For a second month Loopers walked alone, in couples, or in small groups. However, there must be some psychic connection as 3 groups chose routes near each other in Richmond, 2 couples walked from Spanish Banks to UBC, and 2 other couples walked to Science World (from opposite directions). Another 2 groups chose to join up, while practicing safe distancing. At this rate, in a few months we’ll all end up walking together.

22 Loopers participated, along with 3 guest walkers (including a 4-legged one). As an added challenge for this month participants were asked to include photos of water, in keeping with the year’s theme. A vote was held post-walk to select the favorite photos taken this month and the winners are:

1st Place – Impressionist Reflections, by Gordon

2nd Place – Hitchhiking Eagle, by Jon

3rd Place – Watery Reflections, by Maurice

Individual adventures are documented below in random order.

1) Bruce and Janet K

Janet and I had a wonderful walk from Jericho Beach to the UBC Rose Garden for lunch.  We then returned by walking the Admiralty Trail (Pacific Spirit Park).

2) Jon

This morning’s walk was a 16.5 km Richmond river ramble.  Starting near the UBC Rowing Club boathouse my route took me south, around the Olympic Oval and then under the #2 Road bridge.  Crossing the river via the bridge I then turned north on the far bank to the BCIT Richmond campus. There I crossed the road into the little village of Burkeville.  I’ve always liked the feel of the place, although I don’t think I’d like living that close to the airport.  The village dates back to WWII and was originally built to house workers for Boeing.  The name comes from the name of the Boeing president at the time.  All of the local streets are named after aircraft manufacturers.

From Burkeville I headed North, past the currently closed MacArthur Glen shopping mall, and then along Ferguson Road which leads out to Iona Beach.  A little way along that road there’s a little-known walking path (Cora Brown Trail), separated from the road by a band of trees, which is much nicer than walking along the roads itself.  I turned north on Macdonald Road to Macdonald Beach Park.  This whole area was once a thriving subdivision (Cora Brown), but it was eventually expropriated by the airport and almost all the houses demolished.

Macdonald Beach is a very popular spot for dogs and many were in evidence.  I headed East along the River, turning South after passing under the Arthur Laing Bridge.  This is another spot where there was a small settlement, Eburne, that dated back to the early 20^th century.  Alas, it too is gone — the last remnants demolished when the new bridge was built.  Continuing south I crossed the river again and walked South, under increasingly threatening skies, to my starting point.

3) Julie and Alan

We set out at 10:30 from the first parking lot in Iona Beach Regional Park, following instructions to social distance our car.  The starting selfie very easily included flowers with water as the trail toward the beach and our chosen route, the North Jetty, was full of dogwoods, broom, phlox, and heritage apple trees.  We were also treated to dozens of excited swallows and a few red-winged blackbirds in the brush along the way.  

The more natural north trail stretches oceanward for almost 5 km, through beach grass and woods, and finally out to the narrow spit itself.  We walked on the lee side to watch the tugboats at work moving log booms and were simultaneously entertained by a family of geese on a training mission — the five goslings were coaxed into several return paddles out to the booms.  A lone heron teased us by flying laps down the beach, landing and patiently waiting for us to get almost close enough for a classic photo before taking off again. Returning on the ocean side, as loopy as we could get, we noted several lovely driftwood structures, architectural and artistic, and a siege of herons feeding far out on the tidal flats.  

We arrived back at the car in time to escape the downpour we had been tracking from the west.  Although the parking lot was full by this time, the North Jetty was isolated and felt like a holiday!

4) Adrienne

For my MAY Looping event I decided to go somewhere new to me, although many of you had perhaps done this last year.  My route was along New Brighton Park to Kensington Park in Burnaby, approximately 12 km along the “GREAT TRAIL”, aka THE CANADA TRAIL.

I initially “looped around” at New Brighton trying to find the trail east, and eventually got on it. Yes, there were some detours due to construction of course! It had variable terrain of gravel, pavement, flat stretches, and hilly sections. Guess that is why part of it was called Capitol Hill!

It was not the most scenic route, as one was seeing oil refineries and train tracks, but there were some clear views to the North Shore and in the end it was an overall success!

5) Don

Hi.  My names Maisy and ahm awmost 5 months old an ahm the new Master of Kathy and Donny B.  I made Donny take me out way up d’hill and back to dis lil crik near my den so yu could get my picher by dees flours next to d’crik. Dare reellazy dem2 but ahm ahnem all d’time so i can sleep all nite.  Bye, i gotta chase dees cherry petals. Luv, Maisy

6) Michael, Jean, Joette, Fred, & Aaron

For this month’s walk, two Looper households joined forces: Jean and Michael’s, and Fred, Joette and Aaron’s, to dip tentative toes in slightly wider waters of social distancing. We chose the second half of Clapham‘s “Burnaby Fraser Connection” route, which the Loopers walked (in three groups!) in 2017. This made for a round trip walk of about 12 km.

We started from Noel Drive, near the midpoint, where a staircase provides access to the Stoney Creek Trail, which we followed south to Brunette Creek, continuing to Hume Park. Quite a few others were also out and about, walking and cycling the paths on a sunny afternoon. This made it a bit challenging at times to maintain proper distancing with all concerned. Fortunately Fred usually carries a tape measure with him (as demonstrated in the starting selfie). During our return leg the clouds rolled over and rain began to fall, allowing Joette to deploy her famous blue raincoat.

7) Janet Smith

I walked to UBC today via the beach route and had a look around the outside of MOA before walking back through part of Pacific Spirit Park.  A nice combination of water and woods. Not too busy overall.

8) Anne and Maurice

Anne and I ventured out along the Canyon to Coast Trail.

The weather was showery and cool with the last winter snows still lingering on the surrounding mountains. The occasional dogwood was seen.  We travelled about 16km. Hopefully next month we can all partake on a trail somewhere, albeit with the appropriate measures.

9) Angela and Dave

We walked from Garry Point to Terra Nova and back, starting just after 9. We did a loop through Garry Point Park to start, following the new one-way directions. Next to a fenced-off section, a sign said that a Netflix series was being filmed there and a number of temporary beach structures would be erected and later removed.

On the West Dyke, the weather was good: sunny with the usual breeze. When we got to Terra Nova, we left the dyke and walked within the park until it was time to turn around and retrace our steps. At Garry Point Park, there were half a dozen kites swooping around.

Then Dave bought a car and we returned home for our afters.

10) Liz

My faithful photographer generously offered to accompany me on my mini-May Loopers walk on and near the River Trail in Southlands.  Starting at the foot of Blenheim, we could see across the Fraser River to where his morning Loopers outing had been.  My gradually improving but sore knee appreciated this flatland outing.  And the warmth of the unexpectedly brilliant afternoon sun was spirit lifting. The photographer was ecstatic at snapping both an eagle (which was hitching a ride on a log boom) and a wading heron.  Not documented were the many dogs, horses and happy locals sharing the path with us even though we both were taking pictures.

11) Ralph

I walked the Golden Ears Bridge from our house to the Maple Meadows Park & Ride, about 6.53 km.  I then took a free bus home.

12) Gordon and Joanne

Joanne and I walked from Arbutus and McNicoll to Science World and back, a distance of about 9.6 km.

13) Carol and Sandy

We went West on Venables past the local Growboat to Strathcona community garden and the orchard.  We then cut down by the train station to Science World where Carol became a Jetty Master.  We saw some interesting markings on the ground of locomotives or their routes. We went West past Red Truck Brewing where we discovered a yummy food truck — great hotdogs — and split one “Durings” beer, instead of “Afters”.  Finally home through Grandview Woodland area. We did about 10km.