A Path Less Ridden - An Epic Motorcycle Adventure.

Another two-wheeled adventure.  I have taken all my experiences with cycle touring and cycle camping into the motorized two-wheeled world.  This time one of my dreams is to ride around Hawaii be it by bicycle or by motorcycle.  This past May, I pulled the trigger and went for it.,  A 10 day motorcycle camping trip around the island of Kauai, Hawaii.  I have put together a video of my adventure and I'd like to share it with you.  Here is the link to the best trip I've ever done to date.  https://youtu.be/bjEv8ynFsB8 .

Enjoy the ride.

Cycle Touring - Galiano Island, British Columbia!

This post is a few days late.  As you know, coming home from a great vacation you just want to relax and rest  and recover., and blogging was the last thing on my mind.  And my long-weekend cycling trip to Galiano Island BC was just that, a great vacation!
First off, I would like to make a small correction from my previous blog saying that Galiano Island would be a great place to start for someone new to cycle touring.  In fact, the island is actually very hilly.  Rolling hills are constant and there was one hill that was extremely challenging.  You definitely should have some cycling background to be able to tackle those hills offered by Galiano.  Luckily, my friend Matt has enough experience with hills that he was up for every challenge we faced.  As challenging as the terrain was, Galiano Island is a beautiful place, a perfect place for a getaway from big city life.


Day 0 - Friday Aug 3. Preparing, packing and first short leg of the trip

Having been on a cycling trip to Victoria the previous weekend, the packing and preparing was easier this time around.  I am bringing the same things as I did on my trip to Victoria with the exception of not bringing my laptop as I knew I would not have access to power and wifi for most of the trip.  This relieves me of an extra 5-7lbs of carrying weight.  However, I did pack an extra t-shirt and a hoody for those cool nights and mornings.
The end of work day Friday couldn't come soon enough to start off the BC Day long weekend.  Immediately after work I packed up all my gear into my trailer in which I would drive the trailer to Matt's parents' home where I would stay for the night so that we could start riding the following morning at the same time.  Considering it was already 7pm in the evening, my best option was to take all the heavy stuff in the car, come back to my home and ride my bike unloaded.  Once I had dropped off my gear and driven back home to ride my bike, it was starting to get dark so I had decided to take transit with my bike for the very first time.  I rode to the closest Skytrain station and got on with my bike.  I had never done this before and it was a good experience for possible transit rides with my bikes in the future.

On the Skytrain with my bike for the first time.

Arriving at Matt's parents' place, Matt had already arrived himself and is waiting for me.  Matt also rode his bike and gear from his apartment to his parents' place so that we may start the ride together in the morning.  We spent the rest of the night organizing our gear and doing last minute preparation for the trip.


Day 1 - Saturday Aug 4.  We're off!  The ride to the ferry to Galiano Island.

Saturday morning went off with a great start, a big breakfast made by Matt's Mom!  I normally don't have a hefty breakfast before my cycling trips just in case the food doesn't sit well in my stomach, but who could resist a ham and eggs and biscuit breakfast?!  Our ferry sailing was not until 1:50pm but we wanted to get on the road early to beat the heat so as soon as breakfast ended we were on our way.

My friend Matt and his bike.  My bike and trailer armed with my Go Canada! flag in support of our Olympians

The bike ride to the ferry took us through Surrey and with a slight navigational error on my part brought us to Nordel Way in which we found out that bikes were not allowed.  We had no choice but ride on this street as there wasn't much traffic.  It was a short ride on Nordel and quickly we were on River Road on our way to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal.  Arriving in Tsawwassen, we had ample time before the ferry sailing so a quick lunch stop at the nearby Golden Arches allowed us to cool down from the heat before getting on the ferry.  At the ferry terminal and to our surprise, there were so many cyclists awaiting to get on the ferry as well.  I guess everyone else had the same plans as we had for the long weekend.

So many people opting to take their bikes instead of their cars for the weekend!

The ferry ride was slightly delayed as the ferries were having to deal with long weekend holiday traffic.  But soon enough we arrive at Sturdies Bay Ferry Terminal on Galiano Island and we were off on our bikes once again.  By this time it is nearly 4pm and knowing that the campsites may be filled to capacity with it being a holiday weekend, we decided that we should find camp as quickly as we can.  Our destination is to Montague Harbour Provincial Park.  No sooner than riding our bikes away from the ferry terminal, we quickly discover how hilly the terrain was.  The road to our campsite was full of undulating hills and they seem to keep on coming as we get further into the island.  Yes, the ride was challenging but it doesn't take away from the beauty of the waterside scenery and calming breeze.  We did have to take a few breaks from pedaling as our loaded gear did not make the hills easier to climb.  It was about 5pm when we reached our campsite and sure enough the campground was filled to capacity.  Luckily, they had an overflow campsite for those coming with no reservation.  It was in an open field that's shared amongst everyone coming in late and it was first-come first-served.

After a challenging ride into camp

We quickly set up our tents before heading out to look for food

Our campsite at an overflow lot shared by other campers

Our dinner for the night is at a nearby pub.  We were both craving for some cold beer after a hot bike ride and when we heard that there was a bus that comes on the hour and takes campers to a local pub, The Hummingbird Inn, we didn't hesitate to join in.  After a long wait for the bus to come, we finally get on and it turns out to be a most enjoyable bus ride with a very funny bus driver full of character.  The whole bus was singing and playing along with tambourines and maracas to old tunes blasting on the radio.  That bus ride alone was worth the wait.

