May 22nd – We have plenty of time for biking today so Hoody chose Westham Island/Ladner Dyke for the next biking adventure. Again, weather was a consideration. Koody insisted on a picture of me at kilometer 0 so I guess that is now part of the routine..JPG)
Only 1 km along the way and we stop to watch the kayakers on the Ladner Reach Waterway. Looking up into the sky we are eye witnesses to an optical phenomenon called a Sun Halo. It is produced by ice crystals creating coloured or white arcs and spots in the 
sky. We can relate to the ice crystals today as it is a mere chilly 10 degrees – certainly below the norm for this time of year. Hopefully it is our omen that all will go well today.Continuing west on River Road we enjoy the sights of
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the colours of floathouse living and the various marine relics – Hoody alongside a beached harbor buoy and Koody imaginatively steering an old coastal troller up the Fraser River
.A bit furthe
r along and we arrive at Wellington Point – another scenic stop. While Koody tries to catch a few birds, Hoody sits still long enough for one to land on her helmet, minus any droppings.A short .7 km traveling due west and we reach the brid
ge entrance to Westham Island. It’s the centennial year for the bridge and our crossing feels 
like we are entering a time in the past. Koody is ecstatic and nearly takes a flying leap off the bridge. However, the first sign on our right quickly brings us back to the present – have we somehow crossed the border in error?The Island 
is notoriously windy, today being no exception. Our legs are pedaling 30km/hr but this headwind slows us to maybe 5km/hr. And then what does Koody spy with his little eye? A “Murphy” – aka a tennis court. I know it’s strange but for us it’s a photo-op.
is notoriously windy, today being no exception. Our legs are pedaling 30km/hr but this headwind slows us to maybe 5km/hr. And then what does Koody spy with his little eye? A “Murphy” – aka a tennis court. I know it’s strange but for us it’s a photo-op.And then on to the Westham Island Estate Winery where we sample a couple fruit wines. Koody can’t resist the ‘Just Ducky’ while Hoody opted for the ‘Strawberry-Rhubarb’. In the end we purchased some fruit syrup, wine jelly and shortbread. I left behind the rocking chair that I fell in love with. Koody convinced me I couldn’t put it on my bike but after seeing the Chinese carry refrigerators and tv’s on their bicycles, I still think I would have managed just fine.
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We continue to ride, noticing the middle class bird housing on the left and the ‘other half’ luxury condo’s on the right. That signaled the road’s end at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary and a chance to rest for lunch.
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We continue to ride, noticing the middle class bird housing on the left and the ‘other half’ luxury condo’s on the right. That signaled the road’s end at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary and a chance to rest for lunch.
We laid out our gastronomic feast and Hoody proceede
d 
to feed the beast! A pleasant view of the wildlife – no not a Koody – and we were heading off the Island along the same road we had just travelled. Reverse direction and we are back into the gale force headwind – where’s the justice in that we ask.
We make it back to the bridge, take a quick right on to River Road and head due west again, taking us to the Ladner Dyke. The cool gale force winds continue to plague us and it now strikes me that Koody is feeling the effects of the wine tasting - he is ‘wine’ing all the way to the dyke about being cold. Could it be – Koody is going to ‘pull a lemming’ today and abandon the ride? This serves to spur Hoody ever onward with Koody in tow, finally reaching the dyke and a respite from the wind and cold.
We now head south on the bumpy, gravel pavement of the dyke, trying our hand at identifying a few plants along the way. It’s obvious - Horticulturalists we are not. We reach the train tracks which mark the beginning of the end for today. We turn east and then reach 41B Street which takes us back to Ladner.
But even this rural route brings wonder and amusement to our day. A Heron gracefully wanders along the road until being chased away by some pesky crows. Further along there seems to be an o
ngoing feud. And a.JPG)
fe
w hazards to boot – we have to watch out for the ‘Attack of the Killer Tomatoes’.
Finally reaching Ladner, we find a nice deli/coffee shop to stop and remember our day’s outing. Koody orders a chicken soup to warm his body while Hoody opts for a coffee – a caffeine hit for the drive back to Vancouver. And then it will be ‘tuck-me-into-nap-time’ again when Koody makes it back home, our 24km jaunt taking its toll once again. Until we ride again……
d to feed the beast! A pleasant view of the wildlife – no not a Koody – and we were heading off the Island along the same road we had just travelled. Reverse direction and we are back into the gale force headwind – where’s the justice in that we ask.We make it back to the bridge, take a quick right on to River Road and head due west again, taking us to the Ladner Dyke. The cool gale force winds continue to plague us and it now strikes me that Koody is feeling the effects of the wine tasting - he is ‘wine’ing all the way to the dyke about being cold. Could it be – Koody is going to ‘pull a lemming’ today and abandon the ride? This serves to spur Hoody ever onward with Koody in tow, finally reaching the dyke and a respite from the wind and cold.
We now head south on the bumpy, gravel pavement of the dyke, trying our hand at identifying a few plants along the way. It’s obvious - Horticulturalists we are not. We reach the train tracks which mark the beginning of the end for today. We turn east and then reach 41B Street which takes us back to Ladner.
But even this rural route brings wonder and amusement to our day. A Heron gracefully wanders along the road until being chased away by some pesky crows. Further along there seems to be an o
ngoing feud. And a.JPG)
fe
w hazards to boot – we have to watch out for the ‘Attack of the Killer Tomatoes’.Finally reaching Ladner, we find a nice deli/coffee shop to stop and remember our day’s outing. Koody orders a chicken soup to warm his body while Hoody opts for a coffee – a caffeine hit for the drive back to Vancouver. And then it will be ‘tuck-me-into-nap-time’ again when Koody makes it back home, our 24km jaunt taking its toll once again. Until we ride again……
