2009-07-05 49 -125

Sun 5 Jul 2009 in 49,-125: 49.3518423, -125.1062209 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

Side of Inland Island Hwy, between Courtenay and Cumberland.

Participants

• Elbie
• Rhonda
• Xore
• Xore's sister and brother-in-law

Planning

(More on the Talkpage)

Entirely subject to what the driver feels is most convenient for them. And Elbie will pay gas.

• 9:00 - pick up whoever is coming at seabus north terminal (8:45 departure from downtown)
• 10:40 - ferry to Departure Bay - plan to arrive at ticket booth ~9:30
• 12:20 - drive from Nanaimo to hashpoint
• 13:30 - arrive at hashpoint, celebrate leisurely
• 15:30 - drive back to Nanaimo
• 17:20 - ferry to Horseshoe Bay - plan to arrive at ticket booth ~16:30 [1] (note this is expected to be busy - there may be a sailing wait)
•  ? - drive back to Vancouver, (maybe) get home for dinner

Expedition

Success! Report pending

Ferry

Rhonda, Xore, and Elbie met at the seabus north terminal at 9AM, where Elbie's bike was loaded onto the bike rack of Rhonda's car, everything else was thrown in a pile in the back, and all three set off to try and reach the Horseshoe Bay ferry ticket booths an hour before sailing. That should be enough time.

Only a year ago, this involved getting on Highway 1 westbound, and driving along it until it ended directly at the ferry toll booths. The ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo is actually part of Highway 1, which continues on the island and goes from Nanaimo to Victoria. Now, due to highway construction for the upcoming winter olympics, staying on the highway means that you will end up heading for Whistler on highway 99.

Fortunately the ferry turnoff was well-signed, with a couple of notices starting a few kilometers back that ferry traffic should stay in the right lane. Past the exit, we were back on the old Highway 1 road, which goes steeply downhill, widens dramatically at the bottom, and ends in a dozen lanes, each with a toll booth at the bottom of the hill. (At the top of the hill is a place for trucks to stop and check their brakes, fortunately for the people in the toll booths...)

We got our ticket and into the lineup without incident, and went to check out the "Good Karma Cafe", which appeared to be the only food option in the parking area and was also a vegetarian-organic-hippie sort of place. Horseshoe Bay Village is in easy walking distance and has lots of restaurants, but is just out of earshot of the garbled announcements that tell you to get back into your cars. With less than an hour before boarding was likely to start, leaving the area is not a good idea.

Rhonda got excited when she saw a sign indicating that they sold cinnamon buns baked by Grounds for Coffee and shared one with Xore, while Elbie opted for the "Hippie Roll" because it had a funny name and avocado in it. It can't be bad if it has avocado in it.

On the ferry, we commandeered a table in the cafeteria despite not buying any food, and set up a game of The Downfall of Pompeii, in which Xore somehow got about five omen cards in a row and sacrificed almost all of Elbie and Rhonda's early population to the volcano, something they punished him for mightily when the lava started to flow.

The second game was more evenly matched, partly due to the players having more experience with the game and partly because people other than Xore actually got omen cards.

Elbie's spanakopita

Was super delicious and she promised to share the recipe with Rhonda! the recipe is now on Rhonda's talkpage!