Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.
Anyone ridden it? My good wife ("tmayder" here in bikeforums) have a few days to do a short tour next week and we are giving serious consideration to spending 3 days or so in that area. Any recommendations or warnings?
(We're thinking of the southern half with an option on the northern section...without any real schedule)
Our original plan was to ride from Jasper to Banff but the weather is entirely too cold up here in the great white north just now, so we're heading south. Thanks to twclements for the update on the parks!
Thanks!
twclements
08-02-02, 11:16 AM
Bill,
We may yet meet this summer! I did part of the sunshine coast route with my wife 3 years ago. We didn't finish since she found it too hilly (not long and steady like the rockies, but lots of up and down). Also we were disappointed by yhe lack of views from the road. You are inland almost all the time at least to Earls cove, so don't see the ocean. Anyway, here is what was to be our itinerary. This could easily be shortened to 4 days or three if you rush.
Sunshine coast BIKE TRIP
The Sunshine Coast portion of this trip is very hilly, and has narrow to no shoulder in places
DAY Route & Distance
1.West Van to Sechelt via Horseshoe Bay ferry to Gibsons, ride to Sechelt. Camp at Porpoise Bay provincial campground 45k. There is a long hill leaving the ferry terminal which then leads to the upper part of Gibson's landing, which is a good spot to stop for a snack and a drink. If you want to see the Gibson's of "Beachcombers" fame, you will need to ride downhill and of course regain your altitude to continue your trip.
2.Sechelt to Earls Cove ferry to Saltery Bay. 60k
3.Ride to Powell river, ferry to Courtenay. Courtenay to Comox. 40k
4.Comox to Qualicum Beach or Parksville. 65/75k
5.To Nanaimo, ferry to Horseshoe Bay. Horseshoe Bay to West Van. 55/65k
An alternative which I would be interested in doing with you would be the American SanJuan Islands Which can all be done using Anacortes as a base camp (allowing you to do the Islands with unloaded bikes)
San Juan Islands Bike Trip
Get campsite(s) at Washington Park in Anacortes. Afternoon ride to Deception pass (20k return, quite hilly).
Days 1-3 ride to ferry and go to Lopez, San Juan, Orcas Island for the day.
Route Summaries (distances are longest possible routes and can easily be shortened)
Lopez island 51k
easy/moderate, mostly quiet traffic, no “monster” hills
pastoral, beautiful picnic site at Shark Reef Park Great bakery at village
San Juan island 72k
moderate with a few steepish hills, traffic can be quite busy especially around Friday Harbour and Roche Harbour. Friday Harbour has lots of touristy/artsy crafty shops as well as some good restauraunts. Roche Harbour is a great lunch spot and has a neat old historic hotel. The British Camp has historical interest and you can climb up a small hill to get great views.
Orcas island 77k
moderate to difficult (very difficult if you ride up Mt. Constitution. Traffic not bad except around ferry terminal.Eastsound is a pretty little town with some good lunch spots. Deer Harbour is very pretty as is the ride to it, and has a restauraunt. The main attraction (challenge?) on Orcas has to be the ride up Mt.
Constitution. It is steep, climbing 2400 feet (750m) in only about 5k, but the view from the top is described as “the best marine view in the country" (according to one book).
Return by last ferry ( be sure to check schedule, and be on time an allow for flat tires etc. !!!! ) Camp at Anacortes.
If this interests you, let me know. I could do three/four days on the san juans with you Aug 6/7-9
Also, I may have some 2-3 friends who would be interested in this trip.
Tom
:beer:
twclements
08-02-02, 01:00 PM
Bill, further to my last,the weather channel (which is reasonably accurate here0 says that the weather for Aug 6-9 is to be sunny with cloudy periods and a 30% chance of showers on wed the 7th. Usually the weather in the san juans is drier and slightly warmer than here.
Tom
:beer:
tmayder
08-10-02, 10:38 AM
We didn't finish since she found it too hilly
I guess I wasn't considering this to mean that it was like constantly trying to ride up a wall. I thought I would die before I got back on that ferry! We rode just over 30K between Saturday evening and Sunday (mostly in the rain) and I am STILL hurting! That 20 degree hill from lower Gibsons to upper Gibsons really got me off to a bad start. Needless to say, we didn't finish the tour either. I was reading somewhere that professional cyclists train there. I can believe it! What a challenge! BTW, they have built new cycling shoulders for almost all of 101 and they now have bike racks on the buses. They won't take loaded bikes, though. Otherwise I would have been on the first bus back to the ferry.
This was a real learning experience for me. I loved the area and I want to go back... but in a car. I do have my limits.
I wish we could have joined you on a different tour but we had to do some things around Vancouver this week anyway. Maybe another time!
Cheers!
Linda