Cloverdale Clay

Growing up in Cloverdale back when there were woods, pastures, and swamplands I was familiar with a local byproduct called Cloverdale clay. This stuff is nasty, sticks to everything and is hard to get off again once its stuck to your shoes. Going barefoot was usually and easier option and then washing the clay off.

An RCMP detachment was built in Cloverdale in 1972 on the #10 Highway and 176A Street. However built on Cloverdale clay it started sinking into the ground. I remember hearing it sunk 6 inches but I don't recall if that was the final stop. That building was taken down about 15 years later due to the sinking and relocated to another part of Surrey.

I sold my first short story to the Western Producer magazine called "The Cloverdale Clay Girl" about a university student who earned her tuition by catching unsuspecting drivers in the cloverdale clay.

The catch up Cloverdale clay is it never looks wet.

The area around Cloverdale has been hugely developed, new houses, condos, and businesses. We don't see much Cloverdale clay around anymore. But if we have to dig a hole in the yard and go down several inches we do find the clay.

Yesterday I was walking my dogs in a new housing devlopment area. We started off on a paved path that turned to a dirt and stone path. It had rained the night before and was lightly raining on our walk. As we went down the hill and got to a flatter area I realized my feet were about a pound heavier than they should be and looked down. My running shoes were coated in Cloverdale clay! I used my old childhood trick and used a stick to push it off my shoes. But that only worked as far as my next step. Stubbornly I continued on because it didn't look muddy at all, but I had enough after two minutes and turned back. When I got home I used the boot scraper we have near our front door to try to get more of it off, but left my shoes downstairs on the mat when I got in. Today the Cloverdale clay is a dried mess on my sneakers.

Ah, childhood memories.....