Modern Vespa

Just got back into riding and I'm wondering what the drill is for boarding ferries. I know that bikes are loaded at the front of the ferries, but do we bypass the lines and go to the front?

Simon

Just line up to buy your ticket and the nice lady will tell you which lane to drive up.
you drive right up to the front and the safty vest dude will tell you when to drive on the ferry.
bikes are boarded 1st or last (if your late)

love, sean s

Nothing new to add about the ferry but enjoy your visit to the Island.

With the MP3, consider a ride out to Port Renfrew and loop around to Cowichan and back through Duncan to Victoria. Its a 4-5 hr ride with some hard park logging roads. I rode the route with the MP3 500.

H

Shiny! I figured it was something like that. Thanks.

Ciao,

Simon

Maybe he's going to Powell River

Just kidding. I went to High School in Powell River, worked for the B.C. Ferries one summer. I loved it up there.

My parents live in Nanaimo, and we just got back from there last week, we were the last car on the ferry, and as they were squeezing us in they managed to find room for one more motorcycle. I was thinking how nice it would be to ride around the Island on a Vespa.

Actually, my sister lives in Parksville, just north of Nanaimo so we go over there fairly often, but so far only in the cage. I just got my MP3 a couple of weeks ago and I'd love the make the next trip over on it!

Cheers,

Simon

Len your right, there's so many good rides all over the Island.

The MP3 may be a little slower on the Malahat but don't need to go there if you're in Parksville via Nanaimo/Horseshoe Bay ferry.

Enjoy your stay.

H

I did this a few weeks back actually. We were camping just south of Nanaimo, drove down through Duncan over to Cowichan, then back. We had planned on looping back up the back way, but the road's not paved just past Youbous.

It was my first real driving experience on my X9. Since then I've ridden up the Sea-to-Sky for work--also really nice to ride. Except when you're stuck in a construction delay line-up near Squamish and it's 35C.

Victoria has a great rally every May 24 weekend (rain sucks though). It's oldest annual scooter rally in North America.

I'd love to ride out to Tofino from Port Alberni on any bike. All those up and down twisties gotta give Deal's Gap a run for it's money.

Sooke to Pt Renfrew ought to be a little hairy. I've never gone up to Lake Cowichan from Renfrew. That might be better on a dual-sport like a BMW Dakar then a Vespa... even a MP3

Speaking of ferry rides, I have toured the San Juan Islands on a bicycle, but wondered about doing it on my ET4. Has anyone done it? Any particular problems with the small ferries? Any particular order recommended to do the islands? Favorite places to stay?

My wife and I were in Anacortes, WA in June and rode the ferry to the San Juans. There were a "boatload" of scooters and motorcycles on the ferry.