Rusted wreck in Gabriola woodsWhen I spot the remains of some old metal thing – a vehicle, an off-beat art project, a mystery – rusting away in the Gabriola woods, I’ll often leave the trail to go investigate. The wrecks usually aren’t on the main path – they’re likely to be ten or twenty paces into the woods, say, in the middle of dense salal.

This one looked all rusty red, and I thought Aha! Finally a wreck that isn’t turquoise. But no, look what colour is mocking me in the middle of the wreck. Hmph.