Adventures with Yogi and Boone

 August 23rd - 28th

Gracie & Walter's Big Ride

Well hello there, it's us - Gracie (that's me, Sherry's trusty set of wheels) and Walter (bob's slightly overconfident ride). We've finally gotten our turn at the travel blog, and let me tell you, it's been quite a week. Now, we aren't complaining we have been getting a lot of dirt on our tires this whole trip but this past 7 days has been quite a week!

Seven straight days of pedaling!! Nothing feels better than a little dirt on the tires and a couple weeds in the spokes. 

We rolled off the ferry in Bellingham and hit the ground spinning. Bike lanes, single track, ocean breezes, breweries, live music in the park, pizza, beaches - if it was within pedaling distance, we were there. Bellingham knows how to treat a bike right.

Then to was out to a farm stay - chickens clucking, cows mooing, us parked in a big field like royalty. But not before another spin around Bellingham, just to make sure we didn't miss a single corner of that city. 

Next stop? Back to Canada. Whistler! Oh, Whistler! Originally we were promised just one day there, but let's just say it only took one spin for our humans to extend it.  The campground was at the Olympic Nordic Center, (2010 Olympics)  right at  the base of the ski jump hill. (We bikes are brave, but we draw the line at launching off that thing - holy smokes, humans are wild.). Free laundry, hot showers grass, mountain views...we were spoiled spokes. Two days of trails and hikes later, our gears were still grinning.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the Bears!!  I guess there a quite a few in the Whistler area.  The campground kept us well protected from them with an electrified fence that went all the way around the grounds.  We only saw one bear but it was at a distance and Walter and I were safe on the bike rack behind the Van.  Whew!

From there we coasted into Vancouver, and wow, did we stretch our tires. Over 35 miles of exploring the city, through Stanley Park, The University campus, all along the seawall - the bike infrastructure in Vancouver deserves a medal. 

And the cherry on top? A dinner reunion with Kelly and her family.  Kelly is a friend and colleague of Sherry's from Reno who moved to Vancouver. Kelly, her husband Stephen, and their boys Fox and Bear welcomed us with open arms and an incredible crab and egg stir-fry, caught and cooked by hand. We bikes don't eat, but we could feel the joy in every bite. 

The next day Stephen, Kelly's husband and our new human pal, suggested we check out Richmond and Stevenson. Great Suggestions! Seawalls, ocean views, mussels for lunch - we might just hire him as our tour planner. 

Then it was ferry time again. Poor Boone (he's not a ferry fan), but this one was short and sweet, taking us to Vancouver Island. Our first stop was Englishman Falls Provincial Park. The camping was full but they let us stay in the overflow lot. We had nearly the whole place to ourselves - just us, a few other campers, and the thunder of waterfalls nearby. In the morning, we hit the single track, breezed through the forest, and admired the falls (you'll see in the photos - Breathtaking).

And now? we're parked at Black Creek Winery, surrounded by sunflowers, pumpkins, and good cheer. Our spokes are humming. Tomorrow we'll head north across the island, and soon enough, we'll be wheeling toward Victoria and Butchart Gardens.

So far, no falls, no flats, and as Walter likes to brag, "the rubber side's still down."  I may trail little behind him on the hills, and some of the scarier single track, but we always end up in the same place - at the end of another beautiful ride. 

Stay tuned - the adventure's still rolling. 

- Gracie and Walter (but he's already polishing his pedals again)