Thursday June 6 2013 ... On the road again...

Thursday June 6 2013

Began our day with a breakfast which was included with our room at the Best Western. Onto the bike at 9 am but it took us a bit of time as Harry's gps girlfriend wanted to take us to the ferry instead of to Tofino.  We finally got her straightened around and were on our way north by 9:30 am.

Our first stop was at the Coombs Market where there are goats who live on the grass roof...such a fun, funky place.  We had coffee and a cookie and wandered around looking at all the neat foodstuff and crafts and gifts they had for sale...a very hippyish fun place.  We even did a bit of fancy jive footwork to a tune that was playing on the old juke box.

Highway 4 took us north through Port Alberni and more gorgeous scenery, lakes and mountains and stands of huge trees.  We can sure understand why people chose to retire in BC...it's a truly beautiful place.  At the junction...8 km to Ucelet to the left and 33 km to Tofino to the right we stopped for a picnic lunch at the visitor centre.  Then it was left into Ucelet for a drive around and a look at the wooden lighthouse that was in operation until 1988 when it, along with many others in the country, was automated.

Back on the road to Tofino...where we toured around the town a bit but found it mostly tourist shopping so headed back and stopped at Long Beach so Harry could dip his toes in the ocean and we could walk on the beach for awhile.  It was wild and wonderful...quite a few surfers were out enjoying the waves, along with kayakers and wind surfers.  

On our way back to Nanaimo we stopped at an old growth forest called Cathedral forest...and it did feel like a very spiritual place...complete with a tree that was over 800 years old...a massive beauty!

Ten hours later we were back at the hotel...tired but happy.  Most of the driving today was done at very low speeds because of the twisty roads...about 440 km on the odometer but it took us almost 8 hours to go that far.  Definitely a lot of time sitting....our butts were sore!  But...what a glorious way to see things...the smells in particular in the rain forest areas and at the ocean assault the senses in a way you don't get in a car.

Delicious supper at the hotel...our chef prepared Butter Chicken with basmati rice and homemade nan bread...scrumptious.  We topped the evening off with a game of pool in the pub and now are back in the room getting organized for our day tomorrow...heading for Victoria.

Love to all....Janice and  Harry