Reset search
Janet TaylorJanet Taylor
SatelliteEdit route
I am a woman of a certain age who loves a good adventure! Read more
  • Janet TaylorMotorcycle Trip 2023
    Day 6

    Lillooet to Valemount

    August 6, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We were up early and on the road to Little Fort before 7:30 a.m. The air was cool because the sun hadn't even peeked over the mountains yet.

    We stopped in Clinton for breakfast and then carried on until I couldn't stand it anymore, and we stopped for me to make some adjustments to my bags. Because of the way I had put my bag on the back of the seat, it was pushing me forward toward the tank. After a very short time, I would get very uncomfortable and need to stop. Putting the bag in a perpendicular direction across the seat gave me more room to sit properly and really relieved my discomfort.

    At Little Fort, we stopped for a minute to say goodbye. Jon was heading back home, and I was continuing west on my own. We use a communication system when we are on our bikes, and it felt very weird to have radio silence!

    It was a hot but uneventful trip to Valemount, and I arrived at the Yellowhead Campground by about 2:30 p.m. I set up my tent, had a shower, did some laundry, and went to town for supper at the Caribou Grill.

    My tent site was beside Swift Creek, and salmon are spawning here. They were very active and splashing around in the stream. I stood and watched them for a while, but the mosquitoes were getting bad. I crawled into my tent and called it a night at about 9:00 p.m.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorMotorcycle Trip 2023
    1
    Day 4

    Quadra Island to Sechelt to Lillooet

    August 4, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    August 4 was another hurry up and wait kind of day, but it ended up being very relaxing. We took the 7:30 a.m. ferry back to Campbell River and drove to Comox, stopping for fuel along the way. We had planned to grab coffee and something to eat once we got to the ferry terminal, but it turned out to be a food and drink desert.

    The ferry to Powell River took just over an hour once there, we stopped at Base Camp restaurant for some really decent coffee and food and then carried on to Saltery Bay and our third and final ferry of the day. We stopped in Sechelt at a beautiful Airbnb with spectacular views and took a cab to the Lighthouse Pub for supper.

    The next day, August 5, we were up and on the road by 8:00 a.m. for the short ride to Gibsons. We gulped down stunningly good lattes at Black Bean Coffee and then got to the Gibsons ferry terminal in time for the 9:30 a.m. sailing to Horseshoe Bay. The ride from Horsehoe Bay to Whistler was beautiful but hot and congested.

    We had a very disappointing lunch at Freshii in Whistler and then set out for Lillooet. It is a stunningly beautiful road to Lillooet but hot as hell! Literally!

    There is not much going on in Lillooet. We walked down to the Cook house restaurant for supper and then back to the Reynolds Hotel for an early night.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorMotorcycle Trip 2023
    1
    Day 3

    Ucluelet to Quadra Island

    August 3, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We were up at 7:00 a.m. and at Barkley's Cafe by 8:00 a.m. for our morning lattes. We got on the road by 9:00 a.m. so that we could get to choke point on the highway in good time. So the highway is completely closed from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except for two hours between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30p.m. They let cars heading west go through the one open lane for an hour, and then they let cars traveling east go through for an hour. If you're not close enough to the front on either side, you miss the opening and have to wait till 5:00 p.m. We got through no problem, but there was a very long line of cars waiting to go west. I don't think there is any way that they all would have made it through in the allotted hour. Always check Drive BC if you're going anywhere in this province.

    We traveled up the Inland Island Highway to Comox, where we stopped for lunch. After lunch, we carried on to Campbell River, staying off the main highway. We preferred the more scenic highway 19A, which takes you right through the main commercial area of town and right to the ferry terminal to Quadra Island. After a short wait and a 10 minute ferry ride, we were on Quadra Island. We made our way to Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge.

    Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge is a beautiful hotel and dining facility on the shores of Quadra Island. Unfortunately, if you've never been here and if you don't get here before October 1, you'll never have the chance again. In the fall, they are transitioning this facility to a private Wellness Centre for First Nations people. I'm very glad we got to stay here before it closes to the public.

    We had a good meal in the dining room, then availed ourselves of the complimentary bicycles and did a short ride to a nearby lighthouse. Another very good day.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorMotorcycle Trip 2023
    1
    Day 2

    Tattoo Day

    August 2, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    For some reason, only the post menopausal gods would know, I was up at 5:00 am. Eventually, I gave up trying to get back to sleep and got ready for my big day.

    I know it's a cliché - aging baby boomer, drives a motorcycle, and gets a tattoo, but what the hell, why not!

    I had planned to walk from our Airbnb to the tatoo studio, but it started raining, and I didn't have an umbrella. My gear is waterproof, so I just suited up and drove the 3 mins to the studio. I was met by Sara, who would be doing my tattoo. We had corresponded by email about the elements I wanted in my tatoo, and she had a design ready. We tweaked it a bit, Sara made a temporary version for me to try out, and then we got started.

    I chose to have the tattoo on the inside of my right arm. The process wasn't too painful, but as Sara described it, it was annoying and uncomfortable. It took about an hour and a half, and then I was inked!!

