Chance to horse around
Horse-craziness runs in my family.
When I wore my parents down and finally, finally got one of my own, my Aunt Lorna was all the way in. She hauled my cousin and me to endless horse shows in a truck held together entirely by baling wire and spit.
Once, on our way to the Deer Park Fairgrounds – home of the largest collection of dust and sweat in the Western hemisphere – a tire just flew right off its axle. I saw it roll on past us, making a break for the Canadian border.
Undeterred, we jumped the horses off the tailgate and rode to the show.
Little did I know, back then, how epicurean the equine life could be.
Nimmo Bay Heli-Ventures and Clayoquot Wilderness Resorts and Spas have teamed up to show me – and you – how the other half lives and rides on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Listen to this description of Clayoquot’s Bedwell River Outpost from their Web site: “An enclave of opulently furnished great white canvas guest and suite tents, spa tents and lounge tents, plus a massive timber cookhouse promise a delicious irony of extraordinary luxury and untamed Canadian wilderness frontier.”
Suite tents? I’ve been in my husband’s wall tent plenty of times and while it does have a nice, big zipper, opulent is not a word I would use.
But Clayoquot may have a case. Your seven-day HorsePower Safari includes three and a half days at the Bedwell River Outpost with its down duvets, hairdryers, wireless Internet access, meals of fresh seafood and house-made pastry served on china, and “modern composting toilets, set in charming cedar outbuildings.”
Charming toilets. Hmm. I think they just took it too far.
Moving on: During your stay, you can mount up for a trip through the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere, a temperate jungle described by National Geographic magazine as “an upside-down rainforest.”
If horses aren’t your bag (and if they aren’t, I don’t know what’s wrong with you), you can hike, kayak, canoe, mountain bike, fish or look for whales and bears.
You have two itineraries to choose from. Let’s review option number one:
You’ll arrive at the resort on Sunday, rest and have dinner. After that punishing schedule, you’ll want to spend some time recovering in the spa tent.
Monday gets under way with guided sea kayaking, and after lunch you can take a guided horseback ride.
Look for whales during Tuesday’s trip in a 12-person boat and visit Flores Island’s interpretive West Side Trail. Do what you will on Wednesday, then fly to Nimmo Bay Resort in the Great Bear Rainforest on Thursday. Once there, you’ll set out from the resort’s inter-tidal chalets for guided hikes, cave exploration, more whale watching or helicopter rides to catch-and-release fishing spots.
Saturday morning’s river rafting adventure paves the way for an afternoon tour of the coast mountain range. And on Sunday, you’ll get in some last-minute fishing and visit a historical First Nations village and museum before your last helicopter ride to Port Hardy.
The second itinerary basically reverses the first; either way, you’ll have endless opportunities for massages and hot tub soaking.
HorsePower Safaris run every week from May 28 to Oct. 9, for the eye-popping price of $13,995 (Canadian) per person, based on double occupancy. That covers all air and ground transportation to and from Vancouver International, lodging, meals, alcohol (drink up!), activities, gear, licenses, guide fees and spa services.
To learn more, visit www.horsepowersafaris.com. You can also call Nimmo Bay Resort at (800) 837-HELI or Clayoquot Wilderness Resorts and Spa at (888) 333-5405.
It’s all happening at …
Leo Kottke’s joining the lorikeets at the Oregon Zoo. And Chris Isaak’s playing for the cockroaches, Etta James is singing for the eagles, etc. You get the picture.
Tickets for the zoo’s 18 Summer Concert Series performances on the lawn are on sale. Here’s the rundown of the “premium” shows:
July 1, Indigo Girls; July 14, Bruce Hornsby; July 21, Doc Watson and Kottke; July 23, Isaak; July 28, Shawn Colvin and Dar Williams; Aug. 4 and 5, Pink Martini; and Aug. 18, James. Tickets range from $18 to $26.
Wednesday “plus” concerts feature Baaba Maal, Refugee All Stars of Sierra Leone, Ska Cubano, Plena Libra and others. They’re a bargain at $9.50 apiece.
You’ll find a complete schedule at www.oregonzoo.com, or call (503) 226-1561.
The hills are alive …
The Leavenworth Summer Theater has announced its schedule of 2006 musicals, and “The Sound of Music” seems to be one of the Bavarian-themed town’s favorite things. On July 7, it enters its 12th consecutive year on the docket.
“The Music Man” opens July 19 and “Show Boat” joins in on Aug. 2. All three shows run throughout August and the season wraps up on the first Saturday in September.
Tickets go on sale June 2; call (509) 548-2000. You’ll find additional information at www.leavenworthsummertheater.org.
Regional events
• Black Powder Shoot, May 26-28, Havre, Mont. The annual competition includes tomahawk and knife throwing contests, and a pancake race, too. ( www.visitmt.com/406-265-2483)
• Jazz in the Canyon Weekend, June 15-17, Twin Falls, Idaho. Paul Tillotson, Ruthie Foster and other jazz acts will perform. (www.visitidaho.org/208-734-5900)
• Fremont Fair, June 17-18, Seattle. The neighborhood celebrates the summer solstice with art, food, performances and a parade. (www.fremontfair.org/206-694-6706)