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Saturday, April 25, 2026
Bravehearts Cycle Colwood, Esquimalt Lagoon + Royal Roads University
Royal Roads Trail video
Saturday, April 25, 2026 was an awesome 53.5km ride for at leasst one Bravehearts Cycling Group (BCG) member.
Led by Grant the group left the Switch Bridge (SB) at 10am headed for Esquimalt Lagoon and Royal Roads.
Upon reaching the 13km Marker along the Galloping Goose Trail (GGT) this was the first time most BCG members got to cycled across the newly-opened Colwood Gateway Overpass (CGO). Yes, we have video-to-prove-it.
From the CGO, the route was along Ocean Boulevard to Lagoon Rd and into Royal Roads campus. (see video)
Bravehearts members, having dispersed upon leaving the Lagoon, left the Three Amigos: Bill, Bruce and Grant to complete their ride home using this route.
The total time and distance for Bill — and presumably others — was three hours and some 53.5km long.
Labels: bravehearts, colwood, ebike
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Bravehearts' Wednesday Meeting at Fisherman's Wharf
Wednesday I cycled a 22km loop to Shoal Point Cafe (SPC) to meet with Bruce, Grant and Ken.
Bruce and Grant were just coming off a 50-60km mountainous bike ride.
We discussed the proposed Bravehearts' ride along Holland Creek Trail (HCT) between Chemainus and Ladysmith.
Ken has a brother in Duncan who apparently know the trail well and we will join him at the HCT trailhead.
Upon leaving SPC, my bike fell over on me as I was reaching for a padlock which I had dropped on the ground.
No big deal. Bruce and Grant extricated me from beneath my 60lb (27kg) bike and we were on our way home.
BTW Grant handed me my padlock and it was affixed to secure my rear carrier-box.
Labels: bravehearts, ebike, izip
Sunday, September 07, 2025
Arthur's Itanian Adventure 2025
The son (61yrs) of our late friend, is leaving to cycle in northern Italy. His destination is the City of Riccioni and its world-famous; Hotel Dory.
The hotel is best-known as one of the world's best locations for organized cycling adventures. One only has to show up and everything is at one's fingertips for a guanteed, lifetime, cycling experience.
The Dory Hotel has now been family-run for three generations. It all began in 1954, when it was still a small guesthouse with just a few rooms. Things have changed since then. Now, the Dory Hotels & Suite comprises three buildings: Hotel Dory, Residence Dory Suite and D-place. They’re all close to each other and share the same passion. The love of the Giuliodori family has been the glue over all these years. Hotel Dory, Residence Dory Suites website
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Langford gets Evo eBikes/eScooters
Thursday I drove the Benz to Langford BC from our home in Victoria.
Evo Bike Share (created by BCAA) held an official launch of their rental programs near Langford City Hall.
I like to support ant local business trying to improve local transportation. To this end I subscibed to the now-defunct U-bike program in the city of Victoria bak in the day and have been a subsciberto Evo Car Share for a couple of years.
Although I own two ebikes (a mid-drive and a hub-drive) I will use the Langford Evo units as an alternative to my cycling in that area. It will save me a 12km ride (24km roundtrip) from home to be able to pick up a ride right in Langford.
I've riden that distance so many times I'm done with it!
The Evo ebikes bikes are quite revolutionary in that they have no gears to change; one simply starts pedalling and the built-in computer figures the res out for the rider.
After riding on leval surfaces for about ten minutes, I've concluded the bike woul not fare well on hills.
These bikes are reportedly hub-drive but don't act like hub-drives. They aredead-stick — no power at all — until eh pedal is pushed down with great effort to energize it.
This is remiscent of my mid-drive Del Sol ebike. You don't pedal you don't go.
I have not riden my mid-drive ebike since buying my hub-drive bike over two years ago. The hub-drive has a throttle button and just a touch of it launches one forward with ease and then lets the pedalling begin. Much nicer at 88yrs of age.
Sunday, May 11, 2025
Aerial View of Keating Cross Road Overpass Construction
Relive My Ride
Saturday I cycled 31km roundtrip to Michelle's Farm and back home.
This farm market is located at Sayward Rd. junction with the Lochside Trail
Before visiting rhe market I put the DJI Mini drone up over markham Rad beside Hwy17
Ostensibly the ride was to checkout my bike's phone app connected to my DJI3 Osmo video camera
This time with camera mounted on my helmet bracket.
There seems to be some issue with the file format the DJI3 recorded in but we're sorting that now.
N.B. Somehow my DJI3 Osmo got swithedfrom 1080p to 4k recording. Even at $178🇨🇦 dollars, Pinnacle Studio 26 WILL NOT process 4k files. Byer beware! Thei r blab said it would handle 4k.
Saturday, May 25, 2024
Cycled 39km Roundtrip Nanaimo Parkway Trail
Cycling Nanaimo Parkway Trail 5-minutes
It took me over a decade but I finally made the ride 19.3km from McKeown Trailhead to Mary Ellen Dr. in Nanaimo along the Parkway Trail.
