Category: travel

Blood Road – a cycling documentary

On By Rick McIn best bike rides, cycling, ethics, government, movies, sport - amateur, travelLeave a comment

Rebecca Rusch and Huyen Nguyen were first to pedal the entire length of the 1,800 km (1,200 mi) Ho Chi Minh Trail through Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Blood Road, according to director Nicholas Schrunk, “set out to document an epic cycling expedition as well as Rebecca’s personal journey to visit the crash site [of her father], but we ended up uncovering something much deeper.

It’s a story about the scars, both physical and emotional, that war leaves on families, countries, and cultures, and how they still exist today.

Rebecca Rusch and Huyen Nguyen

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

Superb cinematography. Incredible drone footage.

I was reminded just how stupid and futile was the Vietnam War and all wars. What a waste.

Watch it FREE on Red Bull. (90min)

I learned of Rebecca Rusch from an excellent and inspiring interview on the Adventure Podcast.

What a badass. Mountain Bike Hall Of Fame. Mountain Biker of the Year, Endurance LIVE Awards. Adventure Sport Magazine “Queen of Pain” (2004)

Rebecca says she was never much of cyclist. Climbing was her thing. But she won a lot of races due to grit, determination and pain tolerance.

Says her toughest adventure was her first Iditarod Trail endurance bike race in winter.

Cycling Nanaimo, Cowichan, Bamfield, Alberni – days 1/2

On By Rick McIn cycling, travel1 Comment

Five days, 4 nights. No flat tires. No disasters!

Days 1/2 | 3/4/5

This map gives you a general idea of what I ended up doing.

Dad dropped me near the Nanaimo airport April 16th.  A trip both ethical and legal on Vancouver Island during COVID-19. That’s my story, I’m sticking with it.

Plan was to start on paved Nanaimo Lakes road. Then find my way via gravel logging roads to Carmanah and/or Bamfield. I was playing it by ear.

I’d camp on Crown Land.

New to me was the excellent Parkway Trail close to Nanaimo. What a great cycling town.

LOTS of vehicles on Nanaimo Lakes road. Most had driven out for mountain biking on trails like this. There’s very little development.

In fact, Nanaimo Lakes road is a spur of the Trans Canada / Great Trail.

About 5pm I came to a locked gate close to First Lake. And the start of gravel.

The campsites at First Lake had been closed due to COVID-19 so I found this lovely spot right on the river. No people for miles.

Surprisingly, I don’t often make campfires. But I do love them.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Next morning the logging gate was open. Looked like a go.

BUT about 3km further along a flagman turned me back. With apologies. They were using the BIG off road trucks today. No other traffic allowed.

So I headed back towards the Nanaimo airport on another quiet paved highway called Nanaimo River road. Also excellent for cycling.

From there I took to the main highway down to Ladysmith Tim Hortons. And on to the Cowichan Valley trail which I’d taken last summer.

The most conspicuous vegetation in April is western skunk cabbage. Rockin’ Ronnie explained that it’s one of the first flowers to bloom in late winter or early spring because it creates it’s own heat.

Lucky me. Another Tim Hortons. This time in Cowichan.

I planned next day to cycle along Cowichan Lake.

And hid myself away for the night.

Days 1/2 | 3/4/5

Cycling Nanaimo, Cowichan, Bamfield, Alberni – days 3/4/5

On By Rick McIn cycling, ethics, travel1 Comment

Days 1/2 | 3/4/5

It rained most of the night. A beautiful calm morning on Cowichan Lake.

Only my second time visiting the town, I do like it.

From here I had to decide whether to ride the north or south side of the big lake. Google Maps recommended south side, perhaps because a short section is paved.

Unfortunately there is little development and few lake vistas from the south.

The most interesting spot was Heather Campsite (closed) which has all kinds of swings and ladders for campers.  Looks fun for kids.

I had the Backroads Mapbook, Maps.me and Google maps … and several choices of logging roads heading towards Bamfield.

I ended up taking the main road, perhaps longer but in better condition than the rest.

I pedalled steadily for hours seeing almost no development. No people. Perhaps one motor vehicle an hour.

Canada is vast and empty for the most part.

I took few photos as the views did not vary much. Pristine rivers and creeks were the highlight.

Around 6pm I had a surprisingly difficult time finding a good place to camp. Here’s where I ended up.

It was good, but visible from a spur logging road. Normally I want to be invisible from any road.

During the night no vehicles passed.

I was on the road early next morning.

Down a ways, breakfast instant coffee and peanut butter toast.

Again, there was not much of interest to report en route to Bamfield. Here are a couple of highlights.

Hub cap forest

I’d passed through Bamfield quite a few times over the years as it’s a West Coast Trail trailhead. And a popular tourist destination.

With a population of less than 200 — and no tourists — it looked a ghost town.

