A Story...

"Chris... Chris...? Y'alrite mate...?" My radio was speaking to me, it was Yam Yam. He was sounding a bit distressed... 'yes, I think so...' my mind was talking to itself, I was bruised, everything was upside down, no visible blood tho... I'm... I seem okay. I found the mike, "yeah..." I groaned into it, "I think so..."

Seconds later Yam Yam opens the door and sticks his head in... I look up at him... "fuckin el, Chris, you fuckin idiot, whar happened...?" (You have to forgive him, Brummie you see) Well, as it happened I had rolled my class II truck with about what was $2m of UN equipment on the back... generators, now worth significantly less... as was the $250k truck now upside down... We had to go though, he new it, I new it, the place was dangerous. The Serbs liked shooting at us in this area, but we were not special, they liked shooting at everyone.

Actually being shot at was part of the 'turning the truck over' thingy... kinda...

Yam Yam was my convoy partner out of Tuzla Airbase during the Yugoslavian crisis, we would drive in and out of Bosnia, usually to Zagreb via Split and the coast road. Pre-war, the trip would take 3-4 hours by highway; sometimes it took Yam Yam and I 36 hours to get to Zagreb. Different roads, different routes, different road blocks but we got through every time... well except the truck thingy this time... Beer would help the road blocks become access routes... sometimes we would see tracer bullets flying overhead, you could not hear the shots, they were too far away but you could see the red tracers. One time a mortar landed behind a grassy knoll on my left, and the truck driver in front of me panicked running round checking his vehicle, well you would wouldn't you, if you were driving a fuel truck.

Not only was Yam Yam my convoy partner, but we also lived in the same house in Tuzla, we both enjoyed intermittent heat, no telephone, water sometimes and no electricity... (actually we had 'found' this UN generator, just sitting there (in storage), it gave us 4Kw of power) and when we did have electric there was no TV, but we did have a video recorder... but no videos. I lie... we had one season of Blackadder... we watched it lots... And lots...

I had met Yam Yam 18 months earlier, both of us landed in Zagreb around the same time late 1993, in the middle of a snowstorm. Our induction and pre sector deployment had us in what was (pre-war) a beautiful spa hotel an hour outside of Zagreb city. Indoor pools, outdoor pools, hot tubs etc. The indoor pools were great, the outdoor pools were cold, being buried in snow does that. One of my first memories of Yam Yam was daring each other to swim a length of the outdoor pool... cold - I think my bits have still not recovered... that is my excuse anyway... What...? I was 25, I could do dumb stuff as a 25 year old.

Oh, the truck turny over thingy. The place was called Banovici, (unsurprisingly, still is) and it was a contested area, and the only route in and out of Tuzla. To make the road safer for UN staff/civilians a Pakistani battalion was tasked with escorting UN vehicles through the area. Yes, yes, sounds good. No no no! Not good, not good at all. We would line up behind these big armoured vehicles and get escorted through. Escorted at 10km/h... We are not in 2" thick steel armoured vehicles, we are in these civilian trucks, built for fuel efficiency - thin. And we had gone from a fast moving target (we did not hang around waiting to be shot at...) to a very slow moving target...

Yes we had flak jackets on (designed to keep the body parts together if hit, saving lives... not so much) and helmets... I should be safe if a 50cal slug hits my helmet at 800mph... maybe? but it was a pretty blue colour. 

We did not like the convoy idea... no, not at all. To avoid the convoy we would go through in the middle of the night, lights off and hauling... fast... no helmets.

I had done the trip a week earlier, me and some Mexican guy. Middle of the night, lights off, hauling... Light machine gun fire is a scary noise when it is targeted at you. They got one of my tires... I had nine others, we were okay, but I'm not stopping to change the tyre...

So this time I was nervous... we had left early but daylight was coming, the hill was steep and fast and at the closest point you had to slow right down to take a very sharp left hand turn. My truck was loaded heavy... big, big generators... too fast. I don't remember much, I remember tilting and falling towards the passenger window, it exploding inwards before I hit it, but not much else until I hear Yam Yam "Chris... Chris...? Y'alrite mate...?" 

