Big White is AWESOME! The cycling edition... Part 1.

Exactly! Absolutely nothing to do with Big White. Cool eh?

What...? I don't care, you don't have to read it.

But for those still around... "Welcome; to the GCN... Cycling... edition"

Yes, GCN, (Global Cycling Network) my new favourite show, well, that and GOT... both start with 'G'... spooky...

Confused? Well, yes, you would be. It was gonna be called the GCN edition, but then I changed it... okay?

Anyone cycle?

Anyone cycle? I started mid 2016, May to be exact. I used to play a lot of squash, but eventually the dreaded day arrived, yes my physio suggested I quit (actually he used words more like 'idiot' and 'you', but not necessarily in that order...) Trail running, judo, army, squash, skiing... eventually took their toll. Skiing was not too bad, trail running uphill okay, downhill... not so much, squash pretty bad. And since I live in a ski resort and spent my winters as a ski instructor... skiing was staying.

On December 5th 2015 I hung up my racquet... a sad sad day... And by May 2016 I had become much more of a man... yes... I had become a chubster. Always had been really, always fighting the flab. Squash helped... until it ended. Now you would think skiing all day would help too... it did. What didn't help was the end of day decompression sessions... also know as beer and hot salty chips. Apparently I needed lots of decompression... over 20lbs... not good.

In May I came across this second hand bike - old, too small, but inexpensive and in perfect condition. I figured if I could start riding, and 'get into it' I could upgrade - you know, maybe buy some shorts... or proper pedals, (with shoes), a water bottle, shirt, gloves, repair kit... So I bought it and went for a ride... 

I live at Big White (the AWESOME! bit) but the cycling options are pretty limited - down the road and er... back up... 

Hell! OMG! To the junction and back is a 45km round trip... with a 1000m elevation gain... peaking at 1850m - i.e. great for altitude training... IF... you wanted to actually do altitude training... When you first start to ride up the mountain you think the road will never ever end. However after a few weeks you realize that your original assessment was correct - it never ends. You want to live longer? Try riding you bike up Big White road - 90 mins will feel like 8 hours...

Hell! I tell you. Even downhill has brutal uphill segments.

But... that 'Hell' did burn calories. Yes sir - about 1500 each ride, and imagine how much good it was doing your cardio system... as long as it didn't kill you... Incidentally that summer I got my heart rate up to 221 bpm... yes... my max was only supposed to be 172... :( I survived though.

In July I entered the annual Big White road race - 60km, Kelowna to Big White, 1800m total elevation gain... I even bought some shoes and clip in, clipless pedals (no, I don't know why, don't ask). The day before the ride I tested my pedals by doing the junction and back ride... this would also ensure I was adequately exhausted for the race. No not smart, yes my IQ brings the overall average down... meaning more people move into the 'above average category...' yes, you are welcome.

Of course I still did not have... shorts, shirt, water bottle(s), food... who needs those eh? Just because every other rider had them... I was unintentionally proving I had no idea what I was doing... a resounding success. 

A successful non plan.

Again, the ride proved to be hell... again. I thought I was doing okay until these two old batty-bats passed me on the last hill... chatting away as if it was a stroll in the park... whilst I was struggling to achieve two things - keep moving, and stay alive... "Hi" they said... "Fog off!" I would have said... if I could summon the energy to respond... and my brain was not so oxygen starved that it was able to retain the ability produce coherent thoughts... and then verbalize them... within an appropriate timeframe... (cycling is tough), anyway, what was I talking about... ah yes - bitches.

And then it was over. Of course my poor time had nothing to do with my fitness, it was obviously due to my substandard, and limited equipment... time to upgrade... by Wednesday I had a newish (still second hand) bike, (but it was the right size - yes, bonus), shorts, shirt and and and... a water bottle - apparently they are very important... who knew? Well who knew, apart from every other cyclist on the ride... but who else could have worked that problem out? I know every other... please shut up!

Come Monday I was out on the Big White road. And guess what? Yes! I crushed my best time by a whopping 0.427%. Bugger.

