A Ride to Afternoon Tea...Not!

Except I don't much care for tea and, besides, I wasn't dressed for it.

Today is my last day in Canada. I leave late this afternoon on the ferry to San Juan Island.

Since I didn't need to be to the ferry terminal until 5:00, I decided to ride the Lochside Trail to Victoria and back. I got up early and packed everything up to be on the road by about 8:00. It was just 20 miles to Victoria, so I had plenty of time.

The Lochside Trail is a mix of paved trail, road, and quite a bit of packed gravel trail. It was all pretty well marked except for this one intersection where the trail went off at a diagonal. I couldn't see the trail due to the traffic and the signage was very poor. I was going along the road wondering what happened to the trail. I was actually on the sidewalk (there was no bike lane). As I rode along slowly, a bus pulled up at the bus stop. There was someone getting on so I slowed down even more. Then I noticed there was someone getting off out the rear door. I stopped with my left foot down on the ground and my right foot still in the pedal. Of course, Betsy decided to go to the right. Down I went (well, part way anyway). Arrrrggggg!!! Scraped my calf on the chainring, but no big deal. It just adds to all the other various bruises on my legs.

Anyway, I stopped at a small shopping area and asked where the Lochside Trail was. I picked up the trail at the next intersection (there I could see where I had missed it). I continued on into Victoria where, at one point, the trail becomes the Galloping Goose Trail (I saw not one single galloping goose!).

I came across a bridge and was in the part of Victoria everyone knows--the Parliament Building, BC Museum, and The Empress Hotel. I thought of going to the museum, but it costs $21 to get in. I remember when I was a kid it was free! I just rode around and took pictures.

I decided to head back to Sidney and stop at a Subway I had seen along the way. I know I said I wasn't going to eat at anymore Canadian Subways, but I didn't have any lunch stuff left and it was conveniently located along the Lochside Trail.

Now I'm back in Sidney at a "Serious Coffee" shop that has free wifi. I have managed to spend the last of my Canadian currency. I'll post this and head down to the water to enjoy the view.

This will suffice for today's post as I will be arriving late into Friday Harbor. I am, most of all, hoping for a shower at the Lakedale Campground. Keep your fingers crossed because I REALLY need a shower!!!