As with all the beaches in this part of the world, China Beach, Vancouver Island has it’s own features and characteristics that make it an easy favourite for many. I have a pretty long shortlist of the best beaches on Vancouver Island, and China Beach is one of them.

How to Get to China Beach

China Beach falls approximately at the midway point of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail between Jordan River and Port Renfrew on BC Highway 14. You’ll see signage for a campground and a little ways past that, you’ll see the day use parking lot entrance. The beach is about a 10 minute walk from parking lot on a clear and easy walking path.

Three Things I Love About China Beach

1. The Sand!
   China Beach is a gorgeous long sandy beach with large rocks at either end. The sand is soft and clean with very few shells or rocks to hurt your feet on when walking barefoot. It’s a great place for kids to build sandcastles while parents enjoy a picnic basket and an adult beverage.
2. The Waterfall!
   If you hike over the rocks on the west side of the beach at low tide between fall and spring, you’ll find a river flowing out into the ocean. If you follow the stream up, you will come to a beautiful waterfall flowing over the rocks into a small pool that could be used as a swimming hole on warmer days.
3. It’s Dog Friendly!
   We usually bring two of our three dogs with us on our day trip adventures and China beach was no exception. I love that the beach is dog friendly and the dogs had such an incredible time digging holes, chasing sticks and playing in the water.

 Tips For A Day Trip To China Beach

There are a few things to keep in mind when visiting any beach along Vancouver Island’s west coast:

1. Do not leave valuables in your vehicle. Thieves are active in the area and are not shy to break into cars. Be sure to take your valuables with you and to securely lock your vehicle.
2. Protect yourself from the sun. Always wear sunscreen and a hat. Even on cool cloudy days, the sun can still treat you to a burn. Everyone hates dealing with a sunburn. Be sun smart!
3. Respect the wildlife. Vancouver Island’s west coast is home to all kinds of wildlife, including deer, bears, cougars, wolves and raccoons. Be aware of your surroundings and if you happen to come across any local wildlife, do NOT feed it, do not approach it, and give it lots of space. Animals become dangerous if they feel cornered or if they have young with them. Steer clear, even if it means that you need to leave the beach for your and your family’s safety. We sometimes attach bear bells to our dogs’ collars to help alert any wildlife of our presence.
4. Pack it in, pack it out. If you pack food down to the beach, please be sure you pack out ALL of your garbage (even the compostables) and dispose of it responsibly. Don’t be a litterbug. Please keep our parks and beaches clean.
5. Bring a camera! The views and the waterfall at China Beach provide beautiful photo ops. We all have our camera phones with us these days, but it’s well worth the effort to carry your DSLR camera with you, you may even be lucky enough to see whales just off the beach!

View more photos of China Beach, Vancouver Island

Have you visited China Beach on Vancouver Island?

Please share your favourite part in the comments below.

Get ready for a weekend of rad riding at Bear Mountain Canada Cup XC Race!

WHEN: Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PST) – Add to Calendar
WHERE: The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa, Victoria – View Map

The Canada Cup series is designed to provide competitive opportunities to the next generation of cyclists, transitioning from provincial race series to international competitions. The 12 km Canada Cup Trail is not for the faint of heart. Developed in partnership with The Southern Vancouver Island Nature Trails Society (NTS), the Canada Cup Trail is designed as a single track trail for advanced mountain bike skills.

Anyone can compete with categories ranging from Elite Men and Women to Masters 50+ Men and Women. Registration closes on Friday march 4th at 5pm. Register here. Come Ride the Bear or just come watch and cheer on the national team athletes as they compete for a spot on their Road to Rio!

The Bear Mountain Canada Cup XC Race Course

The course will be open for designated training times as follows:

Thursday March 3rd: 12pm – 7pm
Friday March 4th: 9am – 7pm
Saturday March 5th: 7am – 8:15am

The 2016 Canada Cup XC Race on Bear Mountain racing schedule and fees are as follows. Online registration has ended but you can still register on site until Friday March 4th at 5pm.

For more information about the race, download Cycling Canada’s Canada Cup Technical Guide.

“Road to Rio” Fundraising Gala

After the race, put on your party shoes and join us for the “Road to Rio” Gala. Bear Mountain Resort will be hosting the gala to raise funds for the national team’s trip to the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio, Brazil this summer. The inaugural “Road to Rio” fundraising event will feature a gourmet dinner, live and silent auctions and exclusive opportunities to engage and interact with Canada’s national team and development level mountain bike athletes.

