2012 Bike to Work Week - Victoria

Had a chance to participate in the 2012 Bike to Work Week in Victoria this week. Today made it to two Celebration Stations. One was on the Lochside Regional Trail at the Saanich Municipal Hall; the other was in Esquimalt on Esquimalt Road at Memorial Park.

Both Celebration Stations offered free goodies including minor bike tune-ups from bike mechanics, apples, drinking water, Starbucks Coffee and fresh scones with jam from Cobs Bread. At Saanich Municipal Hall there were a large number of riders taking in all the festivities whereas the Celebration Station at Memorial Park was almost deserted with most of the volunteers huddled together and braving the strong wind coming off the ocean.

There is still 3 more days to go in this annual event and if the by the amount of riders out on the Galloping Goose Regional Trail is an indication of its popularity, this year will prove to be a huge success. Hopefully this rise in participation will spill over in near future with more people cycling to work in the year to come once the 2012 Bike to Work Week has ended.

• Bike to Work Week – Victoria

Lake Lucille

During the last weekend especially with this warm weather came an opportunity to try and find a new swimming hole called Lake Lucille. This local secret for the nearby people of Squamish and Whistler is located off the Sea to Sky Highway 99 approximately 15 km (9.5 miles) north of the Brohm Lake parking lot.

To get here usually takes around 45 minutes from Horseshoe Bay but this time it took about 75 minutes because of the running of the RBC GranFondo. The 2nd annual bicycle event requied traffic cones covering the whole route plus vehicle speed restrictions reduced on Hwy 99.

After a short stop for a pastrami sandwich at Chef Big D’s in Squamish we headed for the parking lot for Lake Lucille which is located at the beginning of Chance Creek FSR. Lake Lucille as it turns out is not really a hidden secret after all with around 15 or so vehicles found in the parking lot situated next to the Cheakamus River.

The walk in from a closed gate near the parking lot was a little confusing at the beginning as it had two trails leading in different directions. One direction - the Sea to Sky Trail goes north travelling adjacent to the CN Railway tracks. The correct route, to the left, follows the BC Hydro transmission lines eventually coming to a cross trail with Lake Lucille being on the south side.

There are no signs or proper directions to Lake Lucille plus also evidence of bear scant on the trail and there could be possibility of cougar encounter so caution must be taken when hiking to the beach. The walk in at an average pace took approximately 15 minutes.

Once at the swimming area located on the north side of Lake Lucille we found a very nice small sandy beach. The water depth dropped off quite deeply from the shore and was quite clear and very refreshing. There was a small island that a number of people were swimming to and the beach area was pleasant with the sun lasting late into the afternoon. There are no beach facilities or lifeguards at Lake Lucille so swimming is at your own risk.

Also at one time there was a small resort village situated near Lake Lucille called Garibaldi. The community had to be relocated in the early 1980’s because of a possible failure of a lava formation called the Barrier. The Barrier, which acts as a dam holding back the waters of nearby Garibaldi Lake, was deemed geologically unstable and had the potential for a slide. Therefore the land around Lake Lucille is part of the Barrier Civil Defense Zone and must be entered at your own risk with no camping allowed.

• Map – Google

• Garibaldi Lake - Wikipedia

• The Barrier - Wikipedia

• Garibaldi - Facebook

• RBC GranFondo

Vanderhoof Eateries

So far one of the highlights of the 2010 summer was the discovery of a couple of really good places to eat in Vanderhoof.

The first place to visit, on the advice of the owner of Siesta Inn, was to try the dinner at the Reid Hotel, located at 2508 Burrard Avenue, considered “the best place in Vanderhoof.” As it turned out where you ate was in the pub called The Reid Bar & Grill. Not too loud, open fairly late and plenty of comfortable seats available with big screen TV’s. The bacon burger and fries were very good and looking at items on other people’s plates everything on the menu was appetizing.

