• Helene Rimberg
Current
  • Helene Rimberg

The Grand Adventure

A bike trip with no end Read more
  • The wild north island

    July 18, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Leave busy Campbell River behind and head into the forested land in the north. Pass the site where they blew up “ridge rocks” as they were causing many shipwrecks. Biggest non-nuclear explosion of its time. Continue up and over a few climbs on the wide-shouldered island highway. There are numerous logging trucks but not too bad. Find Elk Creek Rec Site - a free campground hosted by BC Parks. Cool off in the lovely creek.Read more

  • Elk Falls

    July 17, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Wake up quite late in our shadowy campsite. Doesn’t really matter as no where we need to be. After breakfast walk along the river trail to Elk Falls and the suspension bridge. Stroll amongst huge trees and stop for lunch and swim by beautiful pool. Complete the loop back to campground. Another dip in the river before packing up and dinner.Read more

  • Onto Campbell river

    July 16, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Very short day, but great riding on the ‘Seawalk’ coming into Campbell River. Head straight for Elk Falls PP and find many sites open. Opt to stay 2 nights to allow time to explore. Head back to town and ride along the spit. Make a few grocery stops before heading back to campground and then to the river. Nice temp though a bit shallow. Eat the salmon that had been given to us in exchange for a bit of olive oil.Read more

  • Oyster River

    July 15, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Say goodbye to the ‘bunkie’ and continue along the island highway north. Very pleasant riding - generally flat and no wind. Enjoy the bike path around Courtenay, stopping for lunch while looking out over the low tide. Arrive at Miracle Beach provincial park only to find it full. Wind up at another very spendy resort. Right next to lovely sandy beach!Read more

  • Birthday

    July 14, 2024 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Wake up very early with the sun streaming in the windows. Enjoy morning coffee while overlooking the water. Short walk down the rocky beach before making the birthday boy his breakfast. Quiet and restful day along the water.Read more

  • Deep Bay

    July 13, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Short day of riding so take our time. Lovely cycle way to cute town of Qualicum. Meander through the farmers market and town. Head to the beach for lunch. Hard to get anywhere as people seem fascinated in what we are doing and like to chat. Continue along the older and quieter island highway. Go through tiny towns on the way to our AirBnB in Deep Bay. Lovely place. Check out the very warm water and have nice pre-birthday dinner while watching the tide come in.Read more

  • Onto Parksville

    July 12, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Made our way through Nanaimo, first stopping for Nanaimo bars. Very sweet but tasty and fueled us for quite awhile. Said goodbye to TCT as it crossed over to the mainland. We switched between nice cycle paths and the shoulder of the busy island highway. Arrived to our destination- but the park campground was full. Managed to find a very spendy ‘resort’ by the water.Read more

  • A day of ferries

    July 11, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Up and out of Montague and back to the ferry dock to await our first ferry. Longer ride as we stopped at two other islands on the way back to Salt Springs. Crossed back over to Vesuvius bay and then back to Vancouver island. Rejoined the TCT and headed north along nice cycle way. Challenged to find a campground so go rather far so late in the day. Arrive at Living Tree near Nainamo. Thankfully lots of daylight hours!Read more

  • Galiano Island

    July 10, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Lots of animal noises during the night had us wondering about bears but it turned out to be deer and raccoons. Walked along the bay and Gray Point. Lots of shellfish though warnings against collecting them. Rode up the island and walked to Pebble Beach where we had great views to the east including Mt. Baker. Out to dinner at the Crane and Robin at the marina.Read more

  • Island Hopping

    July 9, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Headed up and out of Ruckle and back to Ganges (town). Spent a bit of time in town and then headed to Long Harbour and our ferry to Galiano. Nice ride to much quieter, yet still hilly island. Checked in to Montague Bay Park.Read more

  • Exploring Salt Springs

    July 8, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Manage to catch the start of sunrise over the water. Ride along the south side of the island and make our way to Burgoyne Bay. Hike a bit to Daffodil Point and then sit by the bay and watch the tide roll out. Cool off with a tasty beer and then a jump in the lake (sea is too cold to get in). Back to our lovely campground to watch the boat traffic.Read more

  • Onto Salt Springs

    July 7, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    With a hot spell forecasted, make our way to Salt Springs Island. Take a quick ferry and then ride up and down to the main town of Ganges. Have lunch in the park followed by gelato. Unfortunately, head up right afterwards. Roll along to Ruckle Provincial Park. Great campsite right by the water. Watch the ferry traffic cruise passed us.Read more

  • Duncan

    July 6, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Nice ride along the Cowichan Valley Trail/TCT to Duncan. Lots of totem poles and cool sculptures throughout the town. Visited farmers market (not much produce yet) and our new favorite store - Bulk Barn. Rode to Edanmare winery and did some tasting before heading to our WarmShowers hosts in Maple Bay. Lovely evening.Read more

  • TCT can be brutal

    July 3, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Find out way back to TCT. Beautiful and wide trail through the forest. And then it goes up - steeply. Hard pushing up the gravel. But it is worth it. Go through tribal land and over a number of trestles. Manage to get to a winery before it closes. Lovely views and wine. Finally managed to to get to a campground. Exhausted.Read more

  • Up the island

    July 2, 2024 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Nice sunny morning! Pack up and chat over coffee. Quickly get on the Galloping Goose trail which is also the Trans Canada Trail. After a bit they diverge and we stay on the TCT. Stock up on food and continue our ride to Goose river provincial park. And it seems we are already in bear country. Go on a jaunt to waterfall and then for ice cream. First fire in a while.Read more

  • Oh Canada

    July 1, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Short but undulating ride to Port Angeles and the ferry. Many cyclists aboard. Easy border crossing and arrive in Canada in time for Canada Day. Ride along the waterfront and through nice neighborhoods. Check out crowded festivities before heading to our warm showers hosts. Set up in backyard and head off to the pub for dinner.Read more

  • I ❤️ PNW

    June 30, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Stayed dry in our nice new tent. Very foggy and misty morning. Delayed a bit too long and wound up packing up in the rain. Made our way to the Olympic Discovery Trail - a great bike route on mostly dedicated trails. Cruised passed slugs, snails and lots of ferns. All very familiar and comforting. Sun did its best to poke through. Ended at a KOA - the northernmost one in the country.Read more

  • Chapter 2: Another soggy start

    June 29, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Early start from sunny Portland. Boarded our train rather easily and zoomed up to Seattle. Ride a few blocks to the water taxi to take us to Kingston. Managed about an hour of riding before rain began. Altered our plans a few times and ended up in Oak Bay park. Managed to make dinner and set up while staying mostly dry.Read more

  • Adios America del Sur

    June 12, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After almost 5 months, it is time to return to the northern hemisphere and summer! Enjoyed Lima’s coffee culture one more time and checked out an archeological site that is still being excavated. Lots of walking under cloudy skies. Lots of traffic on the way to the airport. Easy check in and boarding.Read more

  • Packing up

    June 11, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    After a failure with the prearranged bike boxes, managed to find other ones
    relatively quickly. Did find the “cat park” - a rather large green space filled with well cared ore cats. Spend most of day organizing and packing. Another nice seafood dinner.Read more

  • Lima

    June 9, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    The sun rises as we finally drop down to sea level (after a night of lots of ups and downs and twisting roads). Sadly our furry friend is taken from us. Finally arrive in Lima and after reassembling, ride to our hostel. Surprised by plentiful bike lanes. Evening stroll by the water.Read more