Cycling Advocates
Ride to Pro Walk Pro Bike 2006 |
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| Daily Trip
Log |
Jack |
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from Vancouver B.C. to Madison, Wisconsin and then on to Chicago.
Now, on the way home with stops for cycling in Santa Fe, Sacramento
and the wine country, and then Seattle. From there by bicycle back home.
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Picture of Vancouver, BC  |
| from Nanaimo
to Vancouver, BC |
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Date: 2006-10-12
Distance: 34 Kilometres
Cycling Time: 1.94 Hours
Average Speed: 17,64 kph
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Trip Distance since Leaving Vancouver
- 5,659 Kilometres |
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Thoughts
for the Day
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When on the road one tends to forget the day
of the week, the date of the month, and also which season one is in. Now
it is almost mid-October so one should not be surprised that it is still
dark at 7:00 am, that it gets dark just after 6:00 pm or that the morning
can be very cold. |
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Time for the long gloves, wind pants, and an
extra jacket layer for the short ride through downtown Nanaimo and to the
docks in Departure Bay. Once there, waiting by the loading ramp, protected
from any potential wind, and with the sun now shining down, it was quite
comfortable admiring Departure Bay ringed by hills. |
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A non-eventful boarding on to the ferry then
a calm crossing of the Georgia Strait. The sun shining down. Low hanging
fog just past the ferry. The rumbling of the engines. Something shaking
in symphony with the boat’s vibrating engine. |
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The announcement came that the ships horn will
be blowing every 2 minutes as the fog bank is entered. |
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Now, the first whistle blows and the sun is
being faded out by the fog. |
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As the loading doors of the
ferry opened as the ship was entering the port at Horseshoe Bay, I was reminded
haw scenic this bay is. Shear rock walls rise from the waters with coniferous
trees perched wherever there is enough room. |
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From Horseshoe Bay, the climb, long, steep up
the side of the mountain. Then a bit of roller coaster followed by a long
descend until it is time to leave the Upper Level Highway and cycle over
the Lions Gate Bridge. A short construction section made the ride a bit
uncomfortable as that massively big diesel truck was roaring down a steep
grade with no place to pass. Just had to put the head down and increase
speed as best as I could until the shoulders came back. From there, the
short climb up to Prospect Point followed by a long descend into English
Bay and the bike path. |
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Then False Creek is approached. Time to stop
across from Granville Market, and to admire the changing colours on the
leaves, the urban jungle, the blue sky, the rippling waters, and the birds
flying.
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Time to stop and take out the apartment keys
and then descend into the lower parking lot level and the locker. |
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The bike brakes sure need to be desperately
adjusted. |
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I am home. |
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Cycling
Facilities
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Bikes on Ferry
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Even the 6:30 am ferry from Horseshoe Bay on
a fall day had a couple of cyclists on. One came with his bike and the other
had it parked on this side. |
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There is just a small bike rack at the Departure
Bay terminal loading area. |
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