STAY CONNECTED TO VIBRANTVICTORIA
WHAT'S HAPPENING ON CITIFIED VICTORIA
Life outside in the fittest metropolis, Victoria, B.C.
Matt Villano
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Fitness in Victoria, British Columbia's provincial capital, is a way of life. The picturesque city at the southern end of Vancouver Island was designated the "fittest" metropolis in Canada in 2001, and today as many as 10 percent of locals ride their bikes to work. Government officials also estimate that 30 percent of Victorians are "active," which they define as working out at least three times per week. Apparently, this is twice the national average. In the context of this lifestyle, it's no wonder Victoria resident Simon Whitfield is an international athletic superstar. The Australian native won a gold medal in the triathlon at the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney, a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, and finished 11th in the triathlon at the 2004 games in Athens. He recently took time out from training for next year's Olympics in Beijing to share some of his favorite spots to practice his sport.
A run in the woods
"My favorite Victoria run is on the edge of the city, out by Royal Roads University. The run goes by an old castle with vines up the side named Hatley Castle. The castle overlooks the ocean and is where the "X-Men" movies were filmed. Out front, these incredible trails weave past the castle and all around the university grounds. If you start at the front gate, you can head across the lagoon in front of castle and end up on a trail that follows the shoreline of the ocean. The backdrop from this trail is the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.
If you follow the trail back into the woods, it goes past a waterfall. In the winter, this thing is quite a site - it's swollen with water. On the way back, the trail climbs a few hills, and from them you have a fantastic view of the city of Victoria."
The local 'Goose'
"When I want to bike, I head to the Galloping Goose trail, an old railroad right-of-way that has been converted to a nice bike path. From downtown Victoria, it heads 50 kilometers out to a town called Sooke. It's paved for the first 10 kilometers to Royal Roads University, then the path becomes gravel and chipped wood. Most of the trail is covered by trees, so even when it's raining, you stay relatively dry. The only bad thing is that sometimes, especially on weekends, the trail is so crowded that my wife and I jokingly call it the 'Waddling Duck.' My advice is to hit it at an off time to avoid the crowds."
Master strokes
"We have incredible swimming locations in and around Victoria for open-water swimming, and my favorite is Durrance Lake. The lake is 350 meters long by 200 meters wide - a tiny little body of water surrounded by trees. From the water, you can see Mount Work in the distance. There's also one small beach. The water in this lake is pretty warm; at least it's warmer than you think it would be. I usually get there early, around 7:30 a.m., and the lake still has mist on it. Usually, I jump off a sunken log and swim from there to the beach and back. I've had some epic workouts there, and the best part about it is that the lake is open to everyone. It's out by Butchart Gardens, near the airport.
To get there, head out West Saanich Road. You also can bike there on the Lockside Trail, which is an extension of the Galloping Goose."
Refueling meal
"After a hard workout, my favorite place to eat is a restaurant named Mole downtown. They have the tiniest kitchen but they serve yam omelets there that are out of this world. I know it probably doesn't sound so good at first, but trust me - these omelets with yams are amazing. They have good baked goods there, too. My newest addiction is called a 'Snappy Ginger Triangle.' It's like a scone, only sweeter. They also have delicious banana pancakes - literally pancakes wrapped around an entire banana. I try to get Jennie, my wife, to order the banana pancakes so I can steal copious amounts of her food. With all this working out, I need my carbs."
From Here to There
While there are no direct flights from SFO to Victoria, airlines including United, Delta and Alaska (through Horizon) connect through Portland, Seattle or Salt Lake City and land at the Victoria International Airport (YYJ). There also are a number of private seaplane flights available from Seattle's waterfront and the Inner Harbor in Vancouver.
Another option is to drive. Car ferries in the Washington State Ferry system leave from Anacortes, stopping in Friday Harbor, Wash., and terminating in Sidney, B.C., about 15 kilometers southeast of Victoria. Car ferries in the BC Ferries system leave every hour from Tsawwassen, a ferry terminal south of Vancouver, to Swartz Bay, which is on Vancouver Island 29 kilometers north of Victoria.
One final option is to take a passenger ferry from Bellingham, Port Angeles, or Seattle. Once you arrive in Victoria, look for double-decker buses and street cars run by the Victoria Regional Transit System. Bike rentals also are available through companies such as Cycle BC ( www.cyclebc.ca or 250-380-2453), Sports Rent (www.sports rentbc.com or 250-385-7368) or Cycle Victoria Rentals (www.cyclevictoria rentals.com or 250-385-2543). For more information, visit www.tourismvictoria.com.
Matt Villano is a Healdsburg writer and editor. He contributes regularly to The Chronicle, the New York Times and a variety of travel magazines.
This article appeared on page P - 22 of the San Francisco Chronicle
