HORSESHOE BAY RIDE

Yesterday was a rest day and the first half was spent getting on the BC ferry and traveling to Vancouver to our friend Patti's house. After unloading the bikes and our luggage we headed to Granville Island for a bit of shopping, wandering about and just generally enjoying the scenery. The public market was amazing and we loaded up on fruit, veggies, bagels and a few VERY necessary delicious treats. 

HORSESHOE BAY RIDE

Today we rode to Horseshoe Bay from Patti's home in Richmond. We started a bit later this morning as it had rained overnight and we wanted to allow for abit of time for the roads to dry. . We met up with Howard Brown, another one of our Trilogy Bicycle Club snowbirds about 25% into the ride. He only rode with us for about 10-15 miles as he had to get home early.

In total we rode 56 miles and crossed four bridges (twice!). One of the longest bridge we crossed was the Lions Gate bridge. It is a suspension bridge and is a total of 5800 feet across. It crosses the mouth of the Burrard inlet and provides views of Stanley Park and North Vancouver. The building of it was originally funded in part by the Guiness family (beer).

We rode right into Vancouver, through several neighborhoods and into the city and down toward Stanley Park. Vancouver is a major bicycle friendly city with designated bike routes and bike lanes. Some streets only allow bikes to enter making it very easy to traverse the city.

Vancouver and surrounding areas are going through a renaissance and many older homes have been purchased and either reconstructed or torn down and rebuilt. These are not just a few homes but this seems to be going on all over the area. All of these homes come with very high price tags and the real estate market is booming. Some homes are lovely and others are overbuilt and what I like to call McMansions. Each to their own!

We peddled for about 8-10 miles on Marine Drive and were treated to spectacular views and homes ranging   from 3 - 14 million dollars. We arrived in Horseshoe Bay and had a quick little lunch as we watched the Nanaimo to the Horseshoe Bay ferry arrive.  Then we turned around and did most of the same route home. 

Regarding those hills we've been climbing - a few thoughts. What I realized today is that I have been gauging the climbs and percent elevation relative to Arizona riding. Then I thought, hey, most of the people that will be riding here in Canada next year are primarily from the North (USA & Canada) and are used to these types of roads and have lots of experience riding hills in their home towns. Those of us from AZ will just have to do a bit of training to get ready and then it is just one foot in front of the other. 

Overall this was a great day, and most of the car drivers are very respectful to cyclists, and believe me there are lots and lots of cyclists here.  

Tomorrow off to Kelowna to do a bit of mountain biking and visit with more Trilogy Bike club friends.  

Cowichan Valley Ride and Bob Arrives in Hamburg, NY

Sorry for the late blog, but we were busy getting ready for our next adventure in Vancouver and had to pack up and get ready to go. This is a long post because there was just to much to report!

Yesterday we rode once again with some of the "Sisters." This time we were joined by Deb and Marsha along with the rest of the women we had already ridden with.

We took the Brentwood Bay to Millwood ferry across the Saanich Inlet to explore and ride the Cowichan Valley. While we waited for the ferry we were treated by a display of thousands jellyfish in the water below the pier. I had always thought that jellyfish were a warm water sea creature and was surprised and delighted to see them. 

Bicycles usually board the ferry first and we were joined by other cyclists and a tour group with Backroads Bicycles. This is a small ferry and it was a short but scenic crossing. Once again we had great weather, topping out in the 70's with  blue skies, sunshine and lots of picture perfect fluffy clouds. An excellent day for a ride. 

I was prepared for climbing as I had been forewarned. Once again there was plenty of up, but it was always associated with plenty of down. We tweaked my loaner bike one more time the night before and I felt right at home on the bike even using the Campagnolo shifters. This made riding much easier and the day even better. Just as a side note, Margaret graciously has agreed to let me use this bike during our entire trip and I was able to cancel the rental for the Rockies tour - thanks Margaret! 

We did a complete circle of the valley and had spectacular views of vineyards, farms and Mill Bay. We stopped at the Grain Mill Bakery in Cowichan Bay and enjoyed some very yummy leg powering treats and good coffee   We sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine and views of the houseboats docked right nearby. 

Once again a spectacular ride with delightful company - and these women can ride like the wind up and down those hills! We rode 42 challenging miles with just a tad more than 2700 feet of climbing. Here's the elevation profile for reference. This mileage takes a lot more saddle time than the same mileage riding In Arizona. But it certainly much cooler. 

The "Sister's" jersey garners a lot of attention and comments from people. This young woman and fellow spinning instructor asked to have her photo taken with us.  It was a great day and I thank the Sisters for coming out to play. Now I truly feel part of the greater "Sisters" collective. 

We also had a lovely dinner hosted by Trilogy Bike club friends Ron and Carol Dunlop - great visit! We so busy chatting that I only got a few pictures, including the amazing meal Carol prepared. 

Today is a rest day in Vancouver at Patti's house in Richmond. Good to be off the bike for a day!

