Quiet roads and long climbs characterize the island
I rode off the ferry dock in Sturdies Bay on Galiano Island with only a vague plan. I was aiming to explore Galiano by bike, but first I wanted to find a beach somewhere and sit to have a cup of coffee. After a few kilometres, the main road out of town, Sturdies Bay Road, branches off and either heads up the island to the north end or towards Montague Harbour. I took the Montague route, scanning for beach access signs.
The first thing I noticed about the island was how empty the roads were. I was able to meander slowly down the winding road through forests and fields without any stress. It was a big difference from the city and even certain roads on Salt Spring. The roads on Galiano are wide enough for cars to pass without almost clipping me with their mirrors, and quiet enough that when they did pass, they were able to move all the way into the other lane.
The quiet of the morning allowed me let down my guard a bit and enjoy the peaceful scenery and sounds of the island slowly waking up. As I rode, the road changed from thick west coast forest with cedars and lush undergrowth to wide open pastures with goats and sheep grazing on new grass. This was what I loved about cycling: smooth roads, easy riding and serenity. The best rides are only roughly planned out. Having only a general idea of where you’re going lets you experiment, find new things, take side roads, and dawdle.
Eventually I was able to find a beach access point. The Zuker shore access isn’t the most bike friendly, but I was able to carry my bike down the steep steps to the beach. Looking out on Active Pass across Georgeson Bay is not a bad way to have your first coffee of the day. There is something about having a coffee outside. It reminds me of camping, of the summer, of a day outside and of hard work. If there is a bit of sand that gets into your cup, that’s ok; especially if the view is one like I had. The sun was just poking up over the hills and a group of seals were playing in the bay. I wanted to stay all day. A ferry floated past as I was sitting there, full of people on their way to Vancouver and anywhere beyond. I felt like I was in a different world, unnoticed and unconcerned about anything going on outside of that small bay.
Eventually, I did have to move on. I got back on the road and pointed my bike up the hill towards Montague Harbour. Riding on Galiano requires low gears and climbing legs. Montague Road at its steepest has a 9% grade, gaining 81m in only 0.93 km. The nice thing about climbing, however, is being able to go back down. The descent into Montague Harbour tops out at a grade of -18%. When I checked back later, I realized that my top speed was almost 85 km/h..
The afternoon portion of my ride was a bit more subdued. The rain continued intermittently throughout the rest of the day and I was a bit worn out from the morning’s climbing. I rode through the village of Sturdies Bay, stopping by Bellhouse Provincial Park and starting to ride up to Bluffs Park. About half way up the hill to the second park, my shifters started to act up. They were automatically pushing me into the hardest gears, and there was no way I was going to make it up anymore climbs until I fixed them. I turned around and rode to the Galiano Community Hall to use the bike repair station.
Back on the road, my next stop was at the Galiano Market to get some much needed hydration. I had been drinking coffee all day and did not have any water with me. A kombucha and an iced tea filled that need. By this point I’d been riding for almost three hours straight, not counting the multiple breaks I’d taken. I rode around 37 km and climbed over 600 metres. The only place I had not explored was the north end of the island. I decided to head back into town and relax a bit.
My boat came in just after I finished my beer. I loaded my bike onto the water taxi and settled in for the crossing over to Salt Spring.
Parts of this post were used in the May/June 2018 edition of AQUA: Gulf Islands Living