I guess I’m jaded or spoiled by touring in Europe. Accommodation here seems way more expensive for what you get (I loved camping on actual grass in France, plus the fact that *every* campground had showers). Here, most campgrounds are well away from any town so no walking anywhere for a restaurant dinner…

Then there’s the dearth of quiet roads. I’ve ridden the Sunshine Coast twice and the only reason I might do it again is it doesn’t involve an airplane. The scenery is lovely but you can’t enjoy it because of the traffic and the inconsistent shoulder (sometimes there but mostly not).

As for going North from Nanaimo—it would be much nicer if there were an alternative route from Lantzville Road to Northwest Bay Road. But there isn’t. Or maybe if all those trucks slowed down or stayed in their lane?

Then there’s the Trans Canada Trail. If only it were continuous and if only motorized vehicles were banned! ATVs have destroyed the trail in so many stretches.

It’s sad, really, because the area has a lot to offer that’s truly “world class” but the cycling infrastructure is absent.

World class or no, I had great fun reading about your trip. Looking forward to more intrepid Grampies adventures. (I would start with the toes, but what do I know?)

Thanks Tricia! It was great that we were able to visit you and Ken in New Zealand. We hope some day to get back to New Zealand and maybe spend a couple months there allowing us to escape our dreary winter weather here. We are fortunate though that we can cycle year round here on the west coast (sometimes referred to as the “wet coast”). All the best!

They are claimed to be both warm and dry. We bought them here locally at MEC, but they are Showers Pass, so you should be able to find them. Here is the MEC listing (not cheap!): https://www.mec.ca/en/product/6003-639/Crosspoint-Waterproof-Knit-Gloves?colour=NGR00

I love this one and hope to see more of them.

I sure hope not! Whenever we rode in from the ferry with our boys (we started once the Lochside Trail had opened, though it took a few more years for it to be completed), we had to stop here. Once, we even got a barn tour. I asked my no 28-year-old son if he remembered that just a couple of weeks ago. We were stopped there watching a dad show the pigs to his young daughter. Of course he did.

Great to read that the Grampies are back on the road! I noticed the gloves that Dodie is wearing in this picture. Are they water proof or for warmth or both? I like the color! Where did you buy them?

We were so pleased to meet the pair of you at our place when you were in New Zealand. It all seems so long ago now locked in this hiatus of Covid but we have our fingers crossed

Yes, I agree that editable comments would be a great enhancement. I’ve nagged him about enough items in the past though.

Ah yes, I remember the iconic photos of them and of Rachel in that page.

p.s. We should encourage Jeff to provide the editing bar for Comments. That way one could provide a text link rather than URL, and also a photo could be used within a comment.

After the past days of cycling on gravel and in the rain I am looking forward to cleaning the bikes and seeing if the brake pads need replacing.

Thanks for your kind comments about our blogs!

Yup. We met them in Ponte di Lima two years ago when they were hiking north up one of the Caminos: https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/iberia2019/to-braga/#18717_ezpx456r9tiruqzva3hodov8mkc.

I also read that I could buy a USB cable for my Bafang mid motor kit on the touring bike to program the controller and set different parameters via my iMac, but right now I just don't feel like it. I may research that more before I attempt it and email the company to see what I could do. I am sure I could figure out why the LiGo's don't work on this bike. I will let you know if I ever do that!!!

I haven't figured out why the touring bike doesn't like the LiGo batteries. I may ask next time I stop in at Side Saddles but right now it isn't a factor in my biking as I have many other batteries to use. I am not sure if it is the Bafang controller not reading the batteries or that it just doesn't like that each one is separate & connected in series??? Not sure. I could ask Justin too I suppose.
On the Bike Friday the LiGo batteries work fine, they do not turn themselves off. I find the LiGo batteries worked fine with my Liv bike and that is only throttle based. Also the Brompton bike worked fine with the LiGo's too.
I haven't flown with the LiGo batteries yet, I plan to take 6 next year to Europe. I saw an article with KLM that they allow 20 batteries under 100 Watt hrs on their plane and around 15 electronic devices. Interesting! So I will find out next June/July & let you know if Security lets me board!!!
I really don't like the feel of the torque assist, I did use it at first when I got the bike done and then I got the other bike done with basic PAS and decided I liked it better. So I had them turn it off. It is your preference. Since my knee has arthritis, I find it easier without it. If you can test a bike with torque and one with basic PAS first before you convert, you can choose which you prefer. The torque sensor is more expensive than just the PAS magnet but again the magnet is prone to break so.....???!!!
Oh yes, I like to keep my bikes clean!!! ha,ha,ha!

Thanks guys for getting in touch so we could meet up today! And for transporting that doughnut foot into town so we could have a taste of those toes … yumm! Great to catch up and chat about future touring plans. I think we are all anxious to get back on the road to explore new territory. Your local tour blog - ‘world class’ !