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Bob's Update. - Arrived in Hamburg, NY

Today I completed the 2400 mile ride from Peoria to Hamburg. The town describes itself as a "village" and now I see why. The small downtown area is very quaint and resembles something out of a movie set. I stopped for lunch at a small roadside market. Fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables and a small deli counter. I met the owner and he said they were looking forward to all the visiting motorcyclists. The rally begins on Thursday at the Erie County Fairgrounds, one of largest in America. My camping "adventure" begins on Thursday and I promise to take lots of pictures. 

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Tour of Victoria and Bob's Perfect Ride Day

Sunshine and only clear skies in the forecast - at last! 

We were very excited to see the sun peeking through the clouds this morning. To make the morning even more special I saw this magnificent creature about 30 yards away perched atop a giant tree, he apparently was looking for breakfast. 

Hilary, Margaret and I left the house at 8:45 am and hit the road cycling toward downtown Victoria. Temps were in the low 60's but with the sunshine it promised to be a perfect ride day. Margaret led us to the trail and then across the bridge downtown. We passed the Naval yard, skirted Chinatown and arrived right near the Capitol building for our first photo opportunity near the harbor. 

We met some young people on bikes at one of the stop lights and they quickly told us they were from Oakland, CA, and had just arrived from Seattle on the ferry this morning. You gotta love young people and their enthusiasm. How long do you think it will take before they start off loading some of the stuff they brought along with them?

We spotted the brightly colored Tugboat brigade and  precision drill team getting ready to perform.

As we headed toward the shoreline drive, our route was diverted by an enthusiastic parade of locals participating in a fun run. After a few detours to get around the crowds we finally made it to the seaside and were treated to more lovely views.

Remember that hill climbing I wrote about yesterday? Well there was a bit more (several) today. However, I am learning that the climbs, are fairly short, so it really is just one foot in front of the other to the top. Some are pretty steep and others not so much. The good news is that once we reach the top  there is usually a pretty fun downhill making the effort spent climbing all worthwhile. At least that is what I am telling myself for now.

Once we left the coastline we were once more in wooded areas and even had a lovely stop for tea. Then we were right back down to the shoreline where there were some very exclusive and beautiful homes. I found my next home in Victoria - if only I can keep the current owners as the gardeners. This house certainly exhibits their passion for gardening.

Victoria has made a huge commitment to the cycling community and provides miles and miles of bike lanes and bike trails. Generally drivers are very respectful to the many riders that are out on the road, making it truly a cycling paradise. 

Today we rode a total of 51 miles and I do have to say we were all a bit tuckered when we arrived home. We spent time cleaning the bikes and oiling the chains getting ready for tomorrow's ride with more of the "Sister's that I met earlier. This adventure promises to be fun, approximately 45 miles, does involve a ferry and as Margaet likes to say "a bit of climbing." I can hardly wait!  

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Bob's Perfect Ride Day Report

After spending the night in Cincinnati, Sunday dawned with beautiful clear skies and a temperatures in the low 60s. I've never toured Ohio before and found it to be a wonderful ride with abundant farmlands and rolling hills.

 I kept trying to figure out what the farmers were growing, but it pretty much just all looked green to me. I've decided there should be a rule that all farmers must post signs indicating what it is that they are growing. Let's face it, corn is easy but everything else is just a mystery. 

I arrived in Cleveland and stopped for a late lunch at Whole Foods. People are so friendly in the Midwest and I was approached by complete strangers asking about my ride and bike. One woman even rounded up her husband and kids to meet me while I was at the store. When I got to the parking lot I spent even more time chatting with a gentleman who was parked next to me and was curious about the bike. Both of these lovely people sent me off with smiles and wishes for a blessed day.

I was going to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but because of the upcoming Republican convention the traffic is pretty much of a nightmare so I may have to save that tour for another trip.  Tomorrow I will ride to Hamburg, New York where the BMW motorcycle rally will take place later this week. I have promised Gail that I will take photos for the blog.

Short EZ(?) Ride To The Nest

This morning when we awoke we were greeted with a weather forecast for morning rain and they were right, it rained. We decided to delay our ride and settled in and watched the Tour de France (yeah Froomie!) and enjoyed  good coffee, oatmeal with blueberries, and waited for the skies to clear. 

We left around 10:30 and were blessed with cool temperatures with the sun occassionally breaking through. Margaret planned a fairly easy 25 mile ride not taking us not far from home just in case of rain. Wait a minute, did I hear EASY? So why were those 8% - 11% grades showing up on my Garmin from time to time? The good news is they were short climbs with associated downhills, but after all the fairly flat AZ riding, it was challenging to do several series of hill climbs. 

What is lovely about this area is that one can quickly pedal out of civilization. We roamed through farmland to the forests, right down to Esquimalt Harbor.

SHEEP!

 The harbor that offered scenic views of downtown Victoria to the east and a lagoon filled with a variety of birds on the west. (No photos here as we were too busy peddling).

We then peddled up some more hills and found ourselves in the middle of the forest, and yep, plenty of deer. One of which posed perfectly for me. 