By October cycling season was coming to an end, but I had managed to become less of a man again... and the Hell? Well... the funny thing is, the 'Hell' did not really end... I just got to the point where I kinda enjoyed the suffering... kinda...

Sólido Properties owns, manages, cleans up, repairs, inspects, (and is disappointed by), maintains, renovates... numerous internal and external properties at Big White Ski Resort. Providing both short term (summer) and long term (winter) accommodation. Visit our website or Facebook page for more information, or if you would like to be ignored you can contact us via the website or FB page. We are a Human Rights company - we ignore everyone.

Big White is AWESOME! Not a bad place to Everest...

"I'm gonna keep going..."

"What?"

"I'm gonna keep going, riding..."

"For how long?!"

"Dunno, I'll keep going until, I cannot."

"But for how... Wait... are you gonna Everest?!"

"I dunno, it depends how tired I get, I'll keep going... until I can't..."

"But, but, but..." there were lots of 'buts' 

And 'Why now?'

I could understand the questions - I had not planned an Everest attempt... or prepped apart from riding my bike up and down that road... Big White road. I had talked about it, I had thought about it, I had picked and ridden some routes... figured out how many laps... and the number of kilometres I would travel. 

Wait... you don't know what I'm talking about when I say 'Everesting' do you? Silly me.

Everesting - I think I came across it last, or early this year on GCN (it's a YouTube channel) interesting if you like cycling. I didn't really pay much attention to Everesting when I first came across it, riding a bike the equivalent height of Mount Everest. And then you hear about it again, pay a little more attention think about it a little... height of Everest (8848m), riding the height of it, on one ride, on the same hill (or mountain), repeat until you get to the number 8848m... no sleeping allowed.

Why would I need sleep...? I'll just start early. Ha!

They have a website, they have videos a calculator, - pick a Strava segment, plug in your expected speed, weight, bike weight... add some rest breaks... Big White road usually takes me 1h 50mins, +/- if I 'press-on' 2h 30mins if I take it easy...

I do the math in my head, the ride is 985m gain over 45kms... nine laps... 9x1h 50mins... ooh,... 400km +... ouch, add some breaks - six times 10 mins... ahh... that's 19 hours. Hmmm... maybe I'll get up really early...

I'm still not really paying attention... and it really does not appeal much. It sounds tough, it sounds brutal, it does not sound like fun... 19 hours... riding up and down a hill? Not for me thank you very much. 

...Then I see the phrase 'Earning the Grey Stripe Kit...' What is this grey stripe kit...? I find out - hey, yeah, that looks cool... What do you mean IF you have Everested you can wear it... If? IF...!?! I can wear Chris Froome's replica yellow/red/pink/green/polka dot jersey(s) from whatever Grand Tour he has won or lead... I can wear any team jersey, I can wear any race jersey... but I cannot wear, or even buy their shirt...?

Whatever you do, do not fall into their trap. It is just a scam I tell you. A Scam!

Cos I don't want this Grey Stripe Kit... do I? No, not until they tell me I can't have it... then I want it... 

So, there I am responding to my wife's but... (s) (almost forgot the 's') contemplating Everesting. It is 8:00pm (ish) I have been riding since 3pm, I have finished my second lap... at this point I'm thinking maybe another 15 hours... if I can keep going... Ha! Damn Grey Stripe Kit.

Six hours and two laps later I am still moving and everything is... perfect. Yes, it is cold (bottomed out a 6 degrees), yes I am tired, yes I am not even half way (that's a sobering thought after you have been riding for hours...) yes I don't have much light, yes I saw a grizzly (small one... you know, the slow, friendly kind... I hope) but man the night sky is perfect, brilliant, vibrant... I am just riding and looking at the sky, staring at the milky way, just... just looking. That was the best part of the ride - two laps, dark skies, no light pollution (not even the moon) milky way and shooting stars... my breathing is steady and strong, I can hear the rhythm of my carbon wheels... you know if you know...

Awesome!

