July 15, 2016 Duncan --> Nanaimo - 39 miles via scenic route

As I prepared to pull out of the parking lot of my motel, I took a picture of one of those logging trucks I frequently see - a harbinger of a definite theme of the day. 

At the edge of town, I stopped at the information center to check on further maps and/or info regarding the route to Nanaimo. I have found the information centers on Vancouver Island to be extraordinary in terms of both resources and knowledgable people. This one was even better than most. I was met outside by the most friendly and helpful attendant, who, when she saw me starting to look for a place to lock my bike, invited me to just wheel it right in to the center with me. Loved that. As I approached the front entrance, I noticed what appeared to be heavily laden blueberry bushes. The lady attendant told me that they were native blueberries and probably edible, although she discouraged folks from eating them. 

Once inside, the attendants all kind of gathered around and we talked about the scenic route to Nanaimo through Crofton, Chemainus and Ladysmith. I calculated that it could add as much as 10 miles to the ride to Nanaimo, but then made the bold decision to disregard my fears and apprehension and go with the present moment opportunity to experience the unknown. If it took me all day to get to Nanaimo, then so be it. In other words, maybe I should try to practice what I had been writing about in recent blogs. 

Before I left the info center, the attendants told me about some German brothers that had recently passed through cycling on their way to Rio. They had literally ridden all the way from Germany, except for the obvious points where they had to cross oceans or whatever. According to their blog, they did recently make it to Rio. 

As I left the info center, I noticed a produce/firewood stand on the road. I have seen many variations of these on the rural roads. You take what you want and leave the money. Sometimes what is there is a free gift. In all events, you are trusted to do the right thing. 

My decision to take the scenic route resulted in one of the best riding days on the island. The first part of the ride was on mostly flat roads, interspersed with some undulating hills. Nothing too drastic. Lush, green farmland all around, with those ever present brightly colored wildflowers and mountains in the distance. I saw some of the greenest corn fields I have ever seen on any of my bike travels. The entire stalk was dark green, not just the top half. I also saw some wonderful animals, including a field of pigs with personality. Just up ahead on the road after the pigs, I saw a sign for RASTA - Rescue and Sanctuary for Threatened Animals. A permanent place. I think I would love to work at such a facility. 

I was making good time and before I knew it I reached the small town of Crofton, with its scenic views of Osbourne Bay. There was the pervading sweet smell of wood in the air - not just when a logging truck passed. I discovered the source as I passed by huge mounds of mulch at what I assume was a processing plant.  

The next town I reached was Chemainus, famous for the 42 or so amazing murals painted on the sides of buildings in town. The town was so neat and clean, and had many enticing cafes and shops, as well as theatre centers. Overlooking the bay, you could see logs floating in the water next to the processing plant. They also had a wonderful information center and friendly people.  A woman of obvious native Indian heritage approached and asked about my journey. We had a nice conversation. She was originally from Duncan, but now lives in Chemainus. This is one place I would not mind returning to and spending more time.

I continued my ride along the Transcanada Bike Route to Ladysmith, yet another pretty town perched up on a hill overlooking the water. 

Unfortunately, I had to get on TransCanada Hwy 1 at Ladysmith for the remaining 10 miles or so to Nanaimo. The good news was that there was a nice wide shoulder, and a decent tailwind that fairly propelled me the rest of the way. I did stop briefly for a light lunch at a rest area before continuing on. Google Lady made one brief attempt to lead me astray on a side adventure, but my instincts kicked in early enough to thwart the attempt. I was proud of myself. 

I arrived at my motel around 2 pm, surprised to notice that the scenic add-on had little effect on the approximately 40 mile ride. The front desk clerk, Graeme, was extremely helpful in getting some of my motel awards issues worked out, and I settled into a very clean, spacious 1 bedroom suite. I have now been on the road so long that I am getting some unbelievable deals and rates on rooms due to AARP discounts + awards programs, including even getting free nights. Makes for even less incentive to camp. Graeme was also interested in the fact that I was from Austin, and told me he had been there on a bus trip through Texas. They would sleep on the bus, then stop at various points or cities of interest and sightsee during the day. Austin was one of his favorites. Meanwhile, another guest waiting to check in heard us talking, and introduced himself to me as Herb, from Tyler, Texas. Herb is a pilot for a private jet, and was very friendly. We talked about my bike ride, and his job. We both agreed that we did not miss the Texas heat. 

