I'm starting this log while looking out the window from a lounge on a BC Ferry travelling through some islands between Port Hardy on Vancouver Island and Prince Rupert on the mainland. All 18 of the cyclists on the tour got up at 3 o'clock this morning to catch the ferry. One fellow traveller is sleeping beside me. I'm enjoying the view as I write this on my Net-book.

There was a shorter ferry trip on the first day, from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo. On that trip, I sat outside in an area at the front of the boat which was sheltered from the wind. Currently, I'm inside looking out the side of the ship as chairs that look straight forwards are an extra $35. The view is cloudy with occasional rain. I do see a few islands through the haze. I'm sure it would be a fantastic view on a sunny day.

I'm currently on the second of 5 ferry trips on this trip which is planned to go from Vancouver to Inuvik, NWT. The first part has 5 days of bicycling on Vancouver Island. This is followed by two ferry trips amongst the islands on the west coasts of British Columbia and Alaska, ending in Skagway. From there we bicycle inland to Whitehorse and Dawson, along the Klondike “Trail of 98.” The final stage of the trip is the Dempster Highway from near Dawson to Inuvik, NWT. Two other ferries are needed to cross the Pelly and Mackenzie Rivers on this northern road.

Part 1 – Start in Vancouver and Bicycle Vancouver Island from Nanaimo to Port Hardy

Wednesday

Before the ferry to Nanaimo, on Wednesday we all hustle from UBC to North Vancouver and take Marine Drive. The ride along Marine Drive is still as wonderful as I remember it from years ago. I take a short video to capture the experience.

After the ferry from Nanaimo, I go on a side trip downtown. There's a bicycle path along the waterfront. It is crowded with people walking so I, too, walk. After a quick snack in a local store, I start following the tour route again on streets along the Strait of Georgia through the suburbs of Nanaimo which lead to the old island highway that the trip follows for the next few days.

Tonight's tenting is at Rathtrevor Beach provincial park. Signs in the park indicate that it is a conservation area for Brant Geese who migrate through here for points north in the spring and south in the fall. I walk around the park in the evening to see a live owl that is being exhibited at the Nature Centre. The barred owl is grey and a rather large bird from a local centre for injured animals.

10. Rathtrevor Beach, high tide

11. Rathtrevor Beach, high tide

Thursday July 21

Luckily, the rain that started about 8 pm last evening stops by early hours of the morning, and the weather gets sunny and warm as the day progresses. My adventures start today by going back and looking at the beach again. The tide is out this morning so everything looks much different from last evening when the tide was in. I take more pictures. I then follow a trail which skirts along the beach by the bay and then along the ocean. The trail leads to a beach suburb beside the park to the west where I take a road that eventually leads back to the highway. This road runs along a pretty stream.

I Follow along the Old Island Highway thinking about going on the extra side trip, that's on Bud's map, to Cathedral Grove if I see the sign for Bennett Road. I do see the sign and the side trip begins. Along the way is Little Qualicum Falls – a cute mini-gorge with an upper and lower falls. I hit the road again and continue on through some more hills to Cathedral Grove – a small piece of old-growth forest, and a major stop off point for most tourists. It's crowded.

The ride back to Qualicum Beach is fast since most of the road is downhill though some of it appeared flat on the way to Cathedral Grove, but I was going a bit slow and in a low gear. Ah, these optical illusions. I thought, at the time, that I was just having problems warming up in the morning?

When at Qualicum Beach, I pause for a bit to eat 2 peanut butter sandwiches and a banana, and, take-in the sea shore. Most of the route today is beside seaside homes. There are a few short showers in the afternoon, but I gather they are short since oncoming cars do not have their wipers on – real rain is much more than this, at least to a west coast person, eh?

Today's camping is at Miracle Beach State Park. The group campsite is a ways from the showers so I ride my bike to the showers, and then continue to the beach on the bike. There I can see the mountains on the mainland of British Columbia. I wander around the Park in the evening and find a maze of trails that are situated near the beach. Eventually I exit the trails at the Activity House where children are dissecting fish. I also see someone's computer hooked up to a wall socket, so I stop and hook up my Netbook. There are a few mosquitoes here but not enough to be annoying. They do remind me to buy some insect repellent to counter other potentially more serious infestations in the future where there may be clouds of bugs

Friday July 22

I start today's adventures with sitting on the beach in the sun for half to three quarters of an hour. It was cold at the campsite. The warmth on the beach is a relief. There are other people on this beach in the morning. Some are sitting on the logs and contemplating like myself. Others are walking in the tidal flats as tide is out. There are a few fathers showing their young sons the ways of the ocean.

Another amazing cyclist is becoming our mascot. She is travelling with dog in bike trailer plus all her gear in bike bags on bike. Somehow, she gets to the same campsites as our group that's headed for Inuvik.

After warming up on the beach, I hit the road on the Island Highway once again. The first big habitation is Campbell River 20 km away though there are houses along most of the shoreline. Most look like permanent homes. In Campbell River I see fish boats at the wharf and stop at some stores to get a few items. One of the more interesting events happens when I stumble behind the mall in Campbell River. There I find a native cemetery that contains contemporary totem poles.