I was okay, bruised, in shock. We went back to base, came back with a contingent of Swedish Engineers, got shot at again, dove into their armoured vehicle and back to camp. I saw Susan, she took the piss (fortunately I was still in shock...) Interesting day.

But you see, things sometimes turn out good. I wasn't scheduled to return to Tuzla, I was on leave heading back to the UK for a couple of weeks. The key point... I was leaving Susan in Tuzla. We had only just met and she would be gone by the time I returned. I would never see her again... But I couldn't go, could I? My transport was upside down in a ditch being used for target practice.

Susan and I got together and 19 years later have a fantastic life in Big White, kids, dogs, skiing... all is good.

Mostly...

I found out today.
RIP Yam Yam.

Big White is AWESOME! Cos the people 10... Lucy... and a Germany Story

Lucy, Lucy, Lucy...

Bottom wiper to T-Laz, amongst other things like being British, yes, yes, you know the place where humour comes from. Actually most countries have humour (except Germany of course...)

Oh... tangent...
Did I ever tell you about the German border guards? No...?

A long long time ago in a country far far away... Bosnia actually, I was working for the UN in Tuzla (North East Bosnia). Susan and I were on leave and visiting Fulpmes in Austria, which is pretty close to the German border; and just over the German border is Garmisch - a beautiful little town that happened to have an American military base, complete with a PX.

What's a PX? I hear you ask. Let me tell you; a PX is one of those military stores that provides American goods, tax free to military personnel... and being an ex British Army type dude I had rights n stuff, well I had an ID card.

Sooo, we set off to the PX, I was driving and we get to the German border, "Kin ve see your driverz licenze pleaze?" (a german accent is pretty tough). I gave him my UN license - good for all over the world... except Germany apparently. "You cannot enter wid zees... do you have some zing elze?"

Now... it just so happened that Susan had an international drivers license, honest, straight laced, rule abiding Susan... had an expired international license... well, expired in the normal sense of the definition. The license is valid for 12 months and her license expired in 1995, to get her UN license for 1996 she had to produce a valid international license, not easy to do in 'a land far far away' unless of course you change the 5 to a 6... then voila... Legal! Well in a 'hope I don't get caught' kind of way. I can see you are shocked.

The German border guards were happy to see (glance at) the license and let us proceed... with Susan driving of course... Coming back was a bit different, we get to the border and Susan hands her 'forged' license to the new border officers... who look at it... closely... and then disappear... and then reappear with a 'look' on their faces... and then ask us to exit the car... and go into this little room... interrogation room... 'zis ees not correct!'... Who would guess the Germans would be able to identify (un)professionally forged documents...? Ah... well you see officer, I just met her... I didn't know she was participating in international criminal activities... I'm ex-british Army, I have Thatcher on my side... 

Anyway, long story short we were fined Dm 200 and released, actually she was fined... we paid. However the none too friendly (with Susan) border officers told her she could not drive with her 'doctored' license... At that point I brought out my UN license, "Can I drive with this...?" saving the day again, and off we went.

Of course somebody was mad a somebody else... yes I did tell you to get out your license, yes I did know it was 'edited'... yes to other stuff too, but I did not do the editing in the first place did I? For some reason logic does not pass as a valid position...

So... yes, Lucy Gilbert, of the Gilbert and Sullivan fame, yes, she is related to her dad, who has the same name as one of the singers. True story.

Anyhow... Lucy did a whole bunch of stuff for the Bike, Hike and Beverage (did you get the t-shirt?) weekend. She was the one behind the desk looking really really really happy, in one of the 'I'm effin miserable' ways. Lucy is really good at those looks.

And I missed mentioning her in my last blog... the girl she wipes the bottom for was up in arms about this, which is important because if you have seen Taryn's arms they are longer than Lucy's feet. 'No-way dude!' 'Yes, way, dude!' When you see her on the slopes... look closely, those are not skis my friend...

