Swoosh. That was the
only sound giving them away.
In a flurry of spandex, a blur of colour and a rhythmic
clicking of gears; five finely toned speed-cyclists brushed past me towards the
highway in mechanical synchronicity. Me? I am not a cyclist. I am a bike rider.
I would be choosing the road less traveled.
I warily eyed the vehicle that was to be my main mode of
transportation for the next five days. Victoria was recently declared the "Cycle
Capital of Canada". My friend and I were here to discover why.
DAY ONE: FERRIES, SIDNEY & SOUTH
Half of the fun of a visit to Victoria is getting there. I
always enjoy BC Ferries as they offer a pleasurable trip through a feast of
forested islands. The main appeal of this journey is the scenery: a constantly
changing vista of mountains, wildlife and passing ships.
Disembarking off the ferry in Swartz Bay, we spotted the
well-marked bike path with a sign welcoming us to the "Cycle Capital of Canada".
Following the map on the sign, we cycled 6 kilometers to the seaside town of
Sidney, located on Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula. Surrounded on three
sides by the sea, Sidney began as a farming settlement in 1858. Today, with its
proximity to the picturesque islands of southwest British Columbia and northwest
Washington State, this is a popular destination as well as an important midway
point on the connection between Vancouver and Victoria. Sidney is an ideal
launching-point for wilderness recreation and sightseeing in the islands,
beaches and parks nearby. The town is small enough to explore on foot and
promotes museums with interactive learning as well as unique shops and markets.
Lovers of good bookstores could spend days browsing here.
The Lochside Trail, a 27-kilometre route connecting Sidney to
Victoria, is a natural way to cycle to British Columbia’s capital city. The
trail travels along coastal roadways, between farms, under canopies of trees and
through ocean-view communities. Riding along, we shared the path with walkers,
joggers -- even horseback riders. At Mattick’s Farm, we stopped for locally
grown veggies and fresh apple pie. When you are traveling by bike, stopping to
"fill up" the gas tank is the best part of the trip. At Royal Oak Drive, we left
Lochside Trail in search of the new Seaside-Touring Route that would follow the
coastline and lead us directly to our inn in the village of Oak Bay.
DAY TWO: VICTORIA AND OAK BAY
After awakening to the blessing of a sunrise over Mount
Baker, we reluctantly left our plush rooms (with their own resident stuffed
teddy-bears!) and were off to check out Canada’s cycling capital. Overflowing
flower boxes and green parkways allow Victoria to live up to its reputation as
"the city of gardens." We wended our way through Oak Bay on our way to the
treasures of Victoria’s inner harbour. Oak Bay boasts quiet seaside marinas,
meandering coastal roads and a town core that has been called "more British that
the British". Stop at the Blethering Place for afternoon tea or visit the Tudor
Sweet Shop for a more decadent treat. In downtown Victoria, I felt like a
chameleon. Alternating between road riding and walking our bikes, we blended in
with pedestrians and car traffic alike. Parking? No parkade line-ups and daily
fees for cyclists. In Victoria, bike racks abound. You can ride along the
harbour marina, tour the Parliament buildings, and shop along Government Street
or picnic among the rose gardens of Beacon Hill Park. Heading home that night,
we felt a sense of belonging as we traveled alongside Canada’s highest percent
of city cycle-commuters.
DAY THREE: COWICHAN WINE TOURS
Oh, my aching bones. Or was it my muscles? With a sigh of
relief, I settled into the tour van for a forty minute drive to the Cowichan
Valley. Cycling between the farms was optional. I was tempted, but I willed
myself to get back on my bike. The word Cowichan is a native word meaning "land
warmed by sun" and today the valley certainly lives up to its name.
Our first stop was a 24-year-old organic farm selling slow
foods (the opposite of fast food, an international movement very much embraced
by Cowichan’s food purveyors). We sampled peas and grapes off the vine and then
collected fresh garden vegetables for our noon meal. At the Godfrey-Brownell
vineyards, eagerly awaited cheeses, bread, garden salad greens, tomatoes and an
assortment of half-full wine glasses cluttered the table. The wine was rich and
flavorful as it trickled slowly over our taste buds. Slow cycling, slow food and
the slow savoring of our midday meal suited me just fine. Our Inn's guide loaded
us back into the van for a leisurely ride "home".
DAY FOUR: SOOKE REGION
Cycle touring is not for the feint of heart. Or is it?
Packing a set of evening clothes and a credit card, we set off along the
Galloping Goose Trail for Sooke, BC, a winding route that is about 55 kilometers
from Victoria into the Sooke Region.
The warm and genuine community of 11,000 people is situated
between a wild, towering rainforest and the dramatic Pacific Ocean. Sooke offers
visitors the untamed but comfortable experience that Vancouver Island’s far west
coast is famous for -- and, thankfully, you can skip the 300-plus kilometers
cycle to Tofino.
That evening and the next morning at Mrs. Lewer’s B&B, the
china cups, fresh flower garnishes and decadent breakfast made us feel
delightfully pampered. However, it was the availability of a washer and dryer
and self-serve snacks that in particular made us bike riders feel right at home.
In my room, I looked at the mirror in disbelief. Was that me?
Flat, helmet hair, red, glowing cheeks, and grease-streaked hands? Then, I made
true eye contact with the reflection and grinned. I had cycled over 150
kilometers on my bicycle in just five days-and loved it! Sadly, this tour was
nearing its end, but the peaceful trails and easy access to further cycling
adventures had indeed proved Victoria to be "the cycle capital of Canada." The
islands were already calling me back.
IF YOU GO:
www.cyclevancouverisland.ca
www.oakbaybeachhotel.com
www.sookenet.com
www.cowichan.bc.ca
www.bcferries.com