Race on the Island

This is a story of when I was in my early 20's. I had packed a 70 litre hiking pack with as much as I could travel with and left Brantford, Ontario with a 7 day open ended bus pass heading West.  That is a story in itself but may come back to that at a later time.  I ended up up in Tofino, BC after 3.5 days of travel and without enough time on my pass to get back I started looking for work.  I found a job the second day I was there that offered room and board and was very happy enjoying the Pacific Ocean. After about a year a friend showed up at my door from Ontario that needed help and a place to stay. This forced me to get a new place for the two of us and find a new job. We found a cheap trailer with no running water and no electricity and I found work in Ucluelet, the neighboring town along the ocean.  I was using a local gym to shower before work so I would bring my hiking bag with me everywhere.  We lived an hour walk outside of town along a stretch of highway that was pitch black at night with thick rainforest on each side.  My friend would not walk this highway alone at night in fear of the animals and noises that would come from the Forrest.  I had no choice and sucked it up.

Anyway that's the brief background to the story I would like to tell. One night after work, at about 11pm I started my 1 hour walk home. I would hear noises many times but this time was starting to scare me a bit. Sounded like a large animal coming my way.  I decided to keep walking and confront the situation head on. Out comes a Native American man from the area. He was close to my age. I was actually relieved it wasn't an animal or "Bigfoot". Lol.  As strange as it was he was in the bush in the middle of know where in the complete darkness, I got talking with him and we walked together down the road. He was telling me how he was the fastest runner on Vancouver Island. I came from a track background and really wanted to prove to myself I could beat him in a race.  He agreed to run a 200 meter stretch along the road to where one of the only street lights highlighted a bend in the road. So we lined up and counted down and we were off  both of us giving it everything we had and were neck and neck. The only way I was to beat him was to lean forward over the imaginary finish line so I did.  I totally forgot I had my hiking pack on and with the added weight on my back I fell completely forward and skidded across the line on my stomach.  I was hurting but didn't want to show it because I think I won. I finally get to where I lived and he continued on into the darkness. Getting into the trailer my friend is freaking out asking if I was attacked by a bear. I look down and my pants are torn with blood and arms scraped and bleeding. I look at him and say " nope I just raced an Indian". He sais did you win? I continue to tell him the story.  What I took away from this experience was not to get into a race with a hiking pack on.  

Wayne- Two4adventure