Vanderhoof’s other standout was a coffee shop that was also on Burrard Avenue at 2608 is called ‘The Bean Coffee House’. Situated across the street from the North Country Inn ‘The Bean House’ is an inviting place complete with Wi-Fi and country garden. The facility serves up fair trade and certified organic coffee from the Shuswap Coffee Company, has smoothies and some fresh baked goods including a selection of very tasty muffins and scones.

Both places are both worth the stop while you are travelling on Hwy 37 through Vanderhoof. Only a short walk on the main street of Vanderhoof, Burrard Avenue is close to most of the accommodation along Hwy 37 and the public campground near the Nechako River. Unfortunately the only negative part was if you had kids under the legal limit, The Reid Bar & Grill would be off limits. The next best alternative is the North Country Inn another local favourite located at 2645 Burrard Avenue.

• The Bean Coffee House

• North Country Inn Restaurant and Motel

• Siesta Inn Motel

Cunningham Pass Closed

After the BC Big Trailie 6 motorcycle ride an opportunity came up to do the backroad from Barkerville to Likely via the Cunningham Pass FSR.

To do the road was definitely on the bucket list as it followed the paths of the prospectors in the late 1800’s along the historic Cariboo Gold Rush Trail. From Likely the fortune seekers went north along side Cariboo Lake, Ghost Lake located on the west side of Cariboo Mountains Provincial Park and past Cariboo River Provincial Park eventually to Barkerville.

An earlier attempt was made in early October, 2010 to do the trip by going north from Likely on the 8400 Road. Unfortunately bridge construction was occurring between October 4th and the 8th on the 3100 Road at 4.5 km and 14 km and you could not get through.

This year the trip from Quesnel first started out with sunny weather but was then met with time delays with road paving for 18 km on Hwy 26 between Hwy 97 junction point and Cottonwood House. After that road conditions improved, the weather continued to be good and the mountains in the east looked clear, things looked fantastic.

Inquiring about the conditions of the road at the Jack of Clubs Lake Visitor Centre by Wells the news was not good, apparently since June 10 the Barkerville-Likely Circle had been closed because of a slide that took place at the 26 km mark of the Cunningham Pass FSR, making the road impassable.

Sadly the story on the Barkerville-Likely Circle route goes from bad to worse especially after talking to the local park official at Bowron Lakes Provincial Park and a RCMP officer at a construction stoppage on Hwy 26 (who doubted the road would have been open due to low snow levels). It turns out that the forest companies don't really have any more merchantable timber left in the area and it doubtful that the road will fixed and opened again.

• Road Closure

• 3100 Road - The Canadian Prospectors Forum

Please see comment below: It appears that the road could be open again. Hopefully we will investigate this in the summer of 2012 and fulfill a dream.

Lorne Hotel

It was sad to learn on a recent trip up Island to Comox to find that the old Lorne Hotel had burnt to the ground. Long a fixture located on Comox Avenue right at Port Augusta Street, the Lorne Hotel will be a sad loss for Comox and for those people who made a ritual on commuting here to view some of British Columbia's proud past.

The Lorne which was built in 1878, was considered the oldest hotel in British Columbia, named after the Marquis of Lorne, who at the time was Canada's Governor General.

The historic building had a covered balcony with it's unique pub served generations of people growing up and living in the Comox Valley. Every kid who grew up here remembers the building with such found memories it will really be missed.

For more information on the Lorne:

• CTV News
• Vancouver Sun
• BC Local News
• Keira-anne.com
  

Avatar Grove

Just returned from a trip out to Port Renfrew with Club Mud where we had a chance to explore some forest lands near Baird Creek often referred in the media as the Avatar Grove.

Pretty well one of the only old growth forest areas left on southern Vancouver Island the Avatar Grove has now been surveyed, flagged and scheduled to be logged in the near future. The story about the potential loss of the Avatar Grove and the treasure chest of the old growth Cedars, Douglas firs and the complete eco-system around them was recently featured on a documentary in 2011 on Al Jazeera TV.

