-
Posts
-
On Sat. April 20, 3 intrepid cyclists, Maggie, Hedi and Viire, met Gillian at the Production Way/University Millennium Line Skytrain station for what was originally the Port Mann Bridge Inaugural Toll Free Ride. Unfortunately despite postings on the official website, the Bridge authorities have not yet opened the bike lane due to unfinished bridge construction so Gillian had to change the ride to a shorter Burquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Port Moody and Burnaby exploration ride. A fine and interesting journey of discovery by bike, it turned out!
Starting out in warm sunshine, we headed from Burnaby into Burquitlam and then past Como Lake to Poirier Recreation Centre in Coquitlam for coffee. We then headed into Mundy Park and rode most of the Perimeter Trail to exit onto Thermal Drive and a wind whistling downhill dash. Many folks may remember Thermal Drive from Rick Hanson’s Man in Motion journey where he wheeled “up” this long winding road near the very end of his momentous around the world journey. Gillian, graciously had the ride going down the hill for which we the participants gave many silent thanks!
Still heading west, we next ended up in Port Moody at Rocky Point Park and carried onto the Barnet Highway and the Barnet Marine Park for lunch. Before sitting down to a very scenic lunch on Burrard Inlet in beautiful sunshine and out of the wind, we rode the shoreline Drummond Walk multi use trail to its end at the western Park boundary. The last part of the trail we explored by foot and believe that hikers/walkers could continue along the beach to probably emerge further along the Barnet Highway if they wished to do so. An interesting area for a future low level hike along a very scenic not much known about area.
After lunch we continued on to Burnaby again and ended the ride on the Burnaby Mountain Urban Trail which stays lower on the slopes of Burnaby Mountain and is a true nature ride, woodland trails over and alongside urban creeks within a few metres of busy roadways.
45 Km. later, back at our starting point of the Millennium Line, we all elected to ride back to our respective neighbourhoods so Maggie headed to New Westminster, Gillian to Boundary Road, Hedi to the West End and Viire to the North Shore.
It was really a fun, interesting, small group ride of discovery in sunshine most of the day and luckily we all reached home before the brief late afternoon showers.
We are so fortunate to have such great bike riding areas easily accessible by public transportation and where one can experience nature at its urban best and an inspiring leader who took us there. Thanks Gillian for a wonderful day!
THANKS TO THE PARTICIPANTS AND TO VIIRE FOR THIS TRIP REPORT!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.