WHAT: Cycling Canada “Road to Rio” Fundraising Gala
WHERE: The Westin Bear Mountain Resort, Victoria, BC
WHEN: Saturday, March 5th — 6:00pm to 10:00pm
WHO: Canada’s National Mountain Bike Team
TICKETS: $250 per ticket or $1,800 per table (tax receipts available for allowable portion)

I’m excited to be attending the gala for the 2016 Olympic Spirit Project, I hope to see you there in support of our Olympic Mountain Biking Team!

Buy “Road to Rio” Gala Tickets

 

Mountain Biking at Bear Mountain Resort

Canada’s top mountain bike riders, including Rio-bound Catharine Pendrel, have been training regularly at Bear Mountain Resort this fall and winter. The Resort, which uniquely offers year-round training opportunities on Canadian soil, is playing a key part in Cycling Canada’s long-term athlete development plans.

As an outdoor adventure destination for the entire region, the Bear Mountain Trail System offers people of all ages and abilities access to nature and the marvelous recreational opportunities it has to offer. The resort is host to an expanding trail network, jump park, national team training centre and the annual BearTrax competition. The resort also offers bike rentals, coaching and guided rides through the Hub.

For more information about mountain biking at Bear Mountain Resort, visit the website.

Ride the Bear!

You’ll find Middle Beach Lodge at the end of Mackenzie Beach Road in Tofino, BC on Vancouver Island. I headed here a few weeks ago with a group of girlfriends for a much needed weekend of beach walks, food, wine, and relaxation. Tofino is always a perfect weekend getaway destination for friends, a girls getaway or a romantic retreat.

Getting to Tofino

The Pacific Rim Highway to Tofino is twisty and windy and on this particular Friday afternoon, it was raining so hard that I literally drove through waterfalls cascading off the rock walls along the roadside. So depending what time of year you plan to travel to Tofino, be prepared for crazy road and weather conditions.

Coming from downtown Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, the trip took about 4.5 hours. My friends came over on the ferry from Vancouver (a 1.5 hour boat ride), the drive from Departure Bay in Nanaimo taking them approximately 3 hours.

Middle Beach Lodge in Tofino

When I arrived, my friends had already staked their claim to the two couches in the lounge in front of the giant fireplace of the Middle Beach Lodge public lounge. It was cozy and comfortable and when we weren’t out exploring the beach or the town of Tofino, this is where we spent the majority of our time catching up over tea or wine and relaxing. There were several couples at the Lodge, enjoying a romantic storm-watching weekend getaway.

Our rooms at Middle Beach Lodge were small but comfortable. Our adjoining rooms both included a queen bed, in-room sink and vanity and a bathroom with toilet, tub and shower. Perfectly simple with everything we needed. But what really made the room was the view of the ocean and the sound of the crashing waves just outside the window!

Hello Tofino! I’m so looking forward to spending the long weekend with you!

A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Feb 5, 2016 at 5:08pm PST

Our stay at the Lodge included a continental breakfast, including croissants, cinnamon buns, toast, meat and cheese plate, hard boiled eggs, cereals, yogurt, fruit and more. Plus, of course, your standard coffee and tea. My favourite food part about our stay was the fresh cookies they bake mid-afternoon each day. Deeeelicious! We had a mix of weather conditions from stormy wind and rain to clear sunny skies. I highly recommend bringing your rain gear to Tofino any time of year, as it is on the edge of a rainforest on one side and the open ocean on the other. This combination makes the weather unpredictable and susceptible to quick change. If you plan to stay at Middle Beach Lodge, they have a healthy supply of bright yellow rain coats and rubber boots for guests to use during their stay. When we saw this, of course we HAD to wear them! So the four of us traipsed down to the beach in our yellows for a photoshoot!

Oh #Tofino! You impress me! A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:32pm PST

For more information or to make your reservation visit the Middle Beach Lodge website or contact them at 250 725 2900 or toll free 1 866 725 2900 or by email at info(at)middlebeach.com

See more photos of Middle Beach Lodge here and more Middle Beach Photoshoot pics here.

A while back, we were invited to stay at Wits End Retreat for our first bed and breakfast getaway together. Every aspect of our stay exceeded our expectations! From the location, to the grounds and accommodation to the food, our experience was outstanding!

The grounds of the B&B are absolutely stunning with perfectly manicured lawns, huge trees, beautiful flower gardens, herb gardens, an organic vegetable garden, fruit trees, a cozy gazebo, fountains and several several garden seating areas throughout the property.

