Tuesday, 7 September 2010

Gibsons Bay

I know this is supposed to be a bike trip but recently it's turned into a “visiting friends and relatives” trip. Weirdly between Tracy and I we seem to have notched up several friends/relatives in the Vancouver area. Leaving the lovely Spheres in Qualicum Bay we stopped for a very short visit with an old school friend of mine. Tony and Lisa had only just moved to Sayward, Vancouver island and it was great to meet up again. We hadn't seen them for several years and one brief night wasn't enough to catch up properly but we tried.

Next we caught a ferry to the sunshine coast and stopped, briefly again, to visit Neal and Karen. Tracy had been at University with Neal sometime in the dark ages. They fed and watered us and even took us out on their boat to a nearby Sea Lion colony. But again we had to move on, catch another ferry and wind our way down the coast to Gibsons. We were here to visit Tracy's cousins.
We spent three wonderful days in Gibsons, staying with Steve and Stephanie who have a boat (EVERYONE on the sunshine coast seems to have a boat and a dog) and they took out to cruise the area. We moored up next to friends of theirs (Scott and Karen - sorry Karen I was only joking.) They were super friendly and even cooked us vege burgers- what a great day.

Karen and Scott
Tracy, Lucas, Stephanie and Steve at Tim Hortons. All Canadian family at an all Canadian institution

Tomorrow/Tuesday is a big day. Tracy flies home from Vancouver Island and I head into the “Lower 48”. It will be my first time in the US (Except for Alaska obviously) and I'm really looking forward to it. So far my trip has been divided into three week sections. Three weeks in Alaska and Canada getting down to Banff to meet Tracy. Then three weeks with Tracy, visiting BC, Vancouver Island and people. Now I'm moving into the next stage. 6 weeks in the US. I have to be at the bottom of Baja California by Nov. 1st (to start a two week Conservation project with Sea Turtles).

I'll start all this by stopping at Everett, Washington to get some new tyres. My back tyre still has some distance in it but I've noticed some disturbing cracks on the front tyre. All around the right hand side the tyre wall has cracked (but not on the left at all). It's annoying because the tread is fine and I was hoping to get a lot more out of it. But tyres are important so I'd better change them whilst I can. I've found a bike shop in Everett who will change the tyres and I think I might as well get both done.

Stats. so far:

Alaska - 10 days – 2500 miles
Canada – 35 days – 4500 miles
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1 comment:

  1. Unknown15 September 2010 at 18:26

    Well, well, well - very interesting. I notice your blog is slightly different today Dom. Why's that? HA HA HA "the power of silence". Worked like a charm! I've been pondering what smart ass comment to write & throw some retaliation your way, then thought... hmmmm... what if I write NOTHING! I pictured you on the BMW on some black top hwy thinking to yourself "why has she not commented" , "wonder if I've pissed her off – offended even"... Well, I do find the blog change most amusing and almost expect a change back now!
    Wishing you flat tires and torrential downpours,
    Oodles of love from Gibsons,
    signed,
    Bloody Annoying

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