Saturday, Aug 11, 2012

I know this statement does not provide any profound revelations, but it needs to be said- Victoria is a damn beautiful city.

After waking up and having a hearty breakfast, John- who also rides a motorcycle- took me for a tour around the Oak Bay area and downtown Victoria. Our two bikes meandered around the streets of Victoria that overlook the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking and I was rather jealous of the people who get to see this every day. The downtown area

was bustling with activity and I picked up a distinctly British theme to the area- especially around the Legislative buildings and the old hotels overlooking the water. I even got to see Mile 0 of the Transcanada Highway #1, as its terminus is in downtown Victoria.

It was just after lunchtime by the time we got back to their place, and after a quick packing of Silver I was ready to head back on the highway. I said goodbye to John and Theresa and headed north toward the ferry at Sidney to take me back to the mainland. My time on the island was about to end.

The ride to the ferry was uneventful but it was pleasant. The sun was shining and it was another beautiful day. I was actually surprised that I have avoided rains so far on this trip. I always prepare for rain- especially on Vancouver Island. I thought that I would have to deal with at least one day of it, but no. I seem to have timed things perfectly.

When I reached the ferry I was about 20 minutes early and was given my usual Rock Star placement up front. I was the only motorcyclist on this trip, so I spent most of my time down in the lower deck to stay with Silver. I don’t trust my bike and all of my luggage on it being left unattended. Still, it was a nice ride through the Gulf Islands and it was about 5:00 when I landed in Tsawwassen.

I found my way through the urban areas of the Lower Mainland until I reached my friends Scott and Gill’s place in Port Moody at about 6:00. We enjoyed a nice dinner and enjoyed a few hours of visiting (and I got to see their almost-year old son Silas) before the sun and the hours of riding took their toll on me and I fell asleep at about 11:00.

I was looking forward to sleeping in and spending a quiet day in the Lower Mainland- and by all indications it seems I would be enjoying more of this fantastic weather.