Spring Break Pacific Marine Circle Tour?

Dragging this up again.

http://www.pacificmarinecircleroute.com/

I am planning on driving this route on a weekday during spring break near the end of March.
I haven't decided on whether I will take the MINI or the Fiero yet. It depends on who else is interested in doing this route. If significant number (more than 5) of Fiero drivers say I'm going for sure, then the Fiero. If we get lots of MINIs, then I'm taking the MINI.   I'm leaning toward the MINI just because the risk of a breakdown is a bit less. The Fieros can do a club event later in the summer when the weather is likely much better. But I just can't help but like the idea of a crowd of Fieros on the ferry and the looks and good comments from other ferry passengers.

Caveat...I've never driven this route before, so I really don't know what to expect other than the route takes you over the mountains of Vancouver Island on upgraded and paved logging roads (lots of curves and switchbacks). There should be some spectacular scenery and photo ops, but I don't know. I also don't know what kind of traffic to expect, though I hear there are lots of RV's in the summer.

It also costs money as the ferry costs for a return trip will run you $100 for the car and about $30 per person. Plus food and gas.

This is a long drive. About 2 hours on the Ferry each way, about a 6 hour drive to go from Victoria to Nanaimo or back to Sidney.

So put your name down if you want to do it.

On the other hand, I'm wondering if I should just open this up, call it a "bring an interesting car with you" drive, and invite the other car clubs along too. ; ) But that might make the drive a bit of an organizational nightmare if we all don't get on the same ferry.

So....anybody interested?

Hi Ken. I unfortunately no longer own a Fiero. Sold it back to the previous owner and got myself a 2012 Civic Si. I MAY BE interested in doing this run with you, if I am allowed to take my Si.

And yes, I do miss my 86 GT very much. Nothing (that I've driven so far) handles like a go-kart like it. I don't miss the periodical unreliability though .

I would argue that my MINI out handles my Fiero, but being FWD, you have to drive it a bit differently.

They are quite different. You can bring your Civic Si, but I am more likely to be driving my MINI instead of the Fiero. So far, nobody else has expressed interest in taking the Ferry over with me for the day trip.

I will tighten up on the schedule (exact date, meet up location, which ferry we're catching and things to do) in the next two or three weeks. I am looking at the last week of March for this trip.

I can't imagine not going on this if you guys are coming over.

Ferry pain is almost like tax pain!


Chay

Hey there i would be a for sure on this in my fiero just cause this would be
my first cruise with some people from westcoast fieros just let me know
when and i will try my best to work it around my school, looks like a great
trip though

It's all on the island. The circle route is the name they gave to the victoria/duncan/lake cowichan/port renfrew/sooke/victoria loop.

If I don't make it for some reason, when you are headed out to renfrew from lake cow, look for a small 'point of interest' sign on the left hand side. Stop. Go down the 5 minute trail and witness the biggest tree ever (Well, biggest I've ever seen...which is big!).


Chay

Im from Nanaimo so I would be down with that.
It depends on which day. me and my wife are having a baby. due date is on the 23 which is a Saturday.
Ill take my fiero on the trip if im able to make it.

hey i hate to say this but i am now out of the trip i crashed in my fiero today
and sadly i think she is done with her life one axle snapped off and the
other bent both in back i dont think i can affford to repair her

Since we have a request for Wednesday, I will do the drive on Wednesday March 27.

7:00am ferry. We should be in Victoria around 9:00am. At this time, the times are not engraved in stone. But I want to get on the ferry heading back to the mainland at a sane hour. I guess it depends on who else is coming with me.


Since a did a bit of damage to my MINI's exhaust last weekend, I am now leaning towards driving the Fiero. Those already on the island, anybody interested in meeting up and driving with us?   

Here is my final plan...as of this post, please sign up on this thread if you are coming. I will likely be driving the Fiero (no radio on board, however).

If nobody comes along, I will save the Pacific Circle for another day. My kid has a friend that is moving to Comox this weekend, and we will drive up to Comox instead. It's not as nice a drive.

If anybody says they will meet us for the Pacific Circle, we will do that instead. We might even be able to do both. The Pacific circle in the morning and then heading north when we rejoin highway 1 out at Duncan and head for Comox. Those who need to get back can head back to the mainland either via Duke Point or Departure Bay, or head south from Duncan back to Sidney. We should be at Duncan by around 2:00pm which gives you plenty of time to catch the 5 o'clock sailings back to the mainland.

7:00am ferry for Sidney. Arrive Victoria around 9:00am.
If any island people want to meet up, we can meet up at, say the Costco parking lot or something.

2:00pm Arrive at the Cowichan Valley Hwy/Island Hwy junction.

According to Google Maps, a drive around to circle then the Comox and then back to Duke Point Ferry terminal is about 9 hours of driving. Long day.

Who's coming?