There is a yapper gabby gene in our family. It's on DH's side and it's a dominant gene as most of our grandchildren have it. Like baby birds waiting to be fed they gather round and yak up a storm. The five year old is particularly chatty. He LOVES trains and has been on this one numerous times. He also knows McLean Mill like the back of his hand and gave us the grand tour.


Here are the boys, (twelve, five and eight The 12 year old is the 8 year old's brother. The 5 year old is their cousin.) at the station posing in front of the water tower (it's a steam train, remember). The white truck on the right rail wheels attached that can be lowered to run on the train tracks.


Here they are again, posing with one of the restored passenger cars.

The scenery is beautiful once we pull away from the disgraceful looking Catalyst Paper Mill.


Here we are looking down into Kitsuksis Creek as the train passes over it on the tressle.


Arriving at the old McLean Mill the 5 year old takes us down a path where we find these two massive uprooted stumps.

We were just in time to see the Steam Donkey demonstration.


The 5 year old was chosen to help demonstrate a logger's spring board.


The 8 year old was chosen to help feed the hungry steam donkey some wood.


We were lucky enough to be watching the first ever demo for the steam donkey and spar (tall stump in center of photo). Can you see the log it has picked up, just under the boom? A gas donkey (at right shoulder of the guy in the safety vest)sits waiting it's turn to load the logs onto a truck.

After the demo and lunch DH and I tried to keep up with the boys as they checked out the office, bunk house and homes, all in the process of being restored, on the mill site.



Then we headed back to the platform and waited for the train to take us back to Port Alberni. Back in town we wandered down to Harbour Quay for ice cream cones and then dropped them off at their respective homes tired but happy. DH and I went home and took a nap.


If you're interested here is the website for the train and McLean Mill: https://www.alberniheritage.com/alberni-pacific-railway/welcome-alberni-pacific-steam-railway