PORT RENFREW LOOP: A rough start

DAY 1
Thurs. 07 20, 2017
Water Taxi (Seabus) , Skytrain, bus, bike (45km on urban trail and highway)





 We left my apt. late as I couldn't find my bloody tripod. I ran over to London Drugs for a new one. Apparently, I have 3 now, sigh. We got the Seabus and the Canada Line Train just fine, but had issues with the elevator to ground level in Richmond. I let 2 loads go because of mobility issues, then when I boarded the next car with other people, a crazy lady tried to force her way in with a bike. Wasn't pretty. Then, after a 30 min. wait I got the #620 bus to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. Brutal ride. This never to be done again journey took 3 hours, then I got the ferry to Swartz Bay, Sidney Van. Isl. The ferry is always a great experience (except for the "bike parking").
Getting off the ferry and onto the bike was awesome. I, along with a handful of other cyclists took the Lochside Trail. This is a very cool urban trail that links many communities on route to Victoria.  https://www.crd.bc.ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-trails/find-park-trail/lochside 
Anyway, it was fun for a while until I tried to find a suitable route that would bypass Victoria to the campground. I had to keep pulling out my glasses to read road signs. Eventually, I dropped them and they got run over. (Insert loud swearing now)
It all worked out in the end as I got new glasses, beer and a campsite at Goldstream Prov. Pk.  Sigh!

On the "Seabus" from North Van to Vancouver

Ferry to Swartz Bay Vancouver Island

 

Lochside Trail

 Sketch: Lost my glasses to the evil car while trying to pick up the highway from the trail.

My site at Goldstream P.P. Lots of room for cart wheels

Poser cat

PORT RENFREW LOOP.

OVERVIEW
Thurs. 07 20 2017-Tues. 07 25 2017

Me, Shirley and Highwaycat are doing a one week easy, yet interesting loop on Vancouver Island BC. It turns out that there is a popular route that has existed for a while called "The Pacific Marine Circle Route".  http://discoversooke.com/outdoor-activities/adventure/pacific-marine-circle-route/
I, removed the Hwy 1 section from Victoria to Duncan and Cowichan Lake and substituted it with W. Shawnigan Lk. Road to Cowichan Valley Trail to Cowichan Lk. After my stay at Cowichan Lk., I took Pacific Marine road to Port Renfrew. Staying on the beach in Port Renfrew was the highlight and focal point in this trip. After this I followed Hwy 14 back to Victoria and ultimately home in North Vancouver.

HWC: "Somehow, this feels safer"

Shirley's deflated. The End.

DAY 13, Sun July 31, 2016
Squamish to North Vancouver BC.
Dist. 62 km, Avg, 18.4KM/hr, Max 62 km/hr, Time, 3:15, Cal. 1304, Hr, 107

Got up @ 6am strolled around the grounds, took pics then headed out and over to White Spot for a breakfast cardiac arrest platter. I got the "Heart Stopper 2000". On the way out I noticed a cycle tourer sleeping under the Visitors Info Centre sign. Cozy. No surprise as the whole town is booked.
    Kinda glad the trip is ending, but I'm not looking forward to getting back to the daily grind. Took my time riding home on this all too familiar route. For some reason, I was having some difficulties maintaining speed. Turns out that Shirley was spewing air. The 85psi tire was barely 45psi.
    Anyway, I got home for a late lunch. 👍

Could'a used this guy

Too tired to bother with a tent I guess. No water bottles in his bottle cages?

"Highway 99 - home" Said the cat

Selfie at "The Chief"

"I can free climb that granite"   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stawamus_Chief

Going down @ Furry Creek. A Woo Hoo moment (despite having done it a thousand times)

Had to go to the sandbox

Strait of Georgia

Tough climb. Shirley was soldiering on with a mere 45 psi. Uughh. Around 15 km from home. How long was I pushing this flat? Idiot is I.

Hot, Sweaty 99 Blacktop Bonanza

DAY 12, 
Pemberton to Squamish
Dist, 94 km, Avg Spd. 17.7km/hr, Time 5:15, Cal, 2450, Hr 113bpm.

Welcome to the "Sea to Sky Highway"(Hwy 99). Up until 2010, this highway wasn't the safest ride. The Olympics happened and the 99 was transformed. Today (2016) it is an awesome road cyclist's playground.
    Its a long weekend, so traffic is crap. It's hilly and hot as well. Not fun, but predictable. After a couple hours, it turned cooler accompanied with a lovely headwind. There were lots of cyclists out on training rides. Most were northbound as I was southbound.
    I rolled into Squamish feeling pretty tired and was doubting my chance at a campsite. The Tourist Info Centre pointed me to the "Kinsmen Municipal Camp". After a retarded rigg m roll with the rec. centre, I finally got a spot. (The rec. centre is about a km. away.) This is where payment is made. Unfortunately, there is no monitoring system at the camp. Sites that should be available, but are  occupied by people skirting the system, idiotic. The camp is basically a parking lot on grass. Crappy, but served it's purpose.
    Was busy in town because of "Logger Days" a week long event based on logging culture, wood sawing, pole climbing etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyN6mwCKdgM Events were taking place next door to the camp.
    Anyway, rode around town taking pics, got beers. Made myself at home.

