The Goose: END OF PART ONE - PART TWO The Galloping Goose
Friday July 15, 2016
From Saltspring Island I took another ferry to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. There happens to be an extensive network of Trails & Bicycle lanes throughout the Victoria & Southern Vancouver Island region where you can ride considerable distances protected from motorized traffic. These trails start within easy access from the ferry terminals & encompass countryside, ocean views, access to Downtown Sidney & Victoria, forests, farms & link all the way to the wilderness regions on the West, less inhabited areas of Vancouver Island. As I had had my fill of tenting in less than ideal conditions for a couple of nights, the prospect of getting a good nights sleep with a hot shower, home cooked meal from my good friends was a welcome treat. Starting out from Swartz Bay about 1km south (The only direction you can go) you will see a sign directing you to The Lochside Trail. - Take it! It parallels the Pat Bay Hwy. (Also known as Hwy 17) & gets you away from the hordes of motorists just anxious to get speeding tickets after sitting idle on the ferry. Following the Lochside Trail the first point of interest you encounter are the many marinas on the East side of Hwy 17. A little further on & you can camp at McDonald campground on McDonald Park Rd. (Easy to find if you are heading South from the Ferry Terminal) Services are limited at this campground but it is incredibly peaceful & full of huge old trees. Head into Sidney from the campground for a really interesting mix of restaurants & other services along the one main street - Beacon Avenue. This is one strange town that couldn't decide on making the main street in town one or two ways so they settled on a compromise. It's two ways for the first few hundred meters, then it becomes one way East towards the ocean, then it becomes one way West back towards you. Urban planning at it's best especially when you consider the street is a dead end!
From Saltspring Island I took another ferry to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. There happens to be an extensive network of Trails & Bicycle lanes throughout the Victoria & Southern Vancouver Island region where you can ride considerable distances protected from motorized traffic. These trails start within easy access from the ferry terminals & encompass countryside, ocean views, access to Downtown Sidney & Victoria, forests, farms & link all the way to the wilderness regions on the West, less inhabited areas of Vancouver Island. As I had had my fill of tenting in less than ideal conditions for a couple of nights, the prospect of getting a good nights sleep with a hot shower, home cooked meal from my good friends was a welcome treat. Starting out from Swartz Bay about 1km south (The only direction you can go) you will see a sign directing you to The Lochside Trail. - Take it! It parallels the Pat Bay Hwy. (Also known as Hwy 17) & gets you away from the hordes of motorists just anxious to get speeding tickets after sitting idle on the ferry. Following the Lochside Trail the first point of interest you encounter are the many marinas on the East side of Hwy 17. A little further on & you can camp at McDonald campground on McDonald Park Rd. (Easy to find if you are heading South from the Ferry Terminal) Services are limited at this campground but it is incredibly peaceful & full of huge old trees. Head into Sidney from the campground for a really interesting mix of restaurants & other services along the one main street - Beacon Avenue. This is one strange town that couldn't decide on making the main street in town one or two ways so they settled on a compromise. It's two ways for the first few hundred meters, then it becomes one way East towards the ocean, then it becomes one way West back towards you. Urban planning at it's best especially when you consider the street is a dead end!