walking

 

Wednesday I cycled a 22km loop to Shoal Point Cafe (SPC) to meet with Bruce, Grant and Ken.

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Bruce and Grant were just coming off a 50-60km mountainous bike ride.

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We discussed the proposed Bravehearts' ride along Holland Creek Trail (HCT) between Chemainus and Ladysmith.

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Ken has a brother in Duncan who apparently know the trail well and we will join him at the HCT trailhead.

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Upon leaving SPC, my bike fell over on me as I was reaching for a padlock which I had dropped on the ground.

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No big deal. Bruce and Grant extricated me from beneath my 60lb (27kg) bike and we were on our way home.

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BTW Grant handed me my padlock and it was affixed to secure my rear carrier-box.

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Labels: bravehearts, ebike, izip

Tuesday, April 21 I decided to cycle 21km out to 5124 Marble Plc on Bear Mountain

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This was the business address of the Oral Hyheine company that cleaned my wife's teeth

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Being no stanger to this area I looked forward to seeing all the developments undertaken in the intervening years since first riding there March 2018 on a rental ebike.

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The 42km roundtrip ride went well in fair weather under overcast skies with no rain.

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After a two hour stop at the Height at Mt. View to visit with my beautiful wife I took off again after wheeling her to her lunch at 12:10pm.

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The most significant thing learned on this ride is to use Goldstream Ave. dedicated bikelanes and not Dunford Ave. I got used to using Dunford Ave. when heading to Princess Auto or The Great Trail at Mt. Well's Trailhead.

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This ride had been timed to arrive at SB at 1:30pm to join in a Brvehearts' ride that never materialized. Upon arriving home at 2pm I saw on WhatApp it had been cancelled at noonday.

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Labels: bearmountain, izip, pedelecs

 

Saturday, April 18, 2026 eleven Bravehearts Cycling Group members left the Switch Bridge (SB) on a 31km bike ride.

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The destination was to be the obligatory coffee break at Mattick's Farm Coffee Shop

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Before that was to happen, the group wanted to put some distance to their ride so headed to Michell's Farm Market first.

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This made the routing simple inasmuch as it was outbound along the Lochside Trail and inbound along the Lochside Trail.

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All riders added more distance to this ride depending upon how far their dwelling is from the SB.

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Bill added 7.5km (38.47km) by visiting his wife at the Heights at Mount View (HMV) at 9:30am before the ride.

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Labels: bravehearts, cordova, izip, saanich

 

Relive this ride 4/11/26
Saturday, April 11 2026. Bravehearts had another ride-in-the-rain. Not heavy but still wet.

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Our leader, Ken rode of northbound along the Lochside Trail to Borden St. where we headed southto Reynolds Rd.

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South on Cumberland through Playfair Park to Kathleen St.then Salsbury Way to Derby Rd.

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Once through Cedar Hill Golf Course it was south along Doncaster Drv. to Shakespeare St. and Oaklands Park

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West on Haultain and though on Oregon Ave. to Pembroke to Chambers St. to Caledonia Ave.

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South along Blanshard St. to Humboldt west to Government and south to Belleville St.

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Once past the Legislative Buildings it was the obvious route to Fisherman's Wharf and Shoal Point Cafe

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The 13 restless riders each made their own way back home after their coffee break.

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Just another day in cyclists' paradise.

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Thanks to Ken for another circuitous, interesting ride. And thanks to the Band of Brothers for showing up.

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Bravehearts are mostly men retirees (some still work) who ride ebikes — some ride acoustic bikes. Any and all (women too) are welcome to join the group any Saturday morning at the Switch Bridge at 10am

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Labels: bravehearts, e-bike, izip

Three Bravehearts met at the Switch Bridge at 10am to cycle to Royal Roads and all nearby points.

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Grant was leader, Bill had binderdundat and for Bruce much of it was new.

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Bill's main interest was the opening ceremony for the new Colwood Gateway Overpass along the Galloping Goose Trail (GGT). The ceremony was scheduled for 3pm which did not fit the Bravehearts plan so Bill conducted his own ceremony while G+B went into standby mode.

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Ever since 2007 there was a 13km Marker beside the short, 180m section of trail between Wale Rd. and Old Island Highway. Some locals — for some unknown reason — kept removing it by physically pulling the wooden post out of the ground and discarding it. At some point, CRD stopped replacing it. It's been gone for years.

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Vested interests and locals allegedly did not want this part of the trail rejuvenated so it would become commercial real-estate and dam the cyclists they could continue along the 'temporary' detour to join the east and west section.

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This is why Bill made his own 13km Marker signs and attached one at each end of the new GGT overpass side-rail-posts.

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Just a friendly reminder to CRD there was in the past om the GGT, a 13km Marker here and on the new bridge said indicator should be permanently replaced by them. 

Bravehearts are mostly men retirees (some still work) who ride ebikes — some ride acoustic bikes. Any and all (women too) are welcome to join the group any Saturday morning at the Switch Bridge at 10am

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Labels: bravehearts, colwood, izip

 

Relive 32km Ride
One Bravehearts Easter Sunday ride.

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Kevin invited any and all Bravehearts to join him at The Nest-1 at 11;30am

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Bill visited his wife of some 45+yrs at the Heights-atMt.View (HMV) on Carey Rd.

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HMV is located at the halfway point to the Nest-1.

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After the meeting of minds, coffee, sanwiches and soup, all head back home.

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Kevin left first and Bill, Grant and Ken (in alphbetical order) left with Ken leading.

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With Ken leading, one knows it's going to be a circuitous route with interesting sights along the way.

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After SB, Ken left for home and Bill & Grant carried on to Cadboro Bay were Grant lives.

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Bill was very impresed with Grant's beautiful home high over Cadboro Bay

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Bill's total ride distance for the day was 32km and 2hrs duration.

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N.B. The route at the end to Grant's house was: Haro wood trail from Finnerty Rd./ Trailhead at Arbutus Cove Children's Centre onto 3908 Haro Rd/ Sinclair Rd from Hobbs School/ Hobbs Rd. in UVic Alumni connector/ Cedar Hill X Rd./ Crestview Rd,/ Vista Bay Rd. — Grant's home.
Bravehearts are mostly men retirees (some still work) who ride ebikes — some ride acoustic bikes. Any and all are welcome to join the group any Saturday morning at the Switch Bridge at 10am

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Labels: bravehearts, cadboro, Easter, izip

Bravehearts Thetis Relive Ride
Bravehearts Saturday ride April 4th was lead by Grant and Bruce.

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Ken was ill and couldn't ride. We missed him and hope he's feeling better soon.

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Ten riders left Switch Bridge at 10am and stopped at Nest-by-the-lake (Nest2) about 11:30am

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In between, we passed the 10km Marker along the Galloping Goose Trail )GGT) and turned right.

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This brought us northwest up Watkiss Way to Thetis Lake Park's southernmost trailhead.

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Grant and Bruce led the group through this undulating, wide, gravel trail on this sunny day.

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What a route! Spectacular, lakeside views; but not for the faint-of-heart cyclist. LOL

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This day's ride finished after returning to Victoria via GGT and E&N trails for some

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Others stayed on the GGT and dispersed as need to their homes For most the ride clocked in at some 35km and for Kenny — closer to +50km!

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Thanks to all Bravehearts for participating in a shared passion for cycling.

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Labels: bravehearts, e&n, ggt, thetis