7/16/22

The next morning I decide to take a ride down to the Gold River before going to my Bunk-a-Biker house in Nainamo.

https://goo.gl/maps/Tdd534L3TuMJnMaAA

BC-28, the Gold River Highway, is a nice scenic road that follows the Upper Campbell Lake and ends at the Gold River. It's often a two lane curvy road. It can get congested at certain sections from the tourists. But overall it's a very relaxing road that you can follow for an hour and enjoy the curves and scenery without worrying about getting lost.

At the very end of The Gold River Highway is the small community of Gold River on the Nootka Sound. Originally created to support the logging industry in the 1960s, there is a deep-sea dock, located at the terminus of the Gold River, is home port to seaplane services, water taxi services, and the launch point for ferries and other water sport activities.

I see an aviation outfit called Nootka Air and they posted a sign listing a scenic tour. I park my bike on a whim and go in to ask about the tour. The woman behind the counter explains that their planes are often used to deliver mail, pick up and drop off medical supplies and transport passengers to all the various logging camps and communities in that part of the island. They will take on passengers along for a scenic ride and they fly their normal routes. A tour would typically be 2-3 hours depending on the route of the day. The next tour would be in two days if I wanted to go. I am scheduled to be in Victoria at the other end of the island so I would have to make a four hour ride back here if I wanted to go on the tour. She signs me up without any deposit and tells me to call her if I decide not to go. Sounds like a good deal.

I have to retrace BC-28 back to Campbell River and then head east on 19A along the water to Nanaimo where I had a Bunk-a-Biker room waiting for me. 150 miles and about 3 hours later from Gold River to Nanaimo, I arrive at Chuck's place. He lives atop a hill on 6 acres that stretches from the bottom of the hill to the top. At the top was his house and a few cars and a whole variety of four wheelers and dirt bikes. There was a gathering of people here when I arrived. Turns out it was Chuck's birthday the next day and people were already here celebrating.

I unload and was lead to his girlfriend's daughter's room who's away for the weekend. I got to sleep in her bunk bed. I think it's been elementary school since I slept in a bunk bed. After meeting all of Chunk's and his girlfriend's family, I hit the hay. It was going to be a long trip to the resort town of Tofino and Ucluelet the next day.