Thursday 25 October 2012

Iona Beach, Sea Island

I was surprised to discover (but only because I have the memory of a large Koi) that I am quite fond of all sorts of people whom I've never met.  One of them kindly asked me to share more photos of places I ride. 

So OK.  Here you go!


This is Iona Beach, on Sea Island.  Every day is a shitstorm on Iona, if only because that long line stretching waaaaaay out into the water is Vancouver's sewage outfall..

This is one of my favourite local routes because it's a super cycle friendly, stress free ride. It's a little over 60 k or nearly 40 m when all is said and done. This is a perfect morning`s ride, because most of it is uninterrupted riding along painted bike routes, without much in the way of starts and stops, and it's mostly free from parked cars, too.  It`s the kind of thing Snob might call a bikecycle highway.  It`s a great place to test your limits, too. We rode it the day before Canadian Thanksgiving, right before the weather turned all mittenish on us.


I never could colour inside the lines.  We actually stayed on the road for the most part, and we didn't, in fact, swim the mighty Fraser, despite my inept tracings See that great throbbing blob of green half way along the route?  That's Pacific Spirit Regional Park, and there are miles and miles of trails inside.  I haven't personally shot any video, but here's something a bit retro for you to check out...



As you will often find in this town, the scenery was absolutely divine during our morning's adventures...


(This from the parking lot at Spanish Banks. The photo sucks, but you get the idea.)  It was a picture perfect day, anyway. 

  
The parking lot at Iona Beach.


Comfortably smug.


Pleasantly pumped.

I was babbling along as per usual this week, when suddenly there I was, out carousing and laughing myself silly very late into the night, burning the candle at both ends, etc.  It was brilliant. 

Now I can`t string a thought together, let alone a  proper sentence... 

back soon

7 comments:

  1. Wow! The shot of the ships, mountains and skyline is killer. Hey your route looks kinda like a big.. oh nevermind. Great pics babs thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Vancouver is a great place to ride as was Ottawa when I was there. I am not liking my new location of Edmonton quite as much though. Great pics.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry 'bout yer luck. You're right. Edmonton's not the same at all...

      Specially in the dead of winter. That's when hell freezes over. But the river valley is pretty, and there were trails there as far back as thirty years ago. And the skies are beautiful on a clear night. I've heard that they have put in a lot of new bike lanes in the last several years, too, which has got to help, but nothing on Earth could make that place hospitable from December through March.

      Delete
  3. Seems like its still nicely warm-ish out there. How are the winter times in Vancouver?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was nicely warm until a couple of weeks ago, which is when we went for this ride. I think it hit 20 c (70f) that day, but that was pretty much the end of our lovely Indian Summer.

      Technically this is a temperate rainforest, so the winters are wet and mild. We might get a bit of snow in January, but it melts in a day or two. Last year I didn't even need to break out the mountain bike to navigate our snowfall- the Electra was fine. Our average daily temperature in winter is 5c, or 41 f, so it's no great hardship. We do get a few spells where it rains constantly for days, but it's more common to have a bit of rain in the morning, with clearing throughout the day.

      But as sweet as this city is, all the successful people escape to the sunshine for a few weeks every winter.

      Delete
  4. I see on Google maps Whistler/Blackcomb is just up the road from Vancouver. I've always heard of that place just too lazy to look it up. What is that about a 2 hour drive? That's where I'd be on the weekend in the wintertime.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You certainly wouldn't be alone! It's a spectacular place, and its heaven on Earth for people who love outdoor fun.

    Yeah, it takes an hour and a half or so from most places in town. You should really experience the Sea to Sky highway on a bike, though. They say the Whistler Gran Fondo is the most beautiful of all of the North American events.

    ReplyDelete