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Why is it most people usually visualize eye-popping, scenic wonders when they think of tourist destinations? Perhaps we have been conditioned by years of promotion to want to experience the unexplainable grandeur of nature.
Or it could be that humans harbor a special gene that causes them to gaze in awe at the sight of a vast expanse of forest, a herd of free-running horses or the snow-capped jagged peaks of a mountain range reflected in the crystal-clear waters of an alpine lake.
Whatever it is, I hope we never change. Still, I wonder if, in our search for the spectacular, we are not missing the beauty that can be savoured in the smaller packages found in both the natural and man-made worlds.
For the past few months I have been regularly travelling from my home overlooking Horse Lake, a few kilometers east of 100 Mile House, down to Cache Creek and Ashcroft. I love the drive, even with the high cost of gasoline, and never tire of discovering some small bit of scenery or an historic object, most of us miss while hurrying to our destinations.
The discoveries have ranged from a beaver house nestled in a silver roadside pond to a rusting tractor or abandoned mower in a field. The ranches along the way have provided plenty of eye-candy as their livestock graze in lush fields or rest in the forests along the edge of the pastures.
Included in the inventory is the Bonaparte Ranch winery near Cache Creek, followed by Horstings Farm with its array of delicious pies and other goodies stacked on racks in the rustic restaurant/store. Beyond that, I have visited the Fruit Stand, shouting out its presence in outrageous yellow paint at 16 Mile. The stand would not be the same without that bold, decorative statement.
Clinton has always been an intriguing community to me. It has managed to retain its Gold Rush feel while accommodating the realities of the present. I have stopped in to chat with Big Jim at the Clinton Emporium on occasion and strolled through some of the shops. I can easily see the Village of Clinton capitalizing on its growing antiques outlets by nudging the concept along with a few simple projects.
Antiques and collectables are big business and Clinton has already laid the foundation to promote itself as the Antiques Capital of the Cariboo. It is not much of a stretch to imagine staging twice-yearly antique appraisal and auction fairs, talk a few more merchants into opening shops and even inviting traveling merchants in for a yearly town-wide yard sale. Why not build on what you have.
If forecasts that fewer tourists will be coming to Canada prove accurate, one strategy we can use is to encourage the visitors we do have to stay longer. If they are to stay longer, then we must ensure they have a “reason” to do so.
Prior to moving to this area, we vacationed in the 100 Mile area for several years. We kept coming back because of the friendly treatment we received, the perceived value of accommodations and services and the natural surroundings.
The more times we visited the more adventurous we became and branched out to visit areas in the Chilcotin such as Nimpo Lake. On another occasion we took the plunge and headed up to Barkerville but stopped in Williams Lake and Quesnel to do some sightseeing and experience what those communities had to offer.
I talked with Darrell Warman recently at the South Cariboo Visitor Info Centre about the little things to see around the area. Darrell, in case you were not aware, is a whirlwind disguised as the centre’s Visitor Services Manager. If Darrell doesn’t know about some point of interest in the region, I suspect it does not exist. She clued me in to some little-known facets of the old Gold Rush Trail and provided me with some interesting information that I hope to pass on in the near future.
Even if you have lived here for a long time, I would encourage you to talk to the folks at the information centre when you have visitors. There is always something to be learned and it could provide your guests with some extra excitement. There is nothing wrong with being a tourist in your own town.
If you operate a tourist facility in the region, it is also vital for you or someone on staff to know as much about the sights to be seen in and around the area. There is nothing quite like directing someone to some little known, interesting place they might not otherwise have ever discovered.
Meanwhile, take a look at the slide show with this article and you can see first hand what I am talking about. If you have a picture you would like to share with our readers or have some secret place you would like to talk about, drop me a photo and a note and I would be happy to pass it along.
And if you have a story idea or would like to contribute a piece to this site, again drop me a note. But be warned. Since I am unpaid, you will be unpaid. I guess we do it just for the love of the Cariboo. Still, it can help us stay on the cutting edge of tourism.
Bill McIntyre
Communications Specialist
FairForce Communications
e-mail: billmci@telus.net
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