Island Cycles resurfaces

We're back.  600 plus delegates attended September's Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference in Victoria.  The last few months of preparation and post conference work put our newsletter on the back burner.

 

Now its back to cycling fun.

 

Chocolate Winner

 

Dave Hobson is our first winner of a box of Rogers Chocolates for his fun photo of biking on Vancouver Island.  You'll see it featured in this edition of Island Cycles.

 

Keep the photos comin'.  We'll award more delicious delights and feature winners in future editions of Island Cycles.  Send in your stories and photos of cycling on Vancouver Island for your chance to win the chocolate.  Much thanks to Rogers for putting up the prizes.

 

Summer Riding

 

Many Pro Bike delegates were seen riding in various locations around the Island and nearby destinations.  The Comox Valley, Sunshine Coast and west coast Vancouver Island were some spots reporting visitors with funny accents.

 

Events on the Island this summer included:  Gabriola Cycle and Kayak Festival, MS Bike Tour, Vancouver Island BMX Championships, Canadian Track Championships . . .

 

Don't stop cycling!  With little winter to speak of, Vancouver Island is a great cycling destination all winter long.  Fly in and bring your bike (Victoria's airport has an assembly station and box storage for you).  If you must play in the snow, visit our own skiing paradise (good cross training for bike riders) at Mount Washington (www.mountwashington.ca).

 

Maps Galore

 

The third edition of Davenport's cycling and walking map of Greater Victoria is available from the Vancouver Island Cycle Tourism Alliance.  Order your copy:  $5.00 plus $1.00 for postage to johnluton@shaw.ca

 

Free maps:  The 2nd edition of "Cycle Vancouver Island - It's Worth the Ride" is available free from VICTA.  Send your name and address to: johnluton@shaw.ca  The map and guide has been spread across the Pacific Northwest by Certified Folder Display Canada and Tourism Vancouver Island.

 

Other free maps listed at:  http://www.cyclevancouverisland.ca/maps.html#Free_Maps  We have an extensive selection of commercial maps and guide books for cycling the Island as well.   Visit the web page for more information.

 

Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference Impacts

 

The Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference took over Victoria from September 7-10, 2004.  More than 600 delegates attended.  U.S. cycling advocates gathered near Shawnigan Lake for the Labour Day Weekend (September 3-6) and workshops kept some delegates in the capital through September 12th.  Tourism Victoria estimated a $500,000 impact from the conference in planning for the event.  Post mortem analysis is being prepared by the National Center for Bicycling and Walking in Washington, DC.

 

Victoria's Airport Authority added bike lanes to the terminal access road and set up a bicycle assembly station on site.  A quick look at the box recycling facility at the station revealed visitors from Manitoba and Ontario had been using the service within weeks of its opening.  BC Ferries cosponsored a design competition for new racks on the ferries.  Work is proceeding on building prototypes for testing this winter.  Thanks to Norco Performance Bikes, www.bceh.com for co-sponsoring, and the Capital Bike and Walk Society for organizing the competiton.  More than 22 submissions were received and winning designs came from Quebec and BC.

 

New bike projects were initiated in Victoria, Saanich, and Central Saanich leading up to the conference.

 

Media Hits

Cycling on Vancouver Island was featured this season in the Vancouver Sun, Globe and Mail, Halifax Herald, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and elsewhere in the print media.  Watch for cycling to play a cameo in Fox ESPN's "Good Time Golf", shown in the Pacific Northwest and in a new column in Adventures West magazine.

 

With the season winding down, Island Cycles will be preparing for next year's riding.  Watch for explore reports from Island destinations we'll be exploring over the winter.  We know our visitors will be looking for inside information and we want to make sure we're ready with the best advice possible.  If you have a story, a picture or a hot tip for cycling on Vancouver Island, send it in.  We'll be updating our website with new pics and stories, hot links and best places to ride.

 

 

Island Cycles is published for hundreds of readers by: John Luton, 22 Philippa Place; Victoria, BC; V8S 1S6; 250-592-4753/886-4166 (cell). Coordinator, Vancouver Island Cycle Tourism Alliance