Friday, June 25, 2010 Biking Tofino

Lodged at the Tofino Botanical Gardens Guest House. It's actually the field station lodging for the researchers and students at the gardens, but they rent out extra rooms to travelers. It's such a beautiful facility (first pic) and of course the grounds are beautiful and the whole place is sorta zen and really peaceful. I drove into town to pick up Fran and Jess, who had bussed in the day before. It's a fine sunny (rare) day so we decide that we should rent bikes and tour out to the gardens and to MacKenzie and Chesterman Beaches. Next pic is Fran and Jess on the funky touring bikes we rented. You peddle backward to stop. I fell off twice. Good grief!! First stop at the gardens guest house and a long visit with Petey the resident pooch. He sort of patrols the property, welcomes new guests, keeps werewolves at bay, and makes everyone smile. Very friendly and playful. (pic of me with Petey). He and Fran particularly bonded and I think she is hatching a plan for getting him back to the UK. Next pic is of the eco-confessional (Jess is hearing my confession) where you can get all those environmental mishaps off your chest. I think all those #@%&8% BP folks need one of these. Next photo is of three wood sculptures in the Garden that really caught my eye. The form, texture, color were all so soothing. I noticed that many people were attracted to them. On to MacKenzie Beach. Tofino has a great bike path alongside the main road so it's fairly easy to get from place to place and not take your life in your hands unless you occasionally throw yourself to the pavement as I did. I spent time at MacKenzie yesterday, but wanted Fran and Jess to experience it's greandeur. We happened upon some guys from Kelowna who were celebrating a birthday by charcoaling crabs (pic). They graciously invited Fran and Jess to pitch their tent next to theirs for the night. We rolled off to Chesterman Beach which is the next cove to the north of MacKenzie and equally beautiful. Lots of rock and the beach is wider so it made for fun bike riding on the wet sand. Few pics from Chesterman. Ended the day by cooking together at the hostel where Fran and Jess stayed the evening before. As it turns out, we're amazing cooks :-).