The following pictures are from my trip to Bralorne, first for 2009.

This is what is left of the front entrance of the Minto Hotel.

This is some of the devastation from the 2009 Tyaughton Lake Fire.

Another shot of 2009 Tyaughton Lake fire near Gold Bridge.

This is one of the old homes from the forgotten mining town of Pioneer.

After more than 10 years of planning and dreaming, I completed driving Route 66 this March. Below are images of my travels. I will attempt to insert an image for every state on the route (eight states in total).

 

This is The Mill in Lincoln Illinois. The building is in the process of being restored.

One of the two drive ins left on Route 66 in Missouri

Tow Tater is located in Galena Kansas

This is the spectacular Coleman Theatre in Miami; Oklahoma that is.

This is the majestic U-Drop Inn in Shamrock Texas.

One of the more classic resting stop signs on Route 66 in Gallup New Mexico

These are all that is left of the Twin Arrows landmark and Trading Post.

This is the last (heading west) of the Madonnas of the Trail that mark Route 66. It is located in Upland California.

Growing up on the east coast of Vancouver Island, the arbutus tree is part of your experiential landscape. Arbutus trees contribute to the context that shapes your vision of natural beauty and ecological aesthetics. From its peeling crimson bark to its twisted burly limbs, Arbutus draw people to touching them; they are a tactile experience for children and adults.

These two pictures are taken on Thetis Island, across the Stuart Channel from Chemainus.

This arbutus is growing parellel to the ground

The base of this large arbutus is about 5-6 feet in diameter.

These are pictures are the outside and inside of the Bralorne Hall. It has seen the many Snow Queen pageants, Saturday dances, community plays and basketball games. Stories are that due to the lack of women in Bralorne in the day, the area below the front steps is where the single men would duke it out for the company of a single women after the dance.

Inside the Bralorne Hall

This is the outside of Bralorne Hall

Through my exploring of forgotten communites of British Columbia, I hope this blog demonstrates how your experiences and the images that represent your experiences can be used to define and evolve your discourse and epistemology. As demonstrated by my experiences and travels in BC, you can gain another perspective on life even by exploring the world close to you. Like anything else, rural life is not idealic, and not to be viewed with rose coloured glasses. It can be prejudiced and discriminatory, but it can be compassionate and welcoming.

What is interesting is how giving people are to share their stories that capture part of your humanity. In visiting these forgotten communites, the most welcoming gift is the honest giving of a person’s best having a meal or giving directions. In those moments, perfection is not in the elegant and grandeur; it is in the authentic and proud.