by Rebecca Slaven | The ride to Steveston is an animal lover’s paradise. Dog owners bring their pups to play on the trail, turtles and birds repose along the water, and if you’re lucky, the Oreo cows, more formally known as Belted Galloways, will be out and about grazing at their leisure, with all set against a lush backdrop of marsh-filled plains.

There are two routes from central Vancouver: the Cypress Bikeway and Cambie Street. My preference is the Cypress Bikeway, which takes you through the picturesque tree-lined streets of Shaughnessy up until the Arthur Laing Bridge. Cambie leads you to the Canada Line Crossing.

In both routes, signage could be much better both just before and after the crossing to Richmond. I always take a wrong road or miss a turn somewhere in this area so make sure to have this City of Richmond map bookmarked. It has nice close-ups on the areas of confusion (#1 and #2). Pro tip: when in doubt, lag behind other cyclists and follow their route until you get your bearings.

The main objective is to get onto River Road, where a pedestrian/cyclist path begins and eventually joins with the West Dyke Trail, which leads you directly to Steveston. Don’t expect to gain much speed on the pedestrian-filled gravel paths. You can choose to bike on the lower pavement on River Road but you’ll miss out on some of the scenery.

Stops & Eats | If it’s a nice day out, get some grub from Pajo’s Fish & Chips at Garry Point Park and watch the kites fly by the ocean. As hungry as I always am after the ride, a small order is almost too big for me so I imagine the large portion is more than enough for two people. On a day when Pajo’s was closed, I was reluctant to go to (or enjoy) a place called the Hog Shack, but my impertinence was shown up by an undeniably amazing brisket sandwich.

After eating, take in some history by touring the Gulf of Georgia Cannery ($7.80 admission) and/or the Britannia Shipyards (free). Staff and volunteers at both locations have a wealth of knowledge and first-hand experiences that they delight in sharing with visitors. Enjoy the ride home!

MORE FIELD TRIPS

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Rebecca Slaven is a librarian, writer, and cyclist. Her subject specialities include law, beauty, and croquet. Her format specialty is the how-to guide. She mostly rides her bike to work but has cycled as far as San Francisco. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.