Apparently Lucy is a bit OCD... when she has a meal none of the food types on her plate can touch each other and she has something called a 'king-bite' the last best bit, the most tastiest morsel, the pure, unadulterated, fat free, bite sized portion, saved for the very last delicious bite. I can see her reasoning, I understand the compulsion, I have to respect Lucy's desire and need for food control - I cannot argue against the 'king-bite' way of life. It truly is the one element of pure control in a life of chaos (she works for Michael J... you know what I am talking about Lewis). Food peace/piece be with you Lucy.

Hey... did I tell you about the competition we are having this year? It is gonna be great, the prizes are awesome! Well it is beer so same thing. The rules are simple, rule one - steal Lucy's king-bite from her plate, rule two - eat said king-bite, rule three - take picture of Lucy. And the best thing... there are no limits, you can do this as many times as you want/can. Anyone who can do this will win a six-pack - pics must be provided. Sólido takes no responsibility for injuries incurred during the competition.


Okay, last bit. Loocey does not look like Zooey Deschanel, look at the pics below, they are nothing alike-

That is not a cherry my friend.

No, please do try to take my king-bite... I won't mind... much.

Told you, the one on the left is Loocey, other left, well when you are looking at the picture from the right, then it is right. The one over there with the red stuff... is not Zooey, that one is Lucy, I think there was an incident...

Sólido Properties rents, owns, lives, manages, avoids crazy tenants, drinks beer, gives away beer... sometimes, has fun making up stuff in a blog, keeps fit running away from people written about in said blog and needs more property gosh darn it - that is my southern American accent. Oh... and you see those annoying little ads around the page? You should click on those, it makes them go away... what, it didn't work? Try again... keep trying... try the other one... wait, refresh the page then try them all again. That should work... no? Click it twice, each... must be a glitch, come back and try again tomorrow.

Big White is AWESOME! Bike, Hike and Beverage...

Good god man, it is September already... what happened to August?!! Or even July...? One post in August... poor showing Mr. Pickles... poor showing!

But here we are again, yay!


Big White Bike, Hike and Beverage happened this weekend at BW... how many people!!! We expected my IQ (almost triple digits) and my pin number arrived. 'No, sorry we ran out of beer... no, sorry we have no hot dogs left... no sorry all the food has gone... A lemon? Really? You want a lemon? Sprinkled with sugar...? Good choice, lots of vitamin C in that... no, I'm not sure if it is gluten free...' 



A big, big thanks to all who helped make it happen - you guys were AWESOME and yes in the Big White is AWESOME way. And thanks to Big White Ski Resort for stepping up and being the catalyst for it all!


I actually write this basking in my glory of 'King of the Mountain bike champion... mountain bike category...' I have the notable achievement (in that category) of being both first... and last... but I like to focus on the first position result more... And congrats to the actual overall winner (he even gave everyone a head start) and the 73 year old competitor... Yes yes I know he beat me overall, but, there is a reason, I found a $10 bill on the road and had to stop, go back and pick it up - that added at least 20 minutes to my time, and the best thing? Yes, I found the owner of the $10... I was so excited... not.


Then there was the run! Kudos to Owen Brunt - 52 minutes! And he is 11! Fourth overall! Did I mention he was 11? And this is not any ordinary run... this is the Big White Challenge -

• Elevation start 1755m over a mile.
• Elevation gain 400m
• Elevation peak 2145m
• Length 6.51km

And this is a steep, rocky, challenging terrain with streams to ford, bears to dodge, rocks to climb... if I was Salomon I'd be sponsoring this kid.

Owen's mum... with Owen's pre-race breakfast.

 

What else?

Music - live bands in the village, live bands at Blarney Stone.

Fire Dept had their trucks out, kids were fire-fighters for a day.

Start of the Challenge!

And and and... it was all free! How cool is that?!! Big White really is AWESOME!

Bring on next year!

