Imagine miles of roadway circulating throughout breathtaking scenery where there are no traffic lights, no traffic tie-ups and where more deer cross the road than pedestrians. It does exist. The Gulf Islands between the BC Mainland and Vancouver Island offer exactly that, as do many other rural areas in this great land of ours.
A long favourite of mine for unwinding and reconnecting with nature, the Gulf Islands are serviced by ferries that carry vehicles and people from the mainland to the islands and inter-island. The roads here are paved, single lane affairs that twist and turn, and climb and dive.
Unless a ferry has unloaded, the likelihood of encountering other vehicles is minimal. Apart from the expected hills, cycling along the Gulf Island roads is a wonderful experience that enhances one’s interface with nature thanks to the quiet operation of human powered cycles.
On a recent bike ride, my son and I encountered a total of 16 deer grazing along the roadway or scampering back into the forest. With eagles overhead and harbour seals plentiful, the human/nature interface is at its finest on foot or bike.
Whether walking, cycling or driving these quaint roads as they pass by farms and homesteads, one quickly develops an appreciation for the way that things were before traffic congestion and inconsiderate drivers drove us to road rage. When another motorist is encountered on the islands, expect to see a wave that uses all five fingers!
I wish it were possible to import a little “island driving” into the big city; maybe then we’d feel less wound-up and the true pleasure of driving would be rekindled—and those one-finger waves would become obsolete. Idealistic I know, but hey, a man with a car can dream.
A long favourite of mine for unwinding and reconnecting with nature, the Gulf Islands are serviced by ferries that carry vehicles and people from the mainland to the islands and inter-island. The roads here are paved, single lane affairs that twist and turn, and climb and dive.
Unless a ferry has unloaded, the likelihood of encountering other vehicles is minimal. Apart from the expected hills, cycling along the Gulf Island roads is a wonderful experience that enhances one’s interface with nature thanks to the quiet operation of human powered cycles.
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| Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com |
On a recent bike ride, my son and I encountered a total of 16 deer grazing along the roadway or scampering back into the forest. With eagles overhead and harbour seals plentiful, the human/nature interface is at its finest on foot or bike.
Whether walking, cycling or driving these quaint roads as they pass by farms and homesteads, one quickly develops an appreciation for the way that things were before traffic congestion and inconsiderate drivers drove us to road rage. When another motorist is encountered on the islands, expect to see a wave that uses all five fingers!
I wish it were possible to import a little “island driving” into the big city; maybe then we’d feel less wound-up and the true pleasure of driving would be rekindled—and those one-finger waves would become obsolete. Idealistic I know, but hey, a man with a car can dream.