A 300 km Loop Brevet that includes a ferry ride. Bonus!!!  This route was designed to avoid some of the busy roads and keeping navigation fairly straight forward.  The ride has a couple of start time options so all the riders arrive at Brentwood Ferry terminal in time for the 0730 departure. 

Recommended start times, fast riders 30km/h 0615, Medium riders 25km/h 0600, remainder 0530.  Please indicate your time in the registration notes.

After the ferry, riders will head towards Cowichan Valley and Duncan.  Then it’s a gentle climb to Lake Cowichan and over the hump and down to Port Renfrew.  This is a good place to insure you have enough water and fuel for the climb out.  The “West Coast Road” is next with views of Juan de Fuca straits and surfers at Jordan River.  The route turns onto Otter Point Road to get you to Sooke.  Just out of Sooke, the route follows Galloping Goose Trail, a hard pack gravel section to Lombard Drive and back on pavement.

The route back now will take you along Ryder Hesjedal Way, the new bike overpass in Colwood and Calvin multi use pathway in Sidney.

The route has about 19 km of hard pack trail riding.  Bikes with 25cm tires should have no problem with this surface.

*********Pre-ride comments*********

This is a Port Renfrew Loop ride that start with a ferry ride and avoids the Malahat Drive. 

FREE Ferry tickets will be provided for the first 10 riders who sign-up.

At the time of the pre-ride, Tim Hortons in Sidney was closed for renovations.  There is free parking at Mary Winspear Centre in designate blue spaces which is good until midnight. 

From the start, it’s a 30 km ride Brentwood Ferry Terminal, with a goal to arrive by 0720 and catch the 0730 departure.  The ferry has a water filing station in the lounge and a washroom that you can use. Lake Cowichan is a good place to insure you have water and food as the climb out can get hot.  The logging trucks that were seen on the pre ride, should be replace by RVs on the day of the ride.  Pacific Marine road is in good condition with a number of single lane bridges and a controlled one lane traffic section.  Port Renfrew has a small general store and the gas station on your way out has washrooms.  The West Coast Road has some slump lanes in your direction of travel.  You will have to ride careful and pick your line. In Jorden River, potable water is available at the campsite.  We changed the route to take out Otter Point Road as the hill is nasty with 16 % at one point. 

The route uses some sections of the Galloping Goose trail (GGT).  The surface is hard pack gravel and good for riding on.  There are 2 bridge crossing on the GGT that are short steep.  Walking up is ok.   In Victoria just after the Selkirk Trestle, there is a detour.  Follow the signs to get back on the Galloping Goose trail.  When you get back to Sidney, it’s a small tour that helps to get 300 km and you’re done.

Recommended start times, fast riders 30km/h 0615, Medium riders 25km/h 0600, remainder 0530