Vancouver BC -> Victoria BC route?

"Claire Petersky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've booked the accomodations, now I need the route. Suggestions for the best way to Victoria from Vancouver? (BC, of course)

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Hi Claire,

The long route, or the short one (he said half-jokingly)? I'll suggest both.

Long Route:
-----------
1) Ride through Stanley Park across the Lions Gate Bridge, west on Marine
Drive to the Horseshoe Bay ferry.

2) Take the ferry to Langdale; then ride up the Sunshine Coast to Powell
River - will need to take another ferry from Earl's Cove to Saltery Bay.

3) Cross over to Vancouver Island on the ferry from Powell River to
Little River/Comox.

4) South on HWY 19A to Parksville, then on HWY 19/HWY 1 to Victoria.

Short Route:
------------
1) Ride through Stanley Park across the Lions Gate Bridge, west on Marine
Drive to the Horseshoe Bay ferry.

2) Take ferry to Nainaimo.

3) South on HWY 1 to Victoria.

Other Options:
--------------
1) Basically the short route, but take side trips to some of the
smaller islands before you get to Victoria.

Notes:
------
1) http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/ and
http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/southern/ give good overviews
of the ferries involved.

2) http://www.vacc.bc.ca/northvan/tm-lions.htm gives info on cycling
the Lions Gate Bridge.

Caveat:
--------
I've not cycled these routes, only travelled on them by car. Given
the chance however, I would definitely cycle them. When I last drove
the Sunshine Coast in 2003, I ran into a couple of cyclists from
Victoria who were basically doing the long route.

--
Regards,

David Tang

"David Tang" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:oZnWf.195177$sa3.42126@pd7tw1no...

Quoted message said:

"Claire Petersky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've booked the accomodations, now I need the route. Suggestions for the
best way to Victoria from Vancouver? (BC, of course)

Quoted message said:

Long Route:

[snip]

This was suggested by my co-worker already. But I'm just trying to extend a
weekend a little bit on either end, rather than do a more extended tour.

Thanks for the suggestion -- maybe next time!

David Tang said:

Hi Claire,

The long route, or the short one (he said half-jokingly)? I'll suggest
both.

Long Route:
-----------
1) Ride through Stanley Park across the Lions Gate Bridge, west on
Marine
Drive to the Horseshoe Bay ferry.

2) Take the ferry to Langdale; then ride up the Sunshine Coast to Powell
River - will need to take another ferry from Earl's Cove to Saltery
Bay.

3) Cross over to Vancouver Island on the ferry from Powell River to
Little River/Comox.

4) South on HWY 19A to Parksville, then on HWY 19/HWY 1 to Victoria.

Short Route:
------------
1) Ride through Stanley Park across the Lions Gate Bridge, west on
Marine
Drive to the Horseshoe Bay ferry.

2) Take ferry to Nainaimo.

3) South on HWY 1 to Victoria.

Other Options:
--------------
1) Basically the short route, but take side trips to some of the
smaller islands before you get to Victoria.

Notes:
------
1) http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/ and
http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/southern/ give good overviews of
the ferries involved.

2) http://www.vacc.bc.ca/northvan/tm-lions.htm gives info on cycling
the Lions Gate Bridge.

Caveat:
--------
I've not cycled these routes, only travelled on them by car. Given the
chance however, I would definitely cycle them. When I last drove the
Sunshine Coast in 2003, I ran into a couple of cyclists from Victoria
who were basically doing the long route.

David et al,

I've spent the last 7 summers in this area, cruising around on a sailboat.
I haven't ridden these roads either (I haven't found a good way to stow
the bike aboard), but I'd encourage anyone to give it a try. I've driven
around quite a bit and it all looks terrific.

Not to be missed: the waterfront in Lower Gibsons, with views of the
mountains across Howe Sound; the Friday night meat draw, and Sunday
afternoon blues jam at the Garden Bay Hotel in Pender Harbour; a swim in
the lakes at Pender Harbour; the Skookumchuck tidal rapids, where kayakers
surf the standing waves; the little bakery on the trail to the
Skookumchuck rapids; Nancy's Bakery in Lund; The Laughing Oyster
restaurant near Lund/Egmont; collecting shellfish in Malaspina Inlet;
camping on Savary Island (via Lund water taxi)... etc.

I hear Powell River has some great mountain biking.

After walking around Texada Island, across from Powell River, it seems
worth a day trip with a bike.

On Vancouver Island, Victoria gets all the attention, but Nanaimo is just
as interesting.

I could go on and on.

Matt O.