Besides my own tenacity, much of the thanks goes to my adult grandson who willingly cycled with his aging grandfather.
The younger, provided his vehicle and handled the driving and navigation along the trail.
Believe it — one needs a navigator with a keen eye to follow this paved trail.
The Nanaimo Parkway Trail intersects and crosses several road and highway intersection.
Many of these intersections are also intersected by other trail: i.e., E&N Rail Trail and Trans Canda Trail.
Confusing? You bet. But not to the keen eye of a skilled navigator!
Friday, April 19, 2024
Rode iZip to Jubilee Hospital paid VIHA
Friday morning I cycled 10km roundtrip to Jubilee Hospital to pay VIHA's bill for March.
Outbound it was the UVic, dedicted cycling lane along Henderson Rd. to the top of the hill at Foul Bay Rd.
After exiting This designated route it was a right turn on to Haultain Rd.
From Haultain Rd. to Jubilee Hospital it was the single-track beside Bowker Creek to the end of Adanac St.
Hospital Footpath from Haultain Rd.
Wednesday, April 03, 2024
Cycled iZip 22km Loop via Fort Street Dedicated Lanes
Wednesday morning I cycled a 22km loop downtown.
Outbound via the Fort Street Bike Lanes from the University of Victoria Foul Bay Rd. connector.
Inbound was the same from Ogden Point Docks
After completing my business in twon, I rode out to see the first-cruiseship-of-the-year come it.
My ship did not come in.
The weather was dry but still cold at 29km/hr.
Monday, April 01, 2024
Cycled 18km Loop Fort St. Bike Lanes from UVic
April Fools Day I cycled an 18km loop Henderson/Foul Bay (University/Downtown Cycling Route) outbound and the Galloping Goose Trail (GGT) inbound to home.
The object of this exercise (pun intended) was to checkout, firsthand, the new Fort Street Cycling Lanes.
Heretofore, my only viable option to cycle to downtown Victoria has been to join the GGT at the Switch Bridge and ride it to town.
The only safe road to ride between downtown is the University of Victoria Cyling Route.
Not having separated (I call them dedicated) bike lanes up the Fort St. section between Cook St. and Oak Bay Ave. has always been its weakest link.
This was rectified this year on January 10, 2024 with the completion of this dedicated bike lane.
The lanes themselves are a masterful piece of design, engineering and construction.
Thank you to all involved and in particular Victoria's former mayor, Lisa Helps.
Monday, October 23, 2023
Drove Honda with iZip to Royal Bay
Monday morning I drove the Honda with bike-on-board to Royal Bay.
I was here last Thursday but today with my bike in tow.
It was too windy to put the drone up but it was in my carrier.
Using the Vital Action Video Camera ($99CND) was a good idea.
It's as good as my 12yr-old GoPro except for battery life.
It was nice to back in the area and the whole place can be covered in 15-minutes on a bike.
Friday, October 13, 2023
37km Roundtrip Home to Royal Roads and back
Thursday morning I cycled a 37km roundtrip to Royal Roads University grounds and back home.
The destination was Royal Bay but I turned around at Painter Road gate.
iZip's battery was showing half empty after only 19km. What!
Perhaps I've been taking too many short rides and it forgot it's got 55km in it.
For something completely different:
Life imitating art again:
The headline in this morning's Times Colonist newpaper featured a photograph which is the same as one I took.
This is great news for this troublesome intersection disrupting the flow along the Galloping Goose Trail
“Corey Burger of Capital Bike, which advocates for cycling in the capital region, said the Colwood bridge will close a critical gap in the Galloping Goose Trail and vastly improve safety for cyclists.”
Thursday, October 05, 2023
Disrupted Ride by Dislocated Finger
My Thursday morning bicycle ride was interrupted by a minor mishap.
It happend while walking — not riding — my bicycle around a sharp corner to get back onto the E&N Rail Trail at Admirals Road.
Stupid me, remained seated on my bike while I 'walked' it around a sharp corner on a paved trail.
What I did not notice was the trail surface was lower on my righthand side and when I put my right foot down there was nothing there.
The resulting nosedive put my left hand index finger up against a brick wall with the full force of my body weight behind it.
The end of my finger stopped while the rest kept moving one finger bone beneath the other. Not good.
Said finger also became lacerated which required some stitches. Looks good now.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
IZip to Town and Dallas Road on 31km Loop
From home at 9:15am I cycled my iZip on a 31km loop along the Lochside Trail and Galloping Goose Trail to downtown.
Then out to Clover Point along the Vancouver Street Bikeway
The Dallas Road Seawall Lanes got me past Ogden Point Cruiseship Docks to Niagara St. bike connector to downtown Victoria
Ovation of the Seas was the cruiseship docked in from Seattle heading north to Alaska.