    We drove to Tofino for lunch and then stopped at Long Beach on our way back to Ucluelet. We spent a few hours relaxing at our accommodation and finished the day with a decent meal at The Floathouse.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorMotorcycle Trip 2023
    Day 1

    Salt Spring Island to Ucluelet

    August 1, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Well, we've had an auspicious beginning! Jon and I began the first leg of the trip at 7:00 am with a quick ride from our house through Ganges and over to the Vesuvius ferry terminal. We are headed to Ucluelet today, but we arrived to find the terminal parking lot empty - never a good sign when you're expecting to be boarding in a few minutes! Obviously, both of us had read the schedule incorrectly. You'd almost think we were new to ferry travel.

    Jon took advantage of the wait to zip back to Ganges for fuel and coffee. I believe the universe was sending me a message to slow down and relax, so I chose to sit quietly in the morning shade and start this trip journal.

    Jon needs a new air filter so we stopped at Chemainus. He went for a filter and I went for breakfast. Turns out the motorcycle place was out of business so we carried on to a place in Nanaimo. Pig's Cycle Inc. had a filter so Jon got it on his bike and off we went.

    It turned out to be a hurry up and wait kind of day. After we left Pig's, we ripped up to the turn-off to Port Alberni. A short way up the road to Tofino, traffic came to a dead stop due to road improvement work. Everyone left their vehicles and stood around chit chatting and waiting for traffic to start moving again. A couple we chatted with recommended a place in Port Alberni for lunch. After about 30 minutes, we got moving again and stopped at Porto Taco for a really excellent meal. I highly recommend this place.

    After lunch, we carried on to Ucluelet and our lovely Airbnb, where we made ourselves so comfortable that we both had a little nap!! We decided to drive to Tofino for supper and had yet another fantastic meal at Shelter.

    We got back to our Airbnb just as it was getting dark. It's been a day of good meals and sunny skies.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorThe Broughton Archipelago
    1
    Day 15

    Comox to Silva Bay

    June 30, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    This morning, Lady Gayle left Comox sometime after 7:30 a.m. and Yin & Yang left at noon. With our group all now off in different directions, the Broughton Archipelago cruise is essentially over.

    A Great Escape was back at home on June 27, Lady Gayle will be back to Salt Spring Island around midday today, Yin and Yang will spend the night at Silva Bay Marina and be home midday on Saturday and Scout is heading to Heriot Bay today and then home on Sunday.

    It really has been a most excellent adventure with the most excellent people. It was the first time in the Broughtons for all of us, and we have all broadened our seafaring experience over the last couple of weeks. It will be so nice to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night but I know as soon as we slip into our berth at the Salt Spring Sailing Club I will wish I was back in the wilderness of the Broughtons with all these amazing people I call friends.

    Thank you for following along with this trip report. In closing, I will leave you with the following quote:

    “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – Ernest Hemingway    Read more

  • Janet TaylorThe Broughton Archipelago
    Day 14

    Blind Channel to Teakerne Arm

    June 29, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Yet another early wake-up call. We were considering different routes south, but they all involved going through some kind of rapids. In the end, we decided to literally stay with the devil we knew and return past Devil's Hole in Dent Rapids. And as per usual, to get to Dent at slack, we had to get up at the ass-crack of dawn! Can you tell I'm feeling a bit testy?

    I made us coffee, and we enjoyed a serene, beautiful trip while we sipped our brew. Boats started appearing at the north end of Codero Channel, and we all slowly motored toward the rapids. Because it was slack, we had another uneventful crossing of Devil's Hole.

    After Yuculta Rapids, we entered Calm Channel and from there into Lewis Channel. This is where I took advantage of the long, straight run and had a nap.

    We got to Teakerne Arm at about 11:30 a.m. and got anchored near a small public dock. We had something to eat, took naps, and then took the tender over to the dock. From the dock, there is a path that takes you to the lake that feeds the waterfall at the end of Teakerne Arm. We jumped into the clean, clear, very warm water of the lake and enjoyed a half hour of swimming.

    Back at the dock, we said goodbye to Lady Gayle as they were heading to Comox for the night and then home the next day. Scout joined us on our boat for a cold beverage. As we were visiting, our anchor alarm kept going off, indicating that we didn't have a good hold with our anchor. Rather than mess around trying to get a good hold and then spend the night worrying about breaking loose, we decided to join Lady Gayle in Comox. I very reluctantly said goodbye to the intrepid crew of Scout. They have been with us for most of this trip and they were absolutely wonderful to travel with.

    We arrived at Comox Valley Marina and civilization just after 7:00 pm. Lady Gayle was waiting for us, and we all walked over to the Blackfin Pub for a late supper, and then Yin & Yang settled in for the night.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorThe Broughton Archipelago
    Day 13

    Lagoon Cove to Blind Channel

    June 28, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We had another 6:00 a.m. wake-up call so that we could time our trip through Chatham Channel at slack. Mother Nature is really not cooperating with my sleep schedule!

