Lazing About in Port Hardy
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Port Hardy to Campbell River.
The tent is soaked, yet I and my gear are bone dry. That's good camping as far as I'm concerned. I've now spent several hours at Guido's Cafe, complete with complimentary wireless Internet. All for the price of one $5.65 soya mocha. $5.65?? Well, it was worth every penny and not one single person came over to tell me that I've overstayed my welcome on their comfy sofa.
The forecast calls for cloudy skies today, some rain, and some more rain tomorrow down the entire island for Sunday. What to do? what to do? I will soon pack up the laptop and hit the road. Once I have the wind in my face my route will simply come to me. All I know is that I now have 2 1/2 days to make it back to Victoria.
Some dude came out of a monstrosity of a pickup truck and started sniffing around the bike. Out came his cellphone and he started taking pictures of the bike. Either he was very interested in the bike or the undercover cops have finally caught up to me for scaring all those bears in the backcountry. I think the bears are sacred spirits in the logger religion. I must have come across as quite the heretic and broken a few local religious laws by clattering along those roads in pure pickup truck country.
Well, in the end it was just pure riding for the rest of the day. The stretch between Port Hardy and Campbell River is basically all trees and not too much to see from the road. It would have put me to sleep if it hadn't been for the razor sharp raindrops hitting me in the knees at 110km/h during the ubiquitous 5 minute showers.
The motels in Campbell River were hurting for business even though it was a Saturday. The weather probably scared off the wimpy tourists. I pulled into an RV/Cottage type place and was told that the cottages normally rent for $250/night for 4 guests. But the Persian host graciously offered to let me have one for only $175 since I was by myself. I politely declined and told him I realized that he couldn't possibly rent me a full cottage for the price of the motel down the road. I actually had no intention of bargaining and was trying to leave. Before I knew it I was settled into one of the cottages for $75, no tax. It was one of those cash only deals :-)
Port Hardy to Campbell River.
The tent is soaked, yet I and my gear are bone dry. That's good camping as far as I'm concerned. I've now spent several hours at Guido's Cafe, complete with complimentary wireless Internet. All for the price of one $5.65 soya mocha. $5.65?? Well, it was worth every penny and not one single person came over to tell me that I've overstayed my welcome on their comfy sofa.
The forecast calls for cloudy skies today, some rain, and some more rain tomorrow down the entire island for Sunday. What to do? what to do? I will soon pack up the laptop and hit the road. Once I have the wind in my face my route will simply come to me. All I know is that I now have 2 1/2 days to make it back to Victoria.
Some dude came out of a monstrosity of a pickup truck and started sniffing around the bike. Out came his cellphone and he started taking pictures of the bike. Either he was very interested in the bike or the undercover cops have finally caught up to me for scaring all those bears in the backcountry. I think the bears are sacred spirits in the logger religion. I must have come across as quite the heretic and broken a few local religious laws by clattering along those roads in pure pickup truck country.
Well, in the end it was just pure riding for the rest of the day. The stretch between Port Hardy and Campbell River is basically all trees and not too much to see from the road. It would have put me to sleep if it hadn't been for the razor sharp raindrops hitting me in the knees at 110km/h during the ubiquitous 5 minute showers.
The motels in Campbell River were hurting for business even though it was a Saturday. The weather probably scared off the wimpy tourists. I pulled into an RV/Cottage type place and was told that the cottages normally rent for $250/night for 4 guests. But the Persian host graciously offered to let me have one for only $175 since I was by myself. I politely declined and told him I realized that he couldn't possibly rent me a full cottage for the price of the motel down the road. I actually had no intention of bargaining and was trying to leave. Before I knew it I was settled into one of the cottages for $75, no tax. It was one of those cash only deals :-)
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