Cycling to Quadra Island :
Vancouver Island/Sunshine Coast Cycling trip July 07
Day 1 Victoria to Nanaimo 113 km
Boy, it’s been a while since we loaded the panniers on the bike and cycled anywhere; probably our New Zealand trip in early 2006. Luckily Steve had dug everything out and had us all prepped and ready to go for early Tuesday morning. We got up at 4:30 so we could be on the road by 5:15 and ride out to Swartz Bay to catch the 7AM ferry to Saltspring Island. It turned out to be a beautiful ride across Saltspring and the hills weren’t that bad. It was too early to stop anywhere so just enjoyed the scenery. Unfortunately, just as we were coming into the Vesuvius ferry terminal, two idiots tried to pass Steve very closely, almost giving me a heart attack!! However, they got their cosmic revenge; we made the ferry and they didn’t!!(the advantages of being on a bike!)
I really love the route we took today as you miss most of the highway. After leaving Crofton, we took the Chemanius Road which meanders through the rural routes until you get to Ladysmith. Stopped at Chemanius to take a look at the murals (which has revived the economy of this once mill town) and topped up our water. Our plan was to make it all the way to Qualicum Beach today but by noon it was 40 degrees on the Nanaimo Parkway and we were both pooped. Gave Steve’s cousin, Dana, a call who invited us to hang out at her lovely house overlooking Departure Bay. Had a lovely afternoon chatting with Dana and later, her husband, Lenny and snoozing on her great deck.
Day 2 Nanaimo to Qualicum Beach 47km
Early start again today as we wanted to beat the heat so we were on the road by 5:30. Our plan was to make it to Steve’s Mom’s place for breakfast. Meandered back roads again through to Lantzille which are much prettier than the highway and there was no traffic at all so was great all round ride. We arrived at Qualicum at 7:30 and had the rouse Steve’s Mom, Lenore, from her bed. It was great to see her and for her to see for herself how well Steve is recovering from his surgery. Spent the day visiting with Lenore, my spry 84 year old Aunt Agnes and friends of Steve’s Rob and Lil. I managed a escape from the heat by taking a glorious swim mid afternoon which just made my day. When we got back from Rob and Lil’s that night, found Steve’s daughter, Stephanie, in the livingroom. An evening enjoying the veiw and company ensued.
Day 3 Qualicum Beach to Hornby Island 67km
Early in this trip I decided I would like to go back and visit Hornby Island. We had visited the island as kids and later in my late 20s and 30s I went there frequently with Jane Allen and her family. It is a magical, timeless place and I really wanted to revisit some old haunts. We took the old island highway to Buckley Bay and it is truly one of my favourite rides. It is much less congested now as most traffic goes through the new island highway and you get spectacular views of Mount Arrowsmith and the Island mountains. On a clear day you can also see over to the mainland with all the islands in between.
Waiting for the ferry, we ran into a couple from Victoria riding a tandem recumbent bicycle. Quite a strange contraption. She fits on a seat up front, fully exposed sort of like one would be on a roller coaster, but without a seatbelt. He is at the back, higher up, and does all the braking and shifting. She’s a braver soul than I would be! To get to Hornby, you have to ride across Denman Island which is a beautiful little island with a real community feel about it. Of course, I forgot about the “killer hill” coming out of the ferry but we both managed to grind our way up it (with some locals cheering along the way). Met up with a woman on a road bike cycling around the island (on her second loop) and rode and chatted with her for a bit. She was really amazed at the speed we were going with all are gear so it was a little boost to our egos. The last part of the ride on Denman is a lovely ride, sloping slightly downhill with many views of the beach, ocean and of Hornby.
However, I couldn’t wait to get over to check out Hornby and, especially, the infamous Cardboard House bakery which makes the most amazing breads, pastries and assorted yummies. With the picnic tables set in an old apple orchard, the sunny pouring onto us and our tastebuds and stomachs thoroughly satisfied, we were in heaven. Spent the afternoon wandering the beach, swimming and reading; a perfect way to spend the day.
