Pacific Marine Circle Loop Part 2 - Twisties

When you see these signs with posted speeds on the route it's best to heed them.  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the switchbacks because I was too busy riding them.  You will just have to take my word on this, it was AWESOME!  In most spots it is too narrow and too dangerous to park the bike and walk back to take pictures.  I need to get a ram mount for a camera it plunk the GoPro in my helmet.

Just threw this one in here because it pretty much sums up how we were feeling.    :)

We wound our way through the breathtaking Cowichan Valley towards Lake Cowichan.

At one point I had my bike leaned so far over in a tight switchback that it felt like I was parallel to the ground and my peg was scraping and all I could think was "Wow this is me riding this bike?!" I will always remember that moment.

We stopped at the Visitors Centre to relax and eat.   It is everything a small town is famous for quaint and friendly.  

Lake Cowichan is one of the many small logging towns in the island.

Finally the end if the journey is back down the Island Highway to home.

Yesterday I rode 259 kilometres which is about 161 miles.  It may not sound like a lot but when it is on twisty roads with lots of switchbacks it's enough.

Today I am kicking back and chilling out.  Hmmm I wonder where my next moto mama adventure will take me, I know there will be twisties involved.  :) heart singing with anticipation.

Cowichan Bay Moto Date Part 2

 Back in the early summer hubby and I escaped on a moto date to Cowichan Bay.  It is a quaint little village on the Island.  We used to live there on our floathome and regularly ate at the Rock Cod Cafe, the food is delicious and filling.  

The Bay is usually packed in the summer and finding parking is an onerous task.  We wandered through the village and I was happily snapping pictures to share.  Their is an eclectic group of little shops and usually something for everyone.  The village is picturesque and quite charming.  If you are on the Island it really is a great place to stop and have a wander. 

 Who could resist taking a picture of  stiletto with flowers in it.

Moto date! wandering Vancouver Island - Cowichan Bay - Part 1

Motorcycle Man is the love of my life and we went on a moto date Sunday!

Sunday arrived and it was beautiful, stunning in fact.  We got up and had a leisurely breakfast and I prepped ribs and popped them in the crockpot for dinner.  Scooterpie Jr didn't feel like riding and had a friend over.  Motorcycle Man and I took advantage of having some time to ourselves and headed up Island.  We had no particular destination, but didn't want to make a marathon expedition, so we zipped over the Malahat and rode to Cowichan Bay.  

Private marina where we first lived aboard our lovely little floathome.

When we first moved to the Island we lived in an apartment on a busy street, it also happened to a route the ambulance took regularly.  We were ready to move out of it within 9 months.  We stumbled across an ad for a floathome that was for sale and we were intrigued and ended up purchasing it.  The house was moored up in Cowichan Bay, lovely little spot, quaint coastal community and we were welcomed with open arms.  We loved our little seaside retreat, but eventually the 90 minute commute was getting to us so we towed our house down to Victoria and happy lived aboard for 10 years and the precipitating factor for moving back to dry land was our wee baby daughter who was starting to toddle.  We needed grass under our feet instead of water.  

Sunday we headed off and went to some of our old haunts and strolled the village.  It was like going home again and made us both homesick for our floathome. Cowichan Bay is an eclectic little village with wonderful little shops and great restaurants.  Our favorite was the Rock Cod Cafe when we lived there and their crab nights were legendary, all you could eat crab for $10.  We stopped there and had a cold drink and some appies.  

Aren't they a cute couple...

This floathome belonged to a friend and is moored in the spot our house was.

 Looking over Cow Bay from the Government Wharf

 My hubby in Hecate Park

 View from Hecate Park

 Miss Scarlet sunning herself.

 Moi very happy and contented after an afternoon of moto wandering.

Moto Mama's go wandering - To Infinity & Beyond (almost)

Kristen and Liz posing with the ancient sistas  (I made them do it)

Saturday was moto adventure day!  It started out cold and cloudy, but we ventured out despite the threat of rain.  We met up and rode over the  Trans Canada#1 Malahat highway.  We made our first stop at West Coast Roar the best female riding gear store on Vancouver Island (they also carry men's gear).  We chatted with Greer and Joley the owners of Roar.  We drooled over all the lovely jackets and riding apparel.  We had coffee and nibblies at Serious Coffee next door and then we were off.  

Our second stop was in Duncan to pick up my new Shoei (I am still stoked about this).  After that it was approaching lunchtime and we decided to drive to Crofton and have lunch at Lito's Cafe & Galleria.  Kristen and Liz had yummy looking cuban sandwiches and I decided to skip the sandwich and go straight to dessert.  It was homemade to die for carrot cake.  All three of us had a piece.  It seems we are becoming a RTE (ride to eat) group.  The Vancouver Scootering Club RTE crew needs to come visit this little cafe for the carrot cake. 

   The Vancouver Scootering RTE crew needs to come for a 

weekend of riding Vancouver Island with Princess Scooterpie

After our delicious lunch we decided to wander down the highway to Chemainus.  

Chemainus is a picturesque little town that is part of the Stz'uminus First Nation, located in the Cowichan Valley. Chemainus was named after a powerful First Nation's Chief Tsa-meeun-is which translates to Broken Chest. 1858 brought logging to the community and the mills were thriving until the early 1980's and at the point the mill was closed.  The town was dying, but was revived as a tourist destination.  Chemainus is famous for the 39 murals painted on  the buildings around the town. The murals tell the story of the town.  Chemainus is home to a thriving tourist industry with antique shops, eateries, galleries, and theatre.  It is a lovely walk around the town and great fun peeking into the eclectic little shops.  In 2006 a Boeing 737 was sunk off the coast to create an artificial reef, which is home to aquatic plant and marine life.

 Apparently the town was scandalized 
by a gang of biker chics who were wreaking havoc

This lovely young lady was gracious enough to let me 
snap her picture, she is dressed in early 1900 clothing. 

  

After wandering around Chemainus and stopping for some refreshments it was time to hit the road and head home.  We detoured and drove through Cowichan Bay, my old home town for 9 months, that is where we bought our floathome the Resting Cloud and lived aboard for 9 months before towing it to Westbay in Victoria.  

 Our quick stop in Cow Bay *notice on the back
of Liz's bike - carrot cake.

The inaugural run of the new Shoei RF1100 Sylvan helmet.

The graphics remind me of a mardi gras mask. Helmet Nirvana! 

*writer acknowledges wikipedia for facts regarding Chemainus and the Cowichan Valley.