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Tsawwaassen to Bellingham

8/6/2015

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I got up early and found it to be a blustery and rainy day, the last day of my tour.  I hurried to pack the tent and gear so it would not get too wet.  I was ready to roll by 8AM and commenced my 50-mile ride home after donning my foul weather riding gear.

The plan is to find my way to the Boundary Bay Dyke Trail, which is several miles from the camp, and avoid most of the highway traffic to reach White Rock by going of-road.  It is a 15 mile long flat, gravel path which rims nearly the entire northwestern side of Boundary Bay, running from Tsawwassen into Delta and concluding in Surrey at Mud Bay Park.  The wetlands along the trail provide a good habitat for birds of all types. Along the way you might see eagles, snowy owls, herons, ducks, and migrating birds depending on the time of year.  Along the way, one will see remnants of pilings from oyster farming operations which was discontinued in the 1960s. The trail is used by farm tractors, horses, bike riders and hikers.  The trail winds through Boundary Bay Regional Park.  It is definitely the way to go when riding between the ferry terminal and White Rock.

I arrived at the border crossing and passed up a big line-up of cars to enter the special processing area for walkers and bike riders.  In a few minutes, I was on my way to Blaine to take a break and have a bite to eat.  I stopped at the Seaside Cafe and Bakery in Blaine and enjoyed a latte, and breakfast wrap.

From the cafe, I took Portal Way and Vista Drive to Ferndale.  I rode down the old Pacific Highway to Bellingham which parallels Interstate 5.  It ended at Bakerview near the airport and from there it was familiar territory to the finish line.
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Saltspring to Tsawwaassen 

8/5/2015

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Today, the clouds gathered and threatened to rain.  I figured it would be best to take a two-loonie shower (eight minutes) and pack up camp as soon as possible so the tent would not get wet if the rains came.   Before departing at 10:00AM, I made some strong French press coffee on my Jetboil. 

The downhill ride to Ganges was exhilarating ... I had to use my breaks judiciously to maintain control going downhill with 300 pounds of loaded bike weight and rider weight.  The other reason for breaking is because the roads on the islands have rough patches, bumps, and gravelly areas.  I restrict my top speed going down steep hills to 25-30 miles per hour, or even less on rough  roads.

The three-hour ride to Tsawwaassen which cost $9.50 made stops at Pender, Mayne and Galiano.  With the arrival time of 7PM, it was fortunate there was a camping area within a 30-minute bike ride. 
Parkcanada RV Park is located in Tsawwassen, 20 minutes by bike from the ferry terminal, which serves Victoria, Nanaimo and the beautiful Gulf Islands. It is more like a parking lot for RVs than a campground.  It has a tent area with picnic tables.  It's main attraction for a biker is that it is near to the ferry terminal.
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Galiano to Saltspring Island

8/4/2015

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The ferry to Saltspring was delayed by over an hour making for a mid-afternoon arrival at Long Harbor.   It changed the itinerary to a shorter bike ride that day.  Before heading to camp, I rode to the island's biggest city, Ganges.  The Long Harbor Road is hilly with longer rolling sections and several steep grades to climb.  Just before entering Ganges, there is a short segment to ride on the Fulford-Ganges Road, a heavily trafficked roadway.

As I rode into Ganges, I passed a big marina on the left and soon was in the center of the city.  I spent several hours at the TJ Beans coffeehouse to catch on my blog.  It turned out that it was an excellent choice ... good coffee, good sandwiches, and fast Wi-Fi.  The central area of Ganges was jammed with cars and people.  Saltspring Island is the biggest and busiest in the Gulf Islands chain.

At 6:30PM, I picked a bento box to-go at  Arrigato Sushi and headed along the busy Fulford-Ganges Road to the Mowhinna Creek Campground.  It was brutal climb up a steep hill to get to it.  It was a small basic campground which can accommodate RVs and tents.  It has a children's play area but no store or any other frills.  The cheapest tent sites were $22.  The showers and bathrooms were clean.  After eating the teriyaki chicken, I sat down on the bench near the office to charge my tablet and to watch a few YouTube clips.  The proprietor lady popped out the door and said, "Love, you can't watch videos and movies here because our Internet bandwidth is very low and I can't download our email."  I replied, "Yes, I noticed that."

