|
Today's schedule called for an early rise to ride 10 miles to Dukes Point to catch the ferry to Tsawwassen - - a two-hour sail.
After debarking at 12:15pm, I weaved through the village of Tsawwassen to the start of the Boundary Bay Dykes Trail. It is a hard-packed gravel trail that runs along the bay's edge to the town of White Rock. After winding through White Rock and crossing the border, a brief respite in Blaine was in order before riding to Birch Bay State Park. This guy was bike touring with his 13-pound dog. The dog sits in a crate attached to the rear rack during cycling. He stayed next to my campsite in Birch Bay State Park, Wash. Henry, the mutt, sleeps with him in the hammock. Cities: Chemainus, Ladysmith
Route: https://www.komoot.com/tour/r39759052?ref=atd After packing up early, headed North to my destination, Nanaimo. It was going to be a hot and sveltering day with temperatures forecasted to be in the high 80s. This was to be my fourth visit to Nanaimo: twice by car, once by sailboat, once by bike coming from the North and, currently, approaching from the south. Chemainus, once a mining, forestry and fishing village, now has a population of about 4,000 and thrives on tourism. It became famous because of its murals and it sunk a salvaged 747 airliner off the coast for scuba divers. I arrived mostly by following the scenic but hilly Richards Trail. Ladysmith with a population of about 10,000 was next along the way. The town was originally built to house coal miner families but today it depends on agriculture a d tlurism.In 1900, James Dunsmuir named the town in honor of the British lifting the siege of Ladysmith in South Africa during the Second Boer War. I arrived in Nanaimo late in the afternoon and checked into the Painted Turtle Guesthouse which is near the waterfront. The ride today was grueling due to the heat and hills. I drank several quarts of water to prevent debydration. The Painted Turtle is a classic, European-style hostel which opened in July 2004 in a renovated 1913 heritage building. It is conveniently located in the heart of the arts/harbor district downtown. The facilities are very clean with a well-equipped kitchen and fast Wifi. Highly-rated, it is a 9/10. Route:
Chuckanut Drive, Bow Hill Rd., Bayview-Edison Rd., Padilla Bay Trail, Memorial Hwy., S. March Point Rd., Thommy Thompson Trail, 12th St., Oakes Ave. Cities: Edison Bay View Anacortes Day started with sunshine and I rolled out at 9:00 AM. After traversing Bellingham, got on scenic Chuckanut Drive, the ride becomes more pastoral as it passes countrified buildings. A good breakfast place before turning right on Bow Hill Rd. is the Rhododendron Cafe, a favorite with the locals. A bit further along the route, I passed Edison without stopping since nothing was open yet. If it was not so early in the morning it is worthwhile to linger a bit here. The tiny town of Edison (population: 144) has so many good eats, it could warrant an overnight trip. You can find one of the best bakeries in the area here at the Breadfarm Bakery. The Longhorn Saloon is a favorite of thirsty bikers. The Edison Cafe has a terrific fish and chips. I stopped at the Mariposa for an espresso. This funky joint serves various Mexican style dishes The feature of this day's route are the scenic Padilla Bay Trail and Tommy Thompson Trail which takes one into Anacortes. After a calamari and brew at the Rockfish Grill, I headed for five miles out of town to Washington Park. Profound Thought of the Day: Start adding days to your life, or at least life to your days. |
RSS Feed