This was the first time I'd ever ridden my bike onto a ferry and it's something I'm sure I'll be doing again in other places. The only downside is riding away from a ferry terminal is inevitably uphill and there's always a solid line of cars and trucks heading up the hill right next to you.
Despite the hill, the connection from Swartz Bay to the Lochside Trail and to Sidney (a mile or two south) is well marked. Sidney's waterfront was eery. The view to to the east across the water (I know Mount Baker is out there somewhere) was post-apocalyptic (an expression that's become very cliche around here the last few weeks). Fortunately, I wasn't aware of it from inside Serious Coffee on Beacon Avenue, the first of several refueling stops.
The Lochside Trail is a well-traveled, railroad grade-flat ride the entire 25-30 kms from Sidney to Victoria (the last leg is on the Galloping Goose trail). Some segments follow roads, though traffic is low and the bike lanes are pretty clear. The northern section skirts farm fields, becoming more suburban and more commercial farther south. There are a couple of short dirt sections, but they are smooth and firm and would be easy riding even on skinny tires, and there are a few extended sections of rehabilitated trestle.
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