Special Thanks (in no particular order) to all the t-shirt sponsors-

Billy's Waterworks.

Underground Pizza

Black Diamond Grill

Rent Chalets

Elevation Day Spa

Don and Theresa.

Okanagan Physiotherapists

Jerry Redman and Remax

PMF

Peter McCloud and Premier Properties

Gary Turner and Royal LePage

The Woods

Chalets at Big White

Sólido Properties

Globe and Blarney Stone.

And the people that made it happen, whose names I know but may or may not be able to spell, I could look them up but instead I will waste my time writing this sentence.

Jude Brunt

Josh Foster

Addy Gowe

Big White Fire Dept and the WEP

Peter Plimmer

Clipboard Bob

Bill Slaney

And all the hard working sponsors!

For the many I missed, if you have any complaints, please email a detailed breakdown of your contribution to me at idontcare@whogivesahoot.com

Big White is AWESOME! The People 9 - T-Laz

T-Rex... to her friends... we think... I say we think cos cats don't say much... No... they don't T.

Anyhow we love T-Laz, these are all the things we love about T-Laz...

Where is that deep fat fryer...?
I got some fries to fire up... in ma pockets!

1. T-Laz can complain like no other, she is THE best, yes I used capitals for emphasis...
2. Er... well... er... let me get back to you, no wait, got one. T-Laz can re-warm fries like no other, no putting them in the microwave for T-Laz, it is back in the deep fat fryer or nothing.
3. T-Laz can get mad... instantly... she is brilliant... at it. Just mention re-warmed fries and she is ready to fight. 
4. T-Laz is a fire-fighter... and there does not have to be a fire. Yes... no need for a fire...
5. And a vegetarian... we don't love her for that tho... it is kinda dumb (and when I say kinda, I mean, really dumb). Did we fight our way to the top of the food chain to eat mushrooms... I don't think so!
6. But... don't mention being vegetarian is dumb - the fire-fighter comes out punching.
7. I am sure there are hundreds of other things... probably... 

This is so not cool... we are not friends.

T-Laz is highly intelligent... well she is very tall, and her intelligence level is high up... well it is on her shoulders... and did I mention tall? This is not to be confused with IQ levels... which in T-Laz's case there is a whole bunch of inverse correlation. Luckily T-Laz has stopped growing.

T-Laz with Lucy her owner - training not going well...
"Hee hee hee - I can poop anywhere!!!"
"Wipe my bum Lucy...!"

But... there is progress. We would (the global population in general) like to thank T-Laz for the contribution she is making to the planet's evolutionary progress - her personal self improvement campaign has led to an increase in the human-race's overall intelligence level (and her own). Yes, T-Laz is now using words with greater than one syllable - yesterday we had 'Sounds crappy' from T-Laz... written, using correctly spelled words n'all! Yes, yes I know that if he was alive Shakspeare would have little to concern himself, and my dog doesn't write, so he is not worried either - but T-Laz... way to go dude(ess)! High five!

What else? T-Laz is Canadian... from yes, you guessed it! South Africa! T-Laz has pets... I mean is the pet of Lucy (her owner) and is still in the process of being house trained... a work in progress I hear... sometimes the cats shake their heads in frustration or disbelief... 

I'm not that worried.

 Sólido Properties lives, works, drinks beer, abuses people in a crappy blog, has lots of hiding places. Owns, manages, and runs numerous properties at Big White ski Two Season resort. If you are a property owner looking for mediocre (or lesser) management for your properties - contact us... if you can find us... well... before T-Laz et al do.

Big White is AWESOME! Grant-in-Aid Funding!!!

$400 this year!!! 

Grant and aid funding.
The Regional District of Kootney Boundary has a Grant in Aid Program - funds derived from owners property taxes. These funds are used for 'special' services/programs outside of the traditional remit of the regional board of directors.

