The Plan
Comparing the natural beauty of one trip to
another is more or less impossible. The
dry, summer prairie of southern Alberta is so different from the spring valley
of the Ottawa River—and seemingly worlds apart from the glaciers and cliffs and
mountains of the Canadian Rockies.
Different again, but just as breathtaking, if not more so, are the
rainforests and lakes of Vancouver Island; and, of course, the majestic and
awe-inspiring sight of the endless Pacific Ocean on the other side.
It was this route I cycled in late July of
2008, from Parksville, just north of Nanaimo to Ucluelet, dividing Vancouver Island in half
width-wise. The route is relatively
short, about 150 kilometers water (the Georgia Strait) to water (the Pacific
Ocean), along provincial highway 4.
I planned the trip to coincide with a
family vacation; we were traveling to Vancouver for the spectacular annual
Symphony of Fire event, and it was no problem to persuade them to cross over to
the island long enough for me to bike across it. Vancouver Island is one of my family’s
favorite spots, and with good reason.
From the ferry ride across to the stunning coast and beaches and forests
and waterfalls—holidays on the island are always adventurous and memorable.
The Trip
The morning after one of the Symphony of Fire's fireworks shows, my family packed up the van and drove to Horshoe Bay for the ride across the Georgia Strait to Nanaimo.
Once across, we drove a half hour or so north from Departure Bay to Parksville's waterfront Community Park. There, my oldest brother and I loaded up on our bikes and started cycling west.
It was now early afternoon, but we were only going about 60 kilometres.
About an hour or so out of Parksville, well on our way, the family van reached us, and we refreshed with some snacks and water. They went on ahead as we continued.
We reached Sproat Lake Provincial Park early in the evening, where our family was camping, and road back into Port Alberini with them that evening to explore the town.
We slept in two or three tents that night, and the next morning woke up to a misty day. My brother decided he did not want to continue, so I set out solo after a quick breakfast.
My trip this day was closer to 90 kilometres and included more climbing, but I had much more time to do it in. That morning especially the road was quiet, and the rain forest hauntingly beautiful. I found it even occasionally spooky coming around a bend on the narrow road, surronded by enormous cedars and ferns and mist.
I was over halfway there when my family met up with me and replenished my water and granola bars. They went on and let me know to meet them at the beach near the end of Ucluelet's peninsula.
A couple of hours later and there I was. I cut through the trees and found my dad on the beach. For good measure, I dipped my wheel in the ocean.
Then I enjoyed a glass-bottled coke to celebrate the ride.
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