Originally Posted by
Rowan
And Victoria is a revelation for cycling culture. Anyone who says North America doesn't have a city with that culture needs to take a trip there. There were myriad riders everywhere, lots of bikes locked up on stands, and lots of older bikes converted to utility use.
The drivers also seemed to be remarkably patient, and there were quite a few bike lanes, although fewer paths. Bike routes were well marked, including the Galloping Goose and the coastal routes.
Victoria is where I've called home for the past 24 years and you're absolutely right - a cycling culture has slowly developed here and now is at the point where it's a very comfortable place to be a cyclist. While we certainly don't have the percentage of cycling commuters that Copenhagen or Amsterdam (or possibly even Portland, OR) have, we have achieved a sort of critical mass of cyclists of all types. All city level transportation and infrastructure planning now includes cycling concerns, and the city is actively adding new protected bike lanes on many city roads.
It's common to find permanent bike repair stands with attached tools and water stations along the Galloping Goose & Lochside Trails, and even some businesses are adding similar stations in an effort to appeal to cyclists. And you'll find all kinds of cyclists here - from roadies in full kit to families riding to one of the farmers markets or downtown for shopping and other activities.
You mentioned what I consider the biggest and most important change that's taken place over the last number of years: the drivers. Cycling is sufficiently normal now, so the drivers are remarkably patient and courteous on the whole: that wasn't my experience even five years ago.
As to the thread topic, I've done a couple of short getaways by bike so far this summer. One was just a weekend camping trip over to Ruckle Park on Salt Spring Island: it's a place that's within easy reach from Victoria, so with minimal planning I can grab my camping gear, load up the bike and arrive there by late afternoon. With the weather we've been getting I'm inclined to do this a few more times: the campsites on the ocean are spectacular!
My other vacation started out as a weekend getaway to Salt Spring, but some friends of mine informed me they were heading up to Parksville the following week. So I decided to continue on after my weekend at Ruckle Park. I rode across Salt Spring to the Vesuvius Ferry which carried me to Crofton. I only did a short ride that day and camped at a private campsite at Chemainus, primarily because they had a shower and I was in desperate need by that time! The next day I rode to Parksville and joined my friends. It was a terrific getaway!