3-9 June 2025 Victoria B.C.

 Tuesday 3 June 2025 Montreal to Victoria

 Tuesday was a travel day for 4 of the 8 cyclists traveling to Victoria from Montreal.  After taking a plane to Vancouver, there was an inevitable discussion about how to buy a ticket for the Sky Train / Bus to the Tsawwassen Ferry.

 

 

That figured out, we were met in Victoria by our organizer and host.  

  Wednesday 4 June 2025 Victoria City Tour

All eight cyclists now united, we picked up the rental bikes, a combination of different types of e-bikes and bio-bikes.

 

We then went for a ride around Victoria, checking out points of interest from Louis's storied family history.

 

We soon had to break for lunch.

 

This unusual site was quickly spotted by other another notable cyclist from Montreal.

 We had to make a group photo.....

 

Afterwards we continued on our city tour, where we noted the local street painting and scenery of distant snow capped mountains.

 

  Thursday 5 June 2025  Victoria Legislature to Cowichen Bay

The group assembled in front of the Victoria Legislature for the official send off the trip.

 We headed north, towards the Brentwood Bay - Mill Bay Ferry.

We had lunch at a marina in Mill Bay.

Arriving at Cowichan Bay, we checked into the hotel, were fascinated by a floating house in the bay, searched for the best restaurant, and were enchanted by the views.

 

Friday 6 June 2025  Cowichen Bay to Cowichen Lake

  Breakfast places can be hard to find in Cowichen Bay, but we managed happily.  

 

 

We continued on, passing by Duncan's Shot Putting competition.

 

We came to the Cowichan Valley trail.

 

There are two different Cowichan Valley trails. The Northern trail which is easier, and the Southern trail which has some rail trestles and is more difficult.   We rode for a while as a single group along the Northern trail until a dissident group broke off to see the rail trestle.

 Some happily continued along the Northern trail, seeing what it had to offer.

 

Upon arriving at Cowichan Lake we put the ebikes into a specially prepared charging room.

 

 That evening we saw a special appearance by the famous singer Yago.

 Saturday 7 June 2025  Cowichen Lake to Port Renfrew

 Unlike Cowichen Bay, finding a breakfast place Cowichen Lake is quite simple.

Soon we were on the (logging) road again headed towards Port Renfrew.

 Stopping at points of interest.

 

Filling the water bottles from Fairy Lake.

 And checking out the BNB at Port Renfrew.

 Finally, supper at the pub.

 

 Sunday 8 June 2025  Port Renfrew to Sooke

Setting out on the road again, there were many views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic mountains of Washington State on the opposite side.

 

Along the way we chatted with a couple who were setting off on a Trans Canada ride back to Montreal.

 Arriving in Sooke, we stayed at a farmhouse that had turkeys, beach and donkeys.

 

 Monday 9 June 2025  Sooke to Victoria

Being from Montreal, a city famous for potholes, we went straight away to view the Sooke potholes, to see how compare to our own.

 

We are happy to report that the potholes in Sooke are much deeper than the ones in Montreal. However I think there are far more of them in our city.  The pothole report complete, we continued on to examine the bridges and road construction on the Galloping Goose.

 

 

From the Galloping Goose we could also see the nearby shipping traffic.

 Back in Victoria, we returned the rental bikes and had one last supper at our hosts (freshly caught cod on  the BBQ provided by Chris the fisher and his wife the catcher).