Routes and Observations

These are some rad routes I've ridden as of late:

1. Surrey to Tsawwassen (along river road and ladner trunk road)
2. Swartz Bay to Langford (following beauty farm roads along the lochside trail and the galloping goose) 1&2 combined = approx 125kms
3. Langford to Leechtown (taking the goose past the Sooke Potholes to the very end and back!) 75kms
4. Sooke to Jordan River (the winding West Coast Road along the ocean and up some hills) 66kms
5. Mill Bay to North Cowichan (following Telegraph road through more rolling farmland and down past the bustling Cowichan Bay) approx 50kms
6. Metchosin to Victoria (the goose, again) 20kms
7. Sooke Road to Aylard Farm (east sooke and back along gillespie road) approx 20kms?
8. Shawnigan Lake (around the whole thing!) approx 30kms

These are some things I've seen and learned along the way:

1. It is unpleasant for both your eyes, and for bugs when bugs fly directly into your eyes.
2. Hummingbirds look a lot better buzzing in the air, rather than squished into a perfect roadside fossil.
3. Tail winds are awesome. Head winds are not.
4. It is possible to get amazing tail winds from large semi trucks
5. It is not so good to have two semi-trucks in a row sail past you while on the side of a busy road, because this may cause the tail wind to drag you within inches of the second semi truck, increasing your heart rate.. lots.
6. Lone cyclists on opposite sides of empty roads share that same feeling of unity as do motorcyclists, expressed often in a small nod or wave of the hand (acceptance, finally!)
7. When using clipless peddles, it is best to "unclip" before coming to a stop. Otherwise you may suffer humility and leg wounds from the tumble that inevitably occurs.
8. If you suffer a deep leg wound from falling off of your bicycle, it is best to create an elaborate lie about how you received your injury. For example, "i got a snakebite" seems to do the trick quite well.
9. People who say they don't enjoy a ride on a bicycle are either lying, or just don't know any better...

yours truly,
gala "snakebite" milne