Author Topic: Advice or Feedback for Pacific Highway Cycle 2014  (Read 19102 times)

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Offline geegee

Re: Advice or Feedback for Pacific Highway Cycle 2014
« Reply #15 on: November 11, 2013, 09:02:00 am »
If you are spending time in Vancouver anyway, I would opt for riding north up to Horseshoe Bay to the Nanaimo ferry instead of riding south through the bland sprawl of Richmond. You'll see a bit more of BC as you cycle down towards Victoria, past Chemainus hopping into Saltspring Island to get to Schwartz Bay.

I've taken both the route around the Olympic Peninsula and the Puget Sound route through Anacortes/Port Townsend and they both have their merits. The Peninsula is a lot more rustic and nice if visiting Victoria is in your itinerary. The Sound route has more conveniences, and offers Seattle as an optional day trip.

Offline BikingBrian

Re: Advice or Feedback for Pacific Highway Cycle 2014
« Reply #16 on: December 07, 2013, 03:09:22 am »
I'd have to agree with Raybo. If you aren't that pressed for time, take the 101 loop around Olympic Park. We did it in 2009 - journal here -> www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/tws. Have given considerable thought to doing this area again, and here's some of what I would change. From Fairhaven, consider stopping at Bogachiel and touring into the Hoh rain forest. Stay a day or two at Kalaloch. After Lake Quinault, consider going out towards Copalis before heading into Hoquiam and Aberdeen (no ferry across the mouth yet.). After that it's a pretty much a straight run to Oregon and the coast. To me the inland route in Washington is not appealing. There is the factor of rain which has a stronger presence on the WA coast. Best.

Thanks for your feedback, I just finished reading your journal, as I am considering the 101 loop this summer. (BTW, I am also a ham radio operator, and so I sent you an email asking about your APRS.)

Brian

Offline dayjack119

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Re: Advice or Feedback for Pacific Highway Cycle 2014
« Reply #17 on: January 02, 2014, 02:24:48 pm »
I heard that they are closing some of the low cost campsites along the PCH due to bums invading them.  Is this true?

Offline Doug64

Re: Advice or Feedback for Pacific Highway Cycle 2014
« Reply #18 on: January 08, 2014, 07:34:00 pm »
I agree with the others to not take the ACA route through Washington.  If the book you are planning on getting is "Bicycling the Pacific Coast" by Kirkendall and Spring they have two better routes - on either side of the Olympic Peninsula. Oregon puts out a pretty good pamphlet on cycling their coast which I used and found very useful.  For California I used ACA Pacific Coast route maps. I think they were better than the book for that state.

As for starting in Vancouver it really depends on whether or not you come into the city.  If you fly into the airport you will actually land in Richmond and can start heading south immediately. The most direct route will entail loading your bike on a bus to get through the George Massey tunnel.

If you decide to spend some time in Vancouver then I think you can't do better than Stanley Park as a starting point for your trip. If you have the time, a ride around the Park along the seawall would be a great way to start a tour of the west coast. Even if you decide not to do the full tour around the park the seawall bike path connects to routes to get you started south. There has been a great deal of work done in Vancouver over the last 4-5 years so it is now much easier and safer to get out of the downtown area. I doubt that either the book or ACA maps are fully updated on the newest routes in the city.

The following link shows most of the bike routes for the greater Vancouver area.

http://www.translink.ca/en/Getting-Around/Cycling/Cycling-Maps.aspx

This link gets you info on cycling in Oregon.  Use the link to order a hard copy of the Oregon Coast Bike Route.

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/BIKEPED/Pages/maps.aspx#ODOT_Maps

If starting in Vancouver, BC; I'd suggest looking at the route out of Vancouver , along the Sunshine Coast up to Lund.  Then crossing over to Vancouver Island before heading south.  It is scenic, and mixes ferries with roads.

The Astoria bridge is not really an issue.  I agree with the other posters that there are more challenging bridges further south.