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TJ Beans Coffee Shop, Ganges, Saltspring, Island
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Mayne to Galiano Island

8/3/2015

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I left the Springwater Lodge at 8AM and stopped at the local Sunny Mayne Bakery and Cafe  for coffee and a blueberry muffin before making the hilly ride to the Village Bay  terminal.  This is my third island in the lower Gulf Islands group.   They are all very hilly so far.

The 40-minute ferry ride to Galiano Island departed at 11:20AM today.  Upon arrival, I noted the big hill to climb.   The roadway sign warned that drivers must have chains in the winter.  My only consolation was that "what goes up, must come down."

I was on my way to camping for the night at the Montague Harbor Marine Provincial Park.   The fee was $20 for the night whether you are bike camping or with car.  The park was mostly full but I secured a space in an overflow area in a nice grassy field near the shell beach.  This was a three day holiday (BC Day) for the Canadians so the island was busy with Canadian visitors.  I learned that Canadians have a three day holiday every month.

Montague Harbor is the largest harbor and anchoring field in the Gulf Islands and is managed by the provincial park service.  It has small marina with docks and moorings to rent, as well as a small cafe and store by the docks. Vessels under 36 feet can tie on the docks.   Bigger boats need to pick up a mooring ball or anchor out.   The cove was full on this holiday weekend.  It is an anchorage used by many first time boaters because the bottom is mud and even when not anchored properly the boat is not likely to drag.

I heard that there was a "pub bus" that made the 4-mile hilly, bumpy and twisty run to the Humming Bird Pub on Sturdies Bay Road.   I noticed the pub on the ride to Montague Harbor.  The bus leaves every hour starting at 5PM from the camp and the marina.   The old yellow bus was retired from delivering children to school and converted to a singing musical madhouse with cymbals mounted above the windshield delivering adults (and children) to the pub.  

The bus driver is Tommy Transit ... and is the band leader of the mayhem which ensues during  the 20 minute 'transit' time.  Upon entering the bus, he hands you rythm instruments or shaker to play along with the music (rock-n-roll, Beatles, country).  Tommy does not text while driving but there is no rule about playing percussion instruments with a drumstick, entertaining the passengers, and being a tour guide.  Between music of the 60s, songs, and antics, he doles out some "Tommy wisdom."  Predictably, after pub time, the return trip to camp is a rowdy songfest.  On my particular return trip, the bus was rocking out with the Beatles' Yellow Submarine, Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire, and Fats Domino's Blueberry Hill (apparently a tradittion).

Tommy (real name Tom Tompkins) who drove a transit bus for 21 years in Vancouver, BC in an earlier life, describes himself as "an inspirational speaker inspiring people who work with the public to be ambassadors of change."   He has been doing the Tommy bus driving show since 2007, 800 to 1,000 times a year.  The pub bus itself has been in operation for 31 years. Tommy's positivity book, "Bus Tales:  How to Change the World From 9 to 5", is available at his website www.TommyTransit.com or on Amazon.  I made a 10-minute video of the bus ride which was posted to YouTube.

Galiano Island was named after the Spanish explorer Dionisio Galiano, who explored the area in 1792.  Galiano was long inhabited by aboriginal people from the Penelakut First Nation and used by other Coast Salish nations. Midden pits at Montague Harbour suggest 3000 years of habitation. Today there is only one Indian Reserve on the island, Galiano Indian Reserve No. 9, located at the northern tip of the island and under Penelakut administration. Industries of the past were logging, fishing and charcoal-burning, although today tourism and the arts are the most common sources of employment.
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Pender to Mayne Island

8/2/2015

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Port Browning Resort and Marina was a good experience.  There were lots kids and dogs running about and swimming in the pool.  I had tasty cod fish and chips at their pub last night, prices are reasonable.  Staff are friendly.  Later a musician played till late hours but I retreated to my tent at nine  and heard the music and raucus bar sounds from the tent.

