The weather for Sunday looks very promising - no rain in the forecast. However, be prepared for a shower - bring a light wind/rain jacket as it can rain between Port Renfrew and Lake Cowichan.
If you wish to bring extra clothes, your own snacks, spares etc then pack them in a back pack. The back pack will be carried in one of the support vehicles. You can then access your back pack at any of the stops along the route.
The list of stops, the ks and the estimated arrival times at the stops by the "not so fast" group are listed below. The scheduled is designed to enable the "not so fast" group to catch the 5:30 pm Mill Bay Ferry.
Start
Starbucks (Victoria) 6:00 am 0K
Sooke 7:30 am 38K
Jordan River 8:45 am 68K
Port Renfrew 11:00 am 106K
Lake Cowichan 2:15 pm 167K
Duncan 3:30 pm 196k
Mill Bay 4:3 0pm 220k
Mill Bay Ferry 5:00 pm 226k
Victoria (Starbucks) 7:00 pm 250k
The "fast" group last year arrived at the ferry at about 4 pm but just missed the 4:10 pm ferry.
Update Big Loop ride
Moderator: mfarnham
Re: Update Big Loop ride
Route information:
The route sheet can be obtained from
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9297728/cue_sheet%201/2
or reviewed below. I will bring copies of the route sheet to the start of the ride. The route is very straight forward. The only part of the route that requires some attention is between 168K and 195k where the route takes riders through the south side of Duncan.
Big Circle route2 245.6 kilometers
Starting from Starbucks on Alpha Street
© Left Turn left onto Alpha St 0.0
0.3 ¨ Right Turn right towards Galloping Goose Trail 0.3
0.0 ª Straight Continue straight onto Galloping Goose Trail 0.4
1.1 © Left Turn left to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 1.5
0.0 © Left Turn left onto Lochside Regional Trail 1.5
4.0 ¨ Right Slight right to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 5.5
4.9 ¨ Right Turn right onto Nob Hill Rd/Wilfert Rd 10.4
0.0 © Left Turn left onto Wale Rd 10.4
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Old Island Hwy S/Sooke Rd/BC]1A W (signs for Old Island
Highway) 10.7
96.1 ¨ Right Turn right (signs for Lake Cowichan) 106.7
1.1 ª Straight Continue straight onto Deering Rd 107.8
1.9 ¨ Right Turn right onto Pacific Marine Rd (signs for Lake Cowichan/Duncan) 109.7
29.8 ¨ Right Turn right to stay on Pacific Marine Rd 139.5
21.0 ¨ Right Turn right onto S Shore Rd (signs for Lake Cowichan) 160.4
6.9 ª Straight Continue onto Cowichan Lake Rd 167.3
1.2 ¨ Right Slight right onto Cowichan Valley Hwy/BC]18 E 168.5
21.3 ¨ Right Turn right onto Tansor Rd 189.8
0.9 ª Straight Continue straight onto Cowichan Lake Rd 190.7
1.9 ª Straight At the roundabout, take the 1st exit and stay on Cowichan Lake Rd 192.6
1.5 ª Straight At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit and stay on Cowichan Lake Rd 194.1
0.1 ª Straight At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Government St 194.2
1.1 © Left Turn left onto Boundary Rd 195.4
0.4 ¨ Right Turn right onto Craig St 195.7
0.0 ª Straight Continue onto Allenby Rd 195.8
0.7 © Left Turn left to stay on Allenby Rd 196.4
1.7 ¨ Right Slight right towards Trans]Canada Hwy/BC]1 S 198.1
0.0 ¨ Right Slight right onto Trans]Canada Hwy/BC]1 S 198.2
17.0 © Left Turn left onto Deloume Rd 215.2
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Mill Bay Rd 215.4
5.0 © Left Turn left onto Ferry Rd 220.4
0.4 ª Straight Take the Brentwood Bay, BC ] Mill Bay, BC ferry 220.8
5.7 ª Straight Continue straight onto Ferry Ramp 226.5
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Verdier Ave 226.7
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Brentwood Dr 226.8
0.8 © Left Turn left onto Marchant Rd 227.6
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Hagan Rd 227.8
0.4 ¨ Right Turn right onto Wallace Dr 228.2
4.6 © Left Slight left to stay on Wallace Dr 232.8
0.0 ¨ Right Turn right onto W Saanich Rd/BC]17A S 232.9
3.5 ¨ Right Turn right onto Interurban Rd 236.3
5.6 ¨ Right Turn right 241.9
0.2 © Left Turn left 242.1
0.7 © Left Turn left 242.8
7/15/2015 Cue sheet for Big Circle route2
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9297728/cue_sheet 2/2
Ride With GPS E http://ridewithgps.com
0.1 © Left Slight left onto Galloping Goose Trail 242.9
1.2 ¨ Right Turn right to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 244.1
0.0 ¨ Right Turn right to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 244.1
0.0 © Left Slight left to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 244.2
1.1 © Left Turn left onto Alpha St 245.3
The route sheet can be obtained from
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9297728/cue_sheet%201/2
or reviewed below. I will bring copies of the route sheet to the start of the ride. The route is very straight forward. The only part of the route that requires some attention is between 168K and 195k where the route takes riders through the south side of Duncan.
