The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

Tour De Victoria 2026

June 27th to July 5th

Ride Director: Tad Laird
Ride Co-Director: Carolyn Laird
Report by: Michael Kantner

While most of the US braced for record heat, 26 cyclists looked at several rainy days forecast in Victoria, BC.  Typically, Victoria receives no summer rain and ~18 hours of daylight.

First-time BAC tour leaders Tad and Carolyn welcomed a great mix of tandems, single bikes, and e-bikes at the opening happy hour and gave an overview of the week: well-maintained bike trails, courteous drivers, and many route options.  With a fixed-base tour, you can ride (almost) any route (almost) any day.

Sunday morning set the tone for the week.  We woke to perfect weather, sunny with highs in the low 70s (or is that 20s?).  Most of the group gathered at 9:00 for our introduction to Victoria’s bike lanes and rail trails.  Excellent signage and well-maintained paths made it a pleasure to ride throughout and between towns.  Bicycle-specific stop lights at major intersections made crossings especially nice. Our tour stayed on paved trails and remote gravel sections were easily ridden on skinny road tires.  The occasional detours were well-marked.  In-town, beautiful flowerpots and hanging baskets were everywhere.  Out-of-town, wildflowers were blooming.  

Sunday’s loop around Victoria coincided with Canada’s World Cup game.  The roads were quiet and a couple riders heard cheers from a bar when Canada scored the winning goal in stoppage time!  The loop included the Beacon Hill totem pole (once the world’s tallest), coastal views, beautiful neighborhoods, and the aptly named Foul Bay.

The next 2 days followed a similar pattern.  Depart at a civilized hour, take the trails out of town, explore another portion of the island, and return.  Highlights included Hatley castle (completedin 1908 for a BC industrialist and politician and later served as a dormitory for Royal Roads Military College), lavender farms, temperate rain forest, and numerous roadside farm stands (eggs, plants, flowers).  There were many cafes and bakeries, with the Fickle Fig being one of the favorites.

After 3 days of riding, many enjoyed a rest day on Canada Day.  The Canadians celebrate July 1 much like Americans do July 4.  British Columbia’s Parliament Building, just around the corner from our hotel, hosted a dozen local food trucks.  Beyond the usual taco truck, there were local specialties including poutine and fry bread.  Tad and Carolyn invited the group to their room overlooking the evening fireworks.  While many enjoyed their gracious offer, the 10:20 p.m. start (remember the long days) was past the bedtime for some. 

Thursday’s Cowichan Valley ride broke the pattern.  The day started with a shuttle to the ferry and a 100% chance of rain.  The first rain drops came just after we disembarked the ferry.  While <0.1” was forecast, the clouds delivered 0.4”.  Most quickly found a café, ordered lunch, and caught an earlier ferry.  A few completed the 65-mile long option, a beautiful route with farm stands, wineries, and galleries.  The change of plans was seamless; Tad and Carolyn changed plans like veteran tour leaders.

Friday and Saturday returned to the pattern of perfect weather,civilized start time, bike path out of town, and great places for lunch and sightseeing.  Friday featured Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Sight in Canada.  Words don’t do justice to the beauty of the flowers and trees.  Saturday took the group northto Sidney and the long riders went further to the aptly named Lands End Road.  

After a memorable week of great riding and camaraderie,Saturday’s festive closing dinner offered more food than our group could eat. 2026’s Tour de Victoria was a wonderful experience and a successful debut for Tad and Carolyn as BAC tour leaders.