After a final breakfast, we again packed bags and rode off from Poet's Cove to Mortimer Spit, launching site for a hike up Mt Norman and after, our spot for lunch. Skipped stones for a while with Meagan (she killed me with an eight counter) and then decided rather than do the hike I would saunter up the rocky foreshore some way.
At this point I was feeling quite sad, and had decided that a little time to myself to reflect would be good. I wandered up the beach for quite a while, taking note of the cliff top houses and the general beauty of the place. The air was still and, although overcast, the sky was full of light with it's grey clouds reflected in the still waters off the beach. The rocky beach stretched for kms along the shore of South Pender and I stepped here and there amongst the stones, boulders and driftwood, lost in thought. Came across a single brightly coloured purple starfish in the inter-tidal zone which I photographed endlessly, as the amazing colour didn't seem to come out at all on my digital cam's viewscreen (Of course, when I got back I checked, and found all 5,000 photos of the creature were indeed vivid purple). Here's a random single pic from the 5,000:
Further on, I came across an entire universe of purple starfish clustered in and around rocks - I didn't bother to take many pics!
A large cargo ship lumbered by in the channel heading toward Mortimer Spit from where I'd come - I turned and followed it at the same slovenly pace, not eager for time to advance and the last ferry ride to creep closer.
After a final lunch, there was a lot of time to kill prior to our catching the ferry for my final trip with the group - whilst they would be disembarking from the ferry at Mayne Island, I would be heading all the way back to the B.C mainland for the trip to Vancouver airport and an overnight stay prior to my flight to Whitefish, Montana via Seattle to link up with my second tour.
Imitating Forrest Gump, I decided to 'go for a little ride'. I marked out a spot on the route guide I was carrying and off I went. When I got there I 'just kept going'. Kilometer after km went under my wheels as I slipped into the groove and lost myself in riding. The Gulf islands are good for that - if you don't have anywhere particular to go you can just follow the road and you'll always get somewhere: a metaphor for this trip in a way.
Dropped into a delighful little bay named Hope Bay - very picturesque and typical of the places to be encountered on the CGI's. Wandered out onto the jetty and took the following pics:
As I cruised around North Pender, I kept running across members of our group traversing the roads - I felt happy to see them as they passed and it gave me a nice feeling and pause for thought: cycling at times is a bit like life as you pass ppl who you feel a connection with, wave and go on your way. You are the better for meeting such people. People like Norm and Judy, who I wouldn't normally have met as they were somewhat older than myself, but so dynamic, young-at-heart and having a real romance-on-wheels.
Ended up on a superb stretch called Pirate's Road which ran to the Southern end of North Pender - thrashed it to the end to relieve myself of all the blues and then just sat for a long while on a wooden bench overlooking the straight between North and South Pender, musing about the trip, it's end, and the new beginning facing me for trip number two. My view is captured below:
Getting twitchy again, a final cruise back to the ferry terminal the long way 'round the island settled me down. Passed Tom, Meagan's dad on the way and wondered, given the time left, whether he'd get to the ferry on time. As it turned out, he appeared a few minutes after my arrival as if teleported! Tom apparently hadn't ridden for quite a while prior to the trip, but like all those on tour, he did suberbly!
Aboard the ferry for the last time, I soaked in the CGI experience: the sights, the rides, the experiences, and above all, the people. As the ferry pulled into Mayne, there was time for a final group farewell, a wave, and they were off.
Back up top the ferry I watched them walk off, mount their bikes and ride away. I felt a tinge of sadness, but also a great sense of joy and happiness that I'd been part of such a great group and such a wonderful tour!
Thanks to Bicycle Adventures for running the trip so superbly
Bicycle Adventures
and many thanks to all of the group (especially guides Marty and Ric, and fellow tour members Harvey and Tina for being so generous, warm hearted and friendly.)
The ferry pulled out and headed off across the waters to the mainland, a cab ride to the airport hotel, an overnight stay, and on to more epic adventures...mountain passes and descents, lakes, glaciers, more spectacular scenery, and wide open roads! Part 2: Cycling Glacier, Banff, Jasper coming up!
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