Thirty two avid cyclists arrived in Chemainus September 3 to participate in this four day event.
Members camped or stayed at a local hotel or private homes.
The organizers of the Hub and Spoke, Jake and Colleen Vanderheide, invited all of us to their lovely place in Chemainus for the Meet and Greet social the afternoon of September 3.
Everyone mingled, catching up with old friends and making new friends- the weather was hot, snacks were yummy and the beer sure tasted good.
Then Jake introduced himself, Colleen and several of the trip leaders. He gave a brief description of the planned routes and explained the two variations on each day’s ride. Basically there was a short ride and a longer ride each day in the same area. Both groups usually met up somewhere during the day.
Each am, all the cyclists gathered at Fuller Lake, a central meeting place with a large parking lot. We met the leaders for that day’s ride then the two groups split into smaller groups and headed out.
All four days’ rides covered the compass points- north, south east and west: north to Ladysmith, west to Duncan, south to Cowichan Bay and east to Saltspring Island.
Distances varied from 40-70k. Riding was mostly on backroads, some on the recently completed E&N Rail trail and a small section on the TransCanada Highway.
All the leaders were from the area so they showed us many routes which are local knowledge. These are the best kind of rides.
click on the link below for photos of the Chemanous Hub and Spoke.
All the routes showcased the beauty of the area- along country roads, sections of the E&N Rail Trail, past views of the water- each day was a gift. The weather was perfect- warm, sunny and light breezes.
We sampled food and drink at various pubs, cafes and bakeries along the way.
On September 6, Colleen and Jake again hosted a wonderful get together at their place- a corn boil Colleen called it. And what a success!! Food, drink, laughter and good conversations were enjoyed by all.
Many thanks to Jake, Colleen and their friends who led a great Hub and Spoke. Everyone had a good time and will be talking about “those tough Chemainus riders” when telling their friends about the event.
Thanks to everyone who participated- you are who makes this club so vibrant and special.
So George, here are my muttering. Feel free to work your wordsmithing magic. Thx
My H&S info will be coming your way by end of the week.
Enjoy the day- say hi to Jeanetta
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