The contentious lands of the Avatar Grove are being viewed by some groups as a loss to society and are trying to save them with a regional or provincial park status along this corridor of the Gordon River. A group called the Ancient Forest Alliance has well documented and help bring attention and awareness to the public of possible change to this special place.

The lands around the Avatar Grove and Baird Creek are still private and not developed at all, so exploring the forest exposes people to some risk on the sometimes steep undeveloped trails and trespassing is not recommended for safety and liability reasons.

Once at Port Renfrew, by travelling on Hwy 14 from Victoria, the trip to the Avatar Grove involves travelling on the Pacific Marine Circle Route towards Mesachie Lake and Lake Cowichan, then once over the Deering Bridge turn left towards the Port Renfrew Marina. Continue on the Gordon River Forest Service Road (FSR) rather than the Harris Creek FSR towards Lake Cowichan.

While travelling on Gordon River FSR the road changes form asphalt to a number of short sections of potholes and gravel. The road eventually crosses a bridge over the Gordon River and then changes to completely gravel eventually crossing Baird Creek and going through the Avatar Grove private forest license.

The Avatar Grove and portion of land near the Gordon River and Baird Creek is known to have bears and various animals present so proper wildlife procedures must be taken when exploring. While travelling on the forestry roads remember that active logging can occur at so be prepared for heavy equipment and logging trucks at all times during the year.

• Al Jazeera TV

• Ancient Forest Alliance

• Avatar Grove - YouTube

Lions Gate Bridge

For those of you looking for something to do the next time you happen to be in Vancouver try walking over the Lions Gate Bridge.

Starting on the North Shore at Park Royal Mall on the south side of Marine Drive is all day parking for your vehicle free of charge. From here there is a short walk across a bridge over the Capilano River to near the entrance to Capilano RV Park. Continuing on there is a stairway that takes you to a pathway and access to sidewalks on either side of Lions Gate Bridge.

Walking towards Stanley Park on the bridge sidewalks the up-hill walk up to the first set of arches of the suspension bridge takes around 20 minutes. The views of the North Vancouver, Ambleside section of West Vancouver and the business section of Vancouver are incredible. Along the way up here there is a couple of lookout vantage points away from the cycling section of the sidewalk allowing for gazing away to the panoramic vista of Vancouver Harbour in the distance.

The rest of the journey south from the crest of the bridge to the entrance of Stanley Park takes another 15 minutes. From here there is either a short trail down hill to the seawall walk around Stanley Park where you can extend your journey or another trail that takes you to the viewpoint of Prospect Point where you can marvel at the freighters passing under Lions Gate Bridge.

• Lions Gate Bridge
  

The Basilico Ristorante & Lounge

If you happen to be locating for a meal in the Victoria CRD area why not try making the trip to Westshore where there is lots to choose from especially in Langford.

Langford is now home to a number of good choices including a few favourites like Smoken Bones Cookshack just off Veterans Memorial Parkway on Station Road, Milestones in the Millstream Village and the Basilico Ristorante & Lounge on Goldstream Avenue.

The other night was no exception at the Basilico Ristorante & Lounge where the stuffed chicken special and Caesar salad proved to be both outstanding, especially if you enjoy bacon in your Caesar and lots of freshly ground Parmesan cheese. For those who like a fresh bun you won’t be disappointed especially with the herbed butter to go along with it.

The hostess, the rest of the staff and the owner were very friendly. If you can do it the Sunday brunch that goes from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm has a number of appetizing selections to choose from is rumoured to perhaps one of the best in Victoria .

The Basilico Ristorante & Lounge is located right across the Tim Hortons at 832 Goldstream Avenue right in the heart of newly formed Langford Village, telephone 250-391-5589 for reservations . The Basilico Ristorante & Lounge has lots of parking available and is close to and within walking distance to a number of shops and services.

