Our Family’s Inaugural Bike Camping Trip

Lise Jensen

In August 2021, our family of five did our first bike camping trip, planning for two nights at Ruckle Park on Saltspring Island. While we all rode bikes daily to work and school, and car-camped every summer, we had never combined the two before. The older kids, 10 and 13, rode their bikes with lightly-loaded panniers and we took our electric-assist cargo bikes loaded up with the heavy stuff and our four-year-old towed behind in a bike trailer. He had his little bike too if he got bored of sitting. We left our driveway in Fernwood after lunch, heading for the ferry via the Galloping Goose and the Lochside Trail. We stopped several times along the way for snacks, ice cream cones at Mitchells while we charged the bike batteries, and for the little guy to switch between the trailer and his bike. Our plans went slightly astray late in the afternoon when our ten-year-old’s back began hurting. We thought the problem might be his handlebar height, and asked a bike shop in Sidney if they could swap it out for one with more rise, but no luck at such short notice. Since it was now dinnertime and our son was in tears, we paused our trip. Happily, the Travelodge had a room for the five of us.

The next morning, we were on the road again right after breakfast. After several stops for rests, battery charging, play time, and one wasp sting, we finally rolled into our campsite in the late afternoon for our one night of camping. The weather was sunny and gorgeous, and after exploring the area the kids snuggled up together in a hammock for a story and bed. There’s nothing like a bit of exertion for a sound sleep! The next day, my husband and the two youngest took the bus home from the ferry. My husband had to work on Monday, so we weren’t able to stretch the trip out any longer and we were worried about how the 10-year-old’s back would hold out on the journey home. The eldest and I rode the cargo bikes home with all rest of the gear loaded up. The trip ended up being an ordeal but we all remember it now as an adventure. In hindsight, we could have tried some longer day trips to see how the kids would do and we would have packed less gear, but overall the trip was a win. Cycle camping with small kids isn’t about getting somewhere, but laying new memories of doing something cool all together. This summer our middle kid said he’d like to join me to bike the Cowichan Valley Trail and I can’t wait!