Our awesome bus ride to the Hummingbird Inn

The Hummingbird Pub was a really nice pub that gave you that island feeling.  The food was great and the atmosphere is what you would ask for in a popular local island watering hole.  Unfortunately, this night the staff may have been overwhelmed by the amount of people because of the long holiday weekend.  Our food came very late, but I will not dwell on that as we were in no rush and we had some good entertainment by a live duo.

Our live entertainment as we waited for our food

A few much needed drinks were had as we waited for our food.

 Our pub night ended with another bus ride back to our campsite.  It is about 10pm by this time and the fatigue and exhaustion has been setting in for a few hours now.  The only thing left to do is succumb to the darkness and crawl in our tents for that needed sleep.  Tomorrow will be another great day.

Our first day/night in the books.  Can't wait for tomorrow.

Day 2 - Sunday Aug 5.  Exploring the Island.

Waking up early the following day gave us a chance to explore our campground, Montague Harbour Provincial Park.  It also gave us a chance to meet our neighbours who are experiencing the same things as we were and to make friends.  The plan is to explore the island all day, take in the sights and sounds, and relax as much as we can.

Waking up to sunrise

As you can see from the pictures, Montague Harbour Provincial Park is indeed a beautiful place.  I am glad we chose this location as our campground for the weekend.  You can find out more information about the park from their website here Montague Harbour Provincial Park .
All through the day we rode and enjoyed the scenery.  The road coming out of the park was a big challenging hill that we overcame with a few breaks on the way to the top.  The day was getting hot and we were getting hungry, so the next stop would be for some food and some shelter from the sun.  We found this at the Scoops Ice Cream & Burger Bar where we ate and at the same time I charged my dying iPhone at the nearest power outlet.  Once we've had our food and had my iPhone almost all charged up, we wanted to look for a beach side location that had some shade and hoping for some cool breeze.  Some locals recommended we check out the Bellhouse Provincial Park so off we went.  Wow, what a sight!  It was an amazing location at the southern part of the island.  Here we could see other Gulf Islands and many vessels on the Pacific Ocean.  It was where we rested for a while away from the heat and even had time to take a power nap.  If there was camping allowed at this location, we would have certainly taken it.

It was truly an amazing place and we were content to stay here until it was time to head back to camp to get ready for dinner.
Once again we were craving for some cold drinks from a long day of riding in the sun.  The Harbour Grill Restaurant provided this for us.  It was only a couple of kilometers from our camp so that was very convenient.  We had time to cool down a little at camp using the communal water faucet on site and I was able to wash up and change my shirt before going to the restaurant.  That faucet was a lifesaver, it was the source of our drinking water, our shower and for washing our dirty shirts.

Thanks faucet! What would we have done without you! And check out those tan lines!

After our nice meal and drinks at the restaurant, it was time to wind down at the campsite.  We spent the evening by the water just chillin and playing fetch with dogs that passed by with their owners.  It was soon time for bed as we would be going home tomorrow.  What a great day it has been.

Yes, that is indeed a dog fetching the largest log ever!

Getting ready for bed. My trailer nicely tucked under the fly.

Day 3 - Monday Aug 6. Going Home.  These trips always seem too short.

Waking up way too early the following morning was not by choice.  The whole campsite was awoken by loud screaming crows and it wasn't even 6am yet.  These crows were absolutely persistent in their 'cawking'!  Argh!  I can hear other campers cursing inside their tents for being awaken so early in the morning.  I took a video of the said crows so you have an idea of how our morning started.

Now that we're all fully wide awake, the only thing to do was to start packing up, and at least we can take our time and not have to rush.  The ferry sailing isn't until 12:40pm so there is plenty of time to make it to the ferry.  We decided we would get out of the campsite, head to the main town and have breakfast or brunch and get to the ferry as early as we can to avoid all the people that are also leaving the island.  We packed up all our gear quick.  Soon we would be on the road.  However, neither of us were looking forward to pulling our fully loaded bikes once again over all those hills.  Oh well,,  we have plenty of time to take it easy.
Off we go riding out of our campsite.  Thanks Montague Harbour Park, you have been very accommodating.  No sooner than getting out onto the main road we see something amazing.  As I pedaled on at a nice pace, I see a beautiful deer by the side of the road.  It allowed us to ride by it and it didn't run away.  I was literally 5 feet away from it until it finally got spooked and ran away.  I was able to take a video of the whole encounter here: (If you are reading this blog in your email and not seeing the video link, you must go to the actual blog site)

-->Riding my bike within 5 feet of a deer<--

After a few hill climbs we finally get into some downhill into town.  It was such a great ride when most of the way is going downhill. And at this time of the day, the air is still fairly cool and there aren't too many cars!  We arrive into town and just sat around at the Sturdies Bay Bakery and Diner.  Both of us only had a danish for breakfast thinking we would have lunch later on before the ferry sailing.  We spent most of our time at this bakery and from there we decided to buy our ferry tickets really early.  We ended up waiting at the terminal for two hours waiting for our ferry to arrive.  We didn't mind, there was still a lot to see.

Waiting for our Ferry

A couple of otters on a dock

Yes, that is indeed a baby seal!

After a few hours of waiting, finally our ferry arrive.  And as expected, it was full to capacity.  It seems that everyone on the whole island wanted to leave at this time.  It was a good decision to come to the terminal as early as we did.

