Long time no ferry (Cycling to the Sunshine Coast)

It's been a long time since I have travelled to the Sunshine Coast. I have not taken the ferry since beforeh leaving for the velo-fetching trip to Saint Malo and London.  Why not? Life got in the way.

At first the bike only had one pedal.
Then I was buried in an avalanche of avalanche translations (The Swiss client STILL HAS NOT PAID and stopped answering e-mails ;-(
Then I flew to and on Hawaii ;-)
Then The Holidays had to be survived.

I go on the trip despite being greeted by this view in the morning !

But now it is time.  It also happens to be Hans' Birthday ! 
It's also still the Year of the Snake, which means I have to kick myself in the behind to get out of a warm room and brace the elements, because this is more likely to generate memorable experiences.  Like frostbite.

I am writing the first bit at 9:48 am and the weather forecast calls for sunny skies with 4 degrees Celsius that are supposed to feel like -1. I spent 22 years of my life in Germany and never ran into the concept of Wind Chill. I hate living in the Arctic !  

Short stop in Dundarave: Nice, but I could live without the brown haze on the horizon ;-(

Reminders of yesterday's storm

wiggling back and forth under the highway

time to join the highway

Ferry toll booths visible to the right of that car; To the ferry it's all downhill from here ;-)(

Fish & Chips with a view

2 hours later I am sitting at Bay Moorings in Horseshoe Bay in front of fabulous Fish & Chips & a glass of Boutari.  My nose, toes, and finger tips are twitching while thawing. Underneath my many layers of clothing, I am drenched in sweat. Along the way there were times when I thought I might faint on the bike, usually on uphill sections.  Other times I thought my eyes would freeze closed, usually on steep downhill sections at 45 km/h in the shade. Since my cell phone did not have reception at the crucial spot where I had to join the highway (Thank you Wind Mobile), I almost missed the spot where I had to join it and almost continued on a road down to sea level from the lofty heights to which I had climbed. I have 1 hour to eat, to get my ticket for the ferry, and to board the ferry.

Nanaimo ferry leaving

At the separate boarding path that people with bicycles or dogs use in Horseshoe Bay, I meet two ladies with a dog, who venture to the Sunshine Coast for the first time (I tell them that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING at Langdale for them to do but to take a bus to Gibsons). One of them came up for the holidays from Florida.  She agrees that she maybe should have visited Vancouver in the summer ;-)

Sunshine Coast ferry arriving

As a frequent BC Ferries customer, it pays to have one of their Experience Cards.  For a RETURN ticket for the 40 minute ferry trip I pay for myself and my bicycle a grand total of $11.35.  Not bad !

Leaving H-S Bay

After the 40 minute ferry ride, I wait with all the other foot passengers for the ferry personnel to drop the starting rope.  Even though I'm sitting on my bicycle, ready to leave the pedestrians behind and be no obstacle to them, women with kids in strollers push ahead in front of me.  Good thinking ! Let's hope the kids will be smarter.

Another 15 kms with insane hills await me and I'm too tired to take more pictures.