The Galloping Goose Trail

Ole, Nicle, Bridgit and John

Sydney to Sooke

We stood in the rain grasping our heavily laden bicycles, full of trepidation, awaiting our ferry for Vancouver Island.  Our visions for the trip were as dull grey as the skies above but we had reservations in Sooke at a bed and breakfast.  Four people starred at one another daring to pose the question to proceed or not.

Dawn rose after a wonderful sleep in Sydney and the sun was at its best, the weather had changed in our favour.  Seventy kilometers to Sooke, first along the Lochside trail to the junction just north of Victoria and then west along the Galloping Goose Trail to Sooke.  Along the Lochside Trail we visited an historical machinery museum, passed through farms, treated to an aerial display at the model aerodrome, watched pink pigs wallowing in the mud and photographed live deer posing in driveways and that all before stopping for lunch at Mattick’s Farm restaurant.  After lunch we travelled across wooden treslle bridge laden with statues of Roy Hawes and then through a chasm cleaved in the rock for the old rail bed.

At the junction we headed west on to Galloping Goose our destination Sooke another forty kilometers away.  Travelling through well shaded pathways we passed Royal Roads military university, stopped for refreshing drink at a lake and had a snack at a picnic table along the way, all the while meeting and greeting passing cyclists also enjoying the ride.

Finally at Sooke we made reservations for our kayak excursion with Rush Adventures, planned for the next day.  We also had a great late lunch at the adjacent restaurant, now Fuses’ Restaurant.  After our rest we ventured on to our final destination, the Skookum Bed and Breakfast at 2085 Harbour View, managed by Robert and Kathleen Watkins, just a short ride right of the Galloping Goose Trail on Harbour View.  Our group occupied two of the three nicely appointed upper rooms, relaxed during the evening watching TV.  After a good nights rest we took a modest breakfast in the main dining room and then we were off to our kayaking appointment.

We had arranged for a guide , yet we waited for the winds to abate before venturing out onto Sooke basin.  Bridgit and I were stowed in a double kayak while Ole and Nicole chose the singles.  We churned out into the open basin passing the giant grey boat permanently docked at the spit.  Across open water to the native burial islands, inaccessible to others only the native groups, we skirted them and ventured to the other shore, where we spotted a herd of miniature island deer.  Upon our approach they skittered off into the underbrush gazing back just long enough to make sure that they were at a safe distance before meandering off.  Our return trip across the basin was a little choppier but our guide was ever present and directed us to a safe harbour and then we prepared for lunch.

Our trip back to Victoria may have seemed longer because the adventure had been accomplished but we stopped again at Glen Lake, laced with bridges and water lillies in bloom and that brightened our spirits.  We stayed downtown Victoria overnight enjoying the ambience and a good rest.  The next day we went on to view Mile Zero, Bouchart Gardens and then back to the ferry and home.

Enjoy the bed and breakfast cartoon feature, “The Blooms”(c), with one left click.