Just outside of Campbell River is Seymour Narrows, a place where there were 2 submerged rock pillars, Ripple Rock, until they were blown up in 1958. Several prior attempts to remove the rock pillars had failed. Each rock pillar was the size of multiple football fields with some protrusions getting within 9 metres of water surface. These caused many boats to sink. Besides the rock pillars Seymour Narrows is hazardous due to strong currents that occur with each tide. Boats try to schedule passage in the calms of low and high tide, rather than at the times of tide change.

Next is the start of a long long hill that has a steady grade of, at most, 5 percent, for many kilometres. There are some optical illusions about whether one is riding up hill or down dale, but one does know by one's speed and the bike gear that one can turn.

Much of this part is a somewhat boring road with bush on both sides; luckily, there are half paved shoulders most of the way. These allowed me to somewhat zone-in, meditate, and get in a trance to zombie the miles away.

The location of tonight's camp is near the intersection of Sayward Road and Island Highway. Sayward is another 10 km towards the sea. I check into camp and then go to Sayward. There's log sorting on one side of the road in Sayward and quaint houses with a park containing a small pond. A couple of kilometres further down after Sayward Road is Kelsey Bay where there is a small dock for fish boats.

Saturday July 23

Today's ride is just a short 68 km to Woss. The best view of today is from the high, wooden bridge in Woss. When I'm looking one way at some rapids, 2 locals drive up and one says “Do ya see any Sockeye?” When I hesitate, the driver jumps out of his truck and up on the other side of the bridge, holding the rail that's made of aluminum fencing, and says “See the Sockeye down in that pool?” At that point, I cross the bridge and try to look from my position on the roadway of the bridge. I see very little. I hesitate at jumping up on the side of bridge and grasping the rail. I say “I'm timid.” He says “I'm Paul.” I then timidly get up on side of bridge and take a few pictures of the salmon down in the pool 100 metres below.

In Woss, our group stays at the motel. The rooms are large; the accommodation is good. The news from talking to other cyclists on the road is that many use a primitive campsite near a lake that we go by tomorrow. Hey, the motel is fine, eh? There's Wi-Fi but no FM radio stations for my iPod to pick up.

I started this morning by leaving camp and hitting the Island Highway right away. First off, there's a long climb of 3 km. I pass many other riders. The rest of today's ride is small ups and downs in comparison. The somewhat repetitive nature of the landscape is broken by some anomalies. One is good graffiti – a rock with “Canada rocks” painted on it? Another is a short hike on Hoomak Lake trail. There are signs along the trail pointing out the process of harvesting and replanting trees.

Sunday July 24

Today is a day of side trips to Telegraph Cove and Port McNeill. Otherwise the route follows the Island Highway. The morning starts out beside a big lake. I take a few pictures of the lake with glaciers in the mountains in background.

The first side-trip is to Telegraph Cove. It's a pleasant break from the Island Highway since there's much less traffic, but much steeper hills the last few kilometres between Beaver Cove and Telegraph Cove. Near Beaver Cove, I spot a small, genuine, logging train that is stopped at a small railroad crossing. Luckily, it's stopped here today since it's Sunday. This spot proves to be popular. While I'm taking a picture, three other people stop to do the same.

The logs on this train are bound for the log sorting plant in Beaver Cove that I soon see. Just past the log sorting plant is a very steep hill. At the top of the hill is a small park that contains 3 interesting display boards:

Telegraph Cove is almost round with one small hole that pleasure craft use to access the ocean – this cove appears to be completely devoted to pleasure. It's packed with pleasure boats of all sizes. I see a group of kayakers getting ready to go whale watching. Well, at least I hear some of them talking about the possibilities of seeing whales – their guide reassures them that he knows places where whales hang out.

The second side trip is to Port McNeil. I go into town through some suburban roads and find a route along the waterfront. In the centre of the town I find an ageing model boat on top of a restaurant – “The Dry Dock.” There's BC Ferries going to Sointula – the location, at one time in history, of a Utopian Finnish community.

After seeing the sign for Port Hardy, I try to get off the Island Highway and onto some local roads that, hopefully, get closer to the ocean. My first try fizzles. It's a road to the airport that eventually just returns to the Island Highway. My second try is a dead-end named Bear Cove Highway, but it is noteworthy since it is the road to the BC Ferry that I'm taking tomorrow along with our group of bicyclists. It's interesting to see this road in daylight as it will be dark when we all go to the ferry tomorrow at 4 a.m. There are some great views of the Port Hardy area.

My third attempt to find a good road going into Port Hardy is a success – Hardy Bay Road. This road goes by the main port that is used by fishing vessels and a fish plant.

The Pioneer Hostel where Tour Arctic is staying is a on side street near yet another waterfront park. The whole area needs renovation. One motel is closed and there's a bankruptcy sale sign pasted on it. It looks like some redevelopment has started – there's construction on the lot opposite the bankrupt motel.

35. View of Bear Cove on road to Airport

36. Downtown park near our Hostel