Grant-in-Aid Funding is paid by each Area, in 2013 per $100 of property tax paid.
Area A - Fruitvale and... - $0.67c - total $33k
Area B - Old Glory and... - $.92c - total $24k
Area C - Christina Lake... - $1.38 - total $64.5k
Area D - Grand Forks... - $1.16 - total $33.4k
Area E - (including Big White)- $1.23 - total $95k.
Area E - Big White only $1.26 - total $52.3k

Each area manage and allocate/distribute funds from their own budget. Except Big White, Big White is allocated and distributed by the Area E director (Bill Baird).

The Big White Community has been very inactive in requesting Grant-in-Aid funds. I believe  we received $2500 in 2012 for the school and this year we have been granted a massive... wait for it... yes! $400... 

The community was proactive this year, $10,000 was requested to aid the development of the summer season along with $8,000 for village clean up facilities - garbage bins, recycling containers, ash-trays etc... We were refused.

Apparently there is little qualifying criteria, there are no rules - grant approval is at the subjective discretion of Director Baird... in the last three years we (as a community) have handed over $150k+/- and been granted $3k... or 2%...? Really...? Well we do appreciate the consideration... And the other $147k...? Oh... I see... it went to the other areas... we get a 2% benefit and they get a 220% benefit...?

Well... that's equitable then. I guess we don't need any funds... 

And the stats at the beginning? Not that important, just a highlight of the ratios.

Sólido Properties lives, works, owns, and manages property at Big White. Oh... and pays lots of property tax...

Big White is AWESOME! Big White Challenge v. Grouse Grind...

Now before you go thinking to yourself 'oh he is totally biased...' let me just tell you that yes, you are right. However, despite my ability to embellish stuff, I will also point out some facts. (of course, they may be distorted, and may omit bits... but still facts).

I was messaging someone on Thursday about the Big White Challenge, (Facebook Page) and they mentioned that the Grouse Grind in Vancouver gets 150,000 hikers every year! Two days later I found myself, with little to do, in Vancouver. "Since I am all about the Big White Challenge, I had better increase the number of Grouse Grind visitors to 150,001. So off I went.

No, no, no... please charge me more...

From downtown Vancouver it is a 25 min drive to the bottom of Grouse Mountain. The first thing that irritated me (I am easily irritated) was parking - you had to pay, and you had to stay for a minimum three hours, with a minimum charge of $6... why...? I am only here for a hour... irritated...

The Grouse Grind is a one way hike, you can go up, but you cannot hike down. The only way down is via the gondola. The gondola charge is $10 (irritation #2). Before I have even started the trail it had cost me $16. Big White's gondola is free, even in winter! 'But Mr. Pickles, the Big White Gondola only runs in the winter...?' 'Yes, I know, but that does not help me distort the facts does it!?' Stop asking awkward questions.

The Big White Challenge - parking is free, the route is circular so there is no requirement to pay for or use the chair lift. Of course on the weekends when the chair lift is running you can ride for a nominal fee... but it is optional.

My first (and only attempt so far) for the Big White Challenge, I had a time of 58m 34s. My first visit to the Grouse Grind was 47m 13s. Why is this relevant Mr. Pickles? Er... dunno... er... I think cos Paul Doherty is interested... maybe...

The differences.

The Grind starts at 991 feet, (302m) elevation. The Challenge 5,764 feet (1757m). 
Physically, how does this affect you? I have no idea - but here are some pretty graphics.

At 302m, the standard barometric pressure is 98kPa (734 mmHg). This means that there is 97% of the oxygen available at sea level.

At 1757m, the standard barometric pressure is83 kPa (622 mmHg). This means that there is 82% of the oxygen available at sea level

But what does all this gobbledegook mean? Good question... But I still have no idea, looks good eh? The pinky/purply lines have a bigger gap... which probably means something tho...

