Twin Lake - Double The Fun

TWIN LAKE TURNOFF appears after a smooth twenty-nine-kilometre ride north of Campbell River, British Columbia, on Highway 19. Mohun West Road is also accessible at this juncture. We tackled both rock-covered; pot-holed, dusty logging roads for double the fun.

My duty as sidecar passenger was to control the camera and remain calm as we careened down steep hills, through narrow forest trails and roared up vertical switchbacks in second gear. I hung on tightly to the metal bar in front of me shouting out a few ‘Woohoos!’ with great enthusiasm.

I use my hands to form a T-shape which Frank, my driver, understands to be ‘time out’. He cautiously pulls over on the narrow road, which at anytime could be shared by a logging truck and its full load. I jump out quickly to take a landscape photograph, hop back into my comfortable seat and we roar on.

Twin Lake was a Shangra-la delight. There are only a five campsites; a senior couple and their senior dogs occupied one. We struck up a conversation with them and they shared their knowledge of the area. With their suggestion, we continued up Mohun West road to Mohun Lake Campsite. It’s an assorted collection of tent sites and semi-permanent motor homes. The lake is clear and breathtaking. We walked through the large privately owned property and drove home.

Whether you’re heading out for the day or a cross-country adventure be sure to absorb nature’s fragrances, sounds and joyful energy.

Roads Less Travelled

Twin Lake

Trek to Mohun Lake

Mini-view of Mohun Lake

Monkey See, Monkey Do

FOR SOME WILD AND CRAZY REASON the sidecar or side hack passenger is called a ‘monkey’ or ‘hack monkey’. There were three of us on the September 8, 2012 (Inter)National Ural Rally that started in Campbell River, British Columbia with two bikes, and a pick up in Courtenay of another two-person team. Our convoy roared south on Highway 19A to the Denman Ferry crossing at Buckley Bay. We boarded the ship, travelled 1.2 nautical miles for ten minutes and disembarked effortlessly. The weather was on our side with clear blue skies and a beautiful wind swirling around my helmet on the roadways.

We investigated the local Saturday Market and purchased organic garlic from a local vendor. Further up the road we settled at a waterfront picnic site to share our lunch. We gazed out over the Strait of Georgia and agreed that there was no better place to be than right there, right then.

Back on the paved secondary road we left it after only a few kilometres and travelled seventeen more on a variety of gravel and soft sand roads. One of the drivers, who can shift into second gear without having to stop his bike, sped up in front of us, leaving us in his dust.

Our drivers were steering while we monkeys were taking photographs of everything that caught our eyes. What freedom to sit facing the action, hands free, safely seated on a wide, padded cushion.

Ladies, give it a go if you haven’t already done so. Wear the right equipment and soon you’ll be bugging the driver to make a regular monkey out of you.

Team waits for ferry

On and off to Denman Island

Roads less travelled

Susan on Denman Island

Rally Ready

ONE MORE SLEEP and I turn into a Plain Monkey as the passenger for the (Inter)National Ural Rally. As the significant other of Frank, the driver, right out of the gate our shiny green Patrol accumulates 50 points. Last year, we ran out of gas, but were excited to know that we’d earned 50 points. This year, our intention is to garner The Full Pucker at 100 points, meaning that we’ll run on reserve until we run the tank dry. Talk about throwing caution to the wind because Frank is a meticulous military type and wouldn’t ordinarily allow something so predictable to happen.

Our adventure roars to a start in Campbell River, BC, with friends on a Gear-Up, and a pickup point in Courtenay to gather more friends and their Gear-Up. We drive to our ferry connection from Vancouver Island to the Denman Island community.

The Unexpected Adventure Bonus could be ours considering that on the Islands you only have to wait five minutes for the weather to change. I’m thrilled at the opportunity to pull on my ‘Ural Hoodie”. It would be great to earn an extra point per kilometre for the time it’s raining.

Wish us luck. We look forward to hearing your story.

Susan under her 'Ural Hoodie'

Our 2011 (Inter)National Ural Rally Crew