Cycling experience around Southern Vancouver Island

Wednesday Oct 10, 2018, A good day for a moderately long ride and a stop for an espresso coffee at the Deep Cove Market, An opportunity to ride a few local roads I have not ravelled for a number of years.
Thursday Oct 11, The day before the owner of the Old Farm Market sort of"challenging me " to ride to his market by offering me a free cup of coffee. He did suggest taking the Mill Bay ferry. when I check the "google cycling route is was only about 33 k each way and as the forecast was for good weather that day a good opportunity to see his place of business, I had wanted to do so for some time. The ride through the Cowichan Valley with its rolling hills and abundant farms and vineyards is a pleasant ride and the 30 ks a nice ride for most wanting a day trip. The Market and Gift shop certainly live up to their name as a farm market and a place I would recommend as a destination for those wanting a good ride from any where in the Greater Victoria region. The energetic could opt for the more physically demanding over the Malahat route - I have left that route for anther day.
One the return trip If my foot had not lipped out of the stirrup on a fast down hill run , I would have declared the whole day a successful day especially as I did get my free coffee. Unfortunately one of the drawbacks to riding a recumbent is if ones foot slips off the pedal it usually catches the road and cause a significant sprained ankle or worse. I was fortunate I caught my out before I had a very serious injury. In all I was probably better than had I been on 2 wheeled bike - hitting the porthole in the shade would have likely thrown me off the bike and worse injuries. As it was riding did not hurt near as much as walking did and I was able to complete the 20 k ride home without further incident. Fortunately catching the Mill By ferry just in the nick of time. A very satisfying feeling to ride past a line of cars that could not get on especially as number of them had passed me at a high rate of speed moments earlier in their rush to catch the ferry, even with a full load there is usually room for one more bike on the ferry. Friday and Saturday apart from a short ride I spent most of the time feeling sorry for my foot and thinking of ways apart from cycling shoes and pedal clips I could avoid ever have such an indecent happen to me again. I doubt I will be able to find cycling shoes that fit my very wide foot, apparently shoe manufactures think people with wide feet should not ride bikes? I strongly recommend anyone thinking of riding a recumbent bike use shoes that secure ones foot to the pedal.
Spent most of the following Friday and Saturday feeling sorry for my foot and thinking of safe ways to make certain such an incident would never happen for me again. The simplest solution should be clip to clip my shoes to the pedals, unfortunately this option is not available to me as shoe manufactures don not make cycling shoes for very wide feet..
By Saturday did venture out for a short ride (primarily to pickup a cane to make walking easier) and found it was easier to ride than it was to walk..
Sunday a ride just for the pleasure of it. This ride had problems on my way home, for what appears to be a variety of problems my rear derailleur went sideways. I was able to limp home in a "medium gear. As the bike was less than a month old felt it was best to return it to the shop for their expert adjustments.. As the 23 k ride was longer than I wished to chance that I would have no more problems with the derailleur I arranged for a friend to give my bike and I a ride to the shop Wednesday morning or for the start of week 4..
Saoirse