Tag Archives: hike

Side trips

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I went on a hike with my youngest today. We were headed to a falls that we never made it to. But we didn’t care that we missed it. On the way we passed a bridge over a small creek, and I’d explored that creek before. So, we went off the beaten path and took a little side trip.

There was a small path, we weren’t trail blazing, but it is not a main path, and quite secluded.

The side trip was the best part of the hike. That’s often the case. The unexpected detour, the restaurant off the main strip, or the unscheduled stop become the highlight.

It’s the same thing in education. You start a lesson. A kid asks a question and you venture way off your plan, but everyone is engaged and the learning is rich.

The important thing is that you create the conditions for the side trips to happen. You have a plan, but it’s not cast in stone. You have an agenda but you leave room for opportunities to arise. You explore, question, and follow your curiosity.

After our side trip we took the harder route that takes us to a lower falls then a steep climb to the upper falls. We saw the lower one, then didn’t realize we had higher to go for the high falls when we met the path downhill. 10 minutes later we realized our mistake but had to head home so my daughter could make her afternoon plans.

It didn’t matter. The rest of the hike was a fun father/daughter trek. The main falls will be explored another day, and the side trip became the main quest.

Bear Creek Falls

Yesterday was our last full day in Kelowna, and while we did a hike around these falls every day, I finally followed the creek into the falls that we could hear at a lookout, but couldn’t see. I didn’t think I’d see the falls, I was just curious.

The white-dotted trail was our usual, daily route.
It’s a fairly easy walk along the creek, but when I asked people coming the other way they said getting wet along the way was unavailable.
The first bend, you can already hear the falls.
Looking back around the first bend.
This 20-25 foot section was too deep to walk, and a little eggbeater kick was required to pass through.
First look at the falls.
Getting in, and feeling the force of the falls.
Last photo, but…
This was too good not to share, so I came back with my daughter and her friend.

I didn’t know I was going to be able to make it to the falls, I just wanted to check out the stream… this was a wonderfully unexpected, and special experience!

Fishing in a dinghy

The water on Lake Okanagan was nice and smooth this morning. So, after another early hike, I decided to hop into our tiny inflatable dinghy and do a bit of fishing. This is a somewhat comical experience. The dinghy is barely big enough for me. The small oars get in the way of casting. I’ve got a small backpack with my fishing gear, my flip flops for the rocky beach landing, and my phone in a waterproof case with a strap around my neck.

It’s not easy to cast, and trolling is tough because I can’t keep a consistent speed or direction. I did end up trolling for most of the hour I went out. I used a jig and a float so that my inconsistent paddling would help the jig move sporadically, without sinking to the weedy shore.

I didn’t catch anything. I didn’t expect to. I watched an osprey dive for a fish, it too was unsuccessful. Still, I went for a little fishing trip this morning and I might go out again tomorrow.

Upon returning I did the hike again with my wife and daughter. Then I made pancakes and bacon on our outdoor stove. I have to say that starting my day this way is really making me feel like I’m recharging my batteries this holiday break. Dinghy fishing may not be an ideal way to catch fish, but it makes for a pretty idyllic holiday.