Ep 15.3: Walking to the Sea - Resolution

As I left the bustling Hastings Street behind, the promise of the third stream beckoned me into the woods of North Burnaby. To get there I had to take the first bit of the Trans Canada trail off the street and at some point branch away to follow the stream, up until I got to the sea. The entrance felt like a threshold between two worlds: to my left, the concrete jungle of busy buildings; to my right, the wild expanse of forest.

The path was beautiful and serene, growing quieter as I descended, if only for a moment. Soon after, I started hearing the Pacific Wren's chirping and many others that Merlin, once again, helped me ID. I reached a roundabout flanked by three homes - the last outpost of civilization before the wild forest.

A group of people, presumably friends, walked by, deep in gossip about one of the men's coworkers. They strode past with a steady and purposeful pace. As much as I'd have loved to join them in talking about setting boundaries with managers, we were going different paths. They kept on the same Trans Canada trail, but I was going elsewhere.

The waterways map showed that a stream should be branching off right about now. “But where is it?”, I thought, swivelling my head around and down to my phone.

My initial excitement morphed into frustration as I scanned the area, my eyes darting from the map to the landscape and back again, searching for any sign of the elusive stream.

I retraced my steps in case I had missed an exit unknowingly, but there was nothing. Perhaps I should've used the satellite imagery view instead of the simplified 2d drawing map. This map was not the territory.

I soon realized that to get to it I had to get off the path and down a big ravine. As I walked further into it, I noticed a big yellow warning sign on a pole screaming Petroleum Pipeline. Suddenly I noticed the other sides around most visibly the Private Property sign on a metal fencing in the distance.“Oh”, I thought exasperatedly, sitting on the gravel floor, with my route waiting for a rethink, and a body itching to meet the sea.

I heaved in frustration but having walked all this way in wet socks, I wasn't about to turn back. Had I used the route through the third stream, I'd be 2 km of walking to the ocean, but that's no longer possible.

“Hmm, looks like—” I turned my head to face down the Trans Canada trail where those friends had walked by and at this point vanished into. I knew what I had to: try this route and follow along until I got closer to the sea.

This new plan meant another 6 or so kilometres of walking. My water was depleted and CLIF bars were well on their way to my small intestines. But being low on supplies did not deter my spirit.

The trail's entrance deeper into the forest was beautiful, beginning with a cherry blossom - perhaps the largest I'd seen - reminiscent of the first creek. In the clear sunlight, it was so pretty!

This made the climb up the short hill bearable. Speaking of, I soon met a sign marking the trail that included a bear warning. I'd never met one in the wild, and neither was I keen to do so today.

The bird songs and beautiful views calmed my nerves as I climbed up the cliffy trail. I met some other humans on gravel bikes swooshing past. I heard gravel bikes are the rave these days. I'd want one.

Time and distance faded as I was captivated by moss-lined rock faces, ferns, and hardwood trees. All that backed by a sneak peek of my destination far in the distance. Wait, what's that in the distance?

My eyes caught on a giant flame dancing atop a really tall metal pipe. This metal beast loomed larger than I'd expected as I approached.

I'd only read about such behemoths in storybooks. Created by my species, these colossal creatures consumed black sludge and excreted substances vital for our civilization: fuel for transport and materials for commerce. A costly alchemy, providing benefits while exacting a toll on the environment

The beast of burden worked tirelessly, steaming, flaming, humming. Despite the chilly Vancouver spring, I sensed the heat radiating from it as I walked towards the coast. A quick sea breeze brushed my face, and I smiled. I was close.

The end of the road led to, “Train tracks?” I muttered, curious. I followed the tracks pretending to be cargo while looking for a way down to the beach (if there was one). I was still a few metres above sea level.

Strangely, it took me a while to figure out how to reach sea level - or rather, to stumble upon the way. While retracing my steps when I realized there was no clean exit, I slid slightly off the slope next to the tracks and caught a small but evident path, hidden by tree branches that had grown into each other. There it is!

I followed the path and felt the air get cooler, as I saw the sea. I smiled at a few others who appeared to have camped out here much longer than it took me to walk the whole distance. I smiled and nodded at the guardians of this coastline and walked further to the water.

The view was impeccable, a nice blue and clear sky with the lively and wavy sea below. And in the expanse, you could see North Vancouver and a bit of Mount Seymour (I think?). I took a deep inhale, smelling seawater and quieted my mind.

I walked slowly to the coastline, taking off my shoes for this was holy ground. I dipped my toes in and let the freezing water wash away the incessant urge that drove me all the way here. I was pleased. My pilgrimage to find seawater had come to a close. 

And it looked like a new adventure was brewing. I caught, in the corner of my eye, a boat approaching slowly. Could this be the pirate crew with whom I'd go on a grand 1000+ episode adventure to find the One Piece?

The spirit that possessed me had been liberated back into the sea. My energy was now plummeting as the adrenaline wore off. I felt the soles of my feet ache. Walking ~16 km in one go is no small feat! (ba-dum-tss).

As I reflected on my journey, I marvelled at the microcosm of landscapes I'd traversed: from urban jungle to serene suburbia, through forests and finally to the embrace of the sea. Each step had a story and each vista a new chapter in this grand adventure!