The ACP Centenary 400 takes you along scenic coastal roads, around lakes, past farms, through forests and up and down hills. There are quite a few hills. Don’t be too alarmed by the hills. They are all very rideable. All the longer climbs are at easy grades.

We start with an early morning ride over the Malahat (starting at 22 km). It is a surprisingly delightful ride when traffic is light. You will catch breathtaking views of the Saanich Inlet and Gulf Islands. Views that you would miss in a car. The climbing is all at easy, highway grades with lots of breaks on flat sections and the occasional downhill. The morning air is still cool, which makes for pleasant climbing conditions.

Note, there is still construction on the Malahat. On the pre-ride, the traffic lanes were squeezed over to the left. The lanes are narrow with no shoulder. The speed limit in the area is 50 km/hr and there is a warning sign telling cyclists to “take the lane”. For your safety, please do what the warning sign instructs. Get all the way out into the middle of the lane. There is no room for a car to safely pass but that won’t stop a driver from trying if you are riding on the right side of the lane. The section is short, about 200m, until you can move back over onto the shoulder. We did not encounter any traffic on this section.

There was a fair amount of shoulder debris on some sections of the Malahat.

The ride along beach on Mill Bay Road affords unobstructed views of the Saanich Inlet. From there, we ride past vineyards on Telegraph Road, through Cowichan Bay and around the Cowichan Estuary. The ride to Genoa Bay Road has a different landscape around every corner. You will pass a farm with massive, moss-covered boulders. How did they get there? We then go inland up to Lake Cowichan. Look for people tubing on the river.

Note that Lake Cowichan is the last chance to get water before Port Renfrew. It will be much hotter on the Pacific Marine Highway than it was on the coast. On pre-ride day we recorded temperatures of 35 deg C on the Pacific Marine Highway. There is no shade until you get to lower elevations on the Port Renfrew side. Be sure to carry enough water to get you to Port Renfrew.

If you are planning to use the washrooms in Port Renfrew, there are no public facilities. The are washrooms at the Renfrew Pub and at the Gas Bar. Plan to purchase something if you are using these facilities.

The climb out of Port Renfrew is long but will eventually afford you with outstanding views across the Juan de Fuca Strait to the Olympic Peninsula. Expect cooler temperatures on this section. On pre-ride day, there was fog in the Strait that eventually reached the highway and brought the temperature down to a damp and chilly 12 deg C. The ride continues through Sooke, East Sooke, Metchosin and Lanford.

Finally, there is a loop around the Peninsula. When you get to Hunt Road, at about 370km, stop, turn off your lights, look up at the stars and prepare to be amazed. We finish with the waterfront route back to the start in the heart of James Bay. Be sure the check out all the coastal lights as you ride along Dallas Road and savour your last kilometers.

The start and finish will be staffed. If you would like to leave anything at the start line to have at the finish, you are welcome to leave it at the Serenity Home Care office. If you have a long drive home, consider leaving a sleeping bag. You are welcome to catch some sleep on the office floor after your ride.

The ACP Centenary 400 is a challenging ride. I hope you enjoy it.