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Vancouver Island & the Sunshine Coast

Day 1, 7/12, Home to Victoria, BC
Met up with Steve as planned at the Fire station in Edgewood on time, then the wife called to say she had found my missing Insurance card for Canada. She was kind enough to meet up with us so I'd have it if necessary. Route today was super-slab to make 12:00 ferry which we just made.
Packed and ready to go, starting point, Supermall in Auburn, WA

Photo courtesy of Debbie

Last ones on ferry, just made it

Jet skier chasing ferries around

Light on point in narrow passage

Another shot of light
Motel at Victoria Harbour



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Home to Victoria, BC
End day 1

Day 2, 7/13, Victoria, BC to Tofino, BC
Once out of Victoria, route was good. Lot's of great scenery and roads. Probably the unique part of this day was Coombs, BC which is a real attraction with many small shops, all with sod roofs where several Goats make home. The road into Tofino is great, scenic with some gradual sweepers along with some tight ones going through coastal range before dropping to beach area.

The Bastian

Crazy fun house in Coombs, BC

Incinerator Rock? At Long Beach Tofino, BC

Another beach shot

Marina somewhere ?

Tofino motel
Cannon in the upper Bastion
Some Totems

This is in Coombs, BC Real gimmick, has goats living on sod covered roof-tops


Big Billy Goat

Smaller, or younger goats

The Goat Hut on roof-top

Another shot of the big guy

Woodpecker that caught my attention as I was eating apple



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Victoria, BC to Tofino, BC
End Day 2

Day 3, 7/14, Tofino, BC to Port McNeill
Another great day of riding. Found our route taking us back to the East side of Island and along the coast Hwy North. Beautiful scenery as everywhere so far. Made stop in Sayward where we had a deer cross main street in front of us, unfortunately no picture. The road into and out of Tofino is fantastic although I wouldn't want to be riding it in wet weather. Stopped into Telegraph Cove hoping to get room for night but wasn't promising so we pushed onto Port McNeill.


Mountain line along our route

Bikes along spot we stopped for picture op

Lake ?

Another mountain shot

Steve rolling along

Pub we stopped at in Woss, BC

Logging Mill at Telegraph Cove, just missed getting pic of Big Elk here

Our new friend Alex whom we met in Tofino and caught up with again in Port McNeill. Alex has been on a 5 month holiday throughout Canada & Alaska by both automobile and motorcycle. He's from Germany and owns a Sports Supply outfit. Great guy and interesting to talk with. See you in 4 years Alex!

Motel in Port McNeill



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Tofino, BC to Port McNeill, BC
End day 3

Day 4, 7/15, Port McNeill, BC to Lund, BC
Day started foggy out, temps not to bad though. Rode North to Port Hardy expecting to see lots of Bears, unfortunately we saw none, at least not until we had turned around headed for Port Alice. We got rain just before Port Hardy. Rode out to Port Alice was great, nice pavement and some twisties, to bad there isn't another route back out although I'm not complaining.

Morning fog in Port McNeill


Fly fisherman below bridge crossing Marble River

Bear just off Hwy between Port Hardy & Port Alice turn-off

Bear ......
Bear ......

Port Alice welcome sign

Looking North from Port Alice

Visitor at Port Alice

Steve's new friend

Bear at Sayward Junction

Bike Rental & Repair sign


Lake along route

Going fishing from Lund harbour

Lund Hotel

Another Lake shot

Totem

Totem sign

Bear Cove
Port Hardy Welcome sign

Light on point at Port Hardy

Marble River



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From Port McNeill, BC to Lund, BC
End day 4

Day 5, 7/16, Lund, BC to Vancouver
Woke to what looked like improved weather, started with jackets by Vancouver we were in Tee-shirts and high 80's temps. We traveled the Sunshine Coast today to Vancouver taking 2 ferries. Great ride and scenic, colorful travel, gentle sweepers most the way with gorgeous water travel amongst many islands.

Mark on Boardwalk at the Lund Hotel

Ferry wake

Dueling picture taker

Mountains from the water

Another mountain shot from water

Totem at Powell River

Palm & flowers in Powell River

The flowers

Some make-shift scene where wood carvings were along roadway in Campbell River

Wood carving along water in Campbell River

The "Griffin Pub", great place while waiting for ferry departure


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Slyvia Hotel, Vancouver
Waiting for ferry to unload so we could board

1944 shot of the Yale Hotel, hasn't changed much. Blues entertainment
HQ for Vancouver

Magic Slim, Blues guitarist with band The Teardrops we caught at the Yale Hotel in Vancouver

Sylvia Hotel on water in Vancouver

View of the "Celebration of Lights" barge from our room

Neighborhood shot from hotel room

Mark's turn at keeping watch

Getting set to sail again

View of what lies ahead

Steve got this shot of Tug passing by

Mark going after chips

Steve taking watch


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From Lund, BC to Vancouver, BC
End of Day 5

Day 6, 7/17, Vancouver to home
Weather was hot today! Some advise, don't take Hwy 1A out of Vancouver unless your looking for some good Chinese food. To many stop lights and road surface not so great. We goofed at our route and were approaching the Peace Arch border crossing with signage telling us there was a 2 hour wait. We took exit and pulled off to see where we went wrong, a jogger was passing and we stopped him for help. With his help, and suggested route over to Aldergrove crossing, we took "0" avenue which was about 10 miles of country scenery and a definite option to avoid the traffic. Made it to crossing and had no real wait time at all.

At the Aldergrove, BC border crossing headed back into Washington, USA

Beverage stop in Cedarville, WA along Hwy 9

Last stop before home, Carnation, WA



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From Vancouver to home

My vote, and I think Steve will agree, Sleeman Brown Honey Lager won out as favorite beverage this ride :)

End of run, great companionship,6 great days and approximately miles