Day 4 Hornby Island Steve 10km Melissa 57km
I woke up this morning excited to explore the island. Steve decided he wanted to make more of a rest day of it so we decided we’d check out the delectables at the bakery and then go our separate ways and then meet up for lunch. I spent the morning touring several pottery studios. Since I didn’t have room in my panniers to carry anything, it was nice just to admire and browse with no intention to buy. The thing I love about Hornby Island potters is that they seem to incorporate the natural surroundings into their studios. No one does this better than Wayne Ngan. He has vines climbing through his studio and light filters through everything. I got stuck there in a hail storm and he spent an hour discussing types of clay, techniques and his philosophy on life. After some pub grub with Steve, I set off again to explore the island. This time my destination was Heron Rocks, a beautiful spot, unspoiled where I used to spend some summers. Since I wasn’t a guest there, I couldn’t actually go there, but I could walk the sandstone rocks that front the campground. As I cycled there, memories of summers past started to circulate in my brain. My heart started to race as I got my first glimpse of Olson’s farm as I rode down the hill. I sat on the sandstone rocks and thought about those days gone by. I remember the year Leslie came out to join me; she was in such torment; Hornby was a balm to her troubled soul. We’d get up at the crack of dawn and risk the bracing waters of sanddollar bay, watching the seals in the distance. Shivering, we would make our way to the bakery and indulge in lattes and almonds buns. As I sat on the rocks contemplating, eagles would come and go; one swept by right in front of me. Satiated with sunshine and wonderful memories, I made my way back to our campground.
Day 5 Hornby Island to Quadra Island/Campbell River 126km
We said goodbye to Hornby today and decided to push on to Campbell River and stay at Steve’s cousin Meg and her family. We decided to take the new highway so we could arrive at Meg’s before they left for an afternoon wedding. The day was overcast so the ride was pretty nondescript but we made very good time. We arrived just in time to take off our panniers so we could explore Quadra Island with no gear. Meg and John are just finishing building a house which is beautifully situated on a hill overlooking the strait and Quadra Island.
Our destination on Quadra was an old inn, Herriot Bay Inn, which had been recently restored and proved to be a great location to soak in the afternoon’s sun and enjoy a delicious lunch. I felt like I was back in the 19th century and could envision women with parasoles being taken out on a rowboat for a romantic outing on the bay. From the inn, we cycled over to Rebecca spit for an afternoon swim before we headed back to Meg and John’s. The water was beautiful and the perfect temperature; eagles soaring overhead; I could have laid on by back and spent the rest of the day there.
Luckily for us, we did get going because just as we boarded the ferry the skies opened up and we got rained on the last 10km home. Went out for dinner with Meg, John and their girls that evening and we are really glad we could spend some time getting to know them better.
Day 6 Campbell River to Saltery Bay 92km
Had to set out in our rain gear this morning; lingered at John and Meg’s waiting to see if the rain would pass. It was one of the misty mornings; the islands were shrouded in fog but there is a certain type of longing and mystery in this type of weather. It was a beautiful ride down the old highway to Courtenay where we were due to meet Steve’s sister, Lynn, for lunch. The first part of the highway the road followed the shoreline which was striking and not as developed as the coast further south. Slowly, though, it turned inwards and we followed the pastoral Comox valley into Courtenay
Lynn had set out a nice lunch for us and had decided she would ride part way with us to the ferry on her tank of a bike. Steve spent some time adjusting her seat, pumping up her tires and giving her little tips about riding. He is such a sweetie! Despite the bike, Lynn is a surprisingly strong rider, a good spinner and with practice and a better bike could be a force to be reckoned with. She has that Mahovlic tenacity, for sure. It was a nice little amble through Courtenay and Comox, through marshlands and farmlands until we arrived at the coast and the ferry terminal to Powell River on the sunshine coast. I have to say that this ferry ride has to be one of the most beautiful rides I’ve been on. The ferry passes around Texada Island but you can see both the snowcapped mountains of the Strathcona range on the island and the coast mountains to the east. That and all the fishing boats and sail boats made for a truly beautiful picture.
