Vancouver Island, The Sunshine Coast and Gulf Islands; Exploring by Tandem: Ride Day 9: Campbell River to Sayward

No wifi in Sayward yesterday, so this is a double day post. We're now in Powell River on the Sunshine coast.

Yesterday's ride took us as far north as we are going, to Sayward. We had initially planned to keep going up to Port Arthur or Port McNeil, but time limitations and our desire to ride on the Sunshine Coast and hang out for a while in Vancouver led to this decision.

A fairly short day of about 75 km to Sayward. We’re not exactly sure why we wanted to go to Sayward but it is about as far north as we could get in the time we had. The morning was gray and a few drops of rain threatened, but the expected deluge never did materialize. But we fought a pretty strong headwind most of the way and that made going a bit tough.

Some people in Campbell River asked use “why Sayward?” There isn’t much there are and it is a long way from everything else. We had no answer but it was on the list, so we went. We made good time and turned off the main road about 3 ½ hours after we left.

Roberts Lake on the way to Sayward

Roberts Lake. We stopped at the cafe but the people were really awfully rude so we rode away...

Welcome to Sayward

Kelsey Harbour, looking out onto Johnstone Straits

Straits View lounge; closed for the evening

Through the bridge over the Salmon River

One lane bridge over the Salmon River

We had reservations in a traditional BnB, a place we found on the internet and which was advertised as having a great garden and grounds. Even though we were very early arriving we decided to see if we could at least drop our bags off and ride the 15 km down to the harbor if nothing else. But the host at the BnB, Darlene, was so gracious and opened up our house for us – we had an entire house to ourselves. And what a place – a beautiful post and beam construction place set in the midst of gardens and forests that are just amazing. We unpacked and Darlene asked if we’d like a tour of the place. Why not?

Our casa for the night

Really?

So in about an hour (after a good hot shower and some hot coffee – the ride was cold and we were frozen through) we met Darlene and her husband Karl for our tour. They handed us walking poles – we were not sure why, but went along with the deal.

We first walked around the main house while Darlene explained to use with encyclopedic ability the name of each plant, its age, its history and everything else. And the plants are simply amazing. They have thousands of flowers of every description – roses, lilies, foxgloves, you name it. And unlike the “formal” gardens such as the famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria, these are all very natural. I had to ask: “Any herbicides or pesicides?” Karl, in a heavy Austrian accent jumped in and explained that they would never apply any chemicals to their property.

That started a long conversation about their history. They bought their 40 acres about 45 years ago. Karl was a heavy equipment mechanic for Weyerhauser, working on the logging equipment. Darlene always had a passion for her plants. So they started building. The Carriage House that we were staying in was their second house (the first was washed away by a huge flood) and it is up on a hill that Karl built against a rock cliff on the edge of their property, high above the flood plain. It took him 3 years to build it and he cut all of the timber from the property and milled all the wood. He also built the entire house himself. And it is beautiful – not fancy, but perfect in every way.

Karl's mill

After that house he started on his “big house.,” which is where they live now and has about 4,000 sq. feet. We didn’t go through the house, but from the outside it is just as beautifully done. Again, all wood was from their property and milled by Karl (he pointed out that about 75 years so the property had been logged and at that time they took out only the enormous old growth. They felled but left behind m smaller hemlock, fir and cedar (red and yellow). He cut down only a few trees – he explained that the old wood that was cut 75 years ago was fine once he removed the outer layers.

Many millennia ago this area was a seabed

Cool fungus

Doug and Karl walking along Karl's road

A nurse log

Almost anthropomorphic

More fungus

Looking down at the big house

We finished a long lap around the river bottom part of the property and Darlene asked what time we’d like breakfast. We let her know that we had to leave very early so that we’d have to pass on breakfast. She seemed disappointed but understood. She excused herself while we headed up the hill with Karl.

It took him 10 years but he’s build a path/road up the side of the cliff through the old forests that are on the south side of their property. Within a few hundred yards we climbed a few hundred feet and were in a mixed conifer and deciduous forest with very old trees that he’s clearly very proud of. Like his wife, Karl and a deep knowledge of the property and told us all about how he’d made the road and installed 2 1,000 gallon water tanks into clefts I the cliff. The tanks are filled by spring and supply all of the water for their property. The only problem is that the bears often chew through any exposed pipe – he’s working on burying the entire thing from top to bottom.

After about an hour we got back down to the house level and Darlene had a huge tray loaded with our breakfast – everything we could ask for but didn’t, and more. She didn’t want us heading off on the bike without a proper meal.

This was a great find for a place to stay and it was totally unplanned. If you ever have the opportunity to pass through Sayward, stay and the Victorian Garden BnB. It is well worth it.

We rode to the Kelsey Bar harbor to see if the Straits View restaurant was open, but alas, it was closed. So we stopped by the local grocery for some bread and beer for dinner back at our Carriage House. We had a nice night of comfort and reading. A heavy rain started just before we went to sleep and we hoped that it would not continue the next morning.

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Sayward to Powell River

We do an about face today and head south, back along the same route that we rode up yesterday, except that we are piling on an additional 30 miles so that we can get to Courtenay where we catch the ferry to the Sunshine Coast tomorrow. We're hoping for some new things to see along the way anyway.

We need to be in Courtenay by 3:00 p.m. to catch the ferry across the Straits of Georgia to Powell River where we spend the night.

Morning was gray but dry, except the roads looked pretty wet. We downed most of the food that Darlene had prepared and fixed a pot of coffee and were on our way shortly after 0600. We have a long day, about 125 km to Comox to catch the ferry to Powell River, then about 20 km to where we’re staying. But we both felt good today and the miles rolled beneath our wheels incredibly quickly so we were back in Campbell River in good time to stop for coffee. And by then a good tail wind was blowing so our worries about making the 1515 ferry to Powell River flew away. We even had time to stop at a tiny tortilla factory that we chanced upon to buy some fresh blue corn tortillas and salsa for later.

Yummy tortillas

In a very unlikely spot...

We were quite early for the ferry so relaxed, read and talked to some bikers. One guy had a cool ebike with a hub drive and 29 inch wheels. I took it for a ride and I’m thinking that in the future, when I’m too decrepit to make it up hills anymore…

Getting ready to ride the ebike

Cool...

The ferry ride into Powell River was beautiful in perfect weather and we’re tucked into an AirBnB called “Cozy Cabin.” It is exactly as described. Another biker on the ferry told us to go to Townsite Brewing in the old part of town and that’s where we are headed (once we’ve finished festooning our now-clean clothing all over the Cozy Cabin to dry!).

Brand new ferry, made in Poland, in service on this route

That's Powell River in the distance

Das Bike tucked into the stowage

Getting local knowledge (i.e., asking where the brewpub is...)

The Catalyst mill in Powell River, formerly Weyerhauser, formerly MacMillan Bloedel

The public docks

After hanging our wash out to dry we decided to ride to the local brewery, Townsite Brewing. About 10 km away, but down brutally steep hills. Oh, we're gonna pay for these beers...