Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
As I mention in my asking for directions thread, my Brother and I are riding up to Vancouver next Wednesday. In the unlikely event any of you are up for a ride to Vancouver next Wednesday feel free to come with us.
More to the point, does anyone have any suggestions for things to see and do in Vancouver? My brother has never been up there and doesn't have any agenda that I know of.
Our schedule looks vaguely like this:
Wednesday: Ride a little more than halfway
Thursday: Ride remainder, cross border, get lodging, wander about.
Friday: Wander about, possibly ride down to Victoria to catch ferry in the morning.
Saturday: If (!(ferry)){ Amtrak("Us + Bikes"); }
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
vaticdart
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:50 am
Joined: 02 Aug 2007Posts: 649Location: Inside a Bell
Four words: Savory Island Pie Company
They're over on the north side of the city, across the Lion's Gate Bridge from downtown, and holdy shait they're about the best pies I've ever had.
Other than that, Vancouver is great. Lots of good coffee and food, very little free wifi (that's a strike against it, but oh well). Have fun.
_________________ If the river was whiskey I'd turn myself into a duck, I'd dive to the bottom and never come up.
zuvembi
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:22 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
vaticdart wrote:
Four words: Savory Island Pie Company
They're over on the north side of the city, across the Lion's Gate Bridge from downtown, and holdy shait they're about the best pies I've ever had.
I like... Pie.
I also need to find a Belgian chocolatier I went to last time I was up there. OMFG good.
It was next to a pair of Starbucks diagonally across the street from each other </rolleyes>
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
Sorry, that's real rough, I'll happily write out directions if ya want. I've done that route 8 times now, and I like it a lot. It keeps your out of traffic a lot, and away from I-5 noise.
Sorry, that's real rough, I'll happily write out directions if ya want. I've done that route 8 times now, and I like it a lot. It keeps your out of traffic a lot, and away from I-5 noise.
I'd appreciate it if you could. It looks similar (though a touch different) to the google maps (avoid highways option) I was looking at. And just about 100 miles, which is what I wanted for the first leg.
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
DJStroky
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:09 am
Joined: 25 May 2007Posts: 356Location: Downtown Tacoma
Sorry, that's real rough, I'll happily write out directions if ya want. I've done that route 8 times now, and I like it a lot. It keeps your out of traffic a lot, and away from I-5 noise.
_________________ Tacoma isn't that bad... well maybe it is
bobhall
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:29 pm
Joined: 28 Jul 2006Posts: 460
TO B'HAM:
Take the Burke to Woodinville. This is about 1/4 mile or so from the Bothell exit on the trail. Find 175th St & head East.
175th turns into Woodinville-Duvall Rd. Albertsons on your right. Go up a hill.
You'll come to a T. Turn right. You're still on Woodinville-Duvall Rd.
Left on 156th.
156th changes names, but just follow the arterial.
Left on Paradise Lake Rd. Cross HWY 522.
Right on Malby, left on Broadway. It's easy to accidentally fall onto Yew Rd., just remember that Yew hugs 522 and Broadway shoots straight north.
After a few miles, turn right on Springhetti. This is really really easy to miss. If you miss it, you'll hit HWY 9. If that happens, turn around and bike up the hill about 1/4 mile and find Springhetti.
Springetti turns into Airpot Way.
Right on 1st. You're now in Snohomish. Find my Bakery and eat a scone.
Left on Maple.
As you head north on Maple, you'll see railroad tracks to your right that are parallel to you. Eventually they turn into the Centennial Trail, a "Rails to Trails" project. Get on it. (Very hard to miss).
This goes a long way. You'll end up in a parking lot. Turn right once you get there.
Follow the arterial into Arlington. Left on Division. Cross HWY 9.
Now you're on HWY 530 or "Pioneer Highway". This takes you through Silvana and Stanwood.
Left Fir Island Rd. Arrive in Conway. Buy a cookie at the "76" gas station. Find Conway Frontage Rd, which hugs I-5. This will get you to Mt. Vernon.
Arrive in Mt. Vernon. Left on Gates, right on 1st, left on Division. This takes you across the Skagit River immediately. Now you're on HWY 536.