Embarking from the ferry terminal on Powell River, we were faced with what we face at most exits- a huge hill- made all the more challenging with all our gear (why do we pack so much!!!). However, Powell River really is a beautifully situated town and from our vantage point, no sign of the mill and its effluents. Stopped at Safeway for some food and ran into a fellow I had helped train several years ago. Small world! Found Steve on the sidewalk, chatting up a local; something that he has a great facility for and which always helps with tips along the way. We cecided to push further south to see if we could make the ferry to Earl’s Cove so we wouldn’t have to wait for the first ferry to leave in the morning (Steve is a 4:00 riser so likes to be on the road by 6:00 or 7:00 if he can). As it turns out the road was a nice ride along the coast, quite spectacular at places, but of course with that comes the grind of climbing and descending all day. By the time we got to the Saltery Bay campground, we were spent!
I took a little walk down to the ocean (mostly to get away from the mosquito infested campground) and ran into a young girl (about 20) who was riding by herself from Vancouver to Powell River and back. Sounds like she had never toured before and was walking up a lot of the hills but have to give her credit for her determination. She seemed a little lonely, though, and needed to talk so I listened. Had a nice little campfire that evening (firweood courtesey of the nice Albertans in the next campsite) mostly just to keep those damn mozzies away!!
Day 7 Saltery Bay to Nanaimo 101 km
Caught the first ferry out of Saltery Bay to Earl’s Cove. Thought the hills were behind us now but the thing about doing a coastal ride if that there are always hills! However, these hills we really worth it for the vistas we saw of the Malaspina Strait and Texada Island! Because we got the first ferry over, there was virtually no traffic the whole ride to Halfmoon Bay. Stopped at Halfmoon bay because it is such a pretty spot and has a really lovely old store and great Government Wharf.
I also remember that there is a really nice road (RedRoofs) that follows the coast and misses the traffic going into Sechelt. However, I forgot that it was more up and down hills much to Steve’s chagrin. The hill coming out of Sargent bay campsite almost killed both of us! By the time we approached Sechelt, traffic was getting heavy and shoulders are limited. It always amazes me that when you are out in the boonies with no traffic, the shoulders are extra wide but when you approach civilization, they seem to disappear!
At Sechelt, we stopped for lunch and then made the decision that instead of staying the night at Gibson’s (home of the infamous Beachcomber’s TV series), we would catch the ferry to Horsheshoe Bay and from Horshoe Bay to Nanaimo. Ran into a TV producer from LA who was touring with a Bob trailer around Vancouver island, the sunshine coast and the islands. He was quite an interesting guy; was amazed at how friendly people were up here- how they would come up and ask you where you are from- where you are heading…That element of trust is just not there in the states; well Southern California, at any rate. As a fellow cyclist recounted to us : “The majority of Americans are okay but there is that element that will kill you for your shoes and they are not getting my shoes…”
It was really nice to relax in the afternoon in the sun on both ferries although Steve’s stomach was increasingly bothering him necessitating multiple trips to the bathroom. Poor guy, any little thing that upsets his stomach causes him such trouble. The downside, he says, of not being a complete asshole! Luckily, once we landed in Nanaimo, we were able to get in touch with Dana who invited us again to spend the night at her place. A nice little sanctuary for us although Steve only managed 45 minutes sleep!
Day 8 Nanaimo to Victoria 107km.
Well, this was not supposed to be our last day but Steve had such a rough night last night that we decided to head on home. He was afraid to eat anything except Ensure and had very little sleep so it would be a challenging day for him. Forget the scenic route, the idea was to get home as soon as possible although we did ride out through the Nanaimo waterfront which is very pretty. So riding the island highway from Nanaimo is not very fun, lots of truck traffic and no views.
By the time we got to Duncan, the rain had started in earnest and didn’t subside the until we were almost home. We took our last ferry ride of the trip (the 13th) from Mill Bay to Brentwood Bay and Steve, hungry, exhausted and hurting managed to ride the rest of the way home.
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Last Updated: July 2007
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