Van Isle 1000

[K T Huber]

Hi PCH Randos,

If you're looking for an interesting and scenic 1000 later this summer, I received this from the British Columbia Randonneurs:

Here is a personal invitation to your club for the 2026 edition of the VanIsle 1000.  We have come up with a really interesting format for 2026.

It should make logistics easy for all the riders. For those interested in Paris Brest Paris 2027 this is a great brevet to qualify for early registration.

All the best, Gord  

BC Randonneur #1516

Announcing the Van Isle 1000 : Comox Valley Hub and Spoke Tour

Ride Dates : August 20,21,22,23 2026
Start Time: Thursday August 20, 2026 at 2:00 pm
Finish Time: Sunday August 23, 2026 at 5:00 pm
Cost: $295.00 Canadian after May 1, $395 Cdn
Qualification Requirement: Member of BC Randonneurs

Registration: randonneurs.bc.ca
Start/Finish: Bayview Hotel, 2200 Cliff Ave., Courtenay, BC, Canada. 778-225-0010
gro...@bayviewvi.com contact Alice Pifer

Tour Description
This brevet was designed to be logistically easy for all riders. With a 2:00 pm start on Thursday it allows us to maximize our daylight riding and take advantage of the free breakfasts provided by the hotel. As this is a Hub & Spoke Tour we are able to use the same hotel each night. It is great accommodation for a rando event, and we have secured a great rate as well.

The Route
The route is an expansion of the Big Ring 600 Brevet from 2018. The roads on this brevet are of good quality with only a fraction, less than 1% hard packed gravel. The type of climbing closely mirrors Paris Brest Paris with mostly gentle grades, some nice long descents and long flat sections. The route includes some beautiful vistas, points of interests and quaint villages and towns.

Day 1 250 km North to turnaround at Quinsam Campground
Day 2 300 km South to Cedar and return
Day 3 300 km North to Sayward and return
Day 4 150 km South to Parksville and return

Getting to Courtenay
From Departure Bay Ferry Terminal it is 108 km or about 1 hour and 15 minutes driving.
From Duke Point Ferry Terminal it is 125 km or about 1 hour and 20 minutes driving.
From Victoria it is about 220 km or about 2 hours and 40 minutes.
For those on a limited time budget, an early ferry on August 20 to any of the island ferry terminals will ensure that you reach the start in plenty of time.

There is also flights into Comox (15 minutes to Courtenay), Nanaimo (1.5 hours south) and Victoria about 3 hours south.

What is included
-Registration Fee -Quality Italian Commemorative Jersey
-Some Strategically Manned Controls with food and hydration.
-Wrap up dinner Sunday night.
Accomodation- not included
For those riders needing a roommate we will do our best to find one for you.
Double occupancy rates can be as low as $115.00 Cdn a night plus taxes.
Triple occupancy could be as low as $100.00 Cdn anight plus taxes.

August 20, 2025 to August 23, 2025 Family Suite
1 King Bed and 2 Queen Beds in a separate bedroom $299.95/per night + taxes

August 20, 2025 August 23, 2025 Jacuzzi suite
1 King and Queen Pullout in separate living space $279.95/per night + taxes

August 20, 2025 August 23, 2025 King Executive Suite
1 King and Queen Pullout in separate living space $249.95/per night + taxes

August 20, 2025 August 23, 2025 Deluxe Double Queen
2 Queen Beds $229.95/per night + taxes

CANCELLATION POLICY
⦁ All group and spectator reservations are subject to a 72 hour cancellation deadline
⦁ Late cancellation or no-show penalty is equal to one night’s room and taxes.

HOTEL BOOKING INSTRUCTIONS
⦁ Guestrooms have already been booked per the specifications above. To make changes to the number of rooms or room types, please email gro...@bayviewvi.com.
Guestrooms can be booked at the hotel directly by dialing 778-225-0010.
Please Quote Block Booking Code 2608VANISL to receive the above noted rate. We encourage everyone to book their individual reservations prior to the cut-off date of July 20, 2026 at which point all unsold rooms will be returned to inventory for resale.
⦁ Please advise all guest that they must have a credit card upon arrival for payment for their accommodations. A 3rd party authorization form will be provided for anyone that doesn’t have a credit card.

[Michael B]

Howdy fellow PCHRs:

I second Gord's opinions entirely. 

I rode the amazing Van Isle 1200 in 2014, and have visited Vancouver Island for many years now, having family up there. I look forward to the hub + spoke format of this year's 1000k, as it should allow for more sleep and comfort breaks for us less speedy riders.

The Island is a fabulous ride, with its Inside Passage area having wonderful ocean scenery and impressively deep old growth forests. This year's routing will spare riders the North Island headwinds near Port Hardy, along with foregoing the Malahat climb down near Victoria (BC's capital, and worth a look if you've the time). The Island can also get plenty warm in August, with the clear air of the PNW, and its longer days, producing a uniquely intense brand of sunshine. A fair chunk of the field in 2014 bowed out half way up the Island, due to heat issues. Zinc oxide sunscreen is recommended. 