Nine hours and three laps after that... not so much. I am only on lap 7... my 11am goal was gonna be closer to 4pm... if I can speed up... Ha! Temp is rising (it does get to 32...) but everything is holding up, I'm not exhausted (fatigued yes), knees, feet, back, neck all seem okay, hands are getting stiff and numb but manageable. Do I want to stop? Not really, I didn't really consider doing this; but to get this far, and then stop? If I keep going I only have three laps to do (I can do three laps can't I?) If I stop...? Well, then I have nine more laps to do... pretty easy choice really.

I finished just before 6pm... 27 hours total, 22 in the saddle - (I found out the little rest breaks were not so little...)

So was it worth it? Well, you will have to try it and find out. Will I do it again...? Yes.

Finally, I have to say thanks to my wife and son - despite the short notice they really looked after me all night. The home made, double burger, with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, sautéed onions and a coke (not home made) at 2:30am is a meal I will probably never forget.

Sólido Properties often used to write a blog about rentals, seasonal staff/work, living and doing life at Big White... and then... procrastination...

Big White is AWESOME! Shhh... it happens. Or the Big White endurance ride.

What does Mr. Pickles...?

Life, my young Padowan, Life happens... but, shhh... it is okay. The ride happens too...

But first things first, Sponsors! Thanks! And in this particular order, er... this random one.

Scott and Jamie.

NBS - Nothing But Snow.
I have, in this blog, touched on them previously - find it here. The Gap program guys. And as a reminder if you are looking to spend a season at Big White, you want to be a ski instructor and last, but the most important (double emphasis) Want To Change Your Life Forever!!! Yes, Forever my friends - Contact NBS (ask for Leigh, say Chris told you to ask for a 90% discount... Ha! No, he won't give it to you.)

Jamie, Happy and...

What? You don't think it will change your life? Meet Scott and Jamie-

Both started out on Gap programs, both have made Canada their home, both are ski instructors in the winter... Just gonna emphasize a point here...

Both started on Gap programs...

Scott, well... probably unhappy,
cos the excuse factory
shut down on this day.

As you can see the Gap program will not solve all your problems... but better to be ugly and happy as oppose to ugly and unhappy... No? Both are now Canadian residents proceeding towards (or have) their citizenship. Life changing? Told you.


Who else? Mac Butts Ass... is the abbreviation - McFadden Buttar and Associates is the actual company name... but I like Mac Butts... What? You too...? Cool!

I have had the privilege of being their (least) favourite client since I... er... well, since I became a client - back in the early part of the millennium. They even have a mug with my 'mug' on it - it says 'favourite client' of course I had to buy it for them... but I could tell they wanted it.

But what do they do besides sponsoring bike rides? Who cares!! Oh, wait, they are money guys - accountants and tax planners - if you want to avoid (definitely not evade...) and when I say 'avoid' I mean 'optimize financial strategies, to minimize unnecessary tax liabilities' then these are the guys to annoy, I mean talk to.

And and and... if that has not convinced you. They have free beer too, for their preferred clients... I've heard. If you want to find out more about Mac Butts Ass, - it is a linked ass.

And? Black Diamond Bar and Grill - 
Don and Theresa's place at Big White. My favourite place to get fat. True story. Yes, unfortunately for me their food is fantastic, and the beer selection... is also fantastic. Weiss Beer is my fav... Erdinger - where else can you find Erdinger on tap? Two types including Dunkel - the black weiss beer...?

And they have the best (in my opinion) burger on the mountain... damn them! I try to stay away, honest. And and and... they are 'nice' and you know how much misanthropic me hates nice people! I have to be nice back, Ugh. And they sponsored the bike ride - extra nice, foggin el. Actually the first time I met Theresa she gave me a hug - "I'm a hugger" she said as she came in... 'oh really, cos I'm a puncher...' I responded. Ignored me she did... and they still sponsored us... did I mention nice.

Fortunately for me they sometimes are full, and I can't go... or else I would be 'bigger-boned'. Go and see for yourself... (best reserve) you know what else they have? Milkshakes - do not try them... ever! Heroin I tell you.

Contact them through FB
Or, their website.

