Cowichan Valley Trail, Part 3 (The Toad Road)

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Day 9 
We rode the top "dotted green line" today
What a wonderful way to wrap up our bicycling adventure!  We really did save the best for the last.  Today we biked 47 kilometers round trip, from the Cowichan Lake Road Trailhead, just outside of Duncan, to the town of Lake Cowichan, and back again.  The surface was smooth packed gravel, and the trail was shaded and quiet (except when Diane was screaming – see later).  The rain threatened, and did mist us a bit toward the end of the ride, but never really followed through. 

Another thing made this ride very special -- we experienced an epic creature encounter.  For about 100 meters, with various levels of intensity, we rode/walked through thousands of what we believe (after subsequent research) are BC Western toadlets, crossing the trail from an extensive wetland into the forest, which will be their new home.  Diane made loud screaming 911 noises, hoping they would scatter away from her, and Rob followed close behind her sweep.  On the way up, we dismounted to avoid squishing and squashing.  On the way back, there were fewer, and we rode through.  We are not toadly sure if we caused fatalities, but we might have.

Folks at Lost Lake, Whistler, BC have been monitoring the toadlet migrations there for at least 11 years.  They actually shut down the lake beach, lawn and access roads to the lake during the migration.  See here.

We took time at the top for a snack (cheese, beans, Fritos, and salami) around the noon hour, so didn’t eat again until dinner.  This time we had very good Thai cuisine, followed by a trip to The Big Scoop for ice cream and a brief walk around downtown Duncan.

Tomorrow we drive back to Victoria to catch the 3:00 Black Ball Ferry to Port Angeles.  We are required to be there by 1:30 to allow time to go through customs.  Hoping for uneventful motoring and sailing. 

Let the good times roll,

Diane and Rob


The toadlet migration in pictures :)
The toadlet's wetland birthplace.




(A star is born :))
Toadlet's new home.
Our lunch site.





















This part of the Cowichan Trail system is a very smooth ride as shown in this pic.
Of course this is a multi-use trail, so there are some "road hazards to avoid." As shown below.























Lastly, Duncan B.C. and local tribes have partnered to place spectacular Totem Pools throughout the downtown core. Below is one of the newer attentions carved by Tommy Hunt Jr. of the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation.







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