• The Basilico Ristorante & Lounge

Recyclistas - Community Bicycle Shop

Today was the day to get rid of a couple of bicycles that were collecting dust in the garage for probably the last 15 years. One bike a Raleigh Criterium road bike bought in the early 1980’s, the other a bike was a Nishiki Bushwacker Mountain Bike from the early 1990’s, one of the first mountain bikes to come out, 18 speed, chro-moly, all rigid suspension.

Both bikes were bought through the years at the original Caps Bicycle Shop at 434 East Columbia Street in New Westminster. The bikes had new tires put on recently but had got in the way, been move about 10 times or so and not seen any use for a long time. The Nishiki was looking a little tired having survived many sections of the KVR (Trans-Canada Trail).

The bikes were well past their prime but still had lots of life left in them for someone who did not mind older technology and wanted away to get around without the high cost of a new bicycle. Both needed some maintenance especially the Nishiki, as Wayne from Performance Bicycles put it the drive train was held together by grit, grease and dirt. The problem was where to get rid of them and who could find the people who would want to take the effort and clean them up.

Then a solution to the problem came up, why not the odd looking bike shop decorated by bicycle art located next where the Lochside and Galloping Goose Trail meet called Recyclistas. Situated close to the new Uptown Development near Douglas Street in Saanich, right near the beginning of the east side of the Switch Bridge at 25 Crease Ave. The community bike shop recycles and reconditions bikes plus offers bike repair lessons at a reasonable cost to the public totally geared for people who want to fix their own bikes.

It turns out that Recyclistas accepts bicycles in any condition plus any type of bicycle part. Recyclistas also has lessons available for those of you who would love to learn the terminology, cleaning and regular maintenance for your cycle.

The two bikes now have a new home and hopefully will find themselves in the future hands of someone who could really use a bicycle with thanks to a local business called Recyclistas.

• Recyclistas

• The Bike Lab Society

• Performance Bicycles

• Caps Bicycle Shop

Old Baldy Mountain

We went with a hiking group called Club Mud up Old Baldy Mountain which is located near Shawnigan Lake on southern Vancouver Island.

To get to the start of the unmarked trailhead we had to travel along Shawnigan Lake Road to McKernan Road, then on Galland Road to Baldy Mountain Road, turn on Strathcona Heights Road to Hawking Road. Travel to just near the end of Hawking Road and look for the closed yellow gate across a old forestry road on the left. This is the start of the trail up the peak of Old Baldy Mountain.

The trail at the beginning follows a steep gravel road up to a radio tower perched above a beautiful western view of Shawnigan Lake. From here you follow an unmarked trail that meanders through and along a slippery rock face into a slight forested area to the top of Baldy Mountain. At the top there is now a view towards the west of the Gulf Islands and the Gulf of Georgia (Salish Sea), unfortunately for us it was raining and quite foggy with very little visibility.

The hike down was very fast compared with the fairly steep climb going up. After the walk the Club Mud group celebrated the trip up Old Baldy Mountain with a visit to the Village of Shawnigan Lake and lunch at a small cafe called the Village Chippery. The group mainly ordered fish and chips and to the enjoyment of everyone the meal was very good.

• Shawnigan Lake Map - Google
• Village Chippery

Labour Day Weekend 2010 Sooke Potholes

The end of summer 2010 and camping seemed to have come this last weekend at the Sooke Potholes Regional Park. Not only was Labour Day weekend the closing date for camping at the Sooke Potholes it also seemed like the end of the summer weather as well.

Saturday started off with sunshine, but as we made the Seventeen Mile Pub on Hwy 14 the weather was starting to cloud over. Still in good spirits the campground was alive and well with campers and only 6 or so campsites left available around 2pm.

The night was very enjoyable especially with the company of two members of Club Mud coming over and sharing a fire along with a hot dog and refreshments complete with the tranquil sounds of the Sooke River flowing in the background.