Finally of course there is Treehouse Interiors - Rob and Karen, 

Business acquaintances that became good friends - I don't see them as often as I should - Kelowna, Big White... their kids are grown and have kids of their own. Ours... (wifey and I) are still in that difficult period (yes, the tiny bit between being born and leaving home). And they (Rob and Karen) have the best furniture store in Kelowna - no not like any other.

Ever been to a cheap chain of hotels - you know, Best Western and the like? Ever been to a perfect boutique hotel? You know what I am talking about. Treehouse Interiors is the boutique hotel. You can find them there almost every day - ask Rob for a coffee (yes, better than Starbucks...). And no, you don't get voted (year in, year out) the best furniture store in the Okanagan cos you are a chain... no sir, you don't.

The team - blurry cos we were tired.
Jamie suggested we ride (the 60km) to the start...
No, we didn't, but the thought was fatiguing.

Finishing first... in my category anyway - born on Christmas Day...
in 1967... named Chris... with two dogs...

Yes, he did balance that sign all the way.
No, I don't know why he is on the wrong side... or exposing his chest...

I know, I forgot to hold my stomach in... and my shirt.

And Big White of course for the privilege of allowing ourselves to go through hell... but you know the good thing? Your brain is so starved of oxygen that it does not have the ability to record how much pain you are in - cool eh?

But... what about the life garbage stuff at the start...?

Next time maybe.

Sólido Properties and Big White Mountain Renovations - live, work, blog, drink beer, eat burgers, ski (yes, we are all ski instructors... some are better than others... some can ski like ski-gods... I, can doing that talking thing, you know, using words etc.) ride bikes, (some are better than others... and not bald...) and what else?

Er... Nothing today.

Except... I am available for professional writing gigs - $8m per gig... no, I'm not rich yet... why do you ask?

Big White is AWESOME! The new adventures of Baldy and Hairy Dude...

Who...?

UBBS...

Well, me and some other dude... (I'm Chris btw, just in case of confusion) you can easily tell us apart I am the Devastatingly-handsome, Universal Master Brain, beardy boy (or DUMB) with no hair. Scott is the other beardy boy; not devastatingly handsome hairy headed dude... (Ugly Beardy Boy Scott... or UBBS) some people would disagree with my description - Scott for one, but the thing is, I have control of the blog... not him. And once, as you well know, it hits the internet, it becomes forever recorded as fact in the Canals of history... true story - just ask Trump. Note, I was going to use 'annals' of history but the word looked funny... well, Annals - Latin: annāles meaning Annus "year". You see my issue? 


"But 'Canals'...?" Yes, I know... shut up.

DUMB thinking.

Before you keep reading let me just tell you something. This blog is part of a comprehensive marketing strategy to drive interest to our new business - yes! You are correct, a 'ol' big advert! Cool eh? It also allows me to abuse Scott too! Double trouble.

What...? You're still reading...? Cos you've nothing better to do, you say... I'll keep going then. Of course if your name is Lucy, you may want to discover if I have written about 'Pie'... if so click on this (appropriately named) link - Pie.

Okay, continuing... Hairy dude and I figured there was an opportunity to exploit a building renovation, small project construction, maintenance and renovation gap. You know the kind of thing that just rolls off the tongue, like a wasp in the mouth. 

• A new kitchen, 
• Interior or exterior painting.
• Drywall - repair and installation.
• Hardwood floor installation, 
• Tiling etc etc.
• And other stuff, yes... Other stuff.

But, could we be competitive? Cost? Quality? Time? They are the Holy Grail of almost any project. 

Cost - yes, it will cost.
Quality - of course... we are English, Quality Street was every kid's Christmas Day, breakfast tradition.
Time - currently, 10:39. Oops sorry... what am I thinking... in the morning.

Doing the 'Quality' thing...

Holy Grail sir, Holy Grail.