I had planned to hike muddy Cape Beale and Keeha Beach Trails — but they were VERY closed.

The local Huu-ay-aht First Nation definitely do NOT want visitors right now. They’d declared a COVID-19 state of emergency with regulations more strict than the B.C. government.

The history of First Nations in North America is a history of genocide by introduced diseases.

I did not stay long.

That’s too bad as I had planned to hike … then take the ferry back to Port Alberni. But it only runs 3 times a week during the winter.

During my many hours cycling this trip I was surprised to see very little animal life. In fact, this bear was the highlight. And it was in a Bamfield back yard.

SO … I rode back in the direction I’d come, already having picked a lovely riverside campsite.

Click PLAY or watch me setting up camp on YouTube.

The grocery store in Bamfield was open. I had treated myself to a can of chili for dinner.

Perfect weather. A lovely location. No biting insects. This is dream camping.

Next morning I had about 60km left to Port Alberni …

… but on this infamous road.

I don’t really mind hills. But these are HUGE. And LONG. And UNRELENTING.  I wouldn’t ride it again.

After pushing my bike up a hill for about 25 minutes a forestry worker offered me a lift. Yes, he was a cyclist. And he knew it might take me another hour of pushing to get to the top.

On the other side were big hills. But not as big. And the scenery is better than the interior.

Happily, I rolled down hill past China Creek without incident.

Once back to Port Alberni I enjoyed Tim Hortons coffee. Then gave my Dad a call to come pick me up.

Here’s a general overview of the 5 day trip.

Days 1/2 | 3/4/5

My China Creek CURSE !

On By Rick McIn cycling, ethics, hiking, travel3 Comments

Cycling Parksville to China Creek B.C. 

During 21 days in place in Parksville, I did some research into what kind of outdoor adventures are ethical and legal on Vancouver Island during COVID-19.

National Parks were already closed.

Provincial Parks, including all protected areas, conservancies, recreation areas, and ecological reserves, did not close until April 8th, after I had returned to Parksville.

Anyone found in a closed park after April 8th could be evicted and could face a $115 fine. All front country campgrounds also now closed.

Legally, that leaves Crown Land. Any Canadian can camp free for up to 21 days on Crown Land unless posted otherwise.

BC Ministry of Tourism Culture and the Arts maintains more than 1,200 recreation campsites (on Crown Land) under its Recreation Sites and Trails BC program. …

It looks to me like the more remote free campsites are still open. Those with no road access, no camping fee. No services.

Most Crown campsites with fees are closed, on a case-by-case basis.

Ethically, I don’t want to add any demands on medical first responders. Happily we have many empty hospital beds right now — but I was still enthusiastic to avoid injury.

So … I took off on my bike. Late afternoon.

About 3 hours later I set up camp in a remote wilderness spot close to little hiked Qualicum River Trail.

Next morning I passed excellent Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park Visitor Centre. Already closed — though the Park itself was still open.

From there you can cycle into logging roads. Clearly the NO ACCESS sign means no access for motor vehicles.  Clearly.

I’d cycled these logging roads and trails to Port Albeni last summer.

This time I stayed on the main route, Lacey Lake road.

Got lost twice. Pushed the bike a fair bit uphill through mud.

During the day I saw 2 guys on ATVs and 1 other cyclist. Said I was the first other bike he’d seen over 5 days on these trails.

Good physical distancing, I reckon’.

Just before Port Albeni one of my paniers broke. Again. I’d fixed it last season with a zip tie.

Fed up, I decided to stop at one of the Port Alberni bike shops. All open. All busy during COVID-19.

The small shop had only 2 brands of saddle bags. One was the colourful, waterproof Ortlieb, so popular with Europeans. I’d been envious for years.

Though expensive, I was a very easy sell. I paid CDN $240 for a set of two.

At the time the cost on Amazon.ca was 157.99. 

Very quickly I left civilization on logging roads in the direction of Bamfield.

It was 5pm when I decided to camp in a wilderness spot near China Creek on the Alberni Inlet.

I was keen to set-up my new Solar Panel system — BigBlue 5V 28W Solar Charger — which had gotten great reviews.

I hung around for 10 minutes making sure it was charging my iPhone and Apple Watch, then took off on the Alberni Inlet Trail to visit famed China Creek campground which I’d never seen.

I set it up on a log with a good angle to catch the setting sun in the west.

I’d hiked the Alberni Inlet Trail (section 1) in 2019, but stopped short of the China Creek campground where section 2 begins. In fact, later on the same trip my bike broke down just short of China Creek. I hitchhiked back to Port Alberni and phoned my Dad for rescue.

China Creek campground and trails are gorgeous.

About 6pm I got back to camp. All my gear was there … except the solar charger, iPhone and Apple Watch. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Stolen? … By whom? 

