This post about the Canadian Bible Society's Bike4Bibles 2015 tour across Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast takes place in Gibsons, the last destination of the tour before Vancouver...
There are many terrific waterfronts on the BC coast, but three of my favourites are in the towns of Sooke, Powell River, and Gibsons. We had some downtime upon arrival in Gibsons, the final evening of the 2015 Bike 4 Bibles BC trip, so it was off to the Pacific Ocean! And I'm hard-pressed to recall such an abundance of incredible blue tones! This town is perched somewhat precariously on very steep hills, and most of them lead (straight) down to the ocean-some roads are 20% grades!
I had read that the bakeries of the Sunshine Coast were not to be missed. And I can happily testify that idea to be true. Just look at the carrot cake below!
I had read that the bakeries of the Sunshine Coast were not to be missed. And I can happily testify that idea to be true. Just look at the carrot cake below!
Sunshine Coast carrot cake on the Gibsons waterfront-worth the trip from Ontario!!!
Out of all the groups that I have participated in, this particular group had as strong a bond as any that I've ever been in, which is even more remarkable given it's large size (roughly four dozen people). I think that the defining moment, as a group, came on Tuesday night in Courtenay as we gathered in the sanctuary of the host United Church. That was the second century mile day in a row for the riders. And while there was a fraction of the amount of vertical climbing compared to the previous day's century mile (160 km) journey over the mountains of Vancouver Island, the weather was hot, and there was no refueling stop for the first 60 km or so. (A scheduled rest stop in Nanaimo was mixed up, which was a supernatural coincidence; you can read about that adventure here:
http://www.thelilydipper.com/uncle-travelling-dan/b4b15-day-3a-duncan-nanaimo)
Anyways, the scene above was a special moment, because it was near the end of an eventful, emotional, but ultimately very successful Bike for Bibles event. Nico, one of the ride leaders, had us sit in a circle, and we were to say something positive about another person whose name we had drawn from a hat earlier in the week. Among the many nice moments were some very special, heartfelt ones, including one that I was involved in.
Chemistry is a difficult thing to describe, involving personalities, beliefs, and other things. And it can be thrown off balance very easily. So when it really works, it is a wonderful thing.
http://www.thelilydipper.com/uncle-travelling-dan/b4b15-day-3a-duncan-nanaimo)
Anyways, the scene above was a special moment, because it was near the end of an eventful, emotional, but ultimately very successful Bike for Bibles event. Nico, one of the ride leaders, had us sit in a circle, and we were to say something positive about another person whose name we had drawn from a hat earlier in the week. Among the many nice moments were some very special, heartfelt ones, including one that I was involved in.
Chemistry is a difficult thing to describe, involving personalities, beliefs, and other things. And it can be thrown off balance very easily. So when it really works, it is a wonderful thing.
The final night of camp, or a bicycling tour, or a church retreat, is always bittersweet, and this last night was no exception. It was a time to relax, a time for heartfelt conversation, for thanking God for such awesome fellowship, and for reminiscing about the adventures, mostly good, and the favourite legs of the ride. Had I participated as a cyclist instead of a photographer I think my favourite rides would have been those that had challenging climbs-Monday's ride over the interior mountains of Vancouver Island (http://www.thelilydipper.com/uncle-travelling-dan/b4b15-day-2a-the-remote-west-coast) , and today's tour along the Sunshine Coast, especially if I met those challenges -which is one reason, among many, why I rode with the same organization across the Rockies ten years ago.
Yours truly, 30 years old, at the top of Rogers Pass, British Columbia, 5272 feet at elevation. 2006 Bike4Bibles Centennial Ride.
The view from the church parking lot-the water is the Pacific Ocean!
RSS Feed
