THE WEST RIDES AGAIN!

It’s long been on my list to ride the Yellowhead Hwy (Hwy 16) from where it begins in Masset, BC in Haida Gwaii to its end where it meets Hwy 1 in Manitoba. It has also been on my list to do the inside passage ferry from Port Hardy on Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert. Enter the moment these two goals collide!

I have dubbed this trip “The West Rides Again” and am on my way. I left Sechelt yesterday, taking 2 of the 5 ferries this trip will require to Port Hardy. I crossed from Langdale to Horseshoe Bay and then from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo. Met some folks from the UK on the ferry to Nanaimo and Ruth and I had the best of talks. I look forward to being in contact with her about future adventures. As always, riders swap stories and in doing so, the time flies.

The ride from Nanaimo to Port Hardy is about 4.5 hours. Making only a couple of brief stops at Oyster Bay and Campbell River, we made tracks for Port Hardy. Once past Campbell River, the traffic was light and the road was beautiful. Gentle curves led me through lush forest, soaring mountains and glimpses of ocean. The vegetation would be the curse of any bush-wacking geologist, but it sure makes for a pretty ride. Fireweed blooms in profusion, along with daisies, foxglove and some other little orange flower I didn’t know. Birds chitter and chatter in abundance, leaving one with a feeling of brightness and lightness. The region's industry is based on logging, mining, fishing and tourism.

Not being in the good shape I was when I travelled Canada five years ago, I was grateful to check in to the Pioneer Inn and finish off the day with a hot bath and some stretching to ensure I could get out of bed. The restaurant was a few minutes from closing by the time I got settled, so it was a protein bar and bottle of water for supper. Not being terribly food-obsessed, this suited me fine and it was off to bed early.

Work consumed a few hours today, but there was still plenty of time to do a bit of exploring in the area and Fury and I headed out to Telegraph Cove for a peek around. Not surprisingly, Telegraph Cove was the northern terminus of a telegraph line. It is a tiny little community but has a large resort and RV campground catering to tourism. It’s a lovely spot on the Johnstone Strait where orcas come to spend their summer and an ecological reserve not far away.

On the way back from Telegraph Cove, I stopped at the Kwakiutl Bear Pole, carved and erected in 1966, and which stands along Hwy 19 to Port Hardy. Then a cruise through Port MacNeill, which appears to have quite a lot going on. Tourism is evident as an important industry and I got to see a helicopter taking off – most likely on one of the tours advertised. A toodle down a side road led me to an arena where clearly some axe-throwing happens. A cruise through town revealed several shops and a large marina.

Stopped back at the Inn to do some more work before taking another little spin around. The Coal Harbour Road was a lovely little stretch with lots of fun curves. And elderberries galore! The roadsides were thick with elderberry trees all loaded with berries. Alas, I am not on my way home, so it didn’t make sense to pick them. 😊

Taking a tour into Port Hardy, I stopped to pick up a couple of items I forgot and rode around the town. There’s a nice waterfront, shops, grocery, pharmacy and restaurants. Everything you need is here.
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There is “resort this” and “resort that” all along Hwy 19 north of Campbell River, taking full advantage of the destination as a fishing mecca. Port Hardy is the larger center in this northern part of the island, being the ferry connection to Prince Rupert. So tomorrow I head out ridiculously early (gosh, I hope there’s air) to catch the ferry north. Which means another early night. I look forward to meeting new people and reconnecting with old acquaintances on this new adventure!