So, there you have it. A brilliant marketing campaign... well the first bit anyway. We also don't have business cards, flyers, logo, either. Did you know Coca Cola spends around $12b (yes, billion) each year on marketing? This drivel only cost me my time! And as it is part of my blog, I get paid for it! Did you know that since I wrote my first blog all those years ago, I have earned a whopping... wait, whopping may be too strong a word... modest, lets go with modest. ...earned a 'modest' $32 Canadian. Yes! I am a paid writer, my friend. Friends, I mean friends, you are a plurality now. Hey! Don't be getting all political on me, I can use the word here - it also means 'a state of being plural' so bugger off.

Anyhooo, back on topic. Ugly Beardy-boy Scott (UBBS) and myself (DUMB) work as a

UBBS checking out the
'work-quality'

great team - he does most of the easy, lazy stuff, you know, the actual work... whilst I do the difficult stuff - yes, 'the masterminding...'

Right now, whilst UBBS is slacking off on a construction site, I have to be here in the Caribbean improving my inconsiderable kite-boarding skills... this masterminding is not easy.

Well, wind is getting up, I had best finish.

So, contact us when you need some of that 'worky' thing done, this is a link to our broken website. As you can see our link is also broken... but this is a link to our Facebook page - you can contact us from there. Best add some pics now.

Oh oh oh... I forgot (so this is a kind of PS) one reader (okay, 'the' reader) has suggested I write a book - and low and behold here is breaking news!!! I have a name for a character - Beholdan Low. No... that is all I have. No... no story concept. No! I have no idea what it will be about... good name though eh?

Big White is AWESOME! Pie...

No.

Not yet anyway.

Big White is AWESOME! Cos the people... let's say 15, I don't think I have used that number...

Yes, I know going in chronological order would make sense. But my mind works differently, either that or I am lazy, or forgetful, or ADD or a combination of awesome and fantastic... yes autistic... awe-tistic... get it? I'm combining the two words... wait... what do you mean it's not funny if I have to explain it? 

Anyhooo... do you remember when you were at school? More specifically when you had an assignment to do... pick a person you admired? To be honest, I don't recall doing that, I do recall being a disruptive, under achieving, cheeky, annoying, brat. But being exposed to the North American culture, I have come to understand doing an 'assignment' is a 'thing'.

Free beer for imaginary friends!

Now you would think, with my particular kind of misanthropic personality ('there are two types of people... people I don't know... and people I don't like...' to quote myself) I would not respect or admire anyone, well you would be right, I mean wrong... Wrong, wrong I meant.

Now imagine you are a 26 year old man, 5'8" (173cm ish) and you weigh in at 270lbs... on a good day. Fit...? Healthy...? Active...? Not so much. But you have a well paid, career path, government job; it is a desk job, but government...? Perks, pension, union representative, overtime, lots of holidays... six weeks holiday... (no Canada, not you, oh oh oh except teachers - they get 26 weeks) you can take a sabbatical, they will support education programs... etc etc. Your family is close and supportive, friends are great... apparently friends that 'like you' is also a thing... 

You are set for life... if you choose. No, life is not 'perfect', but we are talking first world problems... (I'm overweight) not third world problems... (we have no food, water, shelter, the country is being torn apart by warlords). Given those circumstances, what would you do? What do 999/1000 people do? They choose the easy life, the comfortable life, the known, the stable, consistent, predictable safe... yes - the chubby option.

But not everyone... no.

Fast forward four years.

Wait... let me ask you a question. How many of you struggle with weight? How many have tried losing weight, how many think they need more exercise... but don't. How many try to blame other factors...? I am big boned, I am just heavy set, I am gluten intolerant... I don't each much... Let me tell you an astonishing fact - calories don't multiply in your stomach. True story.

Eat more sugar... it is good...
for our profits.

Of course there are things that affect our appetites, take sugar... imagine for an instant there was this drug. A drug with some particular attributes...

• Very addictive, three hours after ingesting, your body is craving more.
• Instant gratification - it enters the blood stream seconds after being ingested.
• Instant energy boost.
• Instant mood elevation.
• A source of pure expendable energy.
• Readily available globally.
• Cheap to being almost free.
• Acceptable in society.
• Promoted in society. 
• Government encouraged... 