 

The open concept, garden-view room has a cabin feel with a queen size bed and fireplace on one end and a living space with love seat, comfy chair and coffee table on the other.

Included with the room was a bottle of wine and cheese plate with crackers, a mini fridge stocked with cold drinks, and the best part: pastries!

Not far from the B&B we discovered a gorgeous white sand beach at Witty’s Lagoon, which completed the vacation feel for us! We were so fortunate with the warm sunny weather during tour stay that it almost felt tropical on the beach.

Our morning breakfast was insanely delicious! Prepared by the chefs of Wits End Catering, we enjoyed poached pears to start followed by eggs benny with incredible local Metchosin sausage. Oh my DELICIOUS!

Even though this B&B is only about a twenty minute drive from our home, we felt like we were far far away on a beautiful romantic vacation getaway. It was absolutely perfect!

Thank you to Sandy and Heather for your kindness and generosity and for sharing your little piece of paradise with us! We will most definitely be back for another romantic escape in the future!

I had read some of the glowing TripAdvisor reviews prior to the weekend and our experience fully exceeded my expectations!

You’ll find Wits End Retreat at 517 Witty’s Beach Road, Victoria BC. Make your reservation online or contact them by phone (1 250.474.1066) or email (witsendretreat@shaw.ca).

 

This weekend (July 31 to August 2, 2015) I will be up at Bear Mountain Resort for the BearTrax Freeride Mountain Biking Festival contributing social media and photography services to the event. BearTrax at Bear Mountain is the biggest biking event (so far) that the resort hosts annually. BearTrax (formerly known as Jumpship) will showcase some of the world’s best freeride mountain bikers, most of whom will move on to compete at Crankworx in Whistler, BC next weekend.

A video posted by Jordie Lunn (@jordielunn) on Jul 27, 2015 at 9:07pm PDT

 

This FREE family-friendly event includes a kid-zone with bouncy castle for the kids, a beer garden by Vancouver Island Brewery for the big kids, iRide clinics for the kids from CyclingBC, air bag for amateur riders, and all kinds of vendors, food trucks and DJ Bellyfish to keep the tunes pumping.

Instagram Contest

You will also have a chance to win a Rocky Mountain Soul 27.5 mountain bike over the course of the weekend by getting your Instagram on! All you need to do it follow @RockyMountainBicycles and @BearMountainBikePark on Instagram and tag your best #BearTrax shots from the weekend with #RideTheBear to enter. The winner will be announced on Sunday, August 2nd 2015 by North Vancouver mountain biker, Brett Tippie at the awards ceremony.

A photo posted by Bear Mountain Bike Park (@bearmountainbikepark) on Jul 30, 2015 at 11:08am PDT

The BearTrax Event Schedule

Friday, July 31st

• 3:00pm – 6:00pm | Rider Practice
• 6:00pm – 7:00pm | Rider Meet & Greet – Masters Lounge
• 7:00pm – 8:00pm | Rider Long Putt Event – Putting Green

Saturday, August 1st

• 10:00am – 1:00pm | Rider Practice
• 10:00am – 6:00pm | Expo & Airbag opens to public
• 12:00pm – 6:00pm | Beer Garden Open
• 1:00pm – 2:30pm | Amateur AirBag Competition (Kids)
• 3:00pm – 3:30pm | Rider Introductions
• 3:30pm – 6:30pm | Competition Session
• 6:30pm – 7:00pm | Award Ceremony
• 7:00pm – 9:30pm | Bill Johnson Blues Band – Main Stage

Sunday, August 2nd

• 10:00am – 12:00pm | Rider Practice
• 10:00am – 6:00pm | Expo & Airbag opens to public
• 12:00pm – 6:00pm | Beer Garden Open
• 1:00pm – 2:30pm | Amateur AirBag Competition (Celebrity)
• 3:30pm – 6:30pm | Best Trick & Whip Competition
• 6:30pm – 7:00pm | Awards Ceremony

For more information about the riders who will be participating, visit the BearTrax page on the Bear Mountain Resort website.

So come and #RideTheBear at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria this weekend!

And if you see me up there, don’t be shy! Come on over and say hello!

 

Earlier this month I traveled to Vancouver for 3 days to photograph the Access Sport Recruiting and Training Showcase2015 event.

Access Sport helps high school students plan for a sport oriented college / university experience. They coach Canadian student athletes from grades 9 to 12 through the recruiting process in both the NCAA and CIS.

