TOUR DE THETIS report

Weeks earlier on Mother’s Day, Carolyn, Jill and I scouted this route to Thetis Island. From the ferry, I spontaneously called Dave Steen based on his Tour de Thetis rides, and he offered to meet up. After a leisurely pub brunch at the Marina, we met him for the ride over Mount Pilkey. Luckily, we had ebikes. He didn’t, but amazingly led onwards…

While admiring the view from Pilkey Point, Dave offered to host more Salt Springers for a GoByBikeBC ride on the first weekend of June. He said his friend would even bake us cookies! We organized ferry timings, Dave invited his friends, and Natasha Kong made this awesome flyer:

On Saturday, June 4th, the forecast called for rain. A concurrent ebike conversion workshop coupled with the wet threat must have deterred many. Regardless, an intrepid handful of Salt Springers plus Graham (visiting from Ladysmith), set forth at 8:20am from Vesuvius to Crofton over smooth waters for a beautiful day of cycle tourism.

Our first destination was Chemainus. After filling our bottles with coffee at Crofton’s Third Wave Cafe, we cruised the bike lane (gravelled, but better than none) northwards. Vail and 11-year-old son Kai pedaled mountain bikes, while Monika, Graham and myself rode electric. Along the way, we passed roadside art and farmstands, and stopped at Liam Tromans’ WoodsWork chainsaw art gallery.

This was Monika’s first ebike ride (thanks to Outspokin Bikes), and Kai got his chance to try mine when we hopped over to a section of the Trans-Canada trail. He was thrilled. Vail warned that I might not get it back. Then we cruised down the hill on Pine Street to the Ferry Dock.

On my left, the Chemainus Bakery called, full of deliciousness at incredibly affordable prices! Once on the “Kuper” ferry, Kai opened the bakery box, and WOW! Chocolate mice, strawberry shortcakes, and even an apple struedel for Moni (she’s visiting from Germany).

Well fueled, we admired Indigenous heron and eagle art on the Penelakut Island ferry waiting area, then passed small islets one by one as the boat glided onwards to Thetis. A friendly lady approached and offered us cycling route advice. It turns out she’s Lynne Smith, the local government representative for the Cowichan Valley Regional District and loves bike touring, too. She decried misguided investments in piecemeal cycling infrastructure and expressed a desire for a more provincial-scale trail network investment. I shared about the Salish Sea Trail Network working group and gave her a bike pin.

Upon arrival, our fearless leader, Dave Steen, was waiting in white at the top of the Thetis Island ferry lane. With nary a word, he gestured us onwards to ride to the the Community Hall, where the rest of the biker gang was waiting for us with three tins of fabulous cookies, smiles, handshakes and great anticipation for their bi-monthly “Tour de Thetis”, this time with a few extra guests.

The Thetis Island Community Hall is worth mentioning. Its timber frame architecture and Indigenous art is stunning and such a community asset. With about 400 residents, they were able to raise $2 million to build it, and it features pickleball courts, gathering spaces and stocked event kitchen, exercise rooms, and more.

Dave and team quickly disapeared down the road. They moved fast! Kindly, Fred held back and rode with us, explaining what we were seeing, asking about cycling events and the group on Salt Spring, and more than keeping up on his roadbike.

It was a series of out-and-backs, passing the school and Community Apothocary Garden, later a beautiful nature reserve and wetlands, and ending with a view at North Cove Beach. Laura caught up with us there, and guided us back to Kennard Rd., where we had permission to ride through.

Instead of Sunrise Beach, a few of us decided to visit the market. Serendipity struck! I was able to meet Charlotte Fesnoux in person. She works with the Thetis Island Nature Conservancy, and we’d spoken several times over the phone about her inspiring work related to my own school garden and biology projects. Charlotte turned me onto this beautifully-written blog post about cycling on Thetis, by 13-year-old Kasian Russell. Read it. What more can be said?

Onwards to PIZZA! Cedar Beach Ocean Lodge offers a stunningly scenic calm setting, with chairs looking out over Clam Bay to the Penelakut Spit, with Galiano in the distance beyond. I shared some birthday bubbly and Virginia Lamb graciously served us the best hot pizzas, asking if there was anything else in the world that we desired — which caused me to overshare.

Then, I asked Dave why Jean Gelwicks (a friend on Salt Spring) calls him “Bicycle Boy.” He side-stepped the question and described their collaboration on the Gulf Islands Association, geared at collaboratively protecting extraordinary natural ecosystems here. Well sated, we dispersed.

Heading back to the ferry, we made a quick stop at the Thetis Marina & Pub and picked up a copy of The Thetis Island Quarterly, their local rag. It flipped open to page 18:

Back home, I googled Dave and found his wikipedia page and ordered his newly-published book (April 2022):

Here’s my favourite quote so far:

“Death is my geriatric obsession, the reason I cycle. Motion proves I’m alive. I bike therefore I am.”

Big thanks to Dave Steen and the kind Thetan cyclists who welcomed us. They continue with their bi-monthly “Tour de Thetis” rides, and now we all better understand some of how Dave has truly earned his special moniker of “Bicycle Boy”!

Happy GoByBikeBC Week. Where to next?