Peter... er... taking Action.

But what happens if we don't burn that 'drug'? Well, your body has to do something with it. Enter your pancreas. Your pancreas creates insulin which helps deal with this drug... it helps deal with the energy by storing it for later dates, yes, we are still cavemen, our bodies have evolved to store energy for famine periods, it is an efficient system - the energy gets stored as fat. Your pancreas is pretty effective, as this 'drug' enters your bloodstream, it jumps into action, floods your body with insulin, gets rid of that pesky drug. But it is a little too effective at this... quickly dropping your blood sugar level  leaving you feeling weak, lethargic, tired, cranky... hungry... 'Help...! I need another donut...'

Sugar is the heroin of the western world - once sugar is introduced into a country, the consumption only ever increases. Rats will consume sugar over heroin, sugar water is the only product babies will chose over breast milk, the world health organization (despite millions spent by lobbyists to prevent) recommends no more than 5% of your daily calorie consumption to be sugar... our global daily average is 25%.

Why would lobbyists do this? Well sugar is...

• Cheap.
• A huge source of revenue (read profit)
• adaptable - you can put it in anything.
• Easy to manufacture, process, transport... not prone to degradation...
• And and and... very addictive.

Yes, a perfect product.

These sugar lobbyists strangely have an easier job than the Brussels Sprout lobbyists...

Pic of my dog Hobbes...
I dunno, cos it's a good pic.

25% of our calories that have zero nutritional value - hmmm... healthy. Zero nutritional value that creates cravings to consume more, and more...? Dld you know that there is a 'sweet' spot for sweetness levels? True - in the industry it is called the 'Bliss' level - not too bland, not too sweet. This Bliss level originated in soda, okay, not too bad except it has permeated into almost all aspects of the processed food industry... that healthy looking tomato based pasta sauce...? Full of chunky vegetables, tomatoes, low fat...? ooh ooh ooh and low sodium too... yes? Cos it's full of foggin sugar.

Why don't they make it healthier? Well imagine you are a food manufacturer and you have a choice - cheap, addictive, profitable foods that people can afford, or bland, expensive, healthy stuff that people don't buy? Ever tried feeding kids Brussels Sprouts? Exactly. (Quick topical joke - What is the difference between snot and Brussels Sprouts? A. Kids won't eat Brussels Sprouts). You cannot blame the manufacturers, they are catering to market forces... you have to take action.... take responsibility for your own decisions.

Nutter dog. Waiting for
some nuts.

But I don't have time? Look at American Labor statistics... here. Yes, McDonalds, Pizza, pasta sauce etc are cheaper, easier, faster, tastier... more addictive. But time is not the issue - you have lots, stop watching tv, stop being life's spectator, go and participate.

So sugar is an issue. What else? Ease of calories...? Is it easy to get those life sustaining calories...? Er... I think so...

Remember when we were cavemen (I am going to ignore the 'Creationists' belief's here), hunter gatherers? Calories were hard to get... no? Okay, famine ravaged third-world countries? Getting closer? Or, what about Venezuela? That country is now in crisis - people are struggling to eat, on average the population have lost 18lb each... My point is simpler, sitting in a sofa, watching tv, and phoning for a calorie saturated, sugar infused pizza (dough and sauce) is less challenging than spending 8-hours gathering berries... or playing tag with that sabre toothed tiger... losing not recommended.

Aww... doesn't he look cute...?
He is not! He is a drunk
Scotsman coming out of a bar at 2am
'Am gunna firkin keel yu...'

What about calorie burn? If you live at Big White, you may have seen that idiot riding his bike up and down the road... yes me. Why do I do it - cos I am dumb. Every winter despite my good intentions I gain a winter layer - it must be those 'multiplying-calories' it cannot be all the beer, fries, chocolate, wine, rich food... deserts, starters, take-away curry (er... yum!), chips etc etc etc. And yet I am active - ski instructor you see, 130+ days this season - true story. 130 days and I still gained 10lbs... dumbass.