After making coffee, I packed up and headed back to Otter Bay to catch the 11:05AM ferry to Mayne Island. 

Mayne Island is nestled among the Southern Gulf Islands in British Columbia's Georgia Strait about midway between Victoria and Vancouver. The rustic island covers an area of approximately 25 square miles, and was named after Lieutenant Richard Mayne, who served aboard the H.M.S. Plumper during the 1850's.

Canadian Pacific Railway Ferries originally stopped at Miners Bay in Active Pass, dating back to the early 1900s when Mayne Island became an important stopover point for miners traveling north from Victoria to the Fraser River and the Caribou gold rush. Later the ferry dock was moved to Village Bay, a "village" in name only. Miners Bay is actually the village, and the island's business center, with many historical buildings and commercial outlets.

Today, Mayne is home to nearly 900 year-round residents. During the summer season, the population grows to around 3000. Most part-time residents have vacation homes here and many visitors stay in rented accommodations such as the Springwater Lodge, in Miner's Bay.

Springwater Lodge is where I decided to stay for the night  Built in 1892, the old Springwater Lodge is one of British Columbia’s oldest running hotels.  During the Fraser River and the Caribou gold rush, the lodge was a favorite stopover for miners. Conveniently located at the head of the Government Wharf, the original owner began offering rooms for lodgers in 1895.

There are six basic rooms upstairs in the lodge, but only four are usually available since two are used by full time residents.  Three of the six face the bay.  The rooms are "old timey" basic with a bed, small chest, small table and light on the ceiling (no electrical plugs in the rooms, no outside door locks).   The rooms share a shower and toilet upstairs, but during my stay, the toilet was out of commission and was directed to use the bathroom downstairs. The bathroom and showers were not clean and carpets were in dire need of vacuuming.  But sheets and towels were fresh. 

Overlooking Active Pass, the views are fabulous from the deck of the restaurant and pub.  The pub fare is good and the staff is friendly. The Wi-Fi is decent.  The lodge is a step back in time, but it needs maintenance, and a good cleaning service. Many TripAdvisor reviewers say "eat here but don't sleep here."

Several two bedroom waterfront cabins with kitchenettes are also available.

In the afternoon, I rode to the Northeast side of the island to visit the Active Pass Lighthouse.  Situated on Georgina Point, at Active Pass, the area is characterized by rocky bluffs and a coastal Douglas fir ecosystem.

The light station consists of a 45 ft white concrete cylindrical light tower which was built in 1969, an engine/radio room, a residence, a large garage and workshop and several small outbuildings. The light at Georgina Point was originally established in 1885, and has considerable local historical importance to the community. The site was automated and de-staffed in 1997. The light continues to be in active service as a navigational aid, used by vessels transiting Active Pass as well as those passing in Georgia Strait.

On the way to the lighthouse, I visited St. Mary Magdalene Church, an Anglican church built in 1897.  An early Church steeple cross was donated and carved by local islanders. "God and Ocean" are carved in Japanese characters on the cross identifying the Church and its location adjacent to Active Pass in Miners Bay.
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Sidney to Pender Island

8/1/2015

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Port Browning Resort and Marina
There was only one bike camper at McDonald Campground in the morning.  He was a 20 something young man starting on the West Coast route I did two years ago.   I gave him some tips and, after making coffee, I scurried to make my 10:05AM ferry at Swartz Bay to Pender Island.

I discovered the Lochside Regional Trail which will be useful to know for future bike trips to Vancouver Island.  It is the trail I rode on from Sydney to camp and on to the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.  The Lochside Regional Trail is an 18-mile trail that runs from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal to Victoria. The trail is a popular route both for commuting and recreation. It is frequented by people walking, running, cycling, skateboarding and even riding horses.  The trail was created in 2001 and connects to the longer Galloping Goose Regional Trail (34 miles Victoria to Sooke). The two trails connect at the Switch Bridge in Saanich.  The Lochside Trail is the ticket for off-road bike riding to Victoria from the Swartz Bay and Sydney ferry terminals.