The ferry was packed!

The ferry ride was quick and soon enough we were unloading at Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal.  The weather had change significantly at this time, it has become overcast and almost chilly.  We didn't mind the colder temperatures but the dark clouds seemed worrying.  We had a quick stop at the nearby McDonald's to top up on water and have some needed lunch as our breakfast danish evidently was not enough.  Here, I had decided to cover my trailer bag with a plastic cover just in case it rained on our way home.  This would prove to be a great decision later on.
The ride was still over 40kms away to arrive at each of our homes and even though most of the way is flat, we will both have to tackle some more hills before we finally arrive at our separate destinations.  The rest of the ride was uneventful until we got closer to the Alex Fraser Bridge, this is when it started raining.  It rained and at some points it rained hard.  This is another first, riding in the rain with a fully loaded trailer.  In the back of my mind I wanted it to rain.  It was something I have yet to experience.  I have commuted by bicycle in the rain before, but not pulling nearly 70lbs of gear including bike.  I wanted to test out everything I had whether they would hold up to the rain or not.  Everything held up perfectly.  The bike was a little dirty, the trailer was a little dirty, but other than that, there was no problem whatsoever.  I was smiling the whole time it was raining.
When we reached River Road and Nordel Way, this is where myself and Matt would find our separate ways.  He will continue on on River Road and I will make my way up and across Alex Fraser Bridge.  This is the end of our journey.  It was still raining as we make our stop to say our 'see ya laters'.  We know it won't be long until we make another bike trip some other time some other place.  But it was great to be able to share our experiences and especially great for me who has always done bike touring solo.  Now I have someone to talk to and reflect with in the future.
The final leg of my journey is to challenge the bridge and all the remaining hills that I must climb to get to my home.  As tired as I was and as hard as the rain came down, the smile never left my face.  I knew I had another epic weekend of bicycle touring in my pocket, they seem to get better and better every time.

Finally home.  Go Canada Go!

I arrived at my home as the rains let up and the sun started to shine again.  My biggest reward will be a nice long shower and a lot of food!

GPS Tracking of our trip

A GPS tracking of our trip is created on my Everytrail account here GPS Tracking - Galiano Island .  Unfortunately, my iPhone was at low battery most of the time as there was no power available at the campsite to charge up and I had to conserve my battery, so only the important parts of the trip were tracked.

Total distance travelled via Bike Computer:  140Kms
Total time on saddle:  8hrs 46mins.
Max. Speed:  67.5km/h  Woohoo!
Avg. Speed:  15.4km/h
Elevation:  Vertical up  1245meters,  Vertical down  1236meters

Please check out the video/movie I made of one of my other Cycling Tours.  The Kinsol Trestle.

Cycle Touring - Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Day 0 Planning and Packing

Tomorrow, Friday Jul 27, I will be embarking on a 3 day, 2 night bicycle trip to Victoria, BC. Armed with a little more knowledge and experience from previous cycling and camping trips, my goal for this trip is to go slow, no rushing, and be as relaxed as I can be. I am going solo. I have no actual destination. Only the city of Victoria comes to mind. There will be no backup plans, no one to contact while I am there and no one to 'rescue' me if I get into trouble. It's gonna be great.

The plan is to start riding by tomorrow (Friday Jul 27) afternoon.  Make my way out to Tsawwassen BC where the Ferry terminal is located and camp the night there.  Luckily, I already have my first campsite booked up.  It is at friends' place who happen to be out of the country at the moment and have given me permission to set up camp in their backyard.  This will be the first leg of my journey.  At the first crack of morning sunlight, I will have to get up early and try to catch the 7am ferry to Swartz Bay ferry terminal.  And from then on, I have the full day to cycle to Victoria.  I am still undecided where I will be camping on my second night.  This I will decide along the way.

Today, Thursday, DAY 0, was spent planning my trip and packing up all my gear.  Experimenting on how to pack as efficiently as possible and make use of the limited real estate that I have on my bike and trailer.  I am already realizing that I need smaller gear...  small, small gear.  My tent is big, my sleeping bag is huge, and my sleeping pad is gigantic.  I know I have to pack as minimalistic as possible but these items are necessities, I could barely fit them all in my trailer.  Does this mean I will have to purchase the smallest gear I can afford?  The smaller the more expensive things get...  sigh.. :( .  For now, I will make due with what I have and I'll think about buying new gear in the future.

All the gear that I will be taking with me

I created a video blog of what I am taking with me and how I packed all my gear into my trailer and bike.  I also would like to show you how my Mayacycle trailer connects to my bike on the second video I made.  Please click on the links below.

-->The gear I am taking and how I pack them into my Mayacycle trailer<--

-->How My Trailer Connects to my Bike<--

Tomorrow I set off for my trip to Victoria.  Nerves are somewhat setting in but I am very anxious to get going.  There is a chance of rain tomorrow but I don't think I will let that stop me from going.  Rain or not, I will have to eventually endure all sorts of weather nature throws at me.  I can only gain experience from it and a necessary one at that.  It is almost midnight and I am still wide awake.  My biggest problem right now is that I may not get any sleep tonight as I am too excited to get going.

My next blog update will be tomorrow night at my first campsite.  I know most of you will be following me through Facebook through my Twitter updates., but to those of you who are not on my facebook list, you can visit me via Twitter here https://twitter.com/604Bluelight .