Seemingly thieves were around. In the wild.

I decided to move camp to deep in old growth forest. Far from sunlight.

By next morning I’d decided to quit. Again. Again at China Creek. Second year in a row. 

I cycled back to Port Alberni. Called my Dad for rescue. Again. Second year in a row. 

The RCMP are not interested in any crimes valued less than CAD $5000.

But on Find My Phone I located both phone and watch. In a house in Port Alberni. The thieves. … I locked both devices and remotely put on a message offering a reward. With a phone number.

I reported the incident online, including the house address, to the RCMP.

Realizing they’d been found, the thieves phoned me. Said they found iPhone and watch in a ziplock bag. Would be happy to return both — but were afraid of the virus. I’d have to drive back to Port Alberni to collect them.

I did. Thrilled to get my electronics back. … Let’s call the CAD $85 solar charger the reward.

And let’s call China Creek cursed.  😀

 

 

U.S. States I’ve not yet visited

On By Rick McIn barbecue, food, travelLeave a comment

Years ago in a New Orleans restaurant, Dave Adlard pointed out the States he had already visited on a huge wall map. Most of them. Today he’s only missing one – Arkansas.

I’d been to only about 15 States at that time.

But today I’m only missing West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Maryland Connecticut — one road trip visiting Barbecue spots.

Moorecraft Park, Vancouver Island

On By Rick McIn cycling, travelLeave a comment

Surprisingly, I’d never visited Moorecroft Regional Park near Parksville though it’s considered one of the best parks on Vancouver Island.

Moorecroft was established 1934 as a summer camp for girls by Gertrude Moore.

My mother’s maiden name is Moore.

I cycled out. Ran about an hour on nearby trails. Then cycled back to Tim Hortons.

It operated continuously by her until 1954, when her failing health necessitated the decision to sell the waterfront property. The United Church of Canada purchased the property for $50,000, and continued to run it as a camp. It decided to sell the 85 acre property in 2010 and the property was put up for sale for $7.95 million and there was great concern that this great place would be lost to a future subdivision or some other type of development. Concerned local citizens and conservation groups were preparing for the worst-case scenario when three factors made a good resolution possible. The United Church agreed to put a conservation covenant on the property that zoned most of the lands for the protection of its ecological interests.

Not long afterwards it was purchased by the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Nature Trust of BC for $4.8 million down from the asking price of 7.98 million. It opened as Moorecroft Regional Park in 2011. It is a credit to the United Church and the district for preserving this historic property.

Discover  Vancouver Island

Rathtrevor Beach, Vancouver Island at dawn

On By Rick McIn food, health & fitness, travelLeave a comment

Most mornings I wake early. Head directly to Tim Hortons to pick up coffee.

Continue on to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, one of the most beautiful beaches I know in the Pacific N.W.

At low tide, it stretches nearly a kilometre out into the Strait of Georgia.

The park is an important stopover area for migratory birds, notably brant geese, which use the beach as a staging area from March 1 to April 15.

Birds stop in the spring for the annual herring spawn … which also attracts large numbers of seals.

There are plenty of friendly, feral rabbits too.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

 

 

Brant Geese in Parksville

On By Rick McIn McCharles family, travel1 Comment

Brant can be distinguished from Canada Geese by their smaller size; dark brown body with a black head and shorter neck and white collar. …

Brant breed in the north, in coastal Alaska and the Canadian Arctic on tundra and coastal islands. During winter, they are found along the Pacific coast and further south into Baja California, Mexico. Brant geese form long-term, monogamous pair-bonds and family units migrate together. …

First morning in Parksville, B.C. I headed to Rathtrevor Beach at dawn to see and hear the mob of several hundred. They are noisy.

Brant feed on coastal mudflats and only rarely come inland.

The Brant Wildlife Festival in Parksville/Qualicum Beach runs from March 5th to April 28th, 2020 — but some of the events have been cancelled due to COVID-19.

Farewell Bermuda

On By Rick McIn gymnastics, health & fitness, travelLeave a comment

I’m now back in Canada.

Same day Trudeau announced Canada is shutting the border to non-Canadian citizens, with limited exceptions, to limit the spread of COVID-19.

My flight Bermuda to Toronto was quite normal. I was asked to self-quarantine for 14 days when I get to my final destination. Just in case. No testing on arrival.

 Air Canada postponed my ongoing flights by a day claiming Government travel advisory. No compensation.

Sounds bogus to me.

But by luck we managed to complete the annual Bermuda Gymnastics competition on Sunday — before schools closed Tuesday.

Level 7 – 10 Bermuda Gymnastics Association gymnasts

The Gymnastics Club has now shut down, as well, for 2 weeks out of an abundance of caution.

There are still no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Bermuda.