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PLACE: Richmond Dyke (click for map) |
Especially now that summer has supposedly arrived or at least we think it has, i'm keen on enjoying every bit of sunshine i can get. I start many mornings and wrap up many evenings cycling along the dyke in Richmond. My 10 speed and I have covered a lot of ground over the years. You can cycle over 15 kilometres along the dyke circling all of west Richmond. No red lights, no stop signs, just continuous trail. Take it at a leisurely pace or race like you're in the Tour de France or find a happy medium in between. The flatness of the terrain makes it an easy trail for all. In addition to the serenity of the water and the lovely views, there are several distinct parts of the trail. South Dyke Rd boarders farmland, you then pass through the old cannery area, Steveston fishing village, Garry point park, West Dyke trail, and lastly Terra Nova trail up to the Olympic Oval.
Sunrise and sunset are both beautiful on the water and definitely my favourite times to cycle through. I like to enjoy as much of the trail as possible so i start where No. 4 Rd meets Dyke Rd and follow the Dyke all the way to the Olympic Oval.
The center point of this trail is Steveston Village, it's a historical fishing village at the mouth of the south arm of the Fraser River. Along the trail you see remnants of its old fish cannery. Steveston harbour houses one of the largest fleets of fishing boat in Canada, currently over 700 and counting. There are some great deals to be had on fresh fish during the summer. Along the Dyke there are several public piers available for fishing for the leisure fisherman out there. Whale watching tours also depart from the village and for those of you who don't have your own bike you can rent one.
The village is also a great place to stop for a snack. There are numerous eateries in the village. If you're looking for fish and chips i recommend Dave's fish and chips, its an oldie but a goodie. Timothy's frozen yogurt is always popular in the summer and one of my favourites is Rocanini coffee roasters. They do a delicious slow poured coffee like the one you see.
As you exit Steveston village and start heading towards Garry point park you start to see this round red looped sculpture in the distance in the middle of the park. As you get closer you begin to see the true size. It's a good three times my height (I'm 5'6").
Of course, i can never just cycle past the giant red ball. I'm always tempted to climb into it. This picture is taken from within the sculpture.
As you head along the West Dyke Trail, a highlight for me is always feeding the cows. There's an abundance of grass around them so it isn't always easy to get their attention. The grass you see this cow munching on was fead to it by your truly after a few minutes of making strange noises to get its attention.
Lastly, sunset at Terra Nova. As much as I love clear skies, nothing beats the sun breaking it's way through the clouds and hitting the water...always a delight to see!
Hope you get to enjoy the trails on Lulu island!
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