Right on Avon-Allen Rd. At one point, it looks like you have to turn, but don't worry, you can keep going north on Avon-Allen Rd. There is a sign.
Hit Chuckanut Hwy, or HWY 11., turn left. There is no sign. Chuckanut runs diagonally, Northwest to Southeast. It's a pretty main rd, so it's not hard to find.
You'll hit the hills of Chuckanut. Look at the San Juans on your left.
Arrive in Fairhaven. Follow your arterial which turns into 12th. Then it turns into State. State runs into Downtown Bellingham.
wanderlyte
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:31 pm
Joined: 06 May 2006Posts: 62Location: Afloat somewhere in Puget Sound
Lots of good riding in the area. I especially like the ride out to Horseshoe Bay and in the hills around the Capilano park area, both north across the bridges from downtown.
The antrhopology museum at UBC is great, if you are into that sort of thing.
I think you'll miss both the Midnight Mass and Margaret Charles Chopper Collective (MC3) rides, but you might want to verify that.
BTW, is Amtrak now allowing bikes again on the Seattle-Vancouver trains?
--Matt
eärendil
Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:51 am
Joined: 23 Jan 2007Posts: 88Location: Beautiful Bellingham, Washington
A couple of my fellow 'hamsters rode up to Vancouver a few weeks ago for carcass, and they said that they just rode to surrey and then took the skytrain into vancouver proper, thereby bypassing the bulk of the 'burbs. I'll see if I can get one of them to post their route...
As for the STB, I've ridden Bob's route (more or less) although in the opposite direction. And while you can't miss the southern end of the centennial trail, the northern end is tucked away on a back road, not where it is on the online map, and without any significant signage, so I missed it and had the most nerve-wracking ride down the potholed arterial (sans shoulder) that parallels the trail there, being buzzed by jacked up broncos doing 60.
The section of the ride between silvana and conway is particularly bucolic and maybe the cow shit stench has gone down somewhat this time of year.
one alteration I would make from bob's route: in conway, rather than turning right on conway-frontage rd, go a couple blocks farther to dike rd. It will also take you to mt. vernon, but along the river rather than I-5. much more pleasant and about the same distance. Also, my offer to buy a pint at boundary for anyone who has ridden from Seattle still stands, so call me at (360)820-GOAT. Or I might just ride down Chuckanut after work until I see you.
-Andrew
PS Casa is back open, and if you really want ice cream, I'd be willing to bet that Mallard can beat anything Van has to offer.
zuvembi
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:31 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
Thanks for the route bobhall.
Thanks for the other advice everyone else.
I am posting from the comfort of my nice hotel bed. We got in super late due to one thing and another (a couple hours ago). Chuckanut nearly killed my brother (too many hills too near the end of the route).
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
eärendil
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:48 pm
Joined: 23 Jan 2007Posts: 88Location: Beautiful Bellingham, Washington
Welcome to bellingham! My apologies on not being in a position to welcome you properly (i.e. with beer) but I have some advice for you. Breakfast: diamond jim's. Typical breakfast at diamond jims: three egg omelette covering half of a very large plate, the other half being covered by "homefried" potatoes, with a side of a short stack of pancakes, covering a second large plate. Only once have I been able to finish off a breakfast at diamond jim's, and I feel it would be the perfect start to a 50+ mile bike ride. In fact, now that I think of it, I think I will ride down to seattle (upwind) on friday, and I think I will start out with a diamond jim's breakfast.
have a good trip,
Andrew
p.s. diamond jim's is at the corner of james and iowa, or something like that. if you're in a hotel, you're near samish or lakeway, so just follow either of those streets to ellis, go down ellis untill it turns (right) into state , and follow state to the small triangular building with the big billboard.
p.p.s. if you want something more wholesome, go to old town.
zuvembi
Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 5:53 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
Diamond Jim's sounded good, but actually the spread at the hotel was really nice (Fresh Waffles Bitches!) and we gorged ourselves there.
The rain and wind were really shitty, but now we're in Vancouver and about to hit dinner and meet up with a bikie friend for drinks.
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
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