The ferry ride to Pender for a walk-on with bike is $12 and the trip takes about an hour.  Pender is hilly with twisty roads with mainly no shoulders.   My plan was to stay at the Beaumont Campground which is part of the national park system but local knowledge indicated that it was not good for bike campers because the camp access was 45 minutes of hiking over a gnarly trail.   So I was on the search for a camp on a very busy weekend on Pender.  On the way someone mentioned that  there might be a few camping spots at the Port Browning Resort and Marina.

I rode down the steep road to the marina and was able to secure a tent spot for a very reasonable $13.    The marina is a favorite destination among boaters and island visitors exploring the Southern Gulf Islands because of our many amenities and friendly staff.  It offers transient moorage, a convenience store, laundry and shower facilities, tent and RV camping areas, seasonal outdoor pool, ATM, WiFi internet access, charter fishing and kayak boat rentals, the oceanside Port Browning Cafe and, a longtime local favorite, the oceanfront Port Browning Pub. It is located near Pender Island's Driftwood Center shopping hub, the main commercial area on the island.   Boats, pub, showers, Wi-Fi,  camping ... what else could a bike touring camper want?


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San Juan Island to Sidney

7/31/2015

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It is time for the Canadian lower Gulf Islands phase of the tour.   I said goodbye to the folks staying at the Wayfarer's Rest Hostel, packed the bike, and headed to the Bean Cafe for a latte before heading down to the ferry terminal for my 9:45AM departure to Sydney, Vancouver Island.  The cafe was very busy.   They have a real time CAM on the terminal so one can see the ferry dock.

I paid the $8.75 fare and boarded for the one hour and 20 minute trip.  After arrival, I stopped at the Toast Cafe on Bevan Street in Sidney to scope out the camping options.   It turned out that I made a change and decided to camp at the McDonald Provincial Park near the Swartz Bay Terminal which serves the lower Gulf Islands. I  will catch the 10:05AM ferry to Pender Island the next day,

After setting up the tent, I rode three miles from the camp to check out Canoe Cove Marina and enjoyed a thin-crust pizza at the Stonehouse Pub.
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Orcas Island to Friday Harbor

7/29/2015

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Orcas Island was a challenge as there was a hill to climb around every corner.  It is the hilliest of the San Juans for biking but interesting features.   Some day riders without panniers on their bike take the steep ride to the peak on Mount Constitution Road. There are three good options for bikers staying overnight:  tenting in Moran State Park, Doe Bay Resort, and the Golden Tree Hostel in Eastsound.  My favorite was Doe Bay.

On the return trip to the Orcas Ferry Terminal, I took an alternate route via Crow Valley Road which was  much quieter than the main island route, Orcas Road.   It took me by the nautical village of West Sound, home to a nice marina and the Orcas Island Yacht Club.

When I arrived at the terminal to catch my 10:40AM ferry, it was already crowded with cars in line, walk-ons, bikers, and a group kids, presumably from a camping trip.  The trip over to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island was only 40 minutes.  It is the second largest island in the San Juan chain and the most populous.

I rode to the Wayfarer's Rest Hostel, where I spent the night.  After picking a bunk in the dormitory, it was time to find a good cafe.  I went to one the cleaning lady of the hostel recommended, the Bean Cafe on First street.  It turned to be a good one with fast Wi-Fi.  The plan was to do some sightseeing in Friday Harbor and to find a laundry for washing very sweaty riding wear. Sunshine Laundry on Nichols Street was just three blocks from the hostel.  Tomorrow, I will ride around the periphery of San Juan Island.