The official website stats for the Grouse Grind - 
Length: 2.9 kilometres (1.8 miles) 

Elevation Gain: 853 metres (2,800 feet)
Base: 274 metres above sea level (900 feet)
Summit: 1,127 metres (3,700 feet)
Total Stairs: 2,830 

However, mapmyrun has me starting at 302m and finishing at 1081 - or 789m elevation gain. I used mapmyrun for both trails so to compare apples to apples, the stats I use -

Big White Challenge
Length: 6.94 kilometres (4.1 miles) 

Elevation Gain: 394 metres (1293 feet)
Base: 1757 metres above sea level (5,764 feet)
Summit: 2150 metres (7,054 feet) 

Grouse Grind

Length 2.71 km

Elevation Gain 789m

Base 302m

Summit 1081

Okay, other stuff.
Views - the views along the Big White Challenge are spectacular, Rhonda Lake, the Monashee Mountain Range, Christian Valley... The views on the Grouse Grind... it is fairly limited to the stairs/trail, you are looking down all the time and when you look up you are looking at the trail - it is so steep you don't have any option really. Yay...! lets look at 2830 stairs... However, coming down on the gondola you do enjoy great views of Van city.

Family Friendly - The Big White Challenge is hard but it can be enjoyed by families, kids as young as five could probably, fairly safely, manage the hike. The Grouse Grind, not so much, maybe young kids could make it, but it does not 'feel' that family friendly.

Access - The Big White Challenge can be accessed from any property/home on the mountain. The Grouse Grind you need transport to get to the bottom of the trail. And you have to ride the gondola down - did I mention irritating...

Hey... can we come do the Grouse Grind?
No!

Rhythm - The Big White Challenge has varying but open trails, if you have the ability, running the trail is optional. The Grouse Grind cannot be run at all, the terrain is too variable.

Dogs - permitted on the Big White Challenge, not permitted on the Grouse Grind - I did not have my dogs with me, but if I did... I would have been irritated.

So a family of four doing the Grouse Grind would spend $46, the same family doing the Big White Challenge - $0. The Big White Challenge has better views, better terrain, is longer, has less elevation gain but starts and peaks, much much higher, and is more family (and dog) friendly. And because it is brand new... has far less visitors - great for misanthropic people (like me).

Oh... we prefer Big White anyway.

Sólido Properties owns, rents, lives, hikes, runs, and lives the million dollar lifestyle (without the $1m cost) at Big White - the two season resort in BC. 

Big White is AWESOME! The Big White Challenge!

The what...?

Glad you asked. Imagine it is 2024, July 19th to be exact. It is the 10 year anniversary of Big White becoming a summer resort. What will have happened in those 10 years?

Lets speculate a little...

Major Brunt, back in the old days.

Big White became its' own entity in 2018. Major Jude Brunt has just been elected for her third term in office. She is still working 18 hours a day... She is threatening to have a day off but Minister Ballingall has requested this be postponed... indefinitely. The population has grown exponentially, there are now 2000 permanent residents at Big White, the school from an inauspicious start with 12 kids, enjoys 300, the old school still exists, next to the 10 classroom one.

With the municipal status property values recovered, we are now back to and above the peak of 2008... 'I should have bought in 2014 when prices were at rock bottom... shoulda, coulda, woulda... but didn't(a). Yeah... me neither.

The resort is now all season, the community, business and social is vibrant, we are the darling of the province... as Minister Ballingall likes to espouse in his daily tweets to the press. Growth seems unstoppable, the new man made lake

Minister B, Hydrating pre the
Big White Challenge run.

situated on the old Happy Valley parking lot attracts thousands escaping the summer heat of the valley. Ballingall is often seen at Big White's own annual International Food and Culture festival, usually at the Australia booth, drinking an expensive red (are there other types...?) 

The numerous festivals attracts the very best... the floating stage on Rhonda lake was a brilliant idea, the cliff and its natural amphitheatre shape is the perfect venue for small and large performers.

The catalyst and the beginning of all this - the original hiking trail - renamed 'The Hike of a Thousand Inukshuks.' With its own annual 'rebuild the inukshuk festival' attracting over 4000 inukshuk volunteers every Canada day weekend.

We can do it too!

