Some Sunshine and a Goose

One more trip to the coast while the sweet autumn weather was holding out. First stop was a few days on the Sunshine Coast with friends. The question begs to be asked; "Is the Sunshine Coast actually sunny". The following is a direct quote from the Sunshine Coast Tourist Bureau, "The Sunshine Coast area's climate is characterized by mild, moist winters and warm dry summers. Temperatures on the Coast can range from a damp cold and wet 0C in winter to highs of 30C in summer. The annual rainfall is approximately 100cm (40".)"

According to the Bureau "the naming of the Sunshine Coast originated with the pioneer Roberts Family. Harry Roberts painted "The Sunshine Belt" on the side of a freight house located on the first wharf built in Roberts Creek with the name used to promote the area as a summer resort destination. In 1951, Black Ball Ferries started a car ferry service and used the term Sunshine Coast to promote the whole area. Real Estate salesmen jumped on the band wagon and the rest is history.

There is now a public ferry that runs from Horeshoe Bay in North Vancouver to the town of Gibsons which would be our base for the next few days.  You baby boomers may remember that Gibsons was home to Nick Adonis, Molly and Relic. The Beachcomers ran from 1972 to 1990, the longest running TV series in Canadian history.

We spent the day wandering around Madeira Park and Garden Bay with a pleasant hike along Garden Bay Lake.












We capped our visit with a fire, a bottle of wine and dinner on the beach.

A great end to our stay.

Tomorrow, we are off to Vancouver Island with the plan to spend a day on the Galloping Goose. A bucket list item for over two decades.

The Goose is a 55 kilometre rail trail that starts in downtown Victoria and terminates just north of Sooke. It is part of the Trans-Canada Trail. Kilometre 7 of the Goose is conveniently located across the highway from our family's home in Victoria. Previously we have cycled the Lochside Trail which intersects the Goose and terminates at the ferry terminal at Swartz Bay,. Here, we caught a ferry to Saltspring Island. I remember that it was a wet and rainy trip.

Our plan for the Goose was to ride from kilometre 7 to kilometre 50 and the Sooke Potholes Provincial Park. Our first 15 kilometres of the trail were mostly urban with lots of street crossings which had us stopping and waiting for traffic lights before we could proceed making for a slow trip.  The trail slowly morphed from streetscape to a nicely maintained bike trail that took us by Matheson Lake Regional Park.

A windy ride along the Sooke Basin.

Ignoring signs indicating that the Todd Creek trestle was under repair and map misread had us backtracking 5 kilomtres to Sooke Road.

We continued along Sooke Road eventually arrving at the entrance to the Park.

Spoiler alert, they are not really potholes.

The Potholes were created about 15,000 years ago by glacial activity that carved basins deep into the bedrock. Huge boulders were carried by the glacial melt swirled around the canyon walls carving out the huge basins (potholes).

Despite the misleading advertising and our sore asses, the park was well worth the 90 kilometre ride though I think we will drive next time.