Whonnock Lake - Maple Ridge

August 21

I am writing about a Comedy of Errors as this biking excursion is riddled with them. We thought this might be a boring ride since The Nooksack Valley was so interesting. In this regard we’ve since changed our tune.

It started with Koody requesting an easy time this go-around as he was certain his ‘little leggers’ would be tired after hiking up the Grouse Grind the night before. Hoody obliged by choosing possibly the most challenging ride she could find (Error #1). Out of a book that professes to be “Easy Cycling” Hoody has learned her lesson. The description “on a day when you’re feeling energetic and a bit adventurous” translates as many ‘ups and downs’, with mostly ups, throughout the entire ride. Maybe we needed Ole Dutch along to keep us on the straight and narrow, but unfortunately he had to opt out.

The drive to our starting point seemed relatively straight forward, just follow Lougheed Hwy to 240th Street. However, there was much news to catch up on and the next thing we know we have gone too far and are at 280th Street (Error #2). Time to turn the navigating over to Koody since he is sitting in the co-pilot’s seat (Error #3). Instead of taking us to the starting point, Koody hones in on the words ‘Whonnock Lake’ locks it into his GPS and takes us to the mid-point of our ride. Koody confesses reading maps is not his forte. Being the forgiving duo that we are, we just laugh and let Koody start us out from here.

We take a moment to enjoy Whonnock Lake – it seems to be a well-kept secret for the locals. There are a group of individuals preparing for their canoeing instruction today which breaks the quiet stillness of the early morning. We’re off – biking a few smalls roads, onto busy 272nd Street and then a sharp right turn which in the book reads “Sudden steep hill – find a low gear quickly!” In Hoody’s mind we’ll be going downhill – not! (Error #4) It is straight up and Hoody’s walking (geared up instead of down). Always the show-off, Koody finds his lowest gear and manages to bike it to the top. I’m sure I heard snickering as he passed me.

Shortly after reaching the top we turn left and head along a relatively straight and flat road. Finding a few blackberry bushes, Koody stops for a brief pick. Revitalized, we continue biking, read the unnerving bear sign and then immediately spy a bear standing in the middle of a local lane. We ride a short distance in disbelief, thinking at first it might have been a large dog. Hearts beating – we garner a bit of courage and ride back to the lane to confirm our suspicion. Sure enough, it’s a black bear – but not in a photogenic mood, he scurries off before Koody can snap a picture. (Thank goodness no error here!)

Glad for each other’s company, we continue to bike and read “Left on 268th Street. Steep downhill”. Dyslexic Hoody reads the road sign (Error#5) and Koody confirms (Error#6) that indeed we turn left. At this point in the junction, a man out hand-mowing his 1 acre plus, downhill sloping property asks us if we need help. With a friendly wave, we tell him we’re fine and begin our downhill descent. That’s the last time I see Koody as he races away to the bottom of the hill. Cautious Hoody eventually catches up and we realize we’ve made un grande error. Our only remedy – push, not cycle, the bikes back up the 80% gradient road. A lot of huffing and puffing and a good 15 to 20 minutes later, the top is in sight. Koody hops on his bike and cycles the remaining bit – suckering in the lawn mowing guy, who’s barely made progress, into thinking he biked his entire way back-up. As usual, Hoody pulls up the rear, we check the road sign and sure enough, we read it wrong.

Biking along the country roads we find the correct downhill. And again – Koody takes off like a ‘bat out of hell’. Hoody is skeptical after our last error but follows suit. The end of the hill, the road veers right and we continue going downhill on a gentler descent. This leads us to a triangle in the road and a decision - straight ahead is downhill and right is fairly flat. We know we eventually need a right turn but the road sign doesn’t match the book. Hoody is very wary of continuing downhill in error. Techie Koody comes to the rescue by logging on to his GPS. Sure enough – the road has changed names and we do turn right, avoiding the downhill and uphill back track again.

We’re now biking along a new housing development on the right and the SPCA on the left. Then we pass the original starting point but pass up the opportunity to check it out – it is a steep incline to the park and we’re definitely not into ‘steep’. Our left becomes a ridge with stunning views of the mountains and Port Coquitlam. Given our errors, time is of essence, so we do not dilly-dally for long.

A few zig’s here to the right and some zag’s to the left while constantly facing a genteel upward slope, we reach 112th Avenue. Never 100% sure that we are on the correct route today, we stop and ask a guy out washing his RV. He’s quite friendly and we end up discussing bears, imagine that. Apparently bears are extremely common in this ‘neck of the woods’. They live in and amongst the bush and forest growth – real pests come garbage day. We also get a recommendation for a good place to eat once we finished our biking. Food sounds welcome at this point so off we go.

We decide to skip the Bell Irving Hatchery, continue biking along roads that ‘never quite seem to connect’, some with beautiful houses and properties, until we reach ‘Hayes Trail’. This is an Equestrian Trail through the woods. We are advised to walk so oblige and dismount, being sure to watch out for the ‘road side apples’ along the path. With the thought of bears still in our mind, we are a noisy duo. And then we hear yelling in the woods as another bicyclist comes racing along the path. Fortunately just riding – not riding from something. And with that – we forget the walking – hop back in the saddle until we come to a mini stream that requires crossing. In 3 quick steps, Hoody is across with minor wet feet. Koody hears this and decides to navigate the bridge. It’s a balancing act as the width barely accommodates both Koody and a bike. However, no error here as ‘twinkle toes’ meets with success and crosses without incident.

We are now on the last leg of the ride – a slow and steady uphill ride on 112th Avenue. Past a few horse stables and an equestrian practice area. To our delight Koody even spies a 'Murphy'. And then to the left, a large animal in a driveway. Fortunately it’s only a dog the size of a small bear. Koody rides by first saying something like “Hi doggie, nice doggie”. In reality he’s telling the dog to ‘sic’ (Error #7) as next thing I know the dog takes after me barking. I can’t remember the last time I hightailed it up a hill like that, never looking back to see where the beast was.

And then it was a race to the finish at Whonnock Lake. We’ll call it a tie as our 24 km ride comes to a close. To Koody’s credit, his GPS gave us a ‘bee line’ straight to the recommended Bruce’s Country Market and a delicious lunch. And then a long drive home with the co-pilot enjoying his afternoon snooze again.

This may well be our last biking trip this year, unless we experience good weather in November. But never fear, we’ll be back next year.