Good night for now.

Cycle Touring: My First Multi-Day Bike Trip - Sunshine Coast, BC

I've finally done it, a multi-day cycling and camping trip...  destination - Sunshine Coast, BC.

The Sunshine Coast, BC - Planned route of my bike trip

I have been waiting a long time for a bike camping trip and I finally jumped into one a few weekends ago.  The planned trip was to go cycling along the Sunshine Coast, BC up to Powell River from my home in Burnaby and back.  This was to be a 3 day, 2 nights trip totaling 400Kms with return trip.  Well, it didn't quite go off as planned..

Day 0 - Packing and Preparation 
Being quite the boy-scout, I tend to over-pack. This is probably my first of many mistakes on this trip.  Seeing as it was going to be a 3 day trip, I wanted to make sure that I was completely self-sufficient and prepared for anything that could happen on the road.  I made sure I packed all the tools I needed in case I had to make roadside repairs. I made sure I had enough clothing for the duration of the trip, in cases of rain and cold nights as well. The obvious things such as my tent, sleeping bag, bike lock, food, water etc. were all packed.  The downfall of being all prepared for anything is that all that weight starts to add up.  All the gear I am bringing will be packed in my Maya Cycle bike trailer and with the 13lb trailer I am reaching 50lbs of total pulling weight.  This does not even include my bike which is nearing 30lbs in touring form.  This will become very evident through the course of the trip.

Pre-Planning and Packing

At this stage, I was very excited and could not wait for the coming morning.  I would need to get an early sleep (difficult for an insomniac) as I need to be on the road at 8am sharp. However, I have not been feeling well all day having stomach aches.  I just chalked this all up to pre-trip jitters and nerves. I knew that as soon as I got on the bike and started pedaling that all the nerves and 'sickness' would go away... 2nd mistake, stay tuned.

Day 1 - Bright and Early. Let's do this.
Breakfast, 1 hard boiled egg, a bagel and a banana. I made sure not to have anything that would not sit well in my stomach yet be enough to hold me down until lunch break which would put me 4 hours away on the Ferry.  Destination, Garden Bay BC, Hotel Lake Campsite. Total Kms for the day, 135.
8am sharp. Off I go. Extremely excited to get going. I had a big smile on my face all morning.  The first stage of my trip from Burnaby to Stanley Park/Lion's Gate Bridge would be a piece of cake as it is mostly downhill or flat.  I rode mostly on the Central Valley Greenway all the way to Downtown Vancouver which was very relaxing and a perfect start to get my legs all warmed up.  Riding through downtown was also a breeze with the separated bike lanes. Oh what a beautiful city to ride through and not have to worry about cars hitting you.  I made it to Stanley Park and Lion's Gate bridge in record time.

Reaching the Lion's Gate Bridge in record time.

From Lion's Gate Bridge to Horseshoe Bay.  I will call this my second stage of my trip.  I had to catch the 12pm Ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale which meant I had to be there at least 30mins before sailing out for boarding. 3rd mistake, a scheduled deadline that must be met. I must pedal and pedal hard to get to a destination. This is when the hard work starts.  A big part of this mistake was taking Marine Drive from Lion's Gate all the way to Horseshoe Bay.  I had planned out that I wanted to avoid Hwy 1 at all costs and Marine Drive is the only option.  It turns out that Marine Drive is a longer route and full of rolling hills! This was indeed a mistake in planning as I now realize that I should have taken Hwy 1 to Horseshoe Bay.

Scenic Marine Drive from Lion's Gate to Horseshoe Bay

Granted, Marine Drive was a very scenic ride and very beautiful. Unfortunately, there was no time to enjoy it as I had to catch a ferry.  The rolling hills made it quite tough especially pulling nearly 70lbs of weight including bike and trailer.  But alas, I made it to the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal with time to spare. 11am. 3hrs from when I started. There will be plenty of time to rest waiting for the ferry and the 1hr ferry ride itself.  Waiting at the ferry terminal, I couldn't help but laugh at myself at how exhausted I am and I still have 90kms to go! haha..
On the ferry, out of sheer luck, I ran into my brother-in-law, Ric, who I was to meet up with at the campsite for the evening.  The plan is to join my sister and her family at a campsite they were staying at during the week. This way, I will have company on my first night of camping.  Ric was on his way from a Vancouver meeting to join my sister and niece who was already at the campsite awaiting his arrival (they live in Sechelt which is also on the Sunshine Coast).  The ferry ride was so quick as I had someone to talk to the whole time.  I forgot to have my lunch. Oh well, there will be plenty of time to eat while I'm on the road. We had a small discussion about how long it will take me to get to the campsite.. I had so much confidence in making it to the campsite before dark as I had 7 hours of daylight to go, I had done century rides(100kms) before well within 5hrs so I thought 'Noo Problemo!' Ric, on the other hand, thought it would be very impressive if I made it there in 7hrs or less.. (just a reminder, Ric knows the terrain very well). Before the ferry ride was over, Ric had asked if I wanted to throw my bike and trailer in his SUV and hitch a ride with him to the campsite.  I politely laughed at that idea and mentioned that this trip was all about the bike ride!  Thanks anyways!  We parted ways as we got off the ferry and will soon meet up again in the evening.

