For cyclists of Vancouver Island, a new book is catching eyes.

Colleen MacDonald has just published her third biking route book B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 Go Biking, Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands and Sunshine CoastB次元官网网址�.

She was at Mermaid Tales Bookshop in Tofino earier this month, signing copies and handing out B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 Go BikingB次元官网网址� pins and neckwarmers to children and adults alike. MacDonald created the book she wanted to buy, suitable for all abilities, with a simple colour-coded layout that includes multiple route options and information on one page so it can easily be displayed in a map case.

MacDonald has always been an avid cyclist, but her explorations truly began after she retired and she began to explore maps, another love of hers. Curiosity took over B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淗ow can I get there? What does it look like?B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� and she would plan routes to explore by bike.

Her blog B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 Go BikingB次元官网网址� turned into her first book B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 Go Biking, VancouverB次元官网网址�, followed shortly after by an B次元官网网址淥kanaganB次元官网网址� title.

MacDonald, who lives in Vancouver, expected to need a couple weeks to cover Vancouver Island while researching routes. In the end she needed six full weeks. Her chosen routes may not be the most direct or the fastest way to get from A to B, but they are designed to encourage exploration and sightseeing along the way. She describes them as B次元官网网址渓ittle toodlesB次元官网网址� with time to B次元官网网址渟top and smell the rosesB次元官网网址� or check out a great cafe along the way.

This is aimed at making the guide a fantastic introduction for those new to the sport or looking for some guidance before starting out.

The best route, according to MacDonald, is the new 蕯apsc虒iik t虛as虒ii (pronounced ups-cheek ta-shee), the multi-use path connecting Tofino and Ucluelet through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

MacDonald was thrilled to see cyclists, rollerbladers, wheelchair users, entire families and surfers with their board strapped to their bike, all sharing and using this path. The route design gets people off the highway and opens up a safe corridor to travel in - a B次元官网网址済ame changerB次元官网网址� for the region. A few years ago she never would have considered bringing her bike to the coast with her, while now itB次元官网网址檚 a must-do.

The community involvement with producing B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 Go Biking, Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands and Sunshine CoastB次元官网网址� was an important part of its design. Biking advocacy groups up and down Vancouver Island have provided suggestions and revisions to make sure each route is as safe and enjoyable as possible.

B次元官网网址淧eople were not hesitant to share,B次元官网网址� MacDonald said. B次元官网网址淭hey wanted others to come explore and find these bike routes.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 Go Biking, Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands and Sunshine CoastB次元官网网址� is available at Mermaid Tales Bookshop and on MacDonaldB次元官网网址檚 website:

B次元官网网址擬arcie Callewaert Special to the Westerly

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