Well I stayed in my first motel of this trip last night. You get a bit of “Sticker Shock” when you have been paying $10 a night to camp. Granted you aren’t going to the bathroom in a hole with flies for company. That said, camping has worn on me pretty good this trip.

My second night on the road was a campground next to Lake Cowichan. I was a “stones throw” from the lake.

This is what I woke up to. Nice eh?

The plan for the next day was to go to Ucluelet on the west coast but I met an Irishman at the campsite that recommended that I just head up the east coast.

I stopped for lunch at Lizzy Lou’s Funky Fusion Cafe in Chemainus and had a very good vegiwrap (with red peppers) as a local recommended. I had a Mocha coffee as well but Lizzy was about being healthy so I got some kind of protein powered mocha instead.

A very sweet couple owns and runs the place. Tim the husband, kept saying how he came down to visit his wife…(and Eh,) she put me to work. (Eh)

That evening I stayed at a Provincial campground at Comox, BC near the ferry station where I would depart Vancouver Island the next day.

The following morning I took a very foggy ride from Comox to Powell River near the BC mainland. Guess what? I met another F650 rider.

We docked at Powell River at Hardy Island. From there I took the next ferry in Saltry Bay and headed toward Thormanby Island. This was a much more pleasant ride with great scenery and very little fog.

I overnighted on the island and FINALLY got a shower and shave after 4 days. I think bears were probably avoiding me at this point.

The next morning I took the ferry to West Vancouver. Headed to a BMW shop. (I’m addicted to these places.) I picked up minor things.

From there I took Rt-99 NE to Squamish. Man!!! It was a pain too. They are widening the road all the way to Whistler for the Olympics.

I’m staying an extra night in Squamish but at a campsite. $20 It’s just cool out and cloudy. I have to figure whether I am going to head to the Canadian Rockies or not. Weather isn’t the greatest and the evenings are around 32 degrees. Something to sleep on.

More later…

I’m camping tonight near Youbou, BC, next to Lake Cowichan
It’s good that I had a bike that can off road because I had to ride a forest road with my load for about 2 miles. Even bottomed out once on my bike. That will get you to slow down.

As I knew already, the Canadian people are very kind. Several like to strike up a conversation and are always willing to help if I have a question. Their accent still weirds me out some. Every time I hear it, I get flashes from the movie “Fargo”.

I seemed to be getting stopped much more by people, who are asking questions about my bike. I’ve been getting the usual…”Where are you from?” “How long have you had the bike?” “Do you like it” Yada yada.

I did catch a “Harley Dude” circling my bike earlier while I was on a bathroom break. I wasn’t much up for a conversation at the time, so I just waited until he left. Besides, I don’t know, I might of had to fight him or something. The biker code has always got me confused. 🙂

Tomorrow, I plan to try to make it to Ucluelet. I’m told it is quite beautiful there. My mapping program seems to have me taking about 68 miles of dirt roads to get there. I need to find a better way. That will take me a minimum of 2 to 3 hours with my load and I’m thinking my bike or my body probably wouldn’t enjoy that too much. I’m sure there is an easier way.

Just a quick note to say I am okay. I am in Comox, BC today at a campsite near the Ferry. I plan to head over the the mainland of BC and head south to Vancouver then northeast to Whisltle. It has been quite beautiful with no problems. Internet access is harder to find than I thought. I am getting a very weak signal from someone here on the campsite. I think from the manager’s house that I am camped near. I have written a couple other entries with pics but I won’t be able to put them up for a day so. Bad upload speed and I’m on my last gasp of power on the laptop.

I am camping near the water this morning. I’m looking a great sunrise. All is good. I will fill you in more later.

I promise. LOTS OF PICTURES SOON As soon as I get more power and I.A

Bryan