I would like to try Vancouver Island again many times! I think the Enfield might be a neat way to go on the rough roads if I could deal with the dust and the huge logging trucks. On the aforementioned canoe/camping trip, the truckers were on strike and we had all the back roads to ourselves.
The roads are roughly graveled, or dusty, or muddy depending on... and we had to use 4-wheel drive in several areas especially over recent landslide repairs.
The scenery on Vancouver Island is unbelievable, whether by truck, bike or boat. You can camp out (pic), stay in motels, B&B's, or in a beachfront cabin (pic). Oh, yes, there are paved roads too, but they are more or less express routes up the spine of the island or town to town coastal routes (most great places are by gravel). Me thinks it would be too too wet to do this on New years. We got soaked good at Winter Harbor in late Sept. and had to do jumping jacks to warm up at Schoen Lake breakfast.
BTW, it is pouring rain here today on New Years and I got pretty wet just going out to fill the bird feeders this A.M.. So, no ride, nor canoe outing today... :O( BUT !!..we are gathering at a friend's for a hardy meal of Navy bean & ham soup over fresh cornbread. (Mmmmm, the soup is upstairs in the crockpot and there might be a bit less of it making it to the gathering..:O) A few bottles of Nut Brown might be just the ticket, too!
Happy New Year Everyone! May it be a better year for all than was 2009!
-jcw