Hornby Island Bicycle Adventures
Wheel Life column - 11 September, 1999
by Todd Litman and Suzanne Kort - Victoria Transport Policy Institute

We recently had a terrific weekend visit to Hornby Island, the "Jewel of the Gulf." A highlight was bicycling and hiking on fantastic trails in Mount Geoffrey Regional Nature Park. We highly recommend it for off-road cyclists of all abilities.

The park is covered with vibrant green forests, the air is fresh, and it is quiet and clean. It feels like cycling in wilderness, although you will probably see other cyclists, hikers and maybe even equestrians.

The park's trail system is extensive, ranging from old logging roads suitable for novices, to numerous single-track trails with names like "Four Dead Aliens" and "Spasm Chasm," for intermediate and experienced mountain bikers. The trails work their way up to a bluff facing west over Denman Island to the mainland, providing a spectacular view (but be careful not to ride off the cliff!).

The trails are in excellent condition, some of the best we've seen anywhere, thanks to hard work by the Hornby Island Off-Road Mountain Bike Society. "We emphasize that maintenance is the first thing, not the last thing to do," commented Sasha LeBaron, one of the society's organizers.

Their goal is to provide a safe, fun experience for beginning and intermediate off-road cyclists, and a fun, fast experience for experienced riders. Besides doing physical work, the society has established an ethos of responsibility among cyclists, encouraging them to be considerate of other trail users and the land itself.

"You shouldn't just take. You have to put something back," Sasha said. "This is such a great island, it's not just a place to drop in and trash."

The Island has a mountain bike culture that provides inspiration and support to local youths. Fabrizio "Tig" Cross, owner of Hornby Island Off Road Bicycles (the island's bikeshop) has encouraged many teenagers to get involved in cycling, often giving them a summer job to help purchase a new bike, or assistance rebuilding an old one.

Hornby is one of the smaller of the Gulf Islands. From Victoria, it takes about 4 hours to get there. First you go to Buckley Bay, about 75 kilometres north of Nanaimo, take a short ferry, cross Denman Island, and take a second 10-minute ferry to Hornby. The last ferry that connects to Hornby leaves Buckley Bay at 6:00 p.m. (10:00 p.m. on Fridays), but that doesn't provide enough time to catch the Hornby ferry by bicycle, so be sure to arrive early.

There are numerous campgrounds, resorts, and bed-and-breakfasts on the island, but book ahead if you plan to visit during the summer season. The island has one general store ("The Co-op"), a few small restaurants, and an abundance of art galleries. There are also numerous market gardens selling produce, and a Saturday market held at the community centre.

Like most other islands, roads are curvy and narrow on Hornby, so be cautious when cycling on paved roads, and for courtesy, stay to the right, ride single file, and get completely off the road whenever you stop. Also, like other islands, Hornby has water shortages during the summer and a delicate environment, so do what you can to minimize your impacts.

For more information on cycling on the island, or to rent a bike, visit Hornby Island Off Road Bicycle Shop (HIORBS, phone 250-335-0444), next to the Co-op. They have a map of Mt. Geoffrey Regional Park trails, and can offer detailed advice. For general information, visit the Hornby Island website at http://www.hornbyisland.com.

The BC Trials Championships (competition to see who can ride over difficult trails and obstacles without putting their foot down) will take place on Hornby Island on September 18-19th, sponsored by HIORB. For more information call 250-335-0444.