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Langdale ferry terminal to Roberts Creek

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Langdale ferry terminal to Roberts Creek

Old 07-03-11, 07:31 PM
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Langdale ferry terminal to Roberts Creek

Has anyone cycled from the Langdale ferry terminal to Roberts Creek? I'm a senior relearning my cycling skills. What are the roads like? Are there wide shoulders? Is there a bike trail? How long does the trip take? What is the terrain like? Is there a good hostel or campground half way? Any suggestions? A few days ago I rode from Cedar to Ladysmith and back on Vancouver Island - - - yes, a short distance, but an accomplishment for me. The highway traffic was daunting.But I made it safely. It did make me question if I want to be riding alongside logging trucks. Would the Langley ferry terminal to Roberts Creek be considered an easy, medium or difficult ride? Thanks for you help. Committed to giving up fossil fuels!! Thanks.
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Old 07-03-11, 09:57 PM
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Hi, I've ridden this. Easy, medium, difficult, depends of course on your fitness and experience. But there is a reasonable shoulder the whole way, and once the ferry traffic has all gone past (you may want to wait a while to let it do so) it's not an especially busy highway. Very few logging trucks! There is a short, steep hill right after you roll off the ferry, then it's a rolling route with a few hilly patches, but nothing a little perseverance can't conquer. I haven't ridden on the Island but to Roberts Creek I guess it's only a little farther than from Cedar to Ladysmith.

Note that I rode the Sunshine Coast Highway - there is also the Lower Road which I'm guessing is narrower but less traffic - worth thinking about.
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Old 07-20-11, 12:29 AM
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Hello, I live on the sunshine coast in robert's creek. Once you get off the ferry there is nothing for cyclists in terms of signage or recommendations which is a shame. If you go straight up the bypass it is a long intense slog. For your level or cycling I recommend turning left on Marine drive and biking into lower Gibsons. It is okay, not much of a shoulder. Once you get into lower Gibsons, you could have a snack at sushi nagomi and go up Gibsons Way which is long hill and steep for a bit, but okay. Follow Gibsons way past the mall and all the fast food places and it turns into the highway. There is a bike lane along the main drag in upper Gibsons.
Alternatively, if you have a map, you could take the long meandering way through Gibsons following Gower Point back up to Pratt Road which will take you to the highway which you will turn left at Mcdonalds. It is much flatter with only a few steep bits.
Once back onto the highway there is an okay shoulder until you enter Robert's Creek area. There will be an intersection and you can choose to go left on Lower Road. This I would take to get to Robert's Creek if you want to go down to the village. There is a hostel in Robert's Creek on Robert's Creek Road closer to the highway. there is also camping in Robert's Creek Provincial Park which is off the highway. You can also access it by following lower road which turns into Beach avenue past the village. Follow that to Park Avenue and bike up. You can go into the campground through there and find your way to the kiosk etc..
The highway going from Gibsons to Robert's Creek is okay. I do it daily and there is a bit of shoulder, in some spots you can ride on the dirt if need be, in other spots you are right next to ditches, lots of gravel, sand etc in the summer....and traffic! Not so enjoyable. I would recommend Lower road which does not have a shoulder, but the speed limit is supposed to be 50km, although people still speed. But to get up to the hostel or camping you will have to ride up some hills.
There is a bike lane on the highway going from Robert's Creek to Gibsons however which is pretty good for the way home.
I do not have a car and am used to riding here, but it's not the most fun.
I would say the highway is VERY busy-especially with the ferries and especially in the summer with plenty of logging trucks, dump trucks, big scary trucks which do not slow down for cyclists. I would not say the sunshine coast is very biking friendly, most people who might bike do not because they feel unsafe. However, do not let that discourage you, just be safe. The distance from Langdale to Robert's Creek village etc is not that far, I would say an hour and a half to 2 hours and a bit depending on the route and how much you stop.
A very nice spot is Davis Bay which is on the highway past Robert's Creek and Wilson Creek. It's all downhill to get there and not far from the campground. It's a nice big wide beach.
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Old 07-20-11, 12:34 AM
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Oh, I wouldn't say it's endless logging trucks or anything, but they are there, I dread seeing them coming along. If you stick to the shoulder and take Lower Road it should be fine.
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Old 07-22-11, 06:08 PM
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The ride is super nice and quiet, just try and stick off to the shoulder or drivers will get pissed off. Pretty easy route overall compared to biking in west van, with some nice rolling hills and such. The only hill that really sucks is the one out of the ferry, after that the gradient reaches a max of like 5%
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Old 07-25-11, 09:28 AM
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We were there just this Saturday, and I was wondering about bike routes. Thank you for all the details.
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Old 07-31-11, 02:51 PM
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Compared to Marine Drive in West Van, the coast is quiet, but unless there is a lull between ferries(which is becoming rare), the highway traffic is busy, and the drivers on holiday are IMPATIENT. I do also know the back routes, multi use trails and short cuts which make things much more fun. I do agree that it is much easier than biking in West Van though....those hills are insane! And yes, stick to the right of the fog line. I often see visiting cyclists and touring cyclists 'taking the lane' and I cringe. The road is too twisty and drivers too distracted. I recommend taking Lower Road and going back up Marlene if you are continuing up the coast. Marlene Road has a steady incline that is not very steep.
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Old 08-03-11, 03:06 PM
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I just rode from Langdale to Pender Harbor and back this weekend - two years since I last rode the Sunshine Coast. The shoulder was a bit narrower than I had remembered it, and you've got to watch for the gravel spilling out from driveways. The road was busy but no worse than Vancouver - I guess it all depends what you're used to. Overall a very enjoyable ride.

Took Redrooffs Rd through Halfmoon Bay - that road is definitely one of my all-time favorites!
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Old 08-11-11, 11:44 PM
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i biked up the 'bypass' last night for the first time. Not bad at all! Especially considering I had just spent 2 days cycling on Bowen Island...oh the hills!
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