Salt Spring Island Part One

So we survived Salt Spring Island. With our thighs a burnin' and our gears a squealin' we departed yesterday morning for San Juan Island after 5 days of lovely, but hilly, Salt Spring immersion. Right now it is 11:20pm and I am sitting on the patio of the lovely Lakedale Resort where we are camping. Im sitting on the patio, not because of the lovely scenery or comfortable patio sets, but because us campers aren't allowed in to the luxurious resort after hours....ahem...

Friday, after our reunion aboard the Queen of WhoKnowsWhat we booted it into Ganges to regroup. After weighing our options we decided biking up to Channel Ridge where Lauren's dad owned some property. We figured this would be a good idea. And that leaving at 7pm that evening would be an even better idea. So as the sun was setting, and with the birds first day back together, we biked up a mountain. Man what a test of endurance, perseverance, descriptive frustrated vocabulary. But we made it, to a gorgeous plot of land, with an incredible view,  nestled in between two mansions.

Saturday we flew back down the mountain, and back into town, and resettled at Garden Faire campground, just a walk away from the town of Ganges. We spent the day poking around town, caught the tail end of the Farmer's Market and watched the game, which we have become avid followers since we left the Vancouver....

Sunday we were privileged to spend the afternoon with artist, writer, educator, and founder of Creative by Nature,  Lisa Lipsett. She was kind enough to have us over, and share with us her art and practice and process. See pictures below. Lisa led us through an exercise of seeing and connecting with our surroundings. It was an inspiring afternoon.
After our visit we rode down the rode to Blackburn Lake, home of the island's nudie dock....**

And Monday we packed up and rode across the island to the Gulf Island Brewery, where Brewmaster Murray Hunter kindly gave us a tour of the Salt Spring Ale operation. After, hot, hungry and thirsty, he pointed us down the rode to Fulford, where we could sit in the sun and enjoy a Gulf Island Brew...

That evening, destined for Foxglove Farm, on Mt.Maxwell, and having flashbacks to the last time we climbed a mountain, we stewed up ways we could avoid the trek......with the kindness of some locals and our legs o steel....we made it up there....somehow....

Stay tuned for Salt Spring Island part deux. where we farm, cross the border and eat a lot of doughnuts...

Oh and the pictures are coming too...

xo
Hunter

Finally-the photos!

A meditative watercolour/drawing workshop orientated by Lisa Lipsett. Our fold out results. 

The entrance to Lisa Lipsett's lovely studio. Packed with canvas, self-published books and German non-toxic watercolour paint. A beauty!

Our little nook on Salt Spring Island. A few minutes walk from Ganges, a little neck in the woods.

Burrrito's with a side of campfire.

The.food.panier(s). Courtesy of Josie.

Our daily morning espresso to keep us on the move. Stumps to rest our things.  

A rest in meadow following our visit at Gulf Island Brewery. A roasty afternoon.Lauren's chases a racoon with the camera.

Inspired by Murray, we a test a little bit of heaven down by the harbour. Love this beer!

All together now...

Visit Foxglove Farm's newsletter for an update about our visit! What an inspiring family they have! They spoiled us with healthy food and inspiring energy.

http://foxglovefarm.createsend3.com/t/ViewEmail/r/8550862608A3C080/049084C7668C9BD8C45D7BC1A387288D

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Bird Nesting and Island Timing. The Birds Have Flown the Coop

Hello and Happy Summer! There was indeed a small hiccup in the birds' departure from Vancouver, but alas the four Birds are together again. It feels good. It feels oh soo good! We spent some decompression time on Mayne Island..sleeping with sheep, roosters, and three cows (Rose and Oliver were my favourites).  A lovely man named Manny generously let us pitch our tents in a patch of wispy young trees near his King apple orchard. Gorgeous land!
Manny and his wife Alexis had met at a cob building project down in Baja, some time ago on a bike adventure of their own! It so happened Jurgen and Judith, or "The Tinkerers", also lived on Mayne Island and they were the founders of the cob project in Baja. So,..we called them! We said, "Hello, we are the birds on bikes..can we speak with you?". Four hours later we were all close to tears rolling away from their house on our trusty steeds. They were full of wisdom, travelling tales, inspiration, and some of the best life advice I have yet to hear.
Love, Elkmother.

Pre Trip Bike Workshop/Pizza Cook-Off/Tyler's Awesome Cram Session.  Intense concentration mixed with three delicious beers equals excellent and reliable bike mechanic knowledge.

Elkmother gathering her vitamins for the trip. ..just kidding;)....except the chocolate. The chocolate is allll mine.

Look wayyyyy back, past the ferns and the grass and the box with the names. Past the fence and the king apple trees..and there! That is the place where the birds lay their heads:)

The entrance to night one on the adventure. Tres inviting!

Hunter emerging from her slumber to find Rose and Oliver enjoying some greens for brekkie. We fed them and Haley rubbed their heads. I decided I was happy I don't eat them or their friends. 

With the help of our crash course bike mechanic workshop, Josie and Elkmother attempt to fix some tight ass brakes! ...oh, and this was about hour 4 of the trip. 

Edith Point, Mayne Island. On a mission for ocean-side espresso. Meeting Goocher in T-45 minutes. It's tight. Very, very tight. 

Jurgen, Hose, Elkmother, and Judith. The Tinkers use the herbs behind us for their medicinal and healing concoctions which they kindly share at markets and personal encounters. Brilliant souls, these two. Just brilliant!

Aaannnnd, the birds must fly again. Spot nombre uno! Bon Voyage!
Love, Elkmother.

3 birds afly, one bird down

The big day commences, June 1st, 2011.

This morning 3/4 of the birds departed to Mayne Island to begin the journey down south! However, trauma strikes and just before the big journey begins, we have one bird down. That would me, Hailey (Gooch) at home, on June 1st, with an ice pack, a bottle of T3's and two extracted wisdom teeth at my beside table. I had to have emergency oral surgery to remove one hell of a wisdom tooth (teeth, actually there were two) which were disrupting my other chompers. There was debate about whether to perform this surgery now, or in some back alley  in mexico, needless to say i chose the former. SUPER bummed, lonely and sore, but i will meet up with the birds on Salt Spring Island on friday june 3 regardless. the show must go on. this is life and (soon) i will laugh about it.
i know you are anticipating sublime photos of coastal elegance, but i will grace you with this lovely photo of what was once in my mouth- they will be strapped around my neck for good luck. i am not in contact with the other birds, but as far as i know, they are visiting Starry Meadows Farm tomorrow June 2nd, we'll hear more soon. lotsa of love to those who are listening and will be sharing this journey with us for the following three months. until soon.x

We are Connected

Generous family concerned about our well being pitched in for a wonderful device called a SPOT. It's a GPS locater thingy. Now you can follow us as we make our way down south.

BIRD NEST IS HERE

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