Had a lovely dinner at the motel, during which I learned my waitperson had also recently visited Texas and wanted to tell me all about that. She had identified me by my accent. Texans and visitors to Texas everywhere. I returned to my room to find that Mom had skyped - she is really in the swing of things now! Dawne also called excited and envious that I will be staying with Pam and Karen this weekend. We had a nice conversation.

So...ferrying over to Vancouver tomorrow. My time in Victoria and Vancouver Island was amazing. When I think back in the future, I think the things that will stand out most are how extremely bike friendly / accommodating the trails, roads and towns are. Truly, a biker's paradise. Secondly, I will have this mental picture of vivid flowers everywhere - in town, out of town, along the roads and trails, and a mainstay of most private homes' landscaping. Finally, I found the people friendly and helpful. I would love to return here someday if the opportunity arises. 

July 14, 2016 Rest day in Duncan, BC, CA

Saw this sign on the sidewalk in Duncan.

Like the rest of the world, I am saddened by the news of the latest tragedy that occurred in Nice. Learned that the two Americans killed were from Austin. My prayers and thoughts go out to all the victims. And I again contemplate what I can do within my own little sphere of influence to make this world a better place. The one thing I have come to believe with all my heart is that you cannot successfully battle evil with evil - and that applies to any number of situations. 

Rest day in Duncan was just exactly what I needed. I took an extra long time with my early morning routine, savoring the fact that I did not have to get packed up and on the road early. Did a little laundry. Went online and started contemplating the various options for the next phase of the journey. I contacted Dawne's sister, Pam, who is picking me up at the ferry in Vancouver on Saturday. 

Around noon, I rode the mile or so into Duncan to check out the town. What a pretty and delightful little town, known primarily for their totems which are located all over the place.  In the summer, they also have free music in the city park. 

My first stop was at a bike store in town called Cycle Therapy. A very helpful young man, named Sean, assisted with getting me a map and planning my route to Nanaimo for tomorrow. He even gave me his card and said to call if I had any questions along the way. Sean also recommended Duncan Garage for lunch, the little vegan cafe next door, which turned out to be an excellent choice. I had a wonderful little garden salad with veggies and a berry smoothie (heavy on the blueberries). 

After listening to a little music in the park, I headed back to the motel to rest, stopping along the way to get some snacks and a new battery for my cateye odometer. I am happy to report that replacing the battery seems to have done the trick. 

I am also happy to report that it is possible to "teach an old dog new tricks," as evidenced by the fact that, after several starts and stops, my Mom has now skyped me two days in a row! Way to go Mom! And I don't really mean to imply that you are an old dog. And I do appreciate the fact that you are babysitting Sassy, the best and most beautiful cat in the world.

Again, thanks to all for your thoughts, prayers and support. And today, in particular, to LaDonna and Kyle. 

..Tomorrow to Nanaimo, Saturday to Vancouver, then...who knows...

July 13, 2016 Port Renfrew --> Duncan, CA - 57 miles

My favorite time of day is right after I wake up and sit quietly with a good strong cup of coffee and engage in my morning routine. Time to read, study and reflect. Be still. I love this part of the journey even more than the biking itself - which I enjoy immensely. Put the two together and it has to be a good, if not great, day. Of course, at the end of a long, hard day - especially after facing challenging circumstances - I may have lost some of that "zen" I started the day with. Especially if I may have chosen to respond to those challenging circumstances in ways I wish I hadn't. Maybe I wasn't kind or didn't treat someone with the patience or respect I should have. Or, perhaps I became frustrated and impatient with myself. Whatever. The good news is that every morning I get the chance to start over and try again. And the even better news is that the grace, blessings and adventure I experience every day are not dependent on me and my responses. My job is to remain open to receive.

