Thank you for visiting my blog, Life and Random Thinking, which I hope you enjoy and add your comments and ideas.
Today my post was inspired by a recent Toastmasters speech I shared; “From Rails To Trails“.
The speech goal was to inspire my audience to visit the Little Tunnel which is northeast of Penticton.
The 48 metre long tunnel is located high above beautiful Okanagan lake and the view is gobsmacking (a British word meaning astounding).
The tunnel was build for the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) which no longer operates. The railway ties are long gone, but the trail remains along with the delightful easy-to-explore hiking and biking path.
Use this link if you want to learn more about the KVR.
The Kettle Valley Railway is now part of the Trans Canada Trail (TCT). Explore the TCT via this link. which is also very appealing.
In order to inspire my audience I gave an informative speech using Powerpoint slides which included maps I had downloaded from online and modified slightly.
The use of maps was essential, as pictures are worth a thousand words while my speech was limited to seven minutes and thirty seconds. LOL ☺
I hope you enjoy the maps and photos below. – David
A quick summary of the directions to the Little Tunnel is below;
BY CAR; You can drive partway to the Little Tunnel, drive about 20 minutes north on Naramata Road, turn left on Smethurst and drive up the hill until you find the parking lot that bisects the KVR Trail. You can park your car there and then you have a short 4.7 kilometre walk north on the path, a little more than an hour if we waddle like me. The trail is easy, wide, and the grade is mild.
CYCLE; If you bike to the Little Tunnel (much preferable I think) then you can ride on the KVR path starting from multiple points in Penticton. The ride is about 60 kilometres round trip, allow four hours, but the ride back into Penticton is an easy-peasy downhill glide. Maps abound that identify the KVR path in Penticton and you simply ride northeast.
I think you will thank yourself after you add this fresh air experience to your memory bank when you visit.
If you can’t visit but are still interested in seeing the view, here is a link to a two minute video taken at the tunnel.
You will miss the beautiful sage scent but at least you can see gobsmacking view. ♥ Don’t fall off the edge !
Let’s do this again soon ☺- David
Bonus ! – If you really really want to know what the KVR is like on a bike – this video is awesome. Link here
Life and Random Thinking 
It looks amazing! Thanks for sharing 😊
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I am glad you liked the photos and post Shweta. I don’t know if you watched the video but the last link is ten minutes I think and it almost feels like you are riding a bike up the trail. Thank you for commenting, that means a great deal to me. – David
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Yes. I watched the last video and yes, it did feel like I was riding a bike along the trail 😊
I hope you have a great day 😃
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Fantastic, gobsmacking indeed.
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Thanks James!
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Wow!
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I am so fortunate to be able to ride along trails along two different lakes, each just minutes by bike from home. Thanks LA for taking a look, the second video especially gives a personal view point of what it’s like to ride on the trail. Have a nice day. – David
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💗
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Awesome view indeed…and love the word gobsmacking 😄😅
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Thanks so much. It is a fun word.
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HI David!
Great presentation and awesome pictures!
I loved the last video – it is like being on a bike ride without being on a bike 🙂
Thank you for sharing! Blessings! ♥♥
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Hi ! ♥ I smiled right away with your response. I agree it is an amazing perspective in that video. Really worth watching, I should play it again in my living room tv. I hope you are well, sending you watermelon to refresh you and cheesecake to spoil you. Take care.
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We were there a few days ago – fantastic views. 🙂
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The views are fantastic. It’s a special spot, I have seen some people walk up from below but I don’t know the route.
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I took a look at the 2-minute video. Spectacular!
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In that two minute video I always get a weird feeling when the drone goes over the edge. LOL. The other link is longer video (ten minutes) but really well done and it feels like you are riding a bike on the trail, I recommend it. Thanks Debra. Take care.
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