I'm especially looking forward to the small town of Kelsey Bay, the most northward control of the ride. It will give the rider a taste of the remoteness of the Island, with quieter rural traffic flows. I do hope the ice cream stop at Roberts Lake Resort is still in business, as it was a wonderful rest spot mid-journey. Kelsey Bay does not really have services, but Sayward has a gas station and a bar. Those close up around 7 to 9 pm, depending on day and season. Maybe Gord will put a staffed control up at KB?

Most of the roads have generous shoulders and decent pavement. One awareness note tho is that the region has an active logging industry, so the rider will encounter fast-moving logging trucks and work vehicles, along with the season's tourist traffic. Even with this caveat, my favorite zones are the Nanaimo + Black Creek areas, and the Oyster Bay region, south of Courtney. The roads should cool down near Oyster Bay, as most tourist traffic takes the "upper levels" highway, with its faster speeds and straight-way alignments.

Lastly, part of the BC adventure is the ferry from the Mainland (Vancouver area) across to the Island (usually Duke Point or Departure Bay terminals). Its a 90 minute trip each way, and another aspect of the unique BC coast culture. If you go thru Horseshoe Bay, stop at Trolls for the fish & chips! And take Marine Drive back to Vancouver...its slower but gorgeous! :-)

See you all there,

Michael Bratkowski
RUSA 5324

There are also flights into Comox (15 minutes to Courtenay), Nanaimo (1.5 hours south) and Victoria about 3 hours south.

What is included
-Registration Fee -Quality Italian Commemorative Jersey
-Some Strategically Manned Controls with food and hydration.
-Wrap up dinner Sunday night.
Accomodation- not included
For those riders needing a roommate we will do our best to find one for you.
Double occupancy rates can be as low as $115.00 Cdn a night plus taxes.
Triple occupancy could be as low as $100.00 Cdn anight plus taxes.

August 20, 2025 to August 23, 2025 Family Suite
1 King Bed and 2 Queen Beds in a separate bedroom $299.95/per night + taxes

August 20, 2025 August 23, 2025 Jacuzzi suite
1 King and Queen Pullout in separate living space $279.95/per night + taxes

August 20, 2025 August 23, 2025 King Executive Suite
1 King and Queen Pullout in separate living space $249.95/per night + taxes

August 20, 2025 August 23, 2025 Deluxe Double Queen
2 Queen Beds $229.95/per night + taxes

CANCELLATION POLICY
⦁ All group and spectator reservations are subject to a 72 hour cancellation deadline
⦁ Late cancellation or no-show penalty is equal to one night’s room and taxes.

HOTEL BOOKING INSTRUCTIONS
⦁ Guestrooms have already been booked per the specifications above. To make changes to the number of rooms or room types, please email gro...@bayviewvi.com.
Guestrooms can be booked at the hotel directly by dialing 778-225-0010.
Please Quote Block Booking Code 2608VANISL to receive the above noted rate. We encourage everyone to book their individual reservations prior to the cut-off date of July 20, 2026 at which point all unsold rooms will be returned to inventory for resale.
⦁ Please advise all guest that they must have a credit card upon arrival for payment for their accommodations. A 3rd party authorization form will be provided for anyone that doesn’t have a credit card.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PCH Randos" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pch-randos+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pch-randos/528f00ae-e0bb-489e-9496-37e8df5a23c5n%40googlegroups.com.

[P C]

Hi all,

Hope your early season brevets & riding are going well.  I co-sign on all of Michael's really great feedback.  He beat me to sending a similar endorsement and while there's not much I can add, I will try.

While I haven't ridden a BC brevet, for the last few years I have been doing 7-8 day solo bikepacking loops out of Seattle going up Van Island, crossing over and back down through mainland BC to Seattle.  For Vancouver Island in particular I try to shift my route a bit each year to balance getting the mileage I want with staying in/exploring a new town.  I am typically up there July 4 week, which brings Canada Day holiday traffic but to Michael's point the holiday tourist traffic is mainly on the upper level highways and not where you would ride.  Road quality is very good, scenery is great and aside from north island, towns/services are close enough that you are never very far from anything you may need.

Aside from bikepacking, I would say that my wife and I have been to BC, Van Island/Victoria-Capital Area and the surrounding islands a dozen times or so, in the last 9-10 years.  So, if you are considering a trip up for the 1000K, and you have the time/ability to tack on some extra tourism, you will be glad you did (Victoria, Tofino, mountain-biking at the major MTB network in Cumberland...5 miles from the 1000K hub town or crossing via ferry to Powell River and riding the Sunshine Coast bike route to Gibsons for a ferry to Vancouver are all highly recommended).   If you are on the fence or going and interested in any tips for/answers about riding, coffee, where to stay, bike shops, good beer, food, things to do, ferry logistics/recommendations, etc., please feel free to reach out.   Yes, I am major BC advocate...just received by quarterly BC Magazine, yesterday.

Patrick Connneely

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pch-randos/6ad4e1e7-1338-4372-b192-792a601b8cd9%40sbcglobal.net.