During the next morning though things started to change with a number of campsites being vacated for that night and the temperature cooling off. This was very peculiar as in order to stay for the Labour Day long weekend payment for Saturday and Sunday night is required. So much for the recession.

Sunday was very enjoyable but starting to get quite cold especially felt during a swim in the local swimming hole. That night the campground seemed to be vacated with only a third full and yet everything was pleasant, especially with fires allowed.

That all changed this morning, with rain starting about 2 am and poring continuously all morning. The Sooke Potholes transformed instantly now looking like a typical fall day, dark, wet and miserable . As the scene changed dramatically the look on a number campers packing up was where did the summer of 2010 go.

Muchalat Lake Recreation Site

Going back to work after a summer vacation is always interesting especially if you experienced a number of discoveries along the way. For the people where I work a topic of camping came up and it seems like a number of other people found a few good spots to stay as well.

For one person he experienced the west side of Slocan Lake and found a hidden gem with a spot right on the lake and very little people. Another fellow still swears by Nanaimo Lakes with it's large slightly treed camping sites with a lot of privacy and close to the lake. Then during a large power outage at the corner of Blanshard Street and Bay Street the foreman talked about some Recreation Sites in the Okanagan where he could relax and take his dog for a walk.

For me the top spot on the list had to be at Muchalat Lake Recreation Site just 13 km (8 miles) north of Gold River It is located on the Nimpkish Main a forestry road that continues north eventually coming out at the Mount Cain turnoff on Hwy 19 just south of Woss.

Located in a large valley that runs north and south Muchalat Lake has the hot sun that you can experience in Gold River making for some great swimming in the lake, fishing for a good size fish has nice large semi private campsites in a quite atmosphere and very little bugs because of a slight breeze that comes up in the night.

If you do go here expect to see very large logging trucks taking up most of the road and a road that is made up some of the largest crush rocks seen in British Columbia.

Scarlet Iris Pub

Just got back from a short motorcycle trip into Winter Harbour. Along the way got a chance to stop for a short visit in Holberg outside the Scarlet Iris Pub.

The Scarlet Iris brought back great memories from a few years ago as a place to celebrate with Club Mud on a recent hike that was completed into Cape Scott Provincial Park. The thoughts of hamburgers, french fries and a cold berverage made my mouth water for a quick fix from campground food.

Once leaving Holberg and the Scarlet Iris the travel into Winter Harbour seemed a bit sluggish and little on the unnerving side with large gravel rocks making up a lot of the road base. The 21 km (13 miles) or so distance took around an hour to complete with a total of four sightings of Black Bears, either climbing a tree or scrambling into the bush.

Winter Harbour was a pleasant sight after driving in. We were able to find the local store called the Outpost for a quick chocolate bar, unfortunately the thought of the Scarlet Iris and the celebration kept coming back in my mind.

Yalakom River Fire

On the way from Gold Bridge to Lillooet today we had a chance to watch to witness the fire suppression helicopters load and transport fire retardant to help stop the large wildfire ragging on the mountain side up the Yalakom Valley.

The wildfire which has been going for a number of days now had made the sky around Gold Bridge and Bralorne very hazy making the mountains barely visible.

On the north side of Carpenter Lake along Hwy 40 the sky was full of air traffic noise in the background. Once pass the bridge over the Yalakom River the road winds up to the where the Yalakom Road starts. This was the staging area for the tanker trucks loading Phos-Chek Fire Retardant, Class A Foam & Gel for the helicopters.

From this vantage point the 7 square km fire could now be scene ragging on the side of the mountains towards the north-west. The loading site was amazing with helicopters landing and taking off in a matter of minutes and other crews arriving and getting mobilized to head in and fights it head on with 31 degrees Celsius temperatures present.

