Big White AWESOME! Things catch on quick...

Like biking...?

Three years ago Big White started doing summer stuff - July 2014 was the start. They

...festival.

started will a small hiking trail, a couple of weekend activities - beer festival, a race up the mountain, a bike race from the junction - yours truly came first in the prestigious 'mountain bike category' of course it being a road race there were very few competitors in the said category... so few in fact that first... was also last. You may have noticed I didn't start with coming last... I have a fake image I'd like to maintain.

Jonesy on his epic 'Jonesy' ride.

36 months later and the summer season is becoming firmly established... a $1m spent on biking trails so far (some completed - please direct update questions to Peter Plimmer... he loves them) a lift converted to carry bikes, more hiking trails, more activities, more festivals; L'Alpe de Grand Blanc - it's in French cos the owners are Australian with a German name, obviously. A race from Kelowna to the top of the mountain, well, village, but still. 

The first race had maybe 30 participants (please feel free to enlighten me with accurate numbers). This year the pre-race practice ride had 40 riders - yes, yours truly did participate, no, not on a mountain bike (I try to limit my idiot-syncracies - I just made that word up, do you like it?) I didn't win, but was just a very short 45mins behind the leader... almost a photo-finish. The actual race will happen in three weeks with an expected turnout of 4,000 riders... not really, but probably 300, there would be more but most of the top riders had already committed to something in France... no, I don't know why.

At least two here

Not only is this race growing but other community activities too, Mondays there is a road group riding together, Thursdays a mountain bike group, a group rode to Kelowna a couple weeks ago, last week Penticton... (a smaller ride, just me and my imaginary friends...) this week Jonesy did (is still) an epic ride called 'the Jonesy' bit of a coincidental name eh? A multi day from somewhere to er... somewhere else... eventually - totally unsupported and yes, epic. I think it will be an annual thing - I'm sure he will be happy to commit to more, maybe... after a few days recovery, and a beer or two. Time for some pics me thinks...

The 'Jonesy' Somewhere to somewhere else.

And the rest? Yes, busy. We opened last weekend and the place was full! Fuller than full - The Woods restaurant ran out of food at 2pm... I know cos I went to buy a burger at 2pm... hungry ai were, 'bugger...' I thought... better have a beer instead, and go and see wifey. No... she didn't have burgers.

This is Jonesy with that Shandley guy... he is better than me...
taller too, and younger, has all his hair... stop smiling...
 he is Scottish!

Why? Why was it so busy? Why not? Kelowna is great (not my opinion obviously) but... where can you do the things that you can at Big White? Crawford has mountain biking - but, you have to do that irritating thing of pedalling uphill of course, and then there is no... bar, restaurants, coffee shops, play area for the kids, pump track, live music... etc And Kelowna is hot... foggin hot (I'm not a fan) Big White? Yes, 10 degrees cooler, I am a fan... cos I don't need one... Ha! Yes, it is funny... it's my blog, I decide.

Of course this (some sceptics would say) may not happen, but if the growth of visitors over the last three years is anything to go by... it already is.

So... Sólido Properties... blah blah blah di blah, something, real estate, something rentals (we are full (mostly)), beer, coffee, bike riding, renovations (part of a new company... called... wait for it... Big White Mountain Renovations... no, website is not finished, yet... I'm working on it for fogs sake.

Bye.