I've become quite interested in the concept of s24o's and s48o's so this weekend I set off on my planned Capital to Capital Tour.
This was supposed to be done on my cheap build coaster bike but I decided to downsize my collection a bit and it is slated to go to another home.
To make up for that I made a gas tank bag out of duct tape. huh.. huh...
*sigh*
Warning: Pic heavy
It's expected that every loyal Commonwealth Subject pay homage to our late Queen Victoria at least once in their lives and I figured the best time to do that was during the Victoria Day long weekend (named in her glorious honour).
The first Capital of British Columbia was Fort Langley, an HBC outpost that controlled trade in the fertile Fraser Delta during the 1800's. After a brief time it was moved to the more central New Westminster and then finally, to Victoria. The intended Capital was originally slated to be Prince Rupert, a deep water port and northern terminus of the newly laid Trans Canadian Railway but territorial wrangling with our good neighbours to the south led politicians to strategically place the capital at the southern tip of Vancouver Island as a way of "staking claim" to land that actually juts a little south of the 49th but is attached to the resource rich island that lays above it. Canadians are diplomatic but not dumb!
Enough of politics! I left Fort Langley at 7:30am and rode along 96th ave to Hwy 17 which runs directly to the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal 60km's away.
A view of the Fraser from 96ave:
Nearing the Ferry Terminal at Tsawwassen:
On the 11am Ferry I enjoyed my first meal, Veggie Burger, fries and coffee. Oddly, on my return I would also take the 11am ferry and have the same meal again.
During the Ferry ride a pod of Killer Whales crossed our path (or did we cross theirs?):
Off the Ferry I turned right on Wain and followed the quiet and scenic 17a or West Sannich Rd. down to Brentwood Bay where I took a smaller ferry over to Mill Bay. From there I had to climb the Malahat Hwy up and over an interior plateau that juts across the Island.
Over looking the Sannich Inlet:
Along the way I saw this wounded Bald Eagle in a ditch. That is an old wound down to the skull and I was suprised it could still be alive. Another motorist called the Humane Society:
Once over the Malahat I rode through Goldstream Provincial Park and on towards Victoria. I had planned to camp anywhere Between Bamberton and there but a busy sunny long weekend meant all campgrounds were full. Just when I though I would have to wild camp for the night I decided to stop in at the Thetis Lake Campground. There was a sign saying "NO TENTING" and I was about to leave when the operator came out. He explained that it was because the washrooms were not open but took a shine to me when I explained I had been riding since morning and offered to open up the site for me. Nice Guy! Bonus was that Thetis Lake was only a 200m walk from my tent and I took a quick dip in it rather than a shower. Brrr...
Continued next post...