Spinnakers Brew Pub

Had a great lunch the other day and if you happen to looking for a place to have refreshments and/or something to eat also and you’re near Downtown Victoria try going to Spinnakers Brew Pub & Guesthouse situated along the Westson Walkway in Vic-West .

With a reputation as Canada’s oldest brewpub Spinnakers offers hand-crafted beers and an up-market cuisine served in a beautiful setting next to Victoria’s Inner Harbour. The facility which is housed in a waterfront location at 308 Catherine Street has beautiful easterly and southerly views of Victoria’s coastline towards Ogden Point.

Everything is fresh and unique from Spinnakers Brew Pub including the different types of ales, in season menu from local ingredients, in-house bakery and a bounty of seafood. The facility is very convenient and all within a stones throw of the walkway from the hotels next to Johnson Street Bridge, the Galloping Goose Trail and the regional transit system of Victoria.

Any time in the year is a good time at Spinnakers Brew Pub as the chefs tend to capitalize on local products that the CRD and the rest of Vancouver Islands harvest throughout the four seasons. If you have children Spinnakers also has a restaurant located on the main entrance way into the facility.

• Web Album
  
• Spinnakers Brew Pub & Guest House
• Twitter

Toquart Bay

Although the weather in May has been really wet lately an opportunity for a motorcycle ride up Vancouver Island turned out great, with the discovery of Toquart Bay.

To get here you have to go west of Port Alberni on Hwy 4 towards Ucluelet. Just before Ucluelet about the halfway point along Kennedy Lake is the turnoff for Maggie Lake Forest Service Road, turn here. From this junction there is another 16 km of gravel road to the Toquart Bay Forest Service Recreation Site.

The recreation site is now managed by the local Toquart Bay First Nations and included in the facilities is a concrete boat launch, marina and a campground next to a sandy beach.

If you enjoy kayaking this makes an excellent base camp for exploring Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Island Chain. There is overnight vehicle parking and long term storage if required.

See Toquart Bay for more information, photos and visiting here.

Gun Lake

We just got back from a May long-weekend trip up to Lillooet, through the Bridge River Valley to Gold Bridge and Bralorne with the highlight being an overnight stay on Gun Lake at a Forest Service Recreation Site (FSRS).

Coming in from Lillooet was about 2.5 hours long travelling on Hwy 40 at first through the lands of the Bridge River First Nation, , through the canyons west of the Yalakom River, past the Mission Dam and the turnoff to Seton Portage, then along the lakeshore of Carpenter Lake to Gold Bridge. Once at Gold Bridge Gun Lake is only 10 km away.

The road in to Gun Lake from Gold Bridge travels up and has views of Lajoie Dam, the intake tubes of the dam, Downton Lake and the surrounding snow-capped mountains above Bralorne. Once at the lake there is a perimeter road that goes around Gun Lake. Take the left or west route to the FSRS.

The small user maintained FSRS campground has about 8 tables and two very crude not so clean pit toilets. There is no water available except for scooping it out of the very clean lake. The campsites are in a row set amongst mostly pine trees, with views of Gun Lake. The lake is located steeply below the campground with a few rocks to sit on and no beach. At the lake there is a beautiful view back towards Gold Bridge.

There were some power boats operating on Gun Lake. If you need a launch there is FSRS public boat launch one back on Gun Lake towards Gold Bridge. You pretty well need a 4x4 as the road in to the boat launch is carved out of the bush and looks like it could be muddy.

If the FSRS is full there is other camping back at the Tyax Resort on Tyaughton Lake, the BC Hydro site at Gun Creek on Carpenter Lake or the rough site south found on the Hurley River FSRS at Gwyneth Lake.

• Gun Lake - You Tube
  

For more information and links see Gold Bridge or for a map.

Hiking up Mount Douglas

I had a chance yesterday to hike up to the top of Mount Douglas Park, which is located in Saanich near the north end of Shelbourne Street. This particular hike though started form the parking lot near Mount Douglas Crossing Road on a small dead end road called Glendenning Road.