We then headed for more riding on the Galloping Goose trail and The Nest cafe that caters to cyclists for a quick bite. We each just had a sandwich and will make this a definite stop for the Trilogy Bike Club event next year.

GALLOPING GOOSE TRAIL

After lunch we headed home as the skies were getting a bit darker and there was more rain in the forecast for the afternoon. After getting cleaned up we went down to a local bike shop and found they were having a killer sale.  I scored some cool arm warmers and a pair of Sugoi shorts both with prices reduced 75%!  

Tonight we head to dinner at Christopher and Hilary's house. They are Trilogy Bike Club friends and conveniently live around the corner from Margaret. 

This was overall yet another great day and I keep telling myself the climbing is great practice for our upcoming Rocky Mountain tour. 

Tomorrow Margaret, Hilary and I will do a city cycle tour of downtown Victoria and the waterfront. Margaret says not many hills...but that's what she said today, so I will let you know tomorrow if she can be trusted. 😉 🚴🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦

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Bob will have another update tomorrow. 

Riding the Saanich Penninsula

Today we were blessed by perfect riding weather with temperatures ranging in the mid to high 60's and NO rain. I rode with friends Margaret and Patti and we met up with three women from their  local riding group - the "Sisters of No Mercy". I am an honorary member, and even have the cycling jersey, but had not met any of them. Today three members, Diane, Maureen and Christine were able to ride with us and we also have a ride planned for this coming Monday.

I was teased about all the extra clothing I was wearing, but hey, I am from Arizona!

We rode several miles on the Galloping Goose trail and on some lovely back roads that provided views of the Haro straight. This route took us through small towns, forests of fir trees, small farms and lovely neighborhoods. We passed by many fruit and vegetable stands offering both fresh eggs and a variety of local produce for sale. Our rest stop was at "The Roost, " a local coffee shop and bakery with a selection of delicious baked goods and delicious coffee.

On the way home we also stopped by the entrance to Buchart Gardens for a photo opportunity. We also rode plenty of "rollers" with climbs raging from 4% to even a few in the 11% to 14% range. Definitely challenging but the scenery was so remarkable that the climbing just added to the experience. 

We stopped once on the way home to take a photo of a remarkable farm with a rock facade that was stunning. Total ride was 50 miles with 2500 feet of climbing. A lovely day topped off by barbecued salmon on Margaret's back porch. 

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Bob's Update

I left Jackson, TN, this morning for a short 220 mile ride to Bowling Green, Kentucky.  My goal was to spend most of the day at the National Corvette Museum.  Since all Corvettes are manufactured in Bowling Green, it's the logical place to locate a museum, dedicated to this iconic American sports car.  And what a museum it is!  Very interactive with many multi-media displays, over 115,000 square feet of exhibits, and yes, an entire room dedicated to the sinkhole that happened a few years ago.  Early morning, the ground opened up inside the museum and swallowed eight Corvettes.  The security cameras captured the event that day and it's amazing to watch what happened:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijed6GBGXHE

All but two have been completely rebuilt; the two that were restored are on display just as they appeared after recovery from the sinkhole!  The museum also serves as a delivery point for customers that have ordered their own Corvette as the factory is just across the way.  I learned that buyers can actually schedule a factory tour and watch as their personal Corvette is assembled!

It's on to Ohio on Saturday on my way to Hamburg, New York for the BMW Motorcycle Rally.  Stay tuned for more updates.

Day One In Canada & Bob On The Road

Cool temperatures and Rain!

After getting Margaret's second bike set up for me yesterday afternoon we decided to do a test run this morning. I was ready to give it a go with three variables:  a new bike, Campy shifters and different SPD cycling shoes. I will be riding this bike until we head to the Rockies so it was good to get acquainted.
This morning it was a bit cloudy and as Margaret said "just a bit misty." What a difference! I have gone from riding in 100 degree temps to a very cool 62 degree ride start.

She had mapped out a 25 mile ride and so off we went. Beautiful neighborhoods, loads of Douglas Firs and very very little traffic.  We got about seven miles out and the mist quickly turned to rain and decided to cut it short and turned back home. Even though we were wearing rain jackets and extra clothes we were pretty soaked by the time we got back. Off came the wet shoes and socks and and the shoes were quickly stuffed with newspapers to get them to dry. We wiped down the bikes and called it a day.

After warm showers and laundry we decided the rain had cancelled the possibilities for more riding today. We decided to visit downtown Victoria and my favorite sports store - MEC (Mountain Equpment Coop) and do a bit of shopping. Of course we found some treasures we could not live without and then went to have a bit of lunch and some walking around. 

Hey, check this out - at the commemorative monument for the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Nave we found a brick with Margaret's name.  Pretty cool!

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Bob has made it as far as Jackson Tenessee and had stops in Amarillo and of course the Big Texan. He attended a minor league Dodger game in Oklahoma City and is experiencing southern hospitality wherever he has stopped. Temps are warm but he is riding early to avoid the heat of the day.