The hike is also the home of the Big White Challenge. Back in 2014 Christof Lummy Pie ran the new trail, two days before the official trail opening. The idea hit his oxygen starved brain whilst on what turned out to be the inaugural run. 'What if this trail became a running challenge, not a mass race but a challenge for everyone?' The idea fermented... and now after thinking about it for at least seven minutes we have a Facebook Page...

Exciting? Yes? Then lets have some fireworks!

Actually, it was not all me... all of the speculation...? Yes, the catalyst for the start... not really, credit has to go to Big White's President Mr. Plimmer, his team and the Chamber of Commerce Members volunteering their valuable time, knowledge and energy. Kudos to you all!

Of course... It is just speculation, but what if, what if...? We are now on a path forward... an AWESOME... a Big White AWESOME... path. 

Big White is AWESOME! And... Big White are AWESOME!

I know it is not a summer picture...
but it is pretty cool tho.

Summer is here! 
Officially, come Saturday 19th July, 2014 Big White Ski Resort, will become something more - a two season resort. This is huge! I have been waiting for this since I arrived 14 years ago.

But we criticize Big White...? Longer season please? More spend please? Summer activities please... blah blah blah...

Closing with lots of snow?
Yes they do, but for good reason, come April the only skiers are the seasons pass holders - they are not buying lift tickets, ski lessons, or even coming to the mountain much - it is golf/boating/biking/winery season in Kelowna, and the rest of BC. 

You want to ski/snowboard? Get some skins on your skis, or strap on some snow shoes and hike up - enjoy a pristine mountain with fresh powder everywhere. Don't give me any excuses, we have discussed excuses before haven't we...?

Yes they close with snow but lets think about things. Your seasons pass is one of the least expensive for a major resort. The abundant staff running your lifts, teaching you to ski, patrolling the mountain, keeping the resort clean... not to mention the state of the art equipment making your perfectly groomed corduroy runs... power turning the lift, insurance... lift maintenance... surprisingly this is expensive, who would have known... 

But what about investing 'they never spend any money...' rubbish, capital expenditure In the last 14 years at Big White has included-

And Ice tower... don't forget the ice tower!

• Built the Snow Ghost six pack chair lift.
• Built the Gondola
• Built Telus Park and the Telus chair lift.
• Built the Cliff Chair.
• Built the two acre outdoor skating rink - one of the largest in North America.
• Built the Tube Park - again biggest in North America
• Built Happy Valley Day Lodge
• Built the Beginner area, with its' two magic carpets.
• Built a second reservoir at the bottom of Powder Chair.
• Added new runs and has continued to summer groom the runs every year.
• Built Happy Valley car park.
• And Big White enjoys a great school in Happy Valley.
• In addition, there is more retail space and more restaurants.
• Provided a seasonal, free bus service. Incidentally this was supposed to be 50% funded by some Regional District program. Big White was left with the whole $150k bill!

Hiking Trails!

And from Saturday, Hiking Trails at Big White - the start of Summer

Summer is here!!!

Seasons at Big White.

And the spend? This is Big White's capital... What do I mean by this? Sun Peaks, Whistler, Jumbo resorts are Municipal Resorts - they can apply for provincial capital improvement grants - Sun Peaks is (according to their Mayor, Al Raine) generating $600k - $700k per annum in additional funding, through various programs, specific to Municipal Resorts. Big White company cannot apply for these programs, Big White community cannot apply for these grants. Big White is (currently) part of the Regional District Kootney Boundary (RDKB), RDKB could apply for these grants... but they have their own thing going on... 

Wait, what... how much...? Zero...?!!

As a side note RDKB's budget for capital and cultural improvements is roughly $7m per year, and remains fairly constant for the next five years. RDKB's total budget is $35m+/- so 20%+/- of RDKB's budget is for capital and cultural development.

RDKB's planned for Big White? Let's see, Big White represents 23% of the RDKB's tax revenue, therefore could we reasonably expect around 23% of the $7m, or $1.61m per annum... all things being equal? Yes, I think so. 

