Day 2 - Bamberton Provincial Campground, Mill Bay to Shawnigan Lake School and the MS Ride - Grape Valley Escape
87 km
Bamberton Provinical Campsite was a gem and we were sorry to only be spending one night there. Nestled in the forest and a short hike to the beach, this campsite is a family favourite. We were thrilled to see scores of young families camping and delighted in the antics of the kids as they explored the campsite on their bikes....round, round, and round they went with unbridled enthusiasm and tireless energy.
Our morning took us from Bamberton Provincial campsite to Shawnigan Lake School. We were meeting up with the FasTurtles cycling team, sponsored by The Tourism Cafe to take part in a two day fundraising ride for MS. The ride is very close to our hearts as our brother in law, and Team Captain Paul is battling the disease. We were also riding in support of our very dear friend Gail.
As we approached Shawnigan Lake school we were blown away. It is a page right out of the Harry Potter books and while we waited for our team to arrive we entertained ourselves by searching for Dumbledore and the gang. We expected them to materialize at any moment.
The ride was fantastic! We are the new members this year and were welcomed with open arms and instantly felt part of this amazing group of people. We spent the day, in the blazing hot sun cycling through the Cowichan Valley, visiting numerous wineries and enjoying time with our team mates.
Kudos to the organizing committee, sponsors and countless volunteers who worked to coordinate such a terrific ride. Tomorrow we will learn how much many we raised in support of MS research. Judging by the enthusiasm of the participating teams, we expect to hear good news.
Throughout the ride we continually remarked how beautiful and interesting the Cowichan Valley is....a definite spot to visit especially if you enjoy the odd glass of wine.
It was a hot day, we later learned the temperature rose to 34 degrees. You could literally feel the heat radiating off the pavement as you rode. Rob and I were both feeling the effects of the heat yet our team captain Paul kept on trucking. He was truly inspirational to watch and we felt proud to be part of his team.
The day ended with a wonderful banquet dinner in the dining hall. We enjoyed spending time with our team mates Karen, James, Mike and Lesley - quite a turtley group to say the least. Tonight our tent is set up on the immaculate rugby pitch at Shawnigan Lake School. We are nestled between the goalpost. We have never pitched a tent in location quite like this. Tomorrow we ride again!
Giggle of the Day
Turtle Power! Paul was definitely the captain and inspiration for our team, but to say his wife Nancy was the top cheerleader is an understatement! Nancy is a life force, a category 5 storm! She is full of energy, enthusiasm and has an infectious laugh that is contagious! Under Nancy's direction we found ourselves wearing turtles on our hemets, turtled themed bandanas on our necks,, painting our nails a deep shade of green (turtle shells of course) and singing "turtle power" for 70 km straight! Our team was highly visible along the road and at all the pit stops. Thank you Nancy, Paul and Tourism Cafe.
Cowichan Valley Grape Escape
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