Highest priority is National Cycle Route 1, the West Coast Route. 560 kilometers from the German border.
National Cycle Route 12 ➙ Limfjord Route looks interesting, as well. I rode part of that from Aalborg summer 2024.
Third priority would be National Cycle Route 9 ➙ en route from Berlin to Copenhagen.
As I post, Denmark is my #1 cycling destination for the future. It would get me back to Germany, as well, which is fantastic with the Deutschland Rail ticket making public transit almost free.
Part of the attraction are the fantastic free campsites in an otherwise very expensive tourist nation.
I’m still brainstorming future cycling destinations.
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 undevelopedComox 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.
Slept well. No bears.
Seems they are eating berries exclusively of late.
Sunday morning was fun. Mostly downhill to Port Alberni for lunch.
Another perfect day.
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.
Now have the DJI RC-N2 controller with the built-in screen. No longer need to hook up my phone.
I got the full Fly More Kit which includes 3 batteries, charging hub, carrying case, and extras.
Not inexpensive at CAD $1500 including tax.
Of course buying a warranty is essential. I paid CAD $170 (USD $125) / 2 years. I can replace the drone carcass up to 3 times. But IF I lose the drone, no warranty coverage.
I could have gone for the less expensive Mini 2, or Mini 3, but decided on the 4 for these features:
360 degree obstacle avoidance
better low light video
it has a built-in light, so I can see the drone in the sky at dusk or dawn
vertical video in 4K
more Quickshot options
Most importantly, super powerful Activetrack options. The drone will follow-me wherever I go, avoiding obstacles so I need not manually watch it every second.
Due to obstacle avoidance, I’ve not crashed the Mini 4 even once … aside from day 1 when I tried to catch it by hand incorrectly. Oops.
BUT I wouldn’t recommend bikepacking the Ring Road (Route 1) around Iceland. 1,332 km (828 mi) long.
I met people who had done it. And they were not thrilled.
The shoulder is nearly non-existent — and tourist drivers are often gaping at the scenery, not watching for cyclists.
In fact, 4 guys who had spent 2 years cycling Alaska to the tip of South America found it tough.
There are buses, but many only run once a day. SOME take bikes underneath — but only if there is space.
Hvalfjörður and Vaðlaheiði tunnels do not allow cyclists. You’d need to find a ride through.
You can easily lose a day if you can’t get on that bus.
I took buses most of the way from near Egilsstaðir to Reykjavik. That was after only 2 days trying to cycle the Ring Road. For me it wasn’t worth the danger.
I had cycled a couple of days with Léonce Kircher from France on a minor highway and gravel roads. Those were great — but not easy due to wind and steepness.
We had come off the ferry together in Seyðisfjörður.
On the upside, campgrounds are frequent and inexpensive. Most with free hot showers.
There are many hostels, as well, though some are full in August.
GREAT would be to have a mountain bike and stay off the Ring Road. Of course to get to the best mountain bike trails, you would probably want a motor vehicle. 😀
BEST would be to plan well in advance. Fly up to the remote N.W. to do the Westfjords Way – 575 miles (925 KM).
Rick McCharles 