Tour de Mayne Island

Today marks my last day on Mayne Island. I have kept myself busy biking for a couple of hours a day and going for a daily hike. Biking on the island is quite a challenge as for a prairie cyclist it is extremely hilly. I seem to spend much of my time in either my bottom gear going up the hills or in my top gear flying down. I have learned that when going down hill at great speed to stay away from the edge of the road. Even a small drop off the side of the road at a fast speed could be catastrophic. Despite it being the summer there is not alot of traffic on the islands.

The hikes I have done have been St. John's point where I met Toni and Alison and had a pleasant chat. They were ex Albertans and were happy to hear about the state of things in the province. I hiked point Edith but never met anyone. Point Edith is on private property but the owners also ex Albertans allow people to hike the point as long as they respect the property. On the one side of the point one can walk out on along the shore along on siltstone/mudstone. It has great traction and has been carved very intricately by the water. At the point I had my lunch and looked out towards Twassen in the distance. The pt also commands a wonderful view of the beautiful cottage that the owners build maybe ten years ago. Cheryl and I actually met one of couple when we here before. She happened to fall off her E bike and I helped her up. The hike back from the point is on the other side along cliffs looking out over Campbell bay and a seal island. My third day I hiked through Henderson park. I got a little disoriented in Henderson park and then I heard someone calling my name which was very odd. It turned out to be Alison from my first day of hiking. It felt like something out of a movie. We had a little chat and she pointed me in the correct direction and I continued my hike up vulture ridge where I had a text conversation with my brother. The third evening I hiked the Bennet Bay point a very short hike and chatted with Tricia who suggested a water taxi to get me from Pender Island to Saturna.

I hung at both Campbell Bay beach and Bennett Bay beach but found Bennett Bay beach friendly. I had a long chat with Robin a semi-retired Professor one day on Bennett Beach about retirement, living on Mayne and about books he had read. He recommended 21 rules for the 21 century which I have just checked out of the Edmonton public library as an electronic book. I don't need any more weight to lug around so from now on it is electronic books.

Yesterday I took the ferry over to Galiano for the afternoon for some different scenery. Galiano is a long skinny and very hilly island. It was even Hillier then Mayne. I made it about 2/3 of the way down the island but had set a turn around time of 1.5 hours. On the way back I stopped at a little regional park called Resort Cove. It consists of a stone ledge by the water where one can sit out and enjoy the water. There were all these Harley Davidson vehicles parked which had been on my ferry. I could not see any of the riders until I got down to the water and they were all drinking and smoking pot. I just left and bikes back to Sturdies bay. The hills really took there toll on me on the way back. After a brief stop at Morningstar beach I hit the coffee shop and bookstore before taking the ferry back to Mayne. Was I ever exhausted.

Other notable events during the week were meeting George a retired school teacher from Lethbridge on the ferry and the subsequently at the grocery store who invited me for supper which was sweet of him. It was a real bachelor supper. I also met Emma again at the Farmgate store. Cheryl and I had met Emma three summers ago on her last day of work before departing for grade 12 on a sailing ship. She gave Cheryl her blog site and Cheryl has been following her adventures that year and subsequently in Ireland and now in London where she is attending University. I said hello and got a selfie with her.

Today I am off to Pender Island so I will have to pull myself together for the trip. Everything has to go in the Panniers.Read more