Langdale Ferry Terminal to Sechelt BC
As I got off the ferry, I knew that there was to be a long and steady uphill if I had stayed on the Sunshine Coast Highway.  Knowing this information, I decided to take Marine Drive (that name again) into Gibsons which was to be a nicer and easier route... another mistake coming up I foresee.  Well, it was indeed a nice ride, very scenic and all downhill.  All downhill? This could only mean one thing, I will have to climb up a hill at some point.  And as soon as I reached Gibsons at Molly's Reach restaurant, it was indeed nothing but up I can see.  I was warned about a street that was 21 percent incline by some cyclists before I got on the ferry. I knew for sure that I wanted to avoid that street.  Sure enough, at Molly's Reach Restaurant, there it was, dead smack in front of me.. the dreaded School Road.  Signs saying 21 percent incline and NO Trucks Allowed!

A Google streetview capture of the dreaded School Rd. sign. 21% incline, No trucks allowed!

A little worry set on my face as I look up what seemed to be a neverending street staring me in the face.  So I pull out my trusty GPS (iphone) and looked for an alternate route. NOTHING! All my other choices were to backtrack a few kilometres and all uphill.  I decided to take a rest stop, eat some granola bars and contemplated my choices.  There was no way I was going back.  I decided that I would just walk up the hill and push my bike and trailer up it.  That was my best decision at the time.  So off I go.  No more than a few feet of walking and pushing my bike, an old ankle injury started to haunt me once again, an ankle injury from a skiing mishap back months ago that's really never quite fully healed.  My ankle started hurting.  I had to stop and realized that there was no way I can push my bike up this stinking hill which is nearly a kilometer long.  My ankle does not hurt while pedaling my bike so I had no other choice... I had to ride up this monster.  I pedaled my heart out up one of the steepest incline I've ever ridden.  I can only imagine what the people in cars were thinking as they pass me, were they cheering me on or were they calling me crazy in their heads?.  The bike was heavy, the trailer was heavy, the heat was scorching.. but I kept pedaling.., I had to.

This is the only picture I took of School Rd. The monster hill I rode up on.

Finally, at the top of the hill was Sunshine Coast Hwy. Here I will rest under a tree which seemed to be the only shade that I've come across today.  This was the 4th mistake of my trip. Here I am thinking I may have wasted all my energy for this whole trip just climbing this hill alone. The heat was getting to me, and the stomach aches I had from the previous night has not gone away, I was exhausted.  But still, I must go on. There is still 66Kms of riding to go.
The ride to Sechelt was uneventful.  All I could think of was how hot it was.  I guess they don't call this the 'Sunshine' Coast for nothing!  It was so hot that my MP3 player overheated and died in the heat, my accompanying music is gone, I was not very happy with that.  The ride towards Sechelt wasn't overly difficult. It was fairly flat for the most part. My confidence was building once again as I was making good time.  I even took my time in some areas just to take in and enjoy some of the sights and take pictures, which was the whole point of this trip. The Sunshine Coast certainly is a beautiful place, I just wished I wasn't in such a rush.

Overlooking the Strait of Georgia at Davis Bay

As soon as I reached Sechelt, there was only one stop that was absolutely necessary.  It came by the way of the Golden Arches.. yes, McDs! Normally, I wouldn't even think nothing of a McDonald's stop but today it was a welcomed stop. $1 dollar drinks any size all summer! And I was hoping getting some food in me will give me more energy and help settle my stomach down a bit.  A burger, fries and a large pop.. yes I know, so bad for you, yet it was soooo good!  My 5th mistake was made here.  Armed with a large pop, I did not even think for one second that my water bottles needed topping up, I still had a good amount of water with me but evidently, it wasn't going to be enough.

Sechelt to Garden Bay.
This whole time of my bike ride, my sister has been in contact with me via text messages wanting updates of my current location and constantly asking me if I wanted to be picked up.  I think she knew, much more than I did, of what was ahead of me.  Still having full confidence that I would make the whole trip to the campsite before dark, I simply told her not to worry and that I would be there soon.  I was determined to make it, there was no way in hell that I would ask for assistance, no way!  I was still 45kms away not knowing the terrain ahead of me., But 45Kms is just a cakewalk comparing from what I have ridden in the past. Hah! Was I ever wrong.  This was to be one of the biggest mistakes I've made, #6.  Know the terrain you will be cycling on ahead of time!    I have completely underestimated this bike ride.  The hills were long, the hills were steep.  It was non-stop, they kept coming and coming.  UP and down, up and down.  The downhills were fun and gave me time to rest, but they were all short lived.  My quads were burning, and my calves were tightening up.  There were a few occasions that my quads would completely lock up that I couldn't even keep standing on my stops.  It was punishing and painful, but I had to keep going.  I couldn't stop as I was running out of daylight.  The enjoyment of the passing scenery was replaced by focus and drive to keep on pedaling.  At this point, I had ignored some of my sister's text messages just so I wouldn't have to stop and reply to them.  I knew what she would have said anyways, and my reply would be the same, 'I'll be there soon, don't worry!'.  But in the back of my mind, I was the one getting worried.

