Day 79: Campbell River to Parksville - Western North America - 2005 - CycleBlaze

August 4, 2005

Day 79: Campbell River to Parksville

No dew. Huge trees. Ferns. Campgrounds stay noisy late into the evening, but are so quiet at sunrise. I packed up quickly and headed off into town for breakfast. A truck driver suggested a logger's cafe just across the bridge. The pancakes were kinda small, but the blue and white tiled floor and old photos on the wall made up for it.

Temperate Rainforest along the Elk River
Heart 1 Comment 0

I reconnected with Jean Pierre as I was leaving town, but he needed to shop for groceries, so I headed on. The old highway south of town was stunning - following the shoreline for miles. Islands dotted the channel and the glacier-capped Coast Range rose up dramatically from the far shore. But it was definitely south island - solid houses and heavy traffic.

Oyster Bay View across the Straits of Georgia
Heart 1 Comment 0

At Courtenay I stopped for a lemon gelato - my first one of the trip - and was delighted. The server warned me that it was a "different" lemon, but it was just like the tart lemon I had grown up with in Puerto Rico.

Little Church on the Hill above Courtenay
Heart 0 Comment 0

The ride south went inland just enough so that the shore wasn't visible, but the traffic eased up as well. I finally had to quit refilling my front tire and do something about it. I found a tiny piece of wire by cutting my finger - ouch! The source of all my aggravation removed at last - with the help of some tweezers.

Quiet Coastal Scene near Union Bay
Heart 0 Comment 0

So I was off again through busy Qualicum Beach. This time with a fully inflated front tire. I went on past Parksville to Rathtrevor Provincial Park where they had a separate tent camping area just a stone's throw from the beach. The noise continued until nearly midnight, so I got up and took a stroll along the beach, gazing at the stars. Vancouver and Nanaimo created two huge domes of light to the southeast - erasing most of the night sky. But towards the northwest, the myriad stars of the Milky Way still shone brightly.

Today's ride: 81 miles (130 km)
Total: 4,276 miles (6,882 km)

Rate this entry's writing Heart 1
Comment on this entry Comment 0