Sea to Sky Highway (99)

4 legged demons

Cheakamus River

 

 

 

 

HWC enjoying the Cheakamus River

Will have to do

My pad from the ouside looking in

My huge footprint. The blue tent is my neighbour

Squamish main drag

"The Cheif" Popular rock climbing granite

Night in a tent with a cat

Morning at the camp. Ya Hoo central

Old school tug of war champion

The Cayoosh Creek Creeper

DAY 11, Fri. 07 29, 2016
Lillooet to Pemberton.
Dist: 97km., Avg Spd. 16.4km/hr. Time: 6 Hrs, Max Spd.62.9km/hr., Calories: 4000, Avg. Hr. 130, Road conditions: HWY 99. Varied from ugly climbing, lovely flats to insane decline.

A nice weather start to the much anticipated day. After heading up the hill into town for sangies (sandwiches), I was on my way along the 99 at a bit after 7:15am. I was excited about this 100 km stretch as I had no idea what the conditions would be like, and there would be no amenities along the way. The other issue was the fact that there was a well known hill that I would descend near the end of this leg. (Duffy Lake Road).
    The first while was crappy. Hot, lots of climbing. About 11% on a twisty roadway, amazing vistas though. I noticed a dark spot in my mirror that gradually enlarged as time marched on. I assumed that it was another cyclist, but couldn't be sure. After a good chunk of time, I finally realized that it was indeed another cyclist. This young woman was on a bike trip with her husband from Anchorage Alaska to somewhere in South America and then fly back to home in Australia. Awesome.
I rode with her for a little while, her husband wasn't in my distant mirror, maybe that was a safety tactic. Smart. Anyway, she was pulling a "Bob style trailer", a nice set up and it was clear that she was more than a recreational rider. Way too fit looking.  This was confirmed when she told me that she raced mountain bikes. I don't like trying to talk and ride as the odd car would disrupt, so I decided to pull away and get some distance from her. Nice talking, but too dangerous. 20km or so ahead  I stopped for a food break. I thought that I might see "them" pass by but I didn't.
   After my little break, Shirley and I resumed the journey wondering what happened with the Aussie girl. That sudden expenditure of energy I used to pull away from her was not without a cost. Leg cramps. I dealt with it and moved on. The road was quiet and I was surrounded by trees and at one point I came upon a small footbridge that led from the road over a creek and into the dense isolated forest. I slowed down to look as this seemed odd.To my surprise and horror, there was a "Mountain Man" standing at the far end of the bridge! What was he doing there? Where did he come from? To my knowledge, there is nothing but forest for miles. Scared the crap outta me. I was dying to take his photo, but I was so taken aback that I freaked out and took off. Checked my mirror as I rolled away. Ha ha, wow! Ya had to be there.
    The ride was slowly becoming more gravity assisted. I came upon Joeffre Lake http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/joffre_lks/ and thought that it would be worth seeing. Turns out 26 000 000 other people felt the same. I zoomed by (trying to avoid getting doored by one of the many autos) I'm now on a 12% descent. A female rider coming uphill forces me to stop. Think of a freight train stopping for a squirrel. After all that effort to stop and degrade my rim walls by 18% I ask in yelling voice: "What do you need!!" She replied: "How far to the top?"
    AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!  Stupid Moron!!! 💀💀
Anyway, my anger was soon replaced with fear as I approached the steepest portion of Duffy Lake Road. There were switchbacks with up to 15% grade. I was nervous, but it went well.
    Got a crappy, overpriced room at the Pemberton Hotel. Compensated with beer.

Numbers game. Almost out of digits...

We got our own gas

A fine location for Starbucks

Clearcut

The environment

Very cool downhill. Much appreciated. Tough to sightsee as road was a bit dodgy

8.7 on the Coolatron 30000

The Aussie girl

Break Time and leg cramps, yay

My interpretation of the mountain man fondly labelled as the Cayoosh Creeper

Duffey Lk.

White knuckle time...

Woo Hoo! Super steep hairpin turns.
Lots of scrape marks on barriers.

Market

Home base.

Beer and Pizza. A light load, but heavy in substance.

My tip