I'm thinking of doing a slightly larger ride than usual this Sunday (penance for postponing my ride to N. Van) out to some undiscovered trails this side of the Sooke Potholes. Plotting the route using plotaroute.com is proving frustrating so I'll do my best to describe it:
Fairfield Starbucks -> E&N -> Sooke Rd. -> to Terra Nova trail head (off Highway 14, southwest of Humpback reservoir) ~ 25km
Terra Nova -> Sooke Mountain Park Rd (South bound) to a mess of trails -> Sea to Sea Regional Trail Head ~ fun/far/tiring?
Sea to Sea Regional Trail Head -> Galloping Goose -> Pluto's ~ 40km
So, as you can see this is a bigger ride and might not work if you are running a tight schedule (i.e. get spousal permission). But I haven't ridden those trails and the anticipation of what it could be is driving me bonkers.
I've used TrailForks on my phone but didn't think to look for a website version. Wow, there's lots of info there! Note the reports and comments (recent ones from this January) about trees down, but I guess it's possible they've been cleared by now.
Ann wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:50 pm
I'm just a lurker this time--definitely don't have time for a long ride Sunday--but I was curious about the Terra Nova trail so I googled it:
I've used TrailForks on my phone but didn't think to look for a website version. Wow, there's lots of info there! Note the reports and comments (recent ones from this January) about trees down, but I guess it's possible they've been cleared by now.
Yes. But it wouldn't be CX without some hike-a-bike!
I'm just as curious about that whole region, Ron! Looking at the maps of Terra Nova reminded me of the Nature Trails vision for a South Loop that connects Langford with Leechtown via the Sea to Sea. Have a look at some of these "visionary" projections.
But timing it out for tomorrow—given that we also lose an hour to DST (making an extra early start even extra earlier! )—I think the 50K of commuting there and back are still my stumbling block.
Alan's nephew is a keen MTB'er who lives out in Sooke and rides Harbourview all the time. Maybe the thing to do would be to organize a guided tour some day and just drive out to the start? I dunno...
Yes, the switch to daylight savings is a problematic and makes an early start even harder. However, I think we can get to the Terra Nova trail head in about an hour. The amount of trail riding and the commute back make it lengthy.
I'm all for scheduling this for another day too. It needs to be done one day though.
But if not Sooke Hills (this weekend), then where?
What about a little Royal Roads -> Langford Lake -> South Thetis action commencing at 7:30 am from Fairfield Starbucks? That suggested, I don't really care where, as long it's within a few hours and there's the usual aimless conversation and crispy bacon at the end.
Before the memory of yesterday's fun, fast spin melts into the blurry past, I have to note Joe B.'s apparently spontaneous decision at Starbucks to eschew the predictable Sunday social and join us CX nutters for a spin round Royal Roads and the Lakes District of the Western Communities.
Of the 54.6 km between Fairfield Starbucks and Fantastico, only 13.8 km were on actual road. And Joe did it on these puppies (a good reminder to cross-curious roadies (and all of us, really) that you should never let the shape or size of your tools hold you back from living out your dreams ):
)—I think the 50K of commuting there and back are still my stumbling block. 
):