Vancouver, BC to Portland Oregon - SUCCESS
09-15-19, 09:54 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Vancouver, BC to Portland Oregon - SUCCESS
I rode from West Vancouver to Portland, Oregon, well to Tigard, OR to be exact. I really appreciated all the advice and information provided on this forum so I wanted to share my experience with others, so they could benefit.
Another Bucket list item checked off my list. What a great bike tour!- Vancouver BC to Portland via the Pacific Coast peninsula route, 9 days, 528 miles, according to my fitbit I burned 38,000 calories, and best of all NO FLATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I started in West Vancouver, rode to Horseshoe Bay and took the ferry to Nanaimo. From there I rode across Vancouver Island to Victoria, by way of Salt Spring Island, 2 more ferries. Camped at McDonald Prov park, and then rode into Victoria and took the ferry to Port Angeles. I road the peninsula route to Oregon, camping along the way. 9 days total. Road from Cape Look out home yesterday, 84 miles.
Very different then last years ride from Portland to San Francisco. I only met one other person who was doing this route. Towns are fewer and father apart on the peninsula route, so you need to be much more self sufficient and carry food etc.
One of the highlights on this ride was Cape Disappointment, Hard to believe it is so close to me. I have lived in Oregon for over 30 years but I had never been there. A spectacular park!
Oddly enough last year I used my cold weather biking gear when I was riding through the red woods, in spite of it raining on me on this ride I never felt cold, so never used any of the cold weather gear. I should have brought a tarp, and a tent vs the bivy, The bivy worked great last year, because it was dry. The Peninsula was damp and wet, I had 2 days of riding in the rain, and 3 nights of rain. The rain required me to keep the bivy sealed at night, in which case it doesn't breathe, and you wake up with everything damp. Unfortunately with the wet weather it did not dry out. I camped 7 nights and got a hotel in Raymond one night, so that I could dry everything out.
When I was on HWY 1 on the island- very busy I had to cross over to the left lane , to take BC #1 so I waited for a break in the traffic and then crossed over, as I am pedaling in the left lane this car passes me and the driver says something, I say excuse me he replies YOU ARE INSANE! 😊
The other memorable moment was when a bear ran across the road about 100 yrds in front of me. Fortunately he was not in the mood for Italian!
All in all a great adventure. The journey is what matters, if it was about the destination I would have driven!
If you want to see the route check out :
Day 1 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39553236
Day 2 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39629838
Day 3 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39629859
Day 4 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39683322
Day 5 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39723306
Day 6 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39757761
Day 7 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39797601
Day 8 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39834158
Day 9 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39872407
Here is my usual video I do after a trip:
Rico
Chief Dirt Bag
OCIR Adventures
Another Bucket list item checked off my list. What a great bike tour!- Vancouver BC to Portland via the Pacific Coast peninsula route, 9 days, 528 miles, according to my fitbit I burned 38,000 calories, and best of all NO FLATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I started in West Vancouver, rode to Horseshoe Bay and took the ferry to Nanaimo. From there I rode across Vancouver Island to Victoria, by way of Salt Spring Island, 2 more ferries. Camped at McDonald Prov park, and then rode into Victoria and took the ferry to Port Angeles. I road the peninsula route to Oregon, camping along the way. 9 days total. Road from Cape Look out home yesterday, 84 miles.
Very different then last years ride from Portland to San Francisco. I only met one other person who was doing this route. Towns are fewer and father apart on the peninsula route, so you need to be much more self sufficient and carry food etc.
One of the highlights on this ride was Cape Disappointment, Hard to believe it is so close to me. I have lived in Oregon for over 30 years but I had never been there. A spectacular park!
Oddly enough last year I used my cold weather biking gear when I was riding through the red woods, in spite of it raining on me on this ride I never felt cold, so never used any of the cold weather gear. I should have brought a tarp, and a tent vs the bivy, The bivy worked great last year, because it was dry. The Peninsula was damp and wet, I had 2 days of riding in the rain, and 3 nights of rain. The rain required me to keep the bivy sealed at night, in which case it doesn't breathe, and you wake up with everything damp. Unfortunately with the wet weather it did not dry out. I camped 7 nights and got a hotel in Raymond one night, so that I could dry everything out.
When I was on HWY 1 on the island- very busy I had to cross over to the left lane , to take BC #1 so I waited for a break in the traffic and then crossed over, as I am pedaling in the left lane this car passes me and the driver says something, I say excuse me he replies YOU ARE INSANE! 😊
The other memorable moment was when a bear ran across the road about 100 yrds in front of me. Fortunately he was not in the mood for Italian!
All in all a great adventure. The journey is what matters, if it was about the destination I would have driven!
If you want to see the route check out :
Day 1 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39553236
Day 2 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39629838
Day 3 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39629859
Day 4 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39683322
Day 5 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39723306
Day 6 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39757761
Day 7 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39797601
Day 8 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39834158
Day 9 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/39872407
Here is my usual video I do after a trip:
Rico
Chief Dirt Bag
OCIR Adventures
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09-15-19, 07:18 PM
#3
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You could have just rode from Vancouver, Washington, right across the state line, LOL. 😁😉 I saw a baby bear once, back in Colorado, but not a parent bear. Maybe it's best I don't meet an adult, I don't want to have to share my food with him or her. 🤭😁
09-26-19, 12:12 AM
#5
Senior Member
That sounds like a Great trip(minus some rain, of course)! I’m jealous and glad you had a good time.
Don’t worry. You won’t have to share. They’ll let you eat it before they enjoy you for their main course. 