Pender Harbour - slowly running out of daylight

My pace was extremely slow. The roads were killing me.  Every stop, my quads would lock up and I would need at least 5mins to get going again.  But when I was riding, nothing else mattered, just keep on going until the next rest stop.  I was so focused on not stopping that I even skipped on some of the items I see on the side of the road, mainly money, yes I saw a couple of toonies on the ground that I didn't bother stopping to pick up, I even passed on an LED flashlight that was sitting on the side of the road just so I wouldn't have to unclip from my pedals.  This meant that I was also skipping out on the scenery that was simply passing before me.  This was no longer enjoyable, in fact it was more punishment. I had exceeded my limitations and was only being pushed by the drive to make my destination.  Oh, and by this time I had already run out of water, I had run out 10Kms back, and there was no civilization in sight.  It was already 8pm and I was only 10Kms away.  But during this time of year, 8pm show no more sunlight.  The roads were getting dark and dangerous, the shoulder non-existent, the twists and turns of the roads would certainly make me harder to see from cars and trucks on the road.  I had to make a decision.  And the toughest decision I had to make was succumbing to my sister's and brother-in-law's requests that I be picked up... in my mind, a rescue.  A failed attempt at reaching my destination.  And to be only 10kms away to the finish line was a tough thing to swallow.
Ric came quickly enough and picked me up at the side of the highway. I was devastated.  But during the drive to the campsite, the 10Kms I gave up on quickly turned out to be a great decision. The roads were unlit, no shoulders and completely forested over. AND, more damn hills.  My pain of giving up eased up a bit as I had made the right decision.  I still had to put up my tent, eat, shower and take into consideration that my 5yr old niece had to be in bed soon.  It was almost pitch dark when we got to the campsite.  I was greeted by a whole bunch of strangers who seemed to know what I have been doing all day.  All my sister's and bro-in-law's friends who happen to be on their same annual camping retreat in the same campground.  All claiming what I had just done was extreme and borderline crazy.  This group included a triathlete and some of the most fit people I know.  Maybe they were all just trying to make me feel better for not making it all the way, maybe they meant it, but I now tend to agree with the 'crazy' part.
Ric put up my tent for me as they rushed me to get a shower so that they can feed me.  I showered, I had spaghetti, and I had plenty of replenishment.  There was very little time to sit around and chit chat with the whole group, but as I sat down with a bunch of strangers, I looked up at the sky and saw the most stars I have ever seen in a long time. The Milky Way was so clear and I must have counted over 7 shooting stars in a span of 30minutes.  I have been a city boy too long, this stuff is amazing.  As the night came to an end, I lay in my tent bundled up in my sleeping bag under the most amazing star-filled sky and thought to myself, 'this is what makes this whole trip worth it'.

Day 2
Sleep, puke, flu'ish, vommit. Sleep, puke, flu'ish, vommit, rinse and repeat.
That is all.

Day 3 - Time to go home.

ahem.  Seriously, that was pretty much it for Day 2.

But sure, let's reflect on that day...

Waking up to this view as I unzip my tent confirmed that the previous day's hardship was all worthwhile.

The original plan for Day 2 was to get up early in the morning, ride to the next ferry terminal at Earl's Cove and make my way out to Powell River.  I was going to leave my tent and trailer at the campsite so that I can return to it at the end of the day. Camp overnight once again at the same spot and make my way home the following morning.  This would have been the perfect plan!  Unfortunately, this did not go the way I had wanted.
I woke up at 5am because nature came calling very early from the previous night's binge drinking of liquids to replenish what I had lost during the day.  I tried going back to sleep but for some reason I couldn't.  No matter how tired I was, I could not sleep again, I noticed my heart still pounding quite heavily as if I was still riding my bike. I layed there for at least the next hour until the exhaustion finally took over again and I passed out.  I can still remember the dreams I was having that night.  My dream was,.. get this..  I was on a bike pedaling.  Weird dream eh?  The whole night I had that dream.
I never woke up again until around 10am.  I was feeling very sick., sick to my stomach and feeling quite dizzy.  There go my plans of riding out to Powell River today.  I will be bed-ridden all day.  My stomach aches from the previous days has gotten progressively worse.  And to add, I am now feeling flu'ish and can't seem to keep my food down.  I have caught a bug.  Heat exhaustion is what my camp 'mates' are calling it.  But I think heat exhaustion is only part of it., I did not feel well.  And to top it off... diarrhea.. gross. That's the last mention of that.
There really isn't much else to say about Day 2 other than I spent the day when I wasn't sleeping in my tent trying to enjoy myself and putting on a happy face for everyone so they don't notice what I am going through.  It was a beautiful campsite, I could have easily enjoyed myself if I wasn't feeling so crappy.  They had kayaks! I LOVE kayaking!  ..but no, was just too sick.  Everyone was so good to me, making sure I was well fed and taken care of. These complete strangers are becoming friends.  Everyone.  And their children are all fun and beautiful.

