Marc Kitteringham
Part of the fun of being in a new city is getting lost. I went on an expedition to find a decent gravel trail -- something I've found a bit lacking on the island so far, and though I might not have found the roosty fire road skid fest that I was looking for, I did manage to get lost and find some unique and out of the way spots.
My new place is in downtown Victoria. I knew from the first few days of me being here that if I wanted to find gravel, I'd have to venture across the harbour and into Vic West at the very least. I pointed across the blue bridge and got onto what I thought was the Galloping Goose Trail -- which turned out to be the E&N Rail Trail, and followed it until it disappeared in View Royal. At the end of it, I was in a Canadian Tire parking lot and a long way from the dusty singletrack I was searching for.
Turning around, I spun through the now-familiar Esquimalt and back into Victoria proper. On a previous exploration trip, I happened upon a trail that led into the gorge and followed it on a whim. This did turn out to be the Goose. As it neared Banfield Park, parts of it turned into the gravel trails that I was looking for and I gladly sent my back end skittering about. It was starting to get dark, but I still wanted to explore, so I went up the Goose for a few more km before turning back.
This city is still a mystery to me. I know that it is almost perfect for road riding, with smooth roads that have escaped the potholes of winter's bombardment. But knowing the West Coast's reputation for loam, singletrack and getting lost in the woods, I am still looking for somewhere to get a bit dirty. I am excited, though, because I know that I still have a lot of exploring to do.
Here's to the trail.
MK