The Showcase2015 event brought students from all over British Columbia and Alberta to Wright Field at UBC to showcase their field hockey skills to coaches from universities all over North America. Athletes had the opportunity to personally connect to college level coaches and recruiters in the NCAA and the CIS. They learned all about college playing schedules, how to plan to attend the school of their dreams, and how to do it all on a fully funded scholarship.

In addition to the three days of seminar and on-field training, athletes received a full year of membership to the Access Sport Recruiting Profile included in their tuition, and access to an on-field athletic trainer for the duration of the showcase.

Showcase 2015 on-field training included:

• Fitness testing
• Offensive Skills: (2hr training session)
• Elimination skills
• Shooting / goal scoring
• Specific GK training
• Defensive Skills: (2 hr training session)
• Distribution Skills
• Tackling
• Decision Making
• Small sided 7v7 games (each athlete will play 4 games)
• Full games (each athlete will play 2 full games)

The evening seminar included presentations from NCAA and CIS alumni speaking about:

• Time management, travel, achieving academic balance through available support systems
• What to expect during off-season, pre-season, in-season and everything in between
• The Canadian experience, choosing to stay in Canada, making a team, what to expect when you play in the CIS
• Taking care of your body, hot to be physically prepared for college, what to expect from athletic training support staff
• What happens after college? Getting a job. How playing college field hockey can prepare you for and benefit you in the real world
• Making a recruiting plan, recruiting regulations, timelines, scholarships and advice

All sessions were recorded to give the athletes the option to post video of their skills on their Access Sport profiles with the option of ordering a highlight reel showcasing their talents. (Video is very important in the recruiting process, as the majority college coaches and recruiters rely on video due to tight recruiting travel budgets.)

For more information about Showcase and Access Sport, or to get your own online recruiting profile, talk to Jenn Beagan at access-sport.ca.

Access Sport will be hosting a fall conference later in 2015 – stay tuned to their Facebook and Twitter pages for details as they become available.

The Dutch have done it again! I’ve always been a fan of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The airline was practically part of the family back when my Opa (grandfather) was a pilot with them and I do my best to fly with them (or their partners) whenever I travel. The airline has come up with some great marketing campaigns in the past, but as an avid traveler, I think this one is just awesome!

KLM Airplane Apartment on Airbnb

KLM has come up with a super fun idea to give a few lucky winners an opportunity to spend a night on one of their planes. This is not just any plane – they’ve converted a McDonnell Douglas: MD11 into a spacious apartment and have listed it on Airbnb!  

KLM Airplane Apartment – What’s Included

According to the listing, the airplane is “Located right beside the runway of Amsterdam’s bustling Schiphol airport,” and it “comes with all conveniences and will truly be your home away from home.”

The plane accommodates four people in two bedrooms with three beds and a whopping eight (yes 8!) bathrooms! (That’s two bathrooms per person!) There is also a kitchen on board, a television, wifi connection, gaming console, and of course comfy first class chairs to enjoy aviation-themed films (including Top Gun and The Aviator) on the entertainment system.

If you’re an airplane buff and you’re interested in the plane’s history, according to KLM, this MD11 has crossed the globe 3,675 times. (I wonder if any of those flights had Opa in the cockpit?)

[Tweet “Wanna sleep on a plane? Check out the KLM Airplane Apartment contest from @KLM and @Airbnb! #travel”]

It’s FREE to Stay in the KLM Airplane Apartment!

Yes! That’s right! It’s FREE!!

But there’s a catch. You will have to convince KLM in 100 words or less why they should choose to fly you to Amsterdam to stay in their airplane apartment on November 28/29 or 30, 2014.

If you win, please keep the following house rules in mind:

How to Apply to stay in the KLM Airplane Apartment

Go to the Airbnb listing and click Contact Host. Next choose a date and write your 100 words (or less) explaining why they should choose you and who you would bring with you. It’s that easy!

What are you waiting for?!

The deadline to enter the KLM Airplane Apartment contest November 20. I’m going to head over and submit my own application right now, because I think this contest is just fantastic!

[Tweet “Enter to win a night in the KLM Airplane Apartment contest from @KLM and @Airbnb! #travel”]

 

I love night photography. I love to travel. And I LOVE how my fellow Dutch folk come up with so many super fun and inspiring ideas and projects! I’ll be adding the Van Gogh Glowing Bicycle Path my bucket list the next time I head to the Netherlands for a family visit.

