North of Campbell River the island changes character. The towns thin out, the forest closes in, and the highway runs for long stretches through logging country toward Port Hardy, with only a handful of small communities along the way. So treat this city of over thirty thousand as the last big supply stop on Vancouver Island's east coast: fill the tank, eat, check the bike and buy whatever you might need for the north.
Campbell River calls itself the Salmon Capital of the World, and for good reason. All five species of Pacific salmon funnel through the narrow passage between Vancouver Island and Quadra Island on their way to spawning rivers, and anglers have come here for more than a century. The channel is also famous for its currents. Just north of town, Seymour Narrows was once one of the most dangerous stretches of water on the coast because of Ripple Rock, an underwater mountain that sank or damaged many ships. In 1958 engineers tunnelled into the rock and blew its top off in one of the largest non-nuclear explosions ever set off.
The great ride from here is Highway 28 west into Strathcona Provincial Park, the oldest provincial park in British Columbia. The road follows the Campbell River past Elk Falls, a powerful waterfall in a canyon with a suspension bridge, then climbs into the mountains along the shores of Upper Campbell Lake and Buttle Lake, with snow-capped peaks and dense forest. It continues to Gold River, on an inlet of the west coast. It is winding, with good surfaces and little traffic, but long and remote, so make sure your tank is full.
The city itself has every service, from fuel and motorcycle shops to restaurants and hotels. The long waterfront has a fishing pier and a walkway, and the small ferry to Quadra Island leaves from downtown. The weather is mild, wetter than the south of the island, with dry summers and rainy winters. Watch for wildlife on the roads north and west, including black bears, deer and elk, and keep an eye on the fuel gauge: in the north, the distances between stations are long.