Every season on Valdes is unique and special and winter is no exception. We waited out the storms and snow of December and finally made it over to the island in January. We are always happy to see that our cabin and the surrounding trees are still standing and everything is how it should be. Shah Point from our Cabin Glassy calm waters for paddling. ...
August 4, 2021 Kilby General Store, Harrison Mills Ruth: Hope to Mission: 91 kms Our ride back from Hope to Mission was completely different from our trip out. The smoke from the fires at the north end of Harrison Lake filled the valley with a thick smoke. It felt like a weird twilight rather than the middle of the day. The barn we had passed ...
July 31, 2021 Today: 68 Kms mostly down Valerie, Perry, Dave and Kari have been friends since they were in grade school in the 60’s. We were warned that a ride in their truck might be entertaining, and it was. We were in Dave and Kari’s truck, but the banter between the two vehicles over walkie-talkies was constant. Parry would let us know when ...
July 30, 2020 Today 68km. Forestry Camp Sight on Old Hadley Road before the smoke. Ruth: 5:00 PM Gord and I are sitting in our camping chairs watching the orange glow of the sun as small flakes of ash drift down around us. Many are needle shaped - but all ash. Our solar charger is barely charging because the sun is so shrouded ...
July 29, 2021 56 kms We had a great ride up to Allison Pass from Sunshine Valley. Our knees were fine and although the climb was hot we both felt strong. We treated ourselves to a room in the Lodge and enjoyed a gluttonous dinner in the restaurant. If Gord has been a tad over optimistic in his predictions about our abilities to skirt the ...
July 28, 2021 The Hope Slide, the high point on today’s ride. Today’s ride: 25 kms (but 850 metres of climbing) Trip total: 255 kms Ruth: Well, the mystery tour carries on, but the jury is still out on whether or not we will be able to continue. The Garrison Lake fire is raging a few kilometres away from the highway between Manning Park and ...
Today’s ride: 86 kms (Mission to Hope) Trip total: 230 kms Gordon: I’ve lived in B.C. for more than 35 years, yet I had never taken the highway to Hope along the north side of the Fraser River. “Pity”, as they said in the Red Rose tea commercial, because it is a varied and beautiful route. By the time we reached Mission, last night’s stop, we had ...
July 25, 2021 Ruth: Gord got up before the crack of dawn to make us fresh bread for our lunch on the road. I’m a pretty lucky woman. We have always wanted to start a tour right from our doorstep. No planes, no airports, no bike boxes or jet lag, just rolling off down our local bike trails. Today’s ride was a huge surprise as ...
July 24, 2021 Victoria B.C. Tomorrow we start out on a Mystery ride. With Covid border closures and forest fires burning in southern B.C. We are not sure how far we will get. We are heading East to see if we can dodge the smoke and make it through B.C.
August 31, 2020 Life this summer has been full of contrasts. We have divided our time between our house in Victoria and our off-grid cabin on Valdes Island. We won’t remember this summer for the time spent in our garden, or for the adventures and projects that filled our days at the cabin. Instead, 2020 will always be remembered for the global pandemic that arrived and ...