I had heard from many people that Bowen Island was a must-see in Vancouver, so on Friday, I decided to make the trip out. Located about 25km west of the city, the island is only accessible by ferry and features many cottages, shops, cafes, and hiking routes.
I began my day with another great ride through Stanley Park and across the Lions Gate Bridge. The weather was pretty crummy, but even so, the scenery was still as breathtaking as before. I then headed west along Marine Drive, a windy hilly coastal road (not very safe for cyclists). A couple hours later, I made it to Horseshoe Bay, a nice little town and a boarding spot for several islands in the area.
The ferry ride to Bowen Island was only about 20 minutes, but it was the most scenic ferry ride I’ve ever been on. As soon as the boat left the bay, the great Canadian Rockies opened up before us and I had one of those moments where I realized just how small I am compared to the mighty Earth. Beautiful whitecaps decorated the coastline as far as the eye could see.
Bowen Island itself is a quiet place but very enjoyable. The weather decided to cooperate for the afternoon and the sun came out in full strength as I hiked to Dorman Peak from the harbour. What a great lookout! At this point you cannot even see the city, so you feel even closer to nature.
Feeling pretty tired, I decided to take the bus back to North Vancouver and then I biked the rest of the way to downtown to bring the route total to a solid 37km.
Beyond the Automobile 