Well it’s the last little stretch of December now, and I’ve found myself sick (probably from the company holiday party, boo) so to help stave off the boredom of laying about, I’m re-living the adventures by bike from this year.
The number of nights I spent away from home was still modest compared to most bikepacking enthusiasts, but it was one of my best years yet in terms of nights in the tent and adventurous rides.
Trip 1: April 2025, Chemainus BC.
My April trip didn’t go according to plan, but I was still able to salvage a portion of it. The original plan was a repeat of the Sooke Campground trip from the previous year, with the same crew. But for various reasons it didn’t happen, one of which being that I got a stomach bug shortly before. I was better in time to salvage the last couple days of my time booked off work and went to visit my dad in Chemainus.
Two nights in my dad’s guest bed, rode the Bombadil.
Trip #2: Saturna Island, May
This trip was a jewel of my year. It was my first time on Saturna, and while I knew it was a favourite among friends, my expectations were exceeded. The secludedness of the campsite and the incredible view (and goats!) along the ridge line were incredible.
Two nights in a tent, rode the Bombadil.
Trip #3: Ottawa, June
Not a bike trip, but I did get some saddle time in on borrowed bikes while there – enough to explore much of the city as well as cross over into Quebec a couple times. This trip was to visit Aimée’s family, and we stayed almost a week.
I rode Aimée’s sister’s hybrid and it was quite nice.
Trip #4: Pender Island, August
This trip came together so nicely – a good and sizeable group of friends, and the alignment of the annual island festival occurring on the middle day.
Two more nights in the tent, rode the Bombadil once again!
Trip #5: Gabriola Island, September
We may have missed our April gathering, but we made up for it with this trip. We had all the main characters present and we checked off all the things we wanted to do despite the mid-trip rain storm.
Two nights in the tent, this time I rode the Stooge Scrambler.
Trip #6: Ucluelet and Tofino, October
The second and final non-bike trip of this list. This was a car trip with the family (Aimée and our two dogs) to a seaside cabin for four nights. We were both first-timers to the west coast of the island, and the trip really delivered. It was a beautiful place that we stayed, and we got to visit all the beaches and areas we had hoped to.
Like the Ottawa trip, I did get to ride – just once in this case – taking the Twenty along a portion of the forest path I’d heard such good things about.
That’s a wrap for the trips I managed to make this year. I had a few ideas that never came together for 2025, such as a southern Vancouver Island bikepacking route that is a little more rugged and about 335km, which I hope to get to next year. I also had to miss an early June camping trip I had booked due to the Ottawa trip. I also, sadly, did not make it out to Penticton / Kelowna this year to visit my mom and brother.
Looking towards 2026, I am setting my ambitions a little higher than 2025:
- March: a few nights at our friend Willo’s cabin in Madeira Park, up the sunshine coast of BC.
- April: Back to Sooke Campground cabins with the slack crew
- May: Dionisio campsite on Galliano, one of the last gulf island campsites I’ve not been to yet
- May/June: South island bikepacking loop
- June: Ruckle Park on Saltspring with Aimée and the dogs
- June/July: Penticton to visit my family & ride the KVR trail; one night camping
- August: A repeat Pender trip with the crew from 2025
- September: A repeat Gabriola trip with the slack crew
- October: A late-season solo Ruckle trip and visit to my dad’s in Chemainus
And sprinkled in there somewhere, a car trip to a cabin with Aimée and the dogs somewhere on the island, rounding the goal to ten trips and 26-30 nights sleeping away from home.
Leave a Reply