mile 4601

First at all thanks to all who remembered my birthday today.  My personal present was a place at the Ferry from Horseshoe Bay (North Vancouver) to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and to get the tickets for the onward journey to Prince Rupert, BC.  This saved us a great deal of riding through the back country of British Columbia to get North, as it allows us to continue North to Port Hardy to take a Ferry to Prince Rupert.  Not only that is saves us a lot of riding and time, but is brings us through the Inland Passage as the Alaskan Marine Highway is also  called, and should provide pretty scenery.
As for today, with nice weather above our heads we drove up Hwy 19, the only one to Port Hardy through some pretty country side, mainly red cedar and pine forrest, and some smaller mountain ranges, none of them higher than 1000 ft (just a hump compared to what we have seen so far).  Anyway it was a relaxing ride and made for an early arrival.  We filled up gasoline for a reasonable price ($6.29/gal) and this time also the two spare tanks (2 additional gallons) as we will after Prince Rupert enter pretty remote country and talking with a guy in Vancouver who run this road just a couple of weeks before North to South he mentioned that some gas stations are just dry and wait for deliveries.  Better we have those tanks filled.
Anyway tomorrow will be all sailing, 274 nautical miles (approx. 300 miles), and hopefully we see some interesting marine life.

Leaving Horseshoe Bay, Vancouver, BC

Taking a nap in the morning sun

 Arriving in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, BC

Along the way to Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, BC

Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, BC

"The function of man is to live, not to exist." - Jack London