It's Just Around the Corner
Permanent Brevet #223, 202 km
Ride Date: May 20, 2022
by Dug Andrusiek

I set out at 0700 on 20 May with mild temperatures and no wind. As it turns out, the day was absolutely wonderful, and it finally felt like summer is on the way.

It’s Just Around the Corner is a new route, designed by Stephen Hinde after I asked if anyone had ever created a route that incorporated Lake Cowichan and Yellow Point/Cedar. Having lived in the Cowichan Valley for five years now, I have come to appreciate the quiet roads and convenient spacing of services. The route starts at a new retail area on the north west edge of Duncan and quickly moves into a rural landscape along Cowichan Lake Road. The original route is designed to travel to the Lake Cowichan on the Cowichan Valley Trail, but due to damage from the November 2021 floods, the trail has a few detours. Regardless the trip to the Lake and Gordon Bay was awesome, and the return along River Bottom was warm and sunny. I took advantage of the route passing my house and stopped in for a quick bathroom break and some food then carried on north to Cedar and Yellow Point. North Cowichan recently extended the Cowichan Valley Trail north of Chemainus, so the ride was quiet and pleasant. At the north end, the route loops Yellow Point/Cedar with a very pleasant trip through Hemer Provincial Park on an old logging road. Unfortunately there are not many alternative routes to get back south, but Hwy 1 has wide shoulders and a detour through Ladysmith allow for a tolerable return trip. Thanks so much to Stephen Hinde who’s intimate knowledge of the local roads is extraordinary. I look forward to seeing folks on 04 June for the VI Summer 200.