I got up early on July 30 to prepare for the circle of San Juan Island in a counterclockwise direction.  The route to Roche Harbor was on a good cycling road, Roche Harbor Road, with moderate to small shoulder and light traffic. About four miles out of Friday Harbor, passed by the San Juan Winery (open from 11AM to 5PM).  Slightly further, I stopped to check out the Lakedale Resort which offers family oriented camping with options for tent sites, glamping, log cabins and lodge accommodations. There is even a retro Airstream available to rent.  The facility is surrounded  by Fish Hook Lake. Hiker-biker tent sites are $37 per night.

Roche Harbor on the Northwest side of the island was my next stop.  The harbor is a hub of tourist activity.  The marina harbor provides one of the better protected anchorages in the islands. The harbor is surrounded on the east side by San Juan Island, on the north side by Pearl Island, and on the west and south sides by Henry Island. Most of the harbor is 35 to 45 feet deep. Roche Harbor has a small airport used primarily by local residents. Roche Harbor was named in honor of Richard Roche, who served under British Captain Henry Kellett in 1846 and Captain James Charles Prevost in 1857–60.

The resort was formerly a company town surrounding the Tacoma and Roche Harbor Lime Company, which was incorporated in 1886. Lime production was a major industry and revenue source for a corporation run by John S. McMillin, whose ashes are buried in a large mausoleum nearby. 

The focal point of the resort is the historic Hotel de Haro. The hotel is the landmark lodging venue for visitors.  Hotel de Haro was built in 1887 as lodging for McMillin’s customers, while they visited Roche Harbor to negotiate lime purchases. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt, a friend of McMillin, visited Roche Harbor and stayed in room 2A, now known as the Presidential Suite. The hotel has undergone renovations in recent years and remains a favorite accommodation option for village visitors.

Watch the boats come and go in the harbor while enjoying family-friendly fare at the Lime Kiln Café. The café serves breakfast and lunch year round, as well as dinner during the busy summer months. You’ll find a variety of meal options at the café, including famous Roche Harbor Donuts, cheeseburgers, fish and chips and more.  It is the go-to place for breakfast. Rated 4 out of 5 by Yelp reviewers.  Free Wi-Fi is available in the harbor area.

Leaving Roche Harbor, some may want to stop at the Sculpture Park.  Eventually, I made my way to West Valley Road and West Side Road.  The West side of the Island is much hillier.  I diverted off the planned route to visit Snug Harbor Resort, a complex of cabins and lodge in a very quaint marine setting with a small marina.  Boaters beware -- deep keel boats will have trouble navigating to this shallow bay.

On the way to Lime Kiln State Park, I checked out the only public camping area on the island managed by the county.  San Juan County Park was a pleasant surprise ... nice tent sites on the bluff overlooking the ocean.  Hiker-biker tent sites are $10 per night.  No showers at this camp.  Orcas whale watching from this location is a bonus.

Lime Kiln Point State Park is popular among the locals for sighting Orca killer whales.  These majestic animals hang out and pass by this area.  This 36-acre Washington state park is considered one of the best places in the world to view wild orcas from a land-based facility.  Due to the unique  properties of the site, visitors on the shore can be within 20 feet of whales jumping out of the water (breaching). The park was the site of lime kilns beginning in 1860, and one kiln has been restored as a public exhibit.  On the day I visited, the whales were sighted at another locale by the island.

The 35-mile ride wrapped up the day as I returned to the hostel at 5PM. and I had to get ready for the next day's ferry to Sidney, Vanvouver Island and the start of exploration of the lower Gulf Islands by bike.



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Moran State Park to Doe Bay

7/26/2015

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Doe Bay Resort
After primitive camping in Moran State Park, it was time to ride to Doe Bay Resort, a new age retreat with spa.  The facility offers yoga, massage, workshops, and accommodations: cabins, lodges, yurts, RV spaces and tenting sites.  There is even a tree house nearing end of construction suitable for a couple who wants to sleep among trees.  This was the  third time I visited Doe Bay.  The  resort underwent major changes in the last decade. The property was up for sale in 2002 and was in much need of major care. The property was going to be broken up and sold as separate parcels, until Seattle entrepreneur Joe Brotherton, and his wife Maureen, bought the property in 2003.  

