After my '01 Concours started having problems after almost 80,000 trouble free miles (and I am ashamed to say 2 years of maintenance neglect) I bought a used VFR on 7/31/11. It is a a clean '02 with 43,000 miles, factory bags and some minor tip-over "Beauty marks". I initially hardwired my Garmin Zumo to the battery and began a list of "to-do's" to make the bike fit me better. One of the first things I did after buying the VFR was order Heli bars and a ZG touring wind screen. Both were in hand and installed within a week. My "small" tank bag from the Concours wasn't going to work so I looked for a new narrower tank bag that wouldn't interfere with the bars when turned all the way left and right. I settled on a FirstGear Silverstone Mini tank bag (
click HERE) that seemed big enough for daily use and carrying the essentials. I had decided I would forgo the Givi trunk I had on the Connie as I really only needed it for trips, and with the smaller VFR I would "downsize" in the luggage capacity, but with the smaller tank bag I needed something to carry things to and from work and what not that could be readily removed and carried in (unlike a saddle bag) so I decided to look for a tailbag. I found the OGIO Stealth model (
Click HERE ) to fit the bill at a reasonable price. Both tank and tail bags fit the VFR well and offer zippered expandability to carry a little more when needed. Within a week of purchase, I had the VFR set for daily commuter duty.
After riding the VFR for a couple of weeks I decided to pull the plastic and do the GPS wiring right as well as install the heated grips, voltage monitor, and an auxiliary power panel I salvaged from the Concours. While I had it apart I also installed a SpeedoHealer I found on the local Honda dealer's clearance table and got a good price on ($45 out the door). Got everything done over the course of two days and buttoned her back up, replacing some worn and/or missing body clips and well nuts. Now comfortable with the bike and things done up "proper" I started thinking about taking it on the road. In nine years with the Connie, I have done a lot of trips and enjoyed every one. Due to a variety of reasons, I haven't been able to go on any bike trips for the last few years and have really missed being on the road. With the excitement of a new ride, I decided that I would christen her and end the summer with a short trip. The criteria was something close to home, limited time (2-3 days) limited budget and preferably be somewhere I hadn't rode before. The obvious answer was Vancouver Island, so about 10 days ago I began cobbling a plan together.
Living in the Everett WA area, the Anacortes-Sidney ferry was the obvious choice to get to the island. From there I was pretty open and wanted to cover as much as I could in a 2-3 day trip. Between what looked good on the map and suggestions from others, I came up with destinations of Port Renfrew, Port Alberni, Tofino, Campbell River, and Gold River. The initial plan was to ride through Port Renfrew on the first day and spend the first night in Port Alberni. From there I was stumped on an itinerary for day 2 and where to stay that would avoid back tracking too much and offer a good days ride, but also keeping the third day a little shorter to make the return ferry.
After a few hours on Garmin MapSource I decided that instead of spending the first night in Port Alberni and then heading for a different spot the second night, it made more sense to end the first day in Nanaimo. From there, I could ride day 2 and return to Nanaimo and save the hassle of loading everything back up and checking in/checking out of another hotel. This also had the benefit of being able to ride without the weight of all my belongings loaded on the bike. Initially the determining factor of two or three days was the cost of a room. I was hoping for a $50-$60 Motel 6 type joint which would let me do 2 nights. Unfortunately, there really doesn't appear to be much in the way of "budget" accommodations on the island during the summer season, regardless of where you stay. It was obvious my original goal of $50-$60 a night was going to have to not only go up, but be doubled. I decided I really wanted a FULL day to ride, so withe the Ferry schedule what it is, that meant a two night trip. Since camping really isn't an option for me these days, I'll just have to pull a few hours OT to make up for the added hotel cost. Hey you only live once! After deciding on Nanaimo as a base of operations, I selected the Best Western Northgate Inn. They were on the lower side of the price spectrum, had good reviews and included a continental breakfast in the room rate, and all rooms offer a fridge/microwave so to save even more I could eat on the cheap with food bought at the grocery store helping to ease the budget pain. The no-refund internet rate was $105/night CDN and seemed a fair deal. Having had to cancel plans last minute in the past and with the wonderful Pacific NW weather we have had this summer casting some concern for a rain out, I was a little hesitant to make reservations too early. It didn't look like availability was a problem so I decided to hold off booking a room until I knew the trip was a go.
With the accommodations figured out, I set to planning ride routes. I've always said that flexibility is the key to success, so I planned a variety of routes so I would have options. Folks were telling me some of my ideas seemed overly optimistic, so I planned some contingencies. Day 1 was set, Sidney to Port Renfrew to Nanaimo, and Day 3 was somewhat set with Nanaimo to Sidney and possibly some intermediate destination depending on how things went. Day 2 was wide open to run as the spirit moved me. Tofino? Gold River? or way up north to Port Hardy? Decisions, decisions, decisions...
