This ride will start at the Charly's Cafe (formerly called Rusticana's) in Mill Bay at 8:30am.  This allows riders from Victoria to catch the 7:30 ferry from Brentwood Bay and get to Rusticana's at around 8:15 (ignore the start time in the left panel, it can only be set to the whole hour).

The route starts out along the north end of Shawnigan Lake and eventually joins up with the Cowichan Valley Trail.  It leads across the Kinsol Trestle, one of the tallest free-standing and most spectacular timber rail trestle strucutres in the world, with 187m in length and 44m above Koksilah River.  This is also where the first Control is located.

Next, you will cross the brand new Holt Creek Trestle or Q’ixluts Bridge (Hul’qumi’num place name for Holt Creek), which is where you will find the second control.  The completion of Q’ixluts Bridge will make the ride more straight forward than last year.

From here the route is following a very slight rail grade incline all the way to Lake Cowichan (Control 3), a good place to stop for a bite to eat.  Back on the CVT to Duncan where you will cross the TC highway and shortly after stop at Cowichan Bay Maritime Center for Control 4.  With some great views through Cowichan Bay, you tackle a fairly steep climb at km 91.4 followed by some rolling hills to the finish line.

Although gravel tires are highly recommended for this ride, unlike last year, due to the completion of Q’ixluts Bridge, it is doable on wider road bike tires..