I am thinking of riding home from my shift as a marshal at the TT this weekend. I haven't been north of the Malahat on a bike before and am more than a little intimidated by the bump on the way back, but I am a tough old broad and can probably pull it off. (B- rider by TS standards, generally do 28-29 km/h on my own over a few hours on the peninsula)
Can the Collective Wisdom suggest a more pleasant route, especially around Duncan, than taking the Trans-Canada the whole way back? I am not so gullible as to believe anyone who suggests that I might find Goldstream Heights entertaining and scenic. I am not too proud to consider the Mill Bay Ferry
I don't like the highway or southbound malahat either. From Duncan I usually go Tzouhalem, Cow Bay, Cobble Hill Rd, Shawnigan Lake, and there's no obligation to climb Goldstream Heights when you pass Stebbings. Of course it is recommended. That's about a 70 km ride from the Golf Course to the Switch Bridge zone back in Vic. To get the ferry (35 km ride to the ferry), take Telegraph Rd. left off Cow Bay all the way to Kilmalu. You have to improvise the last couple hundred metres along the highway to Mill Bay road, either ride some gravel on the other side of the barrier on the northbound lane or just cross at the Kilmalu lights and ride the highway down to Mill Bay. I bet you'll get a decent little group who wants to ride back.
Here's a ride I did with the Gards last year that had a nice route from Duncan back to Shawnigan, all on the west side of the highway: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/39810091 - that would be about 65 km back instead of 70 km, and/but you wouldn't have (the opportunity) to climb out of Cow Bay
Hey Sylvan, Where does Stebbings hook back up with the highway? I'm thinking about riding home from Mill Bay next weekend and taking Shawnigan/Stebbings to ???? then home on either the Goose or the highway, anything to avoid the Malahat. I'm pretty averse to gravel these days. Should I just stick to Goldstream Heights?
AndreaR wrote:Where does Stebbings hook back up with the highway?
It doesn't, it just climbs to a wilderness dead end up Goldstream Heights, then you come back down to Shawnigan Lake Road and either do the climb again or hang a right and finish the ride up to the malahat hwy at the Shawnigan exit, then turn right and come down the malahat to Goldstream. If that's what you meant then that's perfect, if you're good with the rural Shawnigan Lake bypass of the TCH from Mill Bay, then climbing the backside of the malahat to the Shawnigan exit (flashing amber light). The Shawnigan Lake Road climb up the side of the malahat is a respectable grunt but not as tough as the horrific southbound malahat climb and there's almost no traffic. #winning
