Reasons 1195 – 1248

Sunday morning we headed out from Courtney’s at what felt like the crack of dawn. We worked our way across the Burrard Bridge, through downtown and across the Lions Gate Bridge into West Vancouver. We rode the epically beautiful and hilly Marine Drive along the shoreline to the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.

This is a view of downtown Vancouver and the Granville Bridge.

When we planned this route the night before we were sure that we were going to be riding a lot of hills, so we gave ourselves extra time. Because we kicked the ass of every one of the hills we easily arrived with a little more than an hour before our ferry was to leave to Langdale.

Thus far, Collin and I have been using sort of a funny system for cycling together that’s been working really well. Collin has an iPhone and his Garmin GPS mounted to his handlebars. He knows exactly how far we’ve gone in the day, how fast we’re currently travelling and if need be he can consult Google Maps if the GPS isn’t detailed enough. You’d maybe think that Collin would be in front doing all the navigating, but that’s not the case. Collin wasn’t even fully used to riding a bike long distances before the tour, so he hasn’t learned his body’s limits and timing. So, I ride in front and set the pace for the two of us. I keep things as consistent and steady as possible. But, because Collin has the gadgets, I set the pace purely on the feel of my body and the road.

Anyway, when we arrived at Horseshoe Bay I had an idea that we were early, but it didn’t fully register, because Collin has the gadgets that tell time and I don’t. Having never taken that ferry before, Collin somewhat blindly trusted me after we’d purchased our tickets and entered the terminal, which turned out to be a mistake.

We only waited a brief while and boarded our first ferry. We were directed to the front of the boat where we locked up our bikes. We climbed the stairs a few floors to the passenger deck and paid a visit to the restroom. Then we heard an announcement from the captain over the intercom, ‘Just a reminder. This ferry is headed to Nanaimo.’ Instantly, the two of us realized we had got on the wrong boat. I seriously started laughing loudly and maniacally like a mad man as we started to run past other passengers back to our bikes. I couldn’t help it. It was the most ridiculous situation and I was now full of nervous energy. We unlocked the bikes and raced to squeeze our bikes back to the rear of the vessel just in time to see the huge doors closing.

The BC Ferries deckhands directed us to go see the Chief Steward back up on the passenger deck. We were a little bit bashful as we explained what we, or rather, I had done. He was so kind as he listened and just laughed it off with us. Then he filled out some vouchers for us for some food, because he told us that the trip to Nanaimo was an hour and a half, one-way and we were about to have a full afternoon of ferry riding.

It was pretty funny when we walked around the boat after seeing the Chief Steward, and especially redeeming our vouchers. Seriously all the staff onboard knew that we were the cyclists who got on the wrong boat. They were all super great about it. In fact, once we got off, back at Horseshoe Bay again, they gave us a refund for our tickets, and they still let us get on board the Langdale ferry.

When we arrived in Langdale, on the Sunshine Coast, we had to bike our way through to Gibsons Landing to meet with my close friend, Will and his wife, Vanessa. It was really uplifting just to see their bright, shining faces. No exaggeration. We stored our bikes at their church in Gibsons and then loaded our bags onto their little motor boat. Then we ripped across the Shoal Channel to Keats Island where they live.

Riding in the back of the motor boat.

The view from the boat.

This is Will and Vanessa's house.

And, this is the view from their front porch.

Will estimates that around 120ish people live on Keats Island year-round, and then there are more that come out for weekends. It’s a pretty tiny island, and very beautiful. I remarked to Collin afterward that I think that everything about living on that island is so romantic. I really love listening to Will and his family talk about island life. Everybody has a boat for transportation, and every boat has a fun name. They kind of have to plan everything, because they can’t just pop out to the corner store to get milk. They have to boat across to get anything. All the houses have really great names, mostly sea themed. So, they’ll say things like, ‘Will ran down to get something from Sea Mist, and Carrie is going to ride Stormaway to go to school.’ So awesome.

Collin bonding with the family cat, Chandler and dog, Kona.

Thanksgiving dinner was pretty priceless. All together I think there were seventeen of us around a few long tables stuck together. Will’s family and friends put in a lot of work to make a whole lot of fantastic food. They made several pies on the Sunday morning and into the afternoon, so they didn’t get the turkey into the oven until 2:30pm. By the seven o’clock we were still waiting for it to be done and everybody jokingly blamed me and Collin for taking the wrong ferry. Finally we ate around nine o’clock. And, it was well worth the wait.

This is after dinner was over and we were all partly sedated from lots of turkey.

Will’s family, combined with the visiting Daley family and a few others made for a very entertaining group. Collin and I easily fit right in. There was so much fantastic sarcasm and banter. We laughed a whole lot about anything and everything. It really did our hearts some solid good to have so much fun and be thoroughly included.

Collin and Will in the truck.

At the end of Sunday, Will drove us from one side of the island to the other to Barnabas. Barnabas Family Ministries is a Christian retreat centre that Will and Vanessa’s family run. It is ridiculously beautiful and Will and Vanessa were really generous in letting us have rooms there. Seriously, they’re upscale hotel-style rooms. I slept in a huge, king-size bed in a loft room. Posh. That night all the young people in the group, twelve of us went to Barnabas and shared a huge hot tub. We got to see bright green Northern lights behind silhouetted mountains across the sea from a hot tub. Is that not a dream?

A couple shots of Barnabas.

Monday held a whole lot of relaxing, half-assed napping, and some really quality visiting. A bunch of us had some brilliant spiritual conversation that was sincere and encouraging. That was definitely a highlight of mine.

We love Keats Island. And, we definitely love our dear friends there.