Big Circle route2 245.6 kilometers
Starting from Starbucks on Alpha Street
© Left Turn left onto Alpha St 0.0
0.3 ¨ Right Turn right towards Galloping Goose Trail 0.3
0.0 ª Straight Continue straight onto Galloping Goose Trail 0.4
1.1 © Left Turn left to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 1.5
0.0 © Left Turn left onto Lochside Regional Trail 1.5
4.0 ¨ Right Slight right to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 5.5
4.9 ¨ Right Turn right onto Nob Hill Rd/Wilfert Rd 10.4
0.0 © Left Turn left onto Wale Rd 10.4
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Old Island Hwy S/Sooke Rd/BC]1A W (signs for Old Island
Highway) 10.7
96.1 ¨ Right Turn right (signs for Lake Cowichan) 106.7
1.1 ª Straight Continue straight onto Deering Rd 107.8
1.9 ¨ Right Turn right onto Pacific Marine Rd (signs for Lake Cowichan/Duncan) 109.7
29.8 ¨ Right Turn right to stay on Pacific Marine Rd 139.5
21.0 ¨ Right Turn right onto S Shore Rd (signs for Lake Cowichan) 160.4
6.9 ª Straight Continue onto Cowichan Lake Rd 167.3
1.2 ¨ Right Slight right onto Cowichan Valley Hwy/BC]18 E 168.5
21.3 ¨ Right Turn right onto Tansor Rd 189.8
0.9 ª Straight Continue straight onto Cowichan Lake Rd 190.7
1.9 ª Straight At the roundabout, take the 1st exit and stay on Cowichan Lake Rd 192.6
1.5 ª Straight At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit and stay on Cowichan Lake Rd 194.1
0.1 ª Straight At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Government St 194.2
1.1 © Left Turn left onto Boundary Rd 195.4
0.4 ¨ Right Turn right onto Craig St 195.7
0.0 ª Straight Continue onto Allenby Rd 195.8
0.7 © Left Turn left to stay on Allenby Rd 196.4
1.7 ¨ Right Slight right towards Trans]Canada Hwy/BC]1 S 198.1
0.0 ¨ Right Slight right onto Trans]Canada Hwy/BC]1 S 198.2
17.0 © Left Turn left onto Deloume Rd 215.2
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Mill Bay Rd 215.4
5.0 © Left Turn left onto Ferry Rd 220.4
0.4 ª Straight Take the Brentwood Bay, BC ] Mill Bay, BC ferry 220.8
5.7 ª Straight Continue straight onto Ferry Ramp 226.5
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Verdier Ave 226.7
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Brentwood Dr 226.8
0.8 © Left Turn left onto Marchant Rd 227.6
0.2 ¨ Right Turn right onto Hagan Rd 227.8
0.4 ¨ Right Turn right onto Wallace Dr 228.2
4.6 © Left Slight left to stay on Wallace Dr 232.8
0.0 ¨ Right Turn right onto W Saanich Rd/BC]17A S 232.9
3.5 ¨ Right Turn right onto Interurban Rd 236.3
5.6 ¨ Right Turn right 241.9
0.2 © Left Turn left 242.1
0.7 © Left Turn left 242.8
7/15/2015 Cue sheet for Big Circle route2
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9297728/cue_sheet 2/2
Ride With GPS E http://ridewithgps.com
0.1 © Left Slight left onto Galloping Goose Trail 242.9
1.2 ¨ Right Turn right to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 244.1
0.0 ¨ Right Turn right to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 244.1
0.0 © Left Slight left to stay on Galloping Goose Trail 244.2
1.1 © Left Turn left onto Alpha St 245.3
Re: Update Big Loop ride
Thanks. This is very helpful.
Which Starbucks is Starbucks Victoria? Is it the one on the map here at Douglas and Alpha or is it the one in Cook Street Village (I'm a newcomer)?
For snacks and food, what will be provided? I don't want to try something new on such a long ride.
If we do bring our own snacks, what would the recommended quantity be? I was thinking about 5 or 6 bars, a bunch of tabs for bottles, and 2-4 gels. Is that the right ballpark?
I am also planning to burn through a tube of sun lotion. I'll be bringing my regular wallet, phone, spare tube and tools. Is there anything else that one might crave towards the end?
Which Starbucks is Starbucks Victoria? Is it the one on the map here at Douglas and Alpha or is it the one in Cook Street Village (I'm a newcomer)?
For snacks and food, what will be provided? I don't want to try something new on such a long ride.
If we do bring our own snacks, what would the recommended quantity be? I was thinking about 5 or 6 bars, a bunch of tabs for bottles, and 2-4 gels. Is that the right ballpark?
I am also planning to burn through a tube of sun lotion. I'll be bringing my regular wallet, phone, spare tube and tools. Is there anything else that one might crave towards the end?
Re: Update Big Loop ride
The group had an excellent sag wagon that carried everyone’s packs so they could be accessed during the various rest stops. After nearly 10 hours of riding, bars and gels are barely palatable.
Last year I made a few pb&j sandwiches in addition to bringing preferred fruit and natural foods. Also premixed my electrolyte drink in a one gallon container, so no mixing required and it was always the right concentration.
As for the food provided it was as good (or better) as any expensive fondos. Bars, fresh fruit, cookies and endless water, great for the tablet users. The absolute best part was a bowl of homemade veggie chili when we all stopped in Port Renfrew.
Last year I made a few pb&j sandwiches in addition to bringing preferred fruit and natural foods. Also premixed my electrolyte drink in a one gallon container, so no mixing required and it was always the right concentration.
As for the food provided it was as good (or better) as any expensive fondos. Bars, fresh fruit, cookies and endless water, great for the tablet users. The absolute best part was a bowl of homemade veggie chili when we all stopped in Port Renfrew.
Kenji Jackson
Re: Update Big Loop ride
The bagels with cream cheese and lox also went down very well last year and will be supplied again. There should be enough food for everyone and any food you bring will be supplemental and designed for your own preferences.
Marcus
Marcus