I had only ridden one day so far this week, and set aside all day on Saturday to ride with little other plan. This time, I didn’t want to set any distance expectations and instead just wander on the Bombadil. The Bombadil is not made for speed, anyway. One of the reasons I chose the Bombadil for this ride was the potential for precipitation, as it currently has fenders. Alas it actually turned out to be a bit of a hot and sunny day.
I took a pretty indirect route but eventually ended up along the Spirit Trail in North Vancouver, and I was anticipating this collection of wildflowers near the brewery district from prior years:
I noodled up from the bike path along what’s well-established now as my preferred route to Cypress Bowl Rd. It would be confusing for a first-timer, but once you’ve done it a handful of times, it all links up naturally and keeps one off busy streets almost entirely.
Then it’s a short push up a steep right-of-way to the highway fenceline that Rob found a few years ago now. It’s been well maintained despite being so well hidden – I have to assume it’s a favoured local connection.
Next up is the lower Cypress lookout located at the first hairpin. Behind me in this photo is a busy open patio of folks enjoying pizza and beer. I considered it, but wanted to press on before I lost steam.
The next bit was steep, but the payoff is good once you reach the Nelson Creek FSR. It’s chunky in spots, as noted below, but it’s also relatively flat.
The FSR ends with a steep connector trail down to the popular Whyte Lake trail, but just before that is Brown Teacup – a relic from a forgotten era, it’s pretty steep and hasn’t been popular in probably twenty years, if it was popular at all.
The trail doesn’t look bad in the photos I took, but I was too busy clamouring down the steep rooty, rocky chutes that define the trail to take photos for the most part. Short bits were rideable on the Bombadil and I enjoyed every foot of this.
It was a pretty long ride back from essentially Horseshoe Bay back to town, but nothing noteworthy to photograph. A key part of my ride plan, and just about every West Van ride plan between May and September, was a stop for fish and chips at the Boatshed. I wish we had more of these concession stand type setups around town – perfect for someone like me who wants to spend all their time outside.
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