Day 1Left home about 6:30 am for the 58 mile ride to the Anacortes ferry. Although the weather report looked promising for the next few days, it was a bit chilly and VERY foggy and misty. So foggy that by the time I got to Mt. Vernon, the knees of my pants were soaked. I stopped in Anacortes to fill the gas tank before getting on the boat, considering Canadian gas prices are over $1 a gallon more than the US, figured no sense in arriving with any air in the tank. Had a nice chat with a Canadian biker while waiting for the boat who confirmed the horror stories I had heard about Canadian (government run) motorcycle insurance. While I am paying $125/year for full coverage on my VFR (was only $89 on the Connie) he was pay $130 a
MONTH for a KLR650, Ouch!
8:25 (the posted sailing time) came and went with no boat in sight. It finally arrived 20 minutes or so late, was unloaded and loaded quickly and we were off about 45 minutes behind schedule. Since the ride was obviously a "go", I made use of the time at the dock to go ahead and make the hotel reservation in Nanaimo- gotta love smart phones. The crossing was uneventful and the skipper made up some of the time and we arrived in Sidney about 30 minutes late. While still a little on the cool side (57 degrees) the for and mist were gone and it looked like the weather people were right, and it was mostly sunny. Canada seemed happy to have my tourist dollars flowing into their country as the customs agent simply asked for ID, how long I would be there, and if I had any guns. Garmin quickly lead me away on to the route for Port Renfrew. There was a little bit of comic confusion as I tried to sort out the multiple roundabouts to get onto the highway heading for Victoria. Seems they are new and Garmin is not aware of them, I probably could have tried to figure out the signs, but I was trying to process it all and getting dizzy as I went around and around through three roundabouts. Adding to the frustration was that I could see the road I wanted, I just had to figure my way through the maze of roundabouts to get to it. How the hell they are supposed to help traffic flow is a mystery to me. After pulling into a park and ride, I figured what I needed to do and was on my way. Thankfully there didn't seem to be many folks around to witness my humiliation.
Once on the road I really appreciated being able to switch the VFR speedo over to show kilometers, no brain work trying to do the conversion and no constant reminder of how SLOW the Canadian speed limits are compared to the states. Once I cleared the greater Victoria area and got out to the Sooke rd, (Hwy 14) civilization vanished pretty quick and I found my self cruising through nice forested country roads. As I neared the coast I could smell the sea air and while still a little chilly, it was a very pleasant ride. Not a lot of traffic, and plenty of opportunities to pass when I found myself behind someone holding things up. The miles passed quickly and I found the road a little rough in parts but not bad. Seeing how I was fully loaded (and am not a small guy to start with) I had to go a little easier than I might have otherwise since the stock suspension was getting a little squirrley at times. Garmin was dead on and I rolled into Port Renfrew right on schedule at about 1:45.
At the suggestion of a VFR forum member, I had the seafood chowder and garlic cheese bread for lunch at the Coastal Kitchen Cafe. Good hearty stuff at a fair price and wait staff that weren't too hard to look at either
. With lunch out of the way, it was back on the road heading for Lake Cowichan. My AAA map said it was a gravel road but another member confirmed it had been paved a few years back. Well, not "paved" but chip seal. All in all not a bad road, not quite what I am used to in the US, but able to keep the speed limit and 10-15km over where safe to do so. As you near the lake the road begins to improve and once you turn on to shore drive it is once again a smooth and well maintained ride. From the lake it is a short trip back out to the highway and I turned north for the final leg into Nanaimo. Highway 19 was a nice leisurely road, working my way through several small communities and frequent peek a boo views of the mountains and the water. Being from the northwest, I love the smell of fresh cut timber and was greeted with the smell of logging several times as I traveled north.
I arrived at the hotel at about 4:30 pm, was quickly checked in and the girl working the desk was more than happy to accommodate me from the pre-assigned 3rd floor room to one on the first floor where I could park the bike right outside the window. The hotel has interior hallways, but the first floor rooms have sliding doors and patios which made loading and unloading easier as I didn't have to lug everything through the hotel. The hotel was a little dated, but clean and well kept I was surprised that there wasn't a pool, but it wasn't that hot so not a big deal. There is an "exercise" center with a hot tub and sauna, and to be honest I prefer both over a pool. Right across the street was a "Real Canadian Superstore" (Think Fred Meyers) and cheap gas ($1.24/litre). After checking in and getting unloaded, I gassed up he bike and picked up some beverages and snacks to stock the fridge.
After checking online (free high speed internet for hotel guests) for nearby reataurants, I decided on Italian. "Milano's" was within a mile of the hotel has good online reviews. The helpful desk clerk directed me on how to get there and confirmed that it was good. I had a nice baked lasagne, but the waitress could have been a little more attentive. While she quickly brought me water, i had to chase her down for a refill and then for the next one I just helped myself to a pitcher on a nearby table. After dinner I returned to the hotel and relaxed in the hot tub and sauna for a bit before retiring to my room to plan for day two. Being indecisive, I figured I'd see what the VFR forum had to say and posted up a poll on what I considered the two strongest options, Tofino or Gold River. I plotted routes for both and went to sleep.
Total miles for the day, 227 - 169 on the island and 58 from home to the ferry.
Map of Day 1 route