The entrance into Mount Douglas Park from Glendenning Road is a little less popular than the main entrance off Shelbourne Street. If you are driving there is a small parking lot for about 5 cars. There are a number of trails that start from here with the most popular being the hike up to the top. Don't expect to see any trail signs or bathroom facilities here because there isn't any.

The unmarked trail travels through a very thick Douglas fir forest going on a slight uphill climb. Eventually the trail comes to the rock face area with a trail going up a very steep bank with a power line in the background. Don't take this route but continue on through the forest until another trail breaks out onto the rock face. If you want take this route instead because at times it can be less slippery and also goes through a Garry oak meadow.

If you don't have time for a walk from the bottom you can get to the main parking lot from where Shelbourne and Cedar Hill Road meet. You then have to travel up Churchill Drive to the top of Mount Douglas. The 360 degree lookout is a short 5 minute uphill walk from the parking lot.

Google Map

To Mount Douglas Park in Saanich.

Kapoor Main Line to Bedspring Suspension Bridge

Yesterday we did an interesting motorcycle ride out of Shawnigan Lake on the Renfrew Road towards Koksilah River Provincial Park. After the park Renfrew Road eventually joins up with the Kapoor Main Line logging road and goes in a north-west direction following the Koksilah River.

While travelling on the muddy logging road we passed Sunny Daze Campground, a favourite place to stay in the area for 4x4 adventurers and events like Dual Sport BC's annual Orca Run.

Once we were past Sunny Daze it became very evident that this was an active logging road with lots of trucks passing us carrying full loads of timber. The Kapoor Main Line was well marked out with km signs and gated at certain points along the way. One posted sign at one gate stated that the gate was to be closed and locked at 4 pm. We figured we would have to turn back by at least 3 pm.

At one time the Renfrew Road (Kapoor M/L) went all the way to Port Renfrew. Today the road does not go through and stops at Williams Creek, where at one time was the site of the unique Bedspring Suspension Bridge. Unfortunately the bridge deck rotted out and was never replaced.

The goal was to make it as far as the old Bedspring Suspension Bridge crossing. But because of time constraints concerning the possible gate closures we ended up turning around at around 3:15 pm, about the 22 km marker. Although we never did make it to Williams Creek, it was an adventure and we have already started talking about coming back sometime in the future.

Gordon River Forest Service Road

What a day today on Southern Vancouver Island. With temperatures hovering around 12 degrees Celsius it proved to be a good day to attempt a motorcycle ride from Honeymoon Bay to Port Renfrew via the Gordon River Forest Service Road (FSR).

Going up to Lake Cowichan started off with a coffee at the Tim Hortons located on Hwy 1 at the Drinkwater Road exit in North Cowichan. From here a quick trip up Mount Prevost was in order. While travelling to Lake Cowichan a few drops of rain started, eventually stopping at Honeymoon Bay. Luckily we never had to put on rain gear.

The ride started off very muddy from Honeymoon Bay with snow on the sides of the forest service road following Sutton Creek. We passed a few logging trucks and heavy equipment on route to the turnoff back towards Lake Cowichan on the Caycuse Hookup.

From here the road was in good shape and very scenic as it travels next to Gordon River. The only issue was at the turnoff for TR4 for Baden Main, TR10 for Loup Creek and Gordon Main all meet. Eventually we figured it after seeing signs of km markers stapled to the trees on Gordon River Main.

After crossing the bridge over Gordon River the gravel road turns to rough pavement en-route past the Port Renfrew Marina and the Deering Bridge over the San Juan River.

Once in Port Renfrew we made our way to the Coastal Kitchen Cafe for a well deserved coffee and french fries. We both marveled at this route compared to the Harris Creek road for the shear joy of letting the motorcycles perform on the gravel road. Definitively a good choice, will try later in the summer when the water level of Gordon River goes down and try to find a swimming hole.