10lbs is equivalent to 35,000 calories, when I ride my bike for two hours down to the junction (this is Hell by the way, capital H, hell.) I burn about 625 calories per hour. Or... two chocolate bars, four beers (+/-) almost a full piece of restaurant cheesecake (for the full two hours riding... 120 mins riding for a piece of cake... kidding me right? Nope.) so the food we eat is very calorie dense.

Anyway back to today...

Peter - fighting the man...
and happy.

Peter... my hero. Five years ago 270lb, today... he is much less of a man, about 90lb less. Work, discipline, and focus on a goal - making sure he had somewhere to live... yes, if you don't look after your body, where will you live? Huh? So Peter is doing it, fighting the (sugar) man... and winning.

In those five years Peter has...

• Lost a sugar load of weight.
• Qualified as a snowboard instructor (in Canada)
• Done numerous Obstacle Course Races
• This includes the 2017 Rat Race - 20 miles, 200 obstacles 7 hours 38 mins... yes, effin ell.
• Spent two winter seasons at Canada at Big White Ski Resort.
• Gained the friendship (temporary) of my nutter dog - Pixel.

Admirable eh? Yes, I can see you nodding, well the few of you that have met Pixel... and the other stuff is pretty cool too.

So Peter is 'Cos the people - 15' no longer at Big White, but he escaped the trap, fought the man, made an impact in my life... and became... a lessor man.

 Sólido Properties - er... got fat again during the ski season, three times now... just you wait tho, next season will be different... maybe.

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.

Big White is AWESOME! Coming back next season... part du...

So I just finished this awesome blog on living here, coming back next season, I did some trash talking of Pete aka Peter Barton. Awesome trash talking, I referenced Peter's inability to use correct grammar (your rubbish at grammar Pete). See that was an example of trash talking Pete...

I also had great nuggets like 'Peter is in intents training... which means he intends to train... but just isn't - Pete is doing an OCR soon... 20 miles, 200 obstacles... 200!!! Which is close to a million! Well closer than 199 anyway. I think you will agree... this sounded much better the first draft...

*No, I don't like cleaning either.

I also provided some advice on coming back next season... cleaning*, damage**, references, applying early... great great stuff, the best stuff (almost Trump-esque). I had pictures with great captions, it included advice on appropriate times to contact your landlord (hardly every) stuff that is not your landlord's responsibility to fix - blocked toilets, light bulbs, blocked toilets, locked doors blocked toilets etc blocked toilets etc... you know what the emphasis is on.

**Yes, damage... I do notice.

But... my blog did not save. Can you imagine the words that I used... 'bugger' was one, 'aghhh...' another. Effin foggin eck. Hours I spent writing a crappy blog, hours wasted... 

You know what I did?

I didn't, didn't go for a run up the mountain instead of trying to write it all again (cos we're not allowed). Up the mountain and ruminated... yes, yes... I chewed cud. Foggin eck, that was hard too... It happens to me every year. Every year I say I'm not getting fat this season and every year I ignore myself. So, I have to fix it, which means lots of exercise and less beer... bugger.

Yes it is me, no, I'm not that skinny anymore.

If you are coming back next season it is probably for the same reason I live here, it makes me happy. 

Here is a deep deep question for you - are you happy? Think about it for a minute - are you happy and what is the source of that happiness? Now don't be under any illusion that I live in this constant state of bliss, I don't. Sometimes... work sucks, or my wife is a lovely (wait... I know it doesn't make sense, but she reads it.)  or I am sick (or hungover)... or (more often than not) my tenants are a pain... I also have two dogs, let me correct that, two great dogs...

But they can be a pain too. The big dude (Hobbes) is a labradoodle and for the most part I am a great owner but sometimes... I am a bad owner (no bad dogs you see...) sometimes Hobbes likes to run off... run off and go garbage diving. Yes, yes. Now there are usually two consequences to this activity - the first is a mess that he creates. The second is more of a delayed response... he gets sick, or gets the poopies (I was gonna say shits but this is a family friendly blog), now for some reason these poopies are time sensitive - middle of the night is a very popular time. Sometimes he lets us know, sometimes... not. 