No, I was not actually kayaking. Was too sick to enjoy the lake.  :-(

As comfortable as everyone tried to make me feel, and in addition to feeling quite sick all day, something else was stressing me out.  All I could think about was how I was going make it home the following morning.    If I wasn't able to make the whole journey to the campsite from the ferry in 7 hours with full of energy and strength, how am I going to make it back in my weakened, sickly state?  I had to get back home the following day as I have work on Monday and the thoughts of trying to ride back was really scaring me at this point.  I don't think I am capable of the whole ride back.  And the last thing I will do is ask anyone for help.  If you know the type of person I am, asking anyone for help is not in me.  I love offering my help to anyone but asking for help just isn't me.  It's a pride thing, and yes, it's a downfall at times.  I put myself in this situation and I need to get myself out of it. And the thoughts are definitely stressing me out and actually making me feel more sick.  I think my sister and brother-in-law were showing the same concerns.  And when the conversation came up about my trek back home there was no hesitation on their part.. They wanted to drive me home.  I had refused this offer several times before caving in.  A few plans were discussed but very few were considered due to the state of my health.  The best solution was for me to be driven all the way to the Langdale ferry first thing in the morning and I would find my way home from there.  This was 72Kms and a total of 144Kms with the drive back so I was really quite hesitant on their generous offer.  But yes, I know, family is family and we are always out for each other's best interest.  I did accept the offer in the end.  I will be driven to the ferry and someone on the other side will come pick me up.  This is what I told them so that they will be comfortable in thinking that I will be driven home safely all the way.
I have to apologize for this little lie as I did not get anyone to try and pick me up from Horseshoe Bay.  I decided that I would ride this end of the journey even in my sick and weakened state.  Sorry guys!  It is only 43Kms and with plenty of daylight hours to get home.  I can actually take my time and enjoy this ride home.
So with all the stressful thoughts aside, I was finally able to relax and enjoy myself a little, actually a lot.  I got to spend time with my sister's family and my darling little niece, their friends and families and the wilderness and beauty that surrounded us.  I was feeling much better now.  I spent all night at a campfire surrounded with friends until it was time for bed.  Once again, a beautiful star filled sky hovered over me as I closed my eyes to sleep.

Day 3 - Time to go home.
8am sharp once again is the time to leave for the ferry.  This time I did not have to rush and pedal hard just to make the 10am departure.. I had the luxury of a brand new Mercedes SUV driving me there.
I packed up my tent and gathered all my gear.  Stuffed my bike and trailer in the back of the Benz and bid my farewells.  Not everyone was awake at this time so I said goodbye to those who were.  Maybe next year I will try this venture again and have better results.  Thanks for everything Sis, I owe you bigtime.
The ride to the ferry along the same stretch of highway I had ridden on 2 days ago was quite the eye opener.  At every hill and every turn we made, I was constantly thinking to myself 'Did I just do that??!' These are the types of inclines and descents that when I see other riders riding on that I would think of them being crazy.  Have I become one of those people that I myself think are crazy?  Maybe, quite possibly.  Having seen what I've just been through, I now fully respect what I have done and no longer see it as being a failure.  Would I do this ride again on a 30lb bike with a 50lb trailer? Probably not.  But I will be more smart about it, more efficient and packing a whole slew of 'lessons learned' for the next time.  This has truly been a wonderful learning experience that I can use for future longer bike trips.
As we approach the ferry terminal, this is where Ric had asked who was going to pick me up on the other side.  I finally told him the truth that no one is picking me up and that I will be riding the rest of the way home.  It was the only way that I thought that would satisfy me with this whole trip, a feeling of personal achievement.  I don't think he was too thrilled about the idea but clearly understood my position.  We said our goodbyes and I was on my own once again.  Thanks Ric, your help was immensely huge! I promise not to make fun of the mirrors you bought for your bike anymore. ;D

In the ferry

On the ferry

The ferry ride was another quick one.  I had filled up all my water bottles full of ice and water from the pop fountain machines preparing for what is to be a very hot ride home.  Nerves were setting in again as I am still feeling quite weak and not so sure if I can get on my bike and pedal home.  But soon enough we will find out.. the ferry is now docking to let me off.
Knowing full well that Marine Drive was full of rolling hills, I decided to ride on the highway this time around.  Hwy 1 to be exact.  As some of you may know that coming from the Horseshoe Bay terminal onto the highway was a very long and steep incline.  This was a sacrifice that I had to make as the alternate option of many rolling hills was not appealing at this moment.  I prefer fewer longer inclines over many shorter, rolling hills.  Unfortunately, I did not take into account that there would be no shade while on the highway. It is all open road and today was a very hot day.  The heat was scorching, and the pavement was blinding. The heat caused by the cars also added to the overall temperature of the ride.  This was not going to be fun.  All I can look forward to is getting off the highway and onto sidestreets and residential neighbourhoods where there will be plenty of trees and shade.  Fortunately, I only had to ride to Lion's Gate Bridge and from there I can take shelter from the heat at Stanley Park and the downtown Vancouver highrisers.

Every underpass was a welcomed stop from the scorching heat of the highway

I saw many roadies today with their $5000+ carbon bikes, probably thinking what a poor sap I am with all the gear I'm pulling

I took every opportunity I had to rest at the few shaded areas on the hwy. I still had 40kms of riding to go.

I got off the highway onto Taylor Way going towards Lion's Gate Bridge.  It was one of the best downhill rides I've had on this trip.  I was really enjoying myself knowing full well that I will soon be going across the bridge and into Stanley Park where I can rest some more and take in the beautiful scenery.  I was literally 'Yeeehawing' all the way down Taylor Way simply because... it was fun!

On the Lion's Gate Bridge

The Beautiful Stanley Park

Gorgeous view of the inlet

All these great view has made my sickness go away!

