I really enjoyed my birthday trip and found myself with a few extra days ahead of Labor Day, so decided I’d go back. I especially enjoyed the water, which is somehow clearer, cleaner and more pleasant than most places, both at the beaches and in the rivers/creeks.
The goal was to hit as many of the swimming holes as I could pack in to a few days. I would not do that.
My first day was a ride to the ferry and beyond to Qualicum Beach. This is familiar ground by now, and was happy this time to not be riding in the rain. There’s not really much to say about this very familiar ride. I made the usual stop for fuel before the border and dashed straight to the ferry, this time arriving well ahead of departure. I did realize that on the Coastal class BC ferries, motorcycles always load in the lower deck, which is unfortunate. I decided to try for a different class of ferry on the way back, even if it meant returning by a different route.
I was planning to stay longer than the last time, so checked in to the Ocean Crest motel at the far end of Qualicum Beach. It’s a basic place, but most rooms have small kitchenettes and all have air conditioning. It’s also next to the Black Bird Schnitzel House, my favorite restaurant in the area. That made for a very satisfying dinner, after a quick wander around the beach.
Day 2: A waterfall and a cracked skull
I rode up to Nymph Falls. A really nice spot on the Puntledge River west of Courtenay and Comox. The video covers this well so I wont say much, except about the lessons from my fall and injury:
- I tend to wear my Chacos pretty much everywhere. I put them on as soon as I got off the bike and kept them on most of the time. This is usually a good idea in rocky river conditions, but I should have checked. Every rock is different, and I think I would have had better grip barefoot, even if that increased other risks.
- Having decent wilderness first aid training was helpful. Despite the initial shock, I could tell fairly quickly that I had avoided a really bad injury. I had full recollection of everything leading up to and during the fall, including of my head hitting the rock. No loss of consciousness and no other symptoms of TBI.
- The fact that I was splashing around with somebody who happened to be a paramedic was a good thing.
- Again, the training I had helped define the next steps. I took my time, dealt with the bleeding that mostly stopped before I left. I gave myself plenty of time to show symptoms of TBI if there were any. Then I proceeded as carefully as motorcycle riding allows, directly to where I was staying.
In the end, it did limit my travel for the next two days because I did not want to expose a still-open wound to much contamination. But that just meant I had to do something else.
Days 3-4: Taking it easy
The video captures most of this. I enjoyed the waters off Qualicum Beach. I took a short ride up the coast for a burger. I never made it back to my favorite swimming holes and waterfalls, but that will be next year’s project!