Finally some decent weather!
Vancouver Island, Day 6
For a change, I woke up to weather that wasn’t awful. It was still a bit chilly in the morning and I had time to get to my destination, so I took my time in town, got breakfast, and slowly made my way up the coast.
The tide was low and some showers were still hanging around, so I spent less time on photography than I might have had the conditions been more to my liking. Instead I took my time on the slow route (19A) rather than the faster highway. Even with the occasional shower, the ride was glorious. Temps were at the low end of what my gear can handle, but not outside it, so I was comfortable and happy. I made a point of stopping regularly to sip on my hot tea, which helps in these conditions.
Made it to the ferry terminal at Comox in plenty of time despite confusing signage. I supposed I should have used the GPS as that’s what it’s for, but today I was mostly just having fun and ignoring the electronics.
Every ferry has a different boarding procedure, and the Salish Orca is no exception. Motorcycles load ahead of other vehicles and park off to the side of the boat, at a 45 degree angle to the lane. There are no tie downs, just a recommended chock for the high side of the bike. The ferry is new, quiet and smooth. The water was fairly flat, so even that was probably overkill.
I had time to spare, so decided to ride north from Powell River, past the original townsite and paper mill, then across the bridge and along Hwy 101 to the end at Lund. It’s about a 30km (20mi) ride on a fun, twisty road that snakes up and down between the water and the woods, with occasional slowdowns for small First Nation towns. The end of the pavement is in Lund. From here it’s either a boat to one of the islands or coastal resorts, or off pavement riding. Today, neither were in my plans.
The ride back to Powell River was glorious, with fewer cars than on the way out.
And the switchbacks… well… they were more fun going up.
Made my way to the motel and had dinner in an adjoining pub. There’s a Timmy’s next door for the morning.