The Van Gogh Glowing Bicycle Path

Dutch artist Daan Roosengaarde created the van Gogh glowing bicycle path inspired by Vincent Van Gogh‘s “The Starry Night” painting. The one-kilometre glowing bike path is located in the city of Eindhoven and opened to the public on November 13, 2014. The path forms part of the Van Gogh cycle route that connects the Vincent van Gogh heritage locations in the province of Brabant, where Van Gogh lived.

The path is illuminated by thousands of twinkling stones that feature glow-in-the-dark technology and solar-powered LED lights constructed by Heijmans.

“I wanted to create a place that people will experience in a special way, the technical combined with experience, that’s what techno-poetry means to me,” said Roosengaarde.

Van Gogh 2015

The opening of the cycle path on 13 November marked the start of the Van Gogh 2015 international theme year. In 2015, the 125th anniversary of the death of Vincent van Gogh (Zundert, 30 March 1853 – Auvers-sur-Oise, 29 July 1890) will be commemorated with a comprehensive cultural programme on the theme 125 years of inspiration.

[Tweet “The #VanGogh-Roosengaarde Glowing #Bicycle Path! #BucketList”]

Photo credit: studioroosegaarde.net

Remembrance Day 2014. A time to reflect on all of those who suffered through the wars of the past and present and all of those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others. On this Remembrance Day 2014 I remember the sacrifices of my family and those who fell so that we may have freedom.

My Family Connection

My dad was born in the Netherlands during WWII. He doesn’t remember it because he was just a baby. My grandparents rarely spoke about the War. I can’t even imagine the horrors and atrocities that they experienced and the loved ones that they lost.

What I do know is that my grandmother lost her brother to a lineup in a concentration camp. My grandfather (who I never met) was a minister and was one of the few people who were permitted to travel around freely to perform religious services.

When my grandmother passed away in 2012 we found letters that my grandfather had written to her during WWII; they were sweet yet heartbreaking. We also found permission letters from the Germans allowing him to travel by bicycle at certain hours to perform religious services, but curfews were strictly enforced. My grandmother also had a collection of underground newspapers that could have gotten her into a lot of trouble had anyone found them at the time.

The untold history that we lost with my grandmother two years ago is incredible, but I can understand why it’s not something she spoke about. I can’t imagine what she experienced during those years and I admire her strength to get through it. I am so thankful for all of those who gave their lives so that we may live in peace.

A Visit to the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam

Visiting the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam drove the reality of WWII home for me. Being in the house where Anne Frank and her family lived in secret was such an emotional and humbling experience.

I first read Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl years ago and I still remember the impact it had on me. To imagine myself in Anne Frank’s position, at age 13, living in the attic of this house with eight people while in constant fear of being discovered is simply unimaginable; and to be standing in the very rooms where she wrote her diary was surreal. What I find most admirable though, is that Anne was still able to enjoy the simple pleasures and beauty of life. If you haven’t read The Diary of  a Young Girl, I highly recommend it, you can find it here.

“We cannot change what happened anymore. The only thing we can do is learn from the past and to realize what discrimination and persecution of innocent people means. I believe that it’s everyone’s responsibility to fight prejudice.” ~ Otto Frank, 1970 (Anne Frank’s father)

 

The world was such a different place back then. I am so grateful for all of those who had the courage and strength to give their lives so that by the time I was born, less than an hour’s drive outside of Amsterdam, my family had the opportunity to live in a better world.

It gives me chills to think of the history that my grandparents lived through. On this Remembrance Day 2014 I remember the sacrifices of my family and those who fell so that we may live a life of freedom.

Lest we forget.

This time last year I had just landed in Costa Rica for my first Central American adventure. I found Costa Rica to be an incredibly beautiful and friendly country and of all the places that I’ve traveled it was the first place that I felt I would be able to call home.

As I look back at my photography from my travels, I wanted to share the photos in a way that would allow others to enjoy the beauty of this amazing country as well. With this in mind, I’ve decided to celebrate the scenes of Costa Rica and the Pura Vida Lifestyle through the 2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar featuring images from my travels.

Pre-Order Costa Rica Calendar

2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar Preview

I’ve included a few shortlisted images below. If they inspire you I invite you to pre-order your very own 2015 Costa Rica Calendar today! Calendars ordered by November 26th will be printed and shipped (to Canada and USA) in time for Christmas. 

2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar Details:

[Tweet “Enjoy #CostaRica all year long with the 2015 Costa Rica Wall Calendar! #PuraVida”]   

Pre-Order Now!