Because how he lets us know is very subtle... Imagine 2am, you're asleep, you have had a couple of beers, or wine, after skiing hard all day, fatigue, alcohol, comfy bed...? Now your dog creeps into the room, sits down and starts to chomp his chops... ruminate if you will, (without the cud). Sometimes this will wake us, sometimes we get other results. And of course we (wifey and I) play the 'pretending to be asleep' game... cos let's face it who wants to get up at 2am, get dressed, go outside in -20 and pick up poop? It is a dangerous game though, for the obvious reasons.

Our dogs get out lots, exercise lots - running, biking, hiking around the mountain (no, not the dogs, wifey and I). The dogs will follow er... doggedly... mostly. Little nutter dude (Pixel) - Absolutely. Big dude... sometimes he can disappear... 

A story - Around about mid season I was up early and it was the perfect day for a run in the trails. The snow was firm with a 2-3cm layer of that really light fluffy stuff - great for my old knees. The air was crisp, with those ice crystals still lingering in the air. I have Hobbes, my music (trance... always) and we head off to the Black Forest. I usually walk the first km or so, warms my joints, Hobbes does his business (easier to walk with a full doggy bag) and then once on the trails (behind the day lodge) I will start, gently at first.

This way Hobbes...

It is the perfect day, legs are strong, breathing is good, music, steady pad of my feet on the trail, crystals glinting in the crisp air, dog following behind me... wait... dog...? Where is that dog...? "HOBBES!" I yell... not just once... but... nothing. I turn around and (whilst cursing... loudly) back track - he can't of gone far... can he? I find where his tracks stop, turn and disappear... for fogs sake.

I start to follow, not at my original pace... no, screw my knees, I'm gonna catch that dog.

You know when you see a dog on or off leash? They don't walk in a straight line, they wend (FYI present tense of 'went') their way, sniff this, sniff that, pee here, pee there... slow(ish). Yes? Well I'm following the trail and there is no wending his way gently down to Happy Valley, no... he is straight line... and moving fast. I'm moving fast, well it is now downhill and I am on a mission. The run is no longer fun, gentle, relaxing... no not at all. I am now gasping like a red faced, unfit, middle-aged chubster trying to play soccer with his kids... effin dog. I get down to Happy Valley and lose the trail - a groomer has gone by. I do the circling to find the trail thing you see in movies and eventually find it again. It has since started snowing heavy so the fresh tracks are now clear... but the older tracks are filling in...

Hobbes!!!

Ha! He has gone up here... up this steep slope into the Edge development... I follow... but now I guess he thinks he has lost me, slowing, wending, walking around all the cars, up to the doors... bugger, lost him again... back and forth, back and forth... up the hill, back down, other side, heading out - I chase. Into the Timbers, lost again, up the snowbank, across to Spyglass... through the middle of Spyglass, out onto the road... where did the trail go? Getting cold... Ha! I find fresh ones heading back to the Edge, they cut right into Southpoint, onto the patio and then back up to the Edge... damn dog. Fresh tracks, he must be close, wending around the cars again, walking to the doors...

Now, seeing a dog doing this, you probably wouldn't think twice... how about a lunatic running around the development staring at the floor, ranting to himself... disappearing but back again 15mins later... a bit more of a concern...?

Busted!

Actually, by this time I was no longer mad, I was hunting and it was kinda fun... kinda. I scramble up another snowbank... and there he was - "Hobbes!" He freezes, deer in headlights... caught. And he knows eh, he knows he is in trouble. Not only is he in trouble but he never got any garbage - Ha! Good owner!

We head home... I keep him close, real close.

Sólido Properties (yes, you can click on this link) is the bad owner of two very good dogs, property owner, property manager, property cleaner (reluctant), property renovator (poor), ski instructor (er ditto), beer enthusiast, very happy and and and a blog writer (if you hadn't guessed) and if you have got this far (really...? do you not have anything better to do...?) you are probably looking for a place for next season... if so, go to this link. I may... or may not respond... keep chasing me, yes, I know I am rubbish.