Day 3 Shawnigan Lake to Victoria: A really nice day to ride on the Island!

August 1, 2015

The next morning we had a lovely breakfast with Annie, Matt and their little dog, Gertie, then it was off for a mostly downhill run to Mill Bay to catch the ferry over to Brentwood Bay. Going this route allowed us to avoid riding over the Malahat, which is a pretty busy highway with poor shoulders over an ascent of 1054 ft, something I was not going to even think about doing this time! On the other hand, the Mill Bay ferry was great, and even though the hill coming out of Brentwood Bay was long, and I ended up walking the last bit, it really wasn't that bad.

our hosts for the night, Annie and Matt. Little Gertie is hiding behind them.

what a pretty way to get from point A to point B!

arriving in Brentwood Bay - yet another hill awaits!

We rode over the peninsula and joined up with the Lochside Trail, which runs from Sydney to Victoria. This is a beautiful trail to ride on, one we have done many times before. First stop was at Mitchell Farm for a little snack. Here we met a group of cyclists who were on their way to Chemainus.

a perfect spot to stop and grab a little snack

We shared a little information about the ride over and wished them a good ride before heading down the trail, which runs along farmland (had to stop and check out the pigs!), and through some lovely wooded trails, all the way into Victoria.

these guys know how to stay cool on a hot day!

Of course, a trip down the Lochside Trail is never complete without stopping at Maddock's Farm for some ice cream, and a quick visit with the former mayor of Victoria, whose statue is on one of the wooden bridges along the way.

Ice cream - almost as good as a nice cold beer!

getting a little advice about the route from an expert

Our day ended at the Bedford Regency Hotel right in the heart of Victoria. We arrived a little early for our room to be ready, but as their was a pub attached, we had no problem waiting with a couple of cold beers to keep us hydrated! This hotel is actually very quaint and the staff were terrific - we would recommend it to anyone! A walk around the city, a nice pasta dinner and we were off to bed.

Today's ride: 44 km (27 miles)
Total: 199 km (124 miles)

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