0630 (and only) bus to Bamfield on Day-2 where they would spend the night at Marie's B&B. On Day-3 they would "taxi" to the WCT northern trailhead... and hike!

 Wide-eyed and bushy tailed, the Hat is ready to cruise. He's got a Tai dinner prepared for the 1st night on the trail. The Boys are a little skeptical about the Hat's renewed interest in backcountry cooking ever since his (failed) artichoke, pasta and green beans in a cream sauce dinner in Yosemite (10/00)
 Without the G-WeB scale to keep them honest, the Boys boast about how little their packs weigh. Here they await a cab to drive them 1/2 mile down the street to catch the West Coast Trail Bus.
     
  

West Coast Trail Bus:
The WCT starts at either the northern or southern end of the trail. The Boys would be heading north to Bamfield.with other hikers from various corners of the world.

 Pit Stop:
After 2-1/2 hours driving along the west coast shore of Vancouver Island, the bus cut west over 2-hours of gravel logging roads. Clearly, this scared most of the passengers as the bus slid and skidded along embankments and dove to the road's edge to allow the largest logging trucks in the world to pass by! Here the bus driver allows the passengers a roadside moment to pee.		 Day 2: Marie's B&B
After dropping off most passengers at the WCT's northern trailhead campsite, The Boys continued by bus into the small fishing port of Bamfield. It was Axe who spotted the small sign and path leading up from the narrow paved road to the B&B, and called for the driver to make an emergency stop. They hopped out, grabbed their packs, and headed up the hill. Later they would tip a few more pints and dine on fresh king salmon burgers! They hadn't even hit the trail, and they were already, livin' the dream!
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