cycling for visitors- another article & helping cyclists today

[shootingstar]

I approached our tourism board to write articles from a cyclist's perspective for visitors (and locals) about things to see by bike in our area. It is an area that our tourism board doesn't have a pile of info.

So first one got published recently:
http://insidevancouver.ca/2010/03/25...ne-light-rail/


Side tourist note: Coincidentally today while sitting briefly for coffee, a family of 3 from Portland approached me for more cycling routes. Their son was approx. 13-15 yrs. old. They were experienced cyclists, based on their willingness to cycle in rain, their gear and where they had gone by bike in VAncouver already, also in previous years, to the Canadian Gulf Islands and Galloping Goose Trail in Victoria.

But today weather has been somewhat grey and rainy at times, so they really wanted to make sure they would do a decent route with something worthwhile to see. I ended up giving away for free the latest Metro Vancouver cycling map, which normally costs. I know if they don't use it alot, it will get passed to other visitor-cyclists back in Portland. (We get one free as members of our local cycling advocacy group.)

[oz rider]

Thanks for the article shootingstar. I'm coming over in July and just yesterday was looking for LBSs and local cycling information. In Melbourne you'd head for the BV forum for local knowledge. Hope they pick up more from you.

[shootingstar]

Great, ozrider! Which area of British Columbia or Washington will you be cycling?

I'll pm you later today.

[oz rider]

We're heading up to the Yukon and Northwest Territories, so it's essentially Vancouver and turn left, stopping at Inuvik. (I have the Inuvik weather on my desktop now - ) We spend a couple of nights on the Inside Passage too, which I've always wanted to see so that's a bonus. Followed by Icefields Parkway. Soooo excited.

[shootingstar]

We're heading up to the Yukon and Northwest Territories, so it's essentially Vancouver and turn left, stopping at Inuvik. (I have the Inuvik weather on my desktop now - ) We spend a couple of nights on the Inside Passage too, which I've always wanted to see so that's a bonus. Followed by Icefields Parkway. Soooo excited.

Inside Passage is beautiful. Maybe you might be lucky to see 1-2 wild porpoises. I took a B.C. ferry (no need to take an expensive cruiseliner) through the Inside Passage to Prince Rupert.

Make sure you bring insect repellant to protect from blackflies and mosquitoes in the Arctic during summer.

[shootingstar]

As for the Portland family I met, I heard back from them. It is by sheer coincidence she cycles and has the same lst name as myself.

And coincidentally the bakery/cafe where I met them, is one of several eating places, I mentioned in the cycling tourist article link that I gave above at start of this thread.

Sometimes life coalesces into little coincidental surprises.