    The clouds and mist were already lifting as we pulled out of Lagoon Cove at 6:30 a.m. and I made coffee as we went through the very calm Blow Hole. Chatham Channel and Havannah Channel were also calm and clear as we went through, but up ahead, we could see that Johnstone Strait, while calm, was shrouded in fog.

    We fired up the radar and ventured into the Strait. We encountered small groups of boats traveling together so that they would be more visible on radar. Eventually, the fog lifted, and a flotilla of boats, the majority of which were sailboats, appeared out of the mist coming toward us. At one point, we counted more than 15 boats. It was quite a sight to see. They were all taking advantage of the calm seas and direction of the current to make headway in Johnstone Strait before afternoon winds blew up.

    At Chancellor Channel we turned east. Seas were calm, skies were sunny - it was a perfect day. We arrived at Blind Channel in the early afternoon.

    We had a leisurely afternoon of visiting and finished the day with a delicious meal at the restaurant.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorThe Broughton Archipelago
    Day 12

    Telegraph Cove to Lagoon Cove

    June 27, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We were up early again to cross Johnstone Strait before winds picked up. Scout had been tied up in a very tight spot at Telegraph Cove. After helping them get out of their spot, we followed them into the Strait.

    It was very calm but also very foggy and slightly unnerving to be boating somewhat blind. We we made it over to Baronet Passage with no problems.

    Traveling along Baronet Passage was like traveling in a river, and at times, the current was quite strong.

    Scout and Yin & Yang arrived at Lagoon Cove at about 11:00 a.m. and Lady Gayle arrived about an hour later. Lady Gayle had generously offered to take us all to Glendale Cove, which is in Knight Inlet, in their very fast boat. At the end of this cove, there is a shallow grassy estuary that grizzly bears like to frequent. It was windy and wavy in Knight Inlet, so we had a lumpy ride to Glendale Cove.

    When we arrived, we radioed Glendale lodge, and a skiff came out to speak to us. The two fellows in the boat were with a First Nations group that work to protect the bears from too much stress from humans. They gave us a pamphlet with information on respectful viewing of the bears and left us to our viewing.

    There were three large bears on the shore, which we were able to see through our binoculars. We couldn't get any closer because the Cove was very shallow, so we anchored and launched the tender. We didn't really get close enough to take pictures even in the tender, but I did try.

    The trip home was even lumpier than the trip out. On a calm day, the trip would have taken 45 minutes, but it ended up taking two and a half hours. Apparently, Knight Inlet is rarely calm. Because of its direction and steep banks, the wind often howls through here. It was nice to see Minstral Island and finally get behind it out of the wind.

    After supper and a shower, we were just settling down for the night when a group of drunken merry revelers wandered past our boat. One of them tripped and fell on the dock right by his tender. He was chuckling to himself as he slithered into his tender without a life jacket to return to his anchored boat. I kept an eye out to make sure he got there safely because I didn't want to find him later floating in the water. It was a good reminder of how boats and too much alcohol really don't mix!    Read more

  • Janet TaylorThe Broughton Archipelago
    Day 11

    Booker Lagoon to Telegraph Cove

    June 26, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Jon was up at 6:00 a.m., ever so slightly annoyingly cheerful! I was ever so slightly annoyingly grumpy but perked up a bit after a cup of coffee and some oatmeal. We had to be up early so that we could get through the narrow passage out of Booker Lagoon. The current would be a bit too much for our boat at any time other than slack.

    We waited on the other side of the passage, and Scout soon appeared out of the mist. We set a course across Queen Charlotte Strait toward Blackfish Sound. After about 25 minutes, Lady Gayle also appeared out of the mists, making its way to Sointula on Malcolm Island. They have a much faster boat than the rest of us, so they will join us at Telegraph Cove later.

    We arrived at Telegraph Cove at 9:30 a.m. and immediately made our way to the Sally's Cafe for some delicious lattes. While we were there, we met an interesting fellow, Robert Yourns, from Texas. He was traveling in a 16 foot Jon boat with a 40 hp outboard. This is essentially a little open aluminum skiff. He had trailered his boat from Texas to Port Townsend and then had traveled all the way to Ketchican, Alaska, in this tiny boat. At night, he would set up a tent on the boat and put a mattress in the narrow space between all his gas tanks. He was able to get into some very interesting places with his little boat but he had also been out in six foot waves in this thing. I was impressed because you couldn't pay me enough to travel that far on the ocean in something that small. If you want to look him up on Facebook, his account is Ageless Wanderer.

    We spent the rest of the day having showers, doing laundry, cleaning up the boat, and visiting all the little shops, art galleries, and the whale interpretive centre in the village.

    At about 4:30 p.m., Lady Gayle arrived, and eventually, we all made our way to the deck of the pub for drinks. Later, we shifted inside and had a very good meal at the restaurant. After wandering around the village a bit more, we settled down for a very peaceful evening tucked safely into Telegraph Cove.    Read more

Join us:

FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice
  • English