Nanaimo to Mission

Easter Weekend 

On Easter Sunday we decided to move on from Nanaimo. The early ferry was just too early so we caught the 1030 boat from Vancouver Island back to the mainland. We arrived at Horseshoe Bay around midday and had our lunch of crackers with peanut butter and banana. I know it sounds awful and it does look awful but it's good for you when your cycling I'm told. It certainly tastes better than the sardines and pasta we had the night before. Yes sardines are also good for you when your cycling.  

As we cycled through North Vancouver we met hill after hill.  A local cyclist who subscribes to 'Warm Showers' asked if we would like to stay over at his place.  Don't get the wrong idea - look it up on the internet :) However, since we were not long off the boat and hadn't punished ourselves enough, we declined and decided to push on.

That said, after another 30 km we were tired with nowhere to stay and clinging to a cup of coffee in Macdonalds when we met Jim and Rhoda.  When they asked us to stay over we couldn't say yes fast enough.  So we spent the evening with Jim and Rhoda and Jim even brought out his bottle of Glenfiddich. Nice.  Thereafter it was down to the local Thai restaurant for a marvellous curry.

Part of out trip is about taking our time to see this marvellous country.  But there's no point in seeing the scenery without meeting the people too.  Jim had family connections to Ayrshire and lived, as a young man, on a farm in Manitoba.  Rhoda's family line began in Wales, moved to Argentina and then to Canada. 

On leaving Jim and Rhoda we cycled another 52km and 1600 ft of ascent to Mission which lies along the Fraser River. Tonight we are camped in the Sun Valley Trout Park. It's a pretty basic campsite but it does have warm showers and a trout lake.  Wish we had brought fishing rods!