It was pretty chilly this morning so we cut our ride short and headed for home.
Today's photo is a framegrab from a new action camera I bought for a hundred buck$. Looks pretty good actually.
Monday, September 18, 2023
Hacked Brush at Kennedy Flat Leechtown
I Cycled 16km roundtrip to Kennedy Flat and back to Sooke Potholes #2 parking lot.
Had brush whacking tools in longbox on iZip #friendsofkapoorregionalpark
Lots of radiator fluid drained out once the Benz was parked. I had to take the bikerack off and get coolant and o-rings from trunk
Saturday, September 16, 2023
Cycled iZip 24km Roundtrip Panama Flats
Saturday morning I cycled 24km roundtrip from home to Panama Flats and back.
Saturdays are always busy on the trails as the workers get out with the family and enjoy the nice weather.
Panama Flats has a labyrinth of trails covering its large area but few take time to explore them.
Other than locals, most are just passing through on there way to somewhere else. Pity.
The main trail is the Inland Interurban Connector section between Colquitz River Park and Copley West Park.
Several linear parks make up the route between Tillicum Mall and the Red Barn Market on West Saanich Road.
I put my DJImini 2 drone up over Panama Flats while there.
Monday, September 11, 2023
iZip 22km Roundtrip Panama Flats and Hyacinth Park
I Cycled iZip 22km roundtrip to Panama Flats Park and home.
This is my old hood from the 60s
We lived on Daisy Ave. and now there is a labyrinth of trails around that location.
I followed the one behind our old property up to McKenzie Ave. at Carey Rd.
After cycling back the same route to the high ground within Panama Flats Park, I then headed for home in Gordon Head.
Instead of backtracking along the Inland Interurban Trail to Tillicum Mall we headed up Marigold Rd. to Burnside Rd.W to get back on the Galloping Goose Trail at the McKenzie overpass.
Wednesday, August 09, 2023
Cycled DelSol 17km roundtrip to Kennedy Flat
Wednesday I cycled 17km roundtrip from the Upper Parking Lot#2 at Sooke Potholes to Kennedy Flat in Kapoor Regional Park.
Kennedy Flat is the name given to the open area at the confluence of the Sooke and Leech rivers.
This is my go-to place on Vancouver Island
My dad worked for Kapoor at Kapoor Lumber Co. Ltd. at Council Creek in 1928. Dad took me to that site c.1947 and he was dismayed by how few remnants od his former labours remained. Nature always reclaims her own.
Our neighbours bought a cabin near Olde Wolf Lake in 1972 and I drove my new, 1972 Mazda Wagon down and onto Kennedy Flat that summer. There were three other vehicles parked there as well but all were 4-wheel drive. In those days, one drove in from Shawnigan Lake Road right beside the shores of Sooke Lake.
It saddens me to see Nature reclaiming this idilic, picnic and swimming location.
In 1972 Kennedy Flat was an active mining site and parked there was an excavator and motor-driven, machanical, sleuce box and one gigantic hole the miners were digging in the gravel bed. We were there on a weekend and no digging was underway.
N.B. The flat is named in honour of Vancouver Island Colonial Governor: Arthur Edward Kennedy (1809–1883) .
Sunday, August 06, 2023
Cycled 44km Roundtrip Cordova Spit and back
Before heading out on my 44km roundtrip bike ride I went to the market.
Once back home with the delivery it was off on the Lochside Trail to Cordova Spit on the Saanich Peninsula in Central Saanich.
I've walked to this park from Island View Beach and flown my drone over it and now I've cycled it twice.
The sand was particularly soft today and caused me to fall off my bike twice. I'm sure rough on bikes and old bodies.
Cordova Spit Park Walk
Cordova Spit Park the AERIAL VIDEO
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
28.3km Roundtrip to Clover Point then Home
Wednesday morning I got a late start at 8am but the ride went well anyway. Unforseen circumstances.
The iZip was the weapon-of-choice so I headed straight for the Lochside Trail at Bordon St.
After connecting to the Galloping Goose Trail my first stop was Fort St. downtown.
Then out thru Beacon Hill Park to Clover Point and bac kthru town via teh Niagara Street c\Connector.
What a beautiful ride along Victori's waterfront along Dallas Road!
From there is was bac kalong the Goose to McKenzie Ave. and home.
The ride was 28.3km and took 1½hrs. But who's counting?
Saturday, July 15, 2023
Rode iZip on 31km Highland Road Loop
Saturday morning I cycled 31km roundtrip from home to Thetis Lake Park
The plan was to try out the new ebike on a longer journey and try it on some steep hills.
The iZip ebike is awesome but the hills under the powerline are just too steep for this old man — I didn't bother trying
It's odd I never identified this hill as being too steep for any cyclists as I've been here several times.
Anyway, it was a great ride and got me home in one piece before 10:00am
I'm lovin' the fact the iZip Juice has cruise-control. You heard right: cruise-control
