In 2018 I rode my bicycle across Western Canada, covering about 2300km. It's been two years and I figured I'd release my journal entries here for anyone interested in what a trip like this does to a person's sanity.
Given that they're real-life jou...
At breakfast this morning, my host asked me if I would be riding around the Saanich Inlet, or taking a ferry across from Brentwood to Mill. I'd just discovered this ferry moments earlier on my phone and told him I'd be taking it. At this, he fetched a spare admission ticket from another room. Just to save a little money, he said.
After thanking him for hosting and accepting a few protein bars, I set off. I arrived in Brentwood Bay ten minutes too late for the ferry I wanted, but I'd figured I would anyway. It was only an hour wait for the next one, so this was still faster than cycling around.
On the other side I rode along until finally finding the Trans-Canada again, from which point I rode like hell, stopping only to eat and piss. It was still morning when I crossed the bay—10:30—but I wanted to get back to the mainland asap so I could get to bed early enough to wake for an early bus.
I boarded the ferry in Nanaimo not a moment too soon, as it began its departure just as I finished climbing the stairs to the passenger deck. In an hour-and-a-half I arrived at Horseshoe Bay, where I hopped on an express bus. The buses here all have bike racks on their fronts. It's fantastic.
I took this bus to the end of its route in downtown Vancouver and then rode another ten minutes to the Greyhound terminal. After hearing out my bike predicament, the lady behind the counter informed me that they sold boxes for shipping bikes in for $16. My bus for Winnipeg leaves at 07:30 tomorrow, so she told me to come around 06:30 so I have time to disassemble my bike and load it on.
I was relieved at how simply my problem was solved, but now I needed somewhere to stay the night. Fortunately it only took a quick scan of my surroundings to find a hostel. And here I sit, sharing a dorm with a guy from "Europe," as though he figures I'm too ignorant to know any countries on the continent. He sounds eastern as hell as far as I can tell.
Waiting an hour for a ferry I missed.
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Just a little guy. Doesn't even have a rack for my bike.
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Ooh, is that the ghost of someone who drowned here?
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Nah, it's just me. Don't be so superstitious, silly.
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Moby Dick be rearin' its head above water.
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Standing on the hostel fire escape because I do what I want.
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