Rolling, rolling, rolling

Thurs 19th May, longish day today, just over 80 miles, first 60 on long straight highway going west towards the pacific with a big old headwind, panniers acting like sails, just a case of head down and grinding out the miles, still yesterday was good tailwind so yin and yang. Currently in the 'Kila Hana' campground just outside Westport on the Pacific Coast, ( Kila Hana appears to be native American Indian for ' land of many mosquitoes that feast upon the flesh of foolish whiteman'). Highlight of the day? I'd love to say the first great view of the Pacific Ocean from American shores but if truth be told it was the coconut mocha frapppacino from Starbucks this afternoon


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A Washington post

Wed 18th May. Peered out of tent this am to see sunlight streaming through the trees, happy days:).




V cold in night but not a prob now. Had good day riding quiet roads through Olympic state park and along the hood Canal, Hugh waterway opposite Seattle , managed to find a state park at a place called Potlatch , as I lie in tent typing this a guy is playing harmonica round a campfire, all very wild west. Highlight of the day, fast 10 minute decent in the sunshine following long climb through Olympic SP , warm smell of pine in the air, lush. Nb no bears in Washington state


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What a difference a day makes

Tue 17th May Beautiful sunshine this morning, spent two nights in Victoria, the capital of BC, great colonial town , full of character, most importantly picked up some cold weather gear and ate Chinese food in bed, lush that is) . Cycled up the coast this morning,


felt a bit like being in a Canadian Tourism Advert, perfect traffic free cycle path, blue skies, great views, even saw an eagle, everybody smiling and saying hello (must be the change of weather but feels like I'm in the Truman show).


Cycled up to Sidney to catch ferry across US border, even US customs were friendly. Landed in the port of Anacortes and had about 40 miles to catch a final short ferry at 7:30. just about found a state park before nightfall and put tent up in the dark, currently sitting in the middle of a dense forest waiting for my boil in the bag trying not to think about the Blair witch project (kathmandu curry tonight mmmm), pretty cold but looking forward to bed socks. Highlight of the day, the ride this morning, textbook perfect,just hope I don't get eaten by a bear tonight



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There's a theme developing here

Now in Victoria, two long days of cycling behind me, around 160 miles or so. Sat pretty good, another cyclist on a ferry and commented on what I thought was a rather low snow line, ' yep been here thirty years, never know it this cold in May' good to know I thought. Met a couple of guys on the road and worked together for about 30 miles, thought I was doing pretty well given I'm hauling a lot of luggage , one of the guys then tells me they are about 200 k's into a 400k event, put me in my place. Tent and I got drenched due to a dumb pitching decision by yours truly. Today was tough, about
80 miles on the Trans Canadian Highway , sheeting down with rain for the entire journey and a lot of traffic travelling at speed, with some big climbs thrown in;all in prob one of my hardest cycling days to date. That said campsite I had planned to stay in was closed ( woo hoo!) so checked into a best western , lush that is. Shopping for long troos, thick socks and sleeping bag liner Tomorrow as it's like Brighton in November at the mo before heading into the USA .


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This is more like it (Fri 13th May)

Left porpoise bay early this am, very cold last night , slept in cycling gear, hat and had sleeping bag hood up,
rained a lot in the night but didn't get eaten by a bear which is good. Sunshine highway was sunny today so all is forgiven BC road naming department.


Had planned to catch the 1230 ferry
From Earls Cove to Saltery bay and actually arrived bang on time, much to the amazement of an old Canadian guy who had passed me on the road many miles earlier. The ferries in BC are excellent and the views of the sea and mountains spectacular ,


also serve good food. Got bibbed by Canadian lorry driver as I pulled legwarmers off at the side of the road( they do look like stockings I suppose ) which was pretty cool. Found nice little campsite in Powell River


and had a hot shower...lush that is. Cross the sound to Comox tomorrow and turn south , long way down as they say . Highlight of the day ...... Ice cream orieo cookie and coffee on the ferry watching the amazing scenery drift past



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Things can only get better ! (thur 12th May)

Left Vancouver this morning with fairly decent weather, found a camping superstore and stocked up on camping gas and freeze dried boil on the bag, got drenched leaving Vancouver , the highlight being stuck on a flyover in the torrential rain trying to locate the ferry port, oh and then got a flat. However sun soon came out and dried off on the short ferry to Langdale and the' Sunshine Coast' not sure what the literal translation of sunshine is in Canadian but given it's now about 5 degrees and raining as I lie on my tent in a sleeping bag fully dressed I think something has got lost somewhere, am now worried that I will spend the next 6 weeks obsessing about the weather and writing about little else. Am spending the night in porpoise bay provincial park and had hoped for a hot shower but given that I seem to be the only one here I think it may be a little early in the season.


Oh well forecast is better for tomorrow. Around 48 miles today , should be more tomorrow. Highlight of the day? Looking in my rear view mirror to see a brief glimpse of bright blue sky, snow capped mountains and a long straight empty highway.




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