Riding through Stanley Park I had made a quick stop to rest when I realized I had no food left, and I was starrrving!  So my rest was short-lived as I continued on in search of the perfect food stop.  Onto the downtown Vancouver core I go!  Once again, a beautiful city to ride through especially with all the separated bike lanes. The best way to see the city is by bicycle!  Searching for that best place to stop where I can buy food and keep my bike and trailer close by without having to worry about it being stolen was a bit tricky.  I knew it had to be within an arm's distance of my bike with the least amount of people traffic.. a smokey vendor would be perfect.  But out of the corner of my eye I see a big sign that said $1 per pizza slice!  I couldn't resist so I jumped off my bike and ran in for some slices. I think I had 3 extra large slices and that was more than enough to set me for the day.  I brought a chair out so that I can eat while being with my bike at the same time.
I took my time riding the rest of the way home as it was still early in the afternoon and I had no reason to rush home.  On my way, I decided to stop by my brother's house so that I can drop off the tent and sleeping mattress that I had borrowed from them through MEC.  No one was home to greet me so I decided to take a short nap on their lawn.  I also took the opportunity to use their garden hose to give myself a quick spray.  That was the best thing to do on a hot summer day.
Finally, after my short rest and nap, I proceeded to go on my final leg of the trip.  It was all uphill from here on, but the incline was manageable.  I no longer had to worry about rolling hills and massively steep uphills.  It was everything I had done numerous times before.
Upon my arrival, no one was there to greet me.  No cheering fans to see me across the finish line, no trophies, no awards.  It was only my own personal victory.  And it was perfect.  An amazing experience come to an end.


Total Distance Covered:  approx 268 Kms according to Googlemaps
Total Distance on Bike:   156 Kms - bike computer
Vertical up:        2240 meters
Vertical down:   2090 meters - iPhone GPS tracking
Total money found:    I would have made 5 bucks if I had stopped to pick them up
Total Roadkill:   1 - a garter snake slithered right on path of my wheel. I couldn't stop. Splat.
Total Weight lost during the trip:   10lbs in 3 days.

Everytrail GPS tracking using iPhone4

Please check out the GPS tracking of the whole trip using my iPhone and Everytrail app here https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/cycling-the-sunshine-coast--2 . Keep in mind that the tracking is quite flawed as on a few occasions I had lost complete signal to my iPhone and when I lose signal, the GPS goes nuts.  But at least this map will give you an idea of how my trip went including all the elevation changes I had to endure.


MayaCycle Bike Trailer

As promised from a previous blog that I would provide updates on my bicycle trailer by Maya Cycle as I use it on my cycling ventures.  This is the first time that I have used the trailer travelling this distance and carrying this kind of load.  As expected, the trailer performed admirably without any problems.  The convenience of the legs acting as kickstands is a godsend.  I don't think I could ever go on long trips anymore without this feature.  As seen from the many pictures I took and the countless amount of stops I made that the bike and trailer is always standing.  It made my life so much easier that I can stand the bike anywhere especially when it mattered most, when I (the rider) was at my weakest.  I can personally thank my trailer for allowing me to leave the bike standing while I crunch over at the side of the road in pain because my quads were locked up.  The bike and trailer has even acted as a crutch when I couldn't keep myself standing due to the pain.
Carrying a 50lb load is probably the most I would carry on the trailer, although the trailer has proven to carry in upwards of over 60lbs, I personally would not carry any more than 50.  It's not to say that the trailer can't take it, but it is more for my own personal sake.  Carrying that kind of load is grueling, especially if you are facing countless amounts of hills.  I'm just glad that the trailer only weighs 13lbs because with all the gear I had, it would have weighed a lot more if the trailer was a tank!
Upon reaching my campsite, the trailer proved itself once again.  With the 'wheelbarrow' feature, it was so easy to move all my gear around especially at my weakened and sickly state. And the trailer and bag was compact enough that it fit right under my tent fly for easy access and at the same time standing up on its legs keeping the bag off the dewy grass.
There are a few things that I learned on this trip regarding the Maya trailer;  as slow and grueling it is to climb hills pulling the trailer, when you go downhill you go fast, really fast.  Now this may sound like a lot of fun, but it can actually be quite dangerous.  Make sure your brakes are 100% functioning and in top condition, because you will need them and need them a lot.  Also, going too fast on a downhill can sometimes give you the trailer 'wobble' effect where the trailer feels like it's wobbling behind you and wanting to pass your bike.  I found myself in this situation a couple of times.  Now this is not Maya trailer specific but actually applies to all trailers be it on bikes or on cars.  The Maya trailer being a single-wheel trailer actually reduces this effect significantly, but it still exists.  The best thing to do is to avoid putting yourself in the situation where 'trailer wobble' can occur., meaning don't go too fast!  I did, however, find myself going over 60Km/h on a downhill on a few occasions where I had no problems at all with 'trailer wobble'.  I wouldn't recommend going that fast too often though.  Another thing I've noticed while pulling the trailer is that it creates a lot of squeaks and creaks and all sorts of odd noises that you've never heard from your bike.  I was constantly checking on the rear stays and dropouts of my bike to make sure there isn't anything lose or broken.  There never was any. It's just the nature of the trailer I would guess.  One thing I would recommend, and I wished I had some with me, is to use Grease!  I would grease up the fork joint where the trailer connects to the fork, and I would grease up the fork where it connects over the axle on the bike. This will greatly reduce the squeaking and odd noises being caused by the trailer and possibly lengthen the life of the trailer and bike due to obvious wear from friction created.  I will surely be doing this on my next bike trip with the trailer.

Great shot for my good friend Marta wherever she may be right now. ;-)

Well, there you have it, a real life, unbiased review of the Maya Cycle Bike Trailer.  I couldn't have made this trip without my trailer...  Just me and Maya out in the open road.