The Doe Bay Café, along with the Doe Bay Garden, has become an eco-friendly gourmet restaurant, offering fresh and healthy “seed-to-table” cuisine that is getting national attention and delighting “foodies” from near and far.  Their cuisine mantra seems to be "less is more" when it comes to portions and some diners complain about that -- especially considering their menu tends to be pricey.  The plating is done artistically, colorfully, and with flower petals.

I was assigned the Minke camping spot, just big enough for a small bike tent and the bay views were a bonus.  For future travelers, the Seal Landing is one of the best small tent spots with bay views and a picnic table.  One of the best ocean view yurts is the Orcas Yurt.

One of the best features of the compound is the clothes-optional spa area.  It features three outdoor hot tubs, a dry sauna, outdoor shower and an on-site bathroom.  Massage in one of  their on-site treatment studios, is available.

During the late 1960s and through the 70s, what is now Doe Bay Resort & Retreat was called the Polarity Institute, a center for Polarity Therapy, an alternative energy medicine system that was developed in the 1940s by Dr. Randolph Stone, an Austrian immigrant from Wisconsin.   Although the doctor was not in residence at Doe Bay, a group of followers touted his holistic medical techniques and the use of “complementary forces” of energy through touch, talk therapy, nutrition and other means, to heal the body. Many saw Doe Bay as a ‘hippie haven,’ where people from all over the world would visit, and there was a close-knit, small community.

For a history of Doe Bay, click here.
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Eastsound to Moran State Park

7/25/2015

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Rosario Resort
After stopping at the Island Grocery Store to provision with salad, banana and a roast beef sandwich, I made the short hilly ride to Moran State Park.   On the way, I diverted to visit Rosario Resort to have beer and catch up on my trip notes.

Robert Moran, the benefactor responsible for the park coming into existence, was shipbuilder and a mayor of Seattle. Following his mayoral service, Moran devoted all his efforts to his shipbuilding business and, in 1904, climaxed his career with his shipyard's launch of the USS Nebraska, Washington State's only battleship. He was told in 1905 that he had one year to live, and retreated to Orcas Island, where he built the Moran Mansion—surrounded at that time by 7,800 acres of land—that is now the centerpiece of Rosario Resort.  He built two identical houses for his children so they wouldn't argue who got which one. Moran spent the remainder of his life in retirement on Orcas Island. In 1916, he had a 132-foot yacht built called the Sanwan, though the ship saw little use.   Influenced by chance encounters with conservationist John Muir, he donated 2,700 acres of Rosario to the state of Washington for preservation, which became Moran State Park in 1921.  The Civilian Conservation Corps, one of many federal work programs during the Great Depression, built many of the park's trails, roads, bridges, and buildings during the 1930s.

 It has a big campground area with North, Mid, and South camping sectors along Cascade Lake.  After some difficulty, I found the primitive camping area reserved for bikers and hikers.  It is located south of the South camping area, turn left on Mt. Constitution Rd., after a few hundred feet, it is on the left side of the road.  Two outhouses, several picnic tables, and a rain shelter structure mark the spot.

On this particular day, six tents were set up, some doing bike tours of the island.  I did a hike to several small waterfalls before turning in for the night.  The park offers hiking on 38 miles of hiking trails, biking on 11 miles of trails, horseback riding on 6 miles of trails, boating, and camping.
Primitive campsite for bikers and hikers at Moran State Park
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    The Trip Journal is Steve Szirom's account of his San Juan and Gulf Islands bike tour. Posts will be made regularly depending on the availability of Wi-Fi.

    As a matter of definition when I mention "road shoulder" it means the following : no shoulder (0 feet), small shoulder (0-2 feet), moderate shoulder (2-4 feet), wide shoulder (greater than 4 feet)

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