2017 - Day 4

Despite our tiny room at the Sunset Motel, and the really weird bed, we slept pretty well. We awoke at around 8am, got ready for the day, and then had a big breakfast (well I did anyway). By the time we had the bike full of gas and had the wheel pointed down the road it was just after 10. We rode 11km north the way we came yesterday, and then turned west/south on highway 99. I knew it was going to be a great road, but had no idea it would be as good as it turned out to be. 

The skies were overcast all day, but it wasn't too cold, and we hardly caught any rain at all. The cloud cover up in the mountains did restrict our views a little, but it was still a beautiful day on the road. I will say that if anyone reading this is ever in the area, ride highway 99 from Cache Creek to Vancouver, it's one of the best roads I've ever been on. The elevation changes were constant today, with 11, 13, and even 15% grades at times!

We got to Horseshoe Bay in the nick of time, the last vehicle to catch the boat. If they hadn't gotten us on at 5:30, we would have had to wait another 2 hours to cross over. Leona and I spent some time walking around the top deck, taking in the scenery, before going inside to eat some dinner. It was way too warm inside the cabin after being acclimated to being outside all day. After satisfying our appetites, it was back outside until we reached the dock. We were treated to some orcas playing in the sea, though they were far enough away that I couldn't catch them on camera.

Once off the ferry it was about a 15 minute ride to where we will be staying until Friday morning. It's a suite that Leona found on VRBO, and it's going to be a perfect place to stay. She loves all the flowers and the garden the folks here have, and it's a spacious 2 bedroom suite in their house.

Just getting started on highway 99

The town of Lillooet, across the Fraser River

Crossing Cayoosh Creek, one of many times 

Little bit of rain on the windscreen, about the only time we caught enough to actually see

This would have been a great shot if it weren't for the clouds covering the mountain peak in the background. It was a lot colder up here than the lower elevations, around 10 Celsius instead of 16-20 like it was everywhere else today

Closing in on Squamish, the view down into the valley is impossible to relay via picture

Almost at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal

Setting sail for Vancouver Island

A blustery day to be on the deck, was still nicer than being inside the boat

They snuck us onto the 5:30 boat, we were the last ones on, thanks BC Ferries!

Coming into Departure Bay at Nanaimo

Our home away from home while on the island