I left Port Renfrew a little before 9 am and headed for Lake Cowichan some 40 miles away. The first hour or so was mainly flat, and followed along streams and lakes.

However, the main thrust of this leg of today's ride was up, through and around multiple mountains and passes. Still on the Pacific Coast Circle, although no ocean. Blue skies and sunny, yet cool enough to keep my jacket on. Light traffic.  Fortunately, while there were a number of long, steep inclines, they were not as severe or frequent as yesterday's killer hills. Those wildflowers were everywhere, as well as dense forests of pine trees. Evidence of the logging industry could be seen in huge brown patches on the sides of the mountains, a well as the many logging trucks that passed by. Whenever one of those trucks passes me, I frequently find myself inhaling the sweet smell of wood deeply through my nose.

Somehow, I had miscalculated in my mind that the Lake Cowichan leg was only 30 miles, instead of the actual 40 miles. So, it started seeming to take for ever to get there. Plus, my odometer went on the blink, so I couldn't actually track the mileage - probably need to replace the battery. I did finally arrive around 12:45 pm, and stopped by the information center for some maps, and A & W for a root beer float. Thus fortified, I got on the Cowichan Valley Trail for the 18 mile ride to Duncan, where I had reserved a room for the night. The trail was of crushed gravel, and ran the entire way so I did not have to ride any highways until I reached Duncan. Went through beautiful forests, and was flat, except for one or two very brief climbs over some creeks. Saw lots of people out enjoying the day, many walking their dogs. Even saw some people riding horses. I fairly cruised the entire way, and made it to my motel around 3:45 pm. 

By the time I arrived in Duncan, I had decided to stay over Thursday to re-group and seriously start planning what the next phase of this journey will look like. I will bike to Nanaimo on Friday, then ferry over to Vancouver on Saturday or Sunday. After ferrying over to Vancouver, do I continue on to Banff as originally planned? Or, cut it short and head for Seattle or Portland from Vancouver. Still trying to figure it all out.  Mainly, I need a day to rest after two hard days of riding, and a chance to just sit still with it all. 

Had a wonderful chicken stir-fry dinner at a restaurant recommended by Max, the motel desk clerk. Settled in for the evening, looking forward to the rest day tomorrow.

July 12, 2016 Victoria --> Port Renfrew - 70 miles

One of the longest and hardest biking days to date. Knew that going into the day. 

Got off around 8:30 am, sadly leaving what had been a real haven in Victoria the past 3 days. Thoroughly enjoyed my time in Victoria, and would not hesitate to return if the opportunity ever arose. 

The first 20 miles to Sooke were fairly easy - the entire way along the Galloping Goose Trail. Combination of paved and packed gravel. As before, many wild berry bushes and fruit trees. Tons of bikers and walkers on the path. A fun start to the day. 

As the ride progressed toward Sooke, there became more of a rainforest type of feel, also reminiscent of the Blue Ridge mountains where I grew up.  However, off to the side were views of the bay and lakes.

I reached Sooke around 11:30 am and stopped for a snack. Then the real "fun" began as I got on Hwy 14 for the 42 miles to Port Renfrew. Up and down, up and down, up and down endless rolling and sometimes steep hills and inclines. (just the type Randy hates). Pretty, but nonetheless brutal after a couple of hours. I stopped at Jordan River for a lunch of my own snacks, since there was nothing open. Then, began the up and down process all over again.  This is part of what is known as the Pacific Marine Circle route. 

Approximately 2 hours from Port Renfrew, it began raining. Not a downpour, but a fairly steady rain that had me pretty much soaked when I finally gratefully pulled into Trailhead Lodge about 4:45 pm. My legs were shot from all the climbing,and I was starved. This is a place that arranges a lot of fishing and hunting expeditions in the area. My room was quite nice, and the hot shower was heaven. Walked down the hill to the Port Renfrew Pub, and had a delicious cheeseburger and fries for dinner. Topped off with a fabulous chocolate mousse cake. Returned to the room to collapse for the evening. 

Tomorrow I ride 55 miles to Duncan via Lake Cowkichen. I am told the road is easier than today. One can only hope!