Day-Trip to White Rock BC

Despite living barely 25 miles south of the border, the last time I visited Canada was pre-pandemic. I've heard about people who would take quick trips across the border just to shop at Ikea - or used to in the old days - but for myself, I only make infrequent visits by car, bus, train or bicycle. The last time was my trip to Vancouver Island to ride the Galloping Goose Trail in 2018, when I returned home on the BC Ferry and rode my bike across the border to Blaine.

Last week was perfect for an end-of-summer trip to White Rock BC, which I'd been meaning to try all summer. The morning started cool and foggy but by lunchtime it was sunny and warm, with cool breezes by the water.

The border crossing has been re-configured since my last trip, and there is very little in the way of signage or directions for bicycles and pedestrians. Now, crossing from the US to Canada, I rode my bike on 2nd Street, then through some parking lots to Peach Arch Park and finally on the left-hand side of the car lanes to the Canadian border check point. There I waited outside a glassed-in entry way until an officer in the booth motioned me in to check my passport. A few brief questions and she waved me through.

In the old days - easily twenty years ago - there was a turn-off to the left, across the highway, leading to a very sketchy looking dirt road along the water-side. There were a few houses, and some large plywood signs spray-painted with messages saying "You are on camera! Don't even try!" The road lead to a creek crossed by small foot bridge that ended in a park in the town of White Rock.

Turns out this road is on tribal land, and it is now blocked off. There was a check-point of some sort and I might have been allowed to pass, but I didn't ask. Instead I kept to a paved sidewalk on the right hand side of the highway that ran past a golf course to a highway exit lane. At the 8th Street overpass I went left/west through a couple of roundabouts and down the hill to White Rock.

These two photos are from the White Rock side of the sketchy road/bridge. From previous trips, I remembered more trees and a shorter bridge, and I wondered whether the river mouth might have been washed out during the floods in 2020. Or maybe the brush and trees have been cleared for border security reasons.

Brunch with a view

In White Rock, there is a paved walkway between the train tracks and the bay. It's a little narrow, and there were lots of pedestrians out strolling and enjoying the view. I was a little surprised that I was the only bicyclist on the path and kept looking for signs banning bicycles. The only ones I saw said "stay off the train tracks" so I rode up and down by the beach a couple of times. I stopped to walk my bike in crowded spots, and turned off to ride on the street in some places. And of course, stopped for a photo at the legendary White Rock on the beach, and walked the longest pier in Canada.

After a while a very grumpy man yelled "No bicycles!" as I rode by. I ignored him until I got to the next crossing gate, where I finally did see a "no bicycles" sign. That's when I decided to stop for lunch.

I am ashamed and contrite. I apologize to all trail-users.

White Rock has lots of Indian, Chinese and sushi places, also fish & chips and burgers, but I think ice cream shops outnumber them all. I had panini and espresso.

Going home, I back-tracked on my route to Peace Arch Park. Then I rode on the left side of the south-bound lanes until I got to an emergency vehicles turn-off lane that led to the front of the US border crossing offices. I locked up my bike by the entrance and walked in to "Line A" where the officer, who seemed a little amused, cleared me through quickly. Locking and unlocking my bicycle probably took more time than going through the border screening, but I never take a chance on leaving my bike unsecured. I wouldn't expect Homeland Security to guard my bicycle.

This was a 50-mile excursion for lunch and I'm glad I went because this week it's pouring rain and I'm supposed to be starting a new job next week.