From 2020 I had some great memories of cycling a logging road called Comox Main.

At the time it was my favourite gravel road on the island, so far.

And I did spot a bear cub.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

As the weather was fantastic for Labour Day 2024, I was keen to cycle in the opposite direction …

Mt Washington to Horne Lake

Actually, my original plan was Mt Washington all the way back to home in Parksville.

It only took 40 minutes to roll down the mountain from the ski resort to highway.

I detoured into Cumberland to pick up some refreshing Fresca. 😀

Then it was on to pretty and surprisingly undeveloped Comox Lake.

On a sunny long weekend Saturday the gates were open and hundreds of people were out enjoying the water.

I’d forgotten that the road along the lake is a brutal series of steep up and downs. Pushing the bike more than riding.

Still — I was psyched for the Comox Line logging road to come.

I saw only 1 vehicle. That road is always deserted.

Just back from 6 weeks cycling in Europe I was feeling fit. The bike tuned up, new tires installed.

But — from Comox Lake it was all uphill, uphill.

Yeesh. I should have checked the elevation before starting.

A very tough afternoon.

I did find a good campsite on a logging road spur around 8pm. Cooked corn beef dinner in the dark.

Seems they are eating berries exclusively of late.

Sunday morning was fun. Mostly downhill to Port Alberni for lunch.

The route Port Alberni to Horne Lake is a slog. I’d done it a number of times in the past.

Up and over the island.

This time it seemed worse than usual, being so hot and windless.

The only highlight was the lookout over Port Alberni.

Worried about making it back before dark, I’d called my brother at lunch to suggest I might need pick-up at Horne Lake.

The afternoon was bad enough. And the route even worse as there had been much new logging since the last time I was there. New logging roads are impossible to cycle.

When I finally could see the lake and had 2 bars of mobile phone service, I called again to see if my brother could pick up at the Horne Lakes Caves parking lot. I was exhausted from too much hike-a-bike.

No problem … we thought.

I’d unloaded the bike and was waiting when he rang me back.

Dad’s truck had quit at the start of the Horne Lake road.

I had to reload the bike and continue another 12km or so to get to the truck. Dead.

It was a long weekend holiday Sunday night, yet Stacey was able to still get a tow truck with her CAA membership.

We had it towed to the dealership in Parksville.

On the upside, I did get a good tan.

… or is that dirt? 😀

I’m not keen on Vancouver Island logging roads at this moment in time.

Spoiled, perhaps, from all that easy cycling in Europe.