RDKB will spend zero at Big White - in the next five years - $35m in the region, nothing allocated to Big White.

Big White have been upgrading the resort themselves.

And the rest? Awards for best groomed runs, awards for best family resort, awards for friendliest staff, awards for best ski school etc etc? Including a top 100 spot for the best ski runs in the world! The world people! Want to see more?

Finite Spend.

We all have finite resources, Big White is the same, they have a choice - brilliant award winning service and product for the regular season, or lower quality, none award winning, longer season? Err... I will have the quality please Mr. Pickles...

And before you ask, 

no, I don't work for Big White, I have never worked for Big White (despite begging every week... well... until the restraining order was issued... but that expires soon!) and no, they don't pay me to blog - the blog pays its own way - it earned $12 last year!

Sólido Properties lives, works, exercises, drinks beer, skins and snowshoes up the mountain pre and post ski season... and writes a crappy blog. Oh, and we manage and own seasonal rental properties - if you need expert management... we probably are not the ones for you, if you are happy with moderately competent (well we aspire to be soon... in the next couple years anyway...) we are your guys!

Big white is AWESOME! More stuff on health & fitness...

So close... no matter how far... 'I would do anything to lose weight, anything! Except of course diet and exercise.'

Diet and Exercise...!??
Can I have some chips instead?

In 2010 CNBC reported the diet industry was a $55b a year industry. In 2008 68% of Americans were considered obese - definition is a greater than a 25% BMI, or percentage of total fat. The current estimates of exercise and weight loss industry is a $20b a year in the US alone. These astonishing statistics (that I just made up, well I pulled them off the internet... so same thing) are... well... astonishing!

Now, as you guessed, I am all for health and fitness, if I don't look after my body... where will I live? But, there are no shortcuts, no quick fixes, no nothing, gluten, wheat, sugar, etc, etc... No shortcuts, period. (Do you like that, I did period followed by a period...)

Weight control/management consists of a very simple formula - calories consumed has to equal calories expended... calories do not multiply when you eat them, thinking 'but I don't eat much... and I still put on weight - it has to be dairy, or it has to be gluten or this or that... or whatever...' No. I'm sorry, if you consume 2500 calories and burn 2000 a day... on average you will increase your body weight by one pound per week.

To paraphrase Dickens-
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery.

Calorie intake 2200, calorie expenditure 2250 - result... you can work out the rest. Those 50 calories, or a tenth of a bagel (without any cream cheese, butter...). A tenth of a bagel...? Or, less than one bite... hmmm yummy - fill me up Scotty.

Of course other stuff matters - type of calorie makes a difference, exercise makes a difference, when you eat makes a difference...

Type of Calorie.
There is good, there is neutral and then there is Sugar (once described as the heroin of the world) when I say sugar I mean all simple carbs - it could be white bread, plain sugar, carbs in apple juice, wheat products - cereals (cornflakes) corn syrup. Anything similar. Your body loves sugar, do you know why? Sugar converts to usable energy instantly. Brilliant...! Or it would be if we expended the energy - imagine running a marathon, and you eat a chocolate bar - the sugar converts to energy and gets burned up with this high energy activity.

But, what if you are sat watching TV? The sugar instantly enters your bloodstream and has nothing to do. Your body being this amazing product of evolution has a solution - it can and will store the energy for times of famine - in the form of fat. Well not that simple it (the pancreas) has to produce some extra insulin to do the conversion.

So Rule No. 1 - stay away from too much sugar. Actually the World Health Organization is planning a recommendation of a reduction in sugar consumption from 10% of your daily calories to just 5%. Current averages in North America are 25%... 

Fats.
A gram of fat contains 9 calories. A pound of butter is 3500 and is similar for all types of fat - Olive oil, vegetable oil, lard, bacon fat... etc.

I am not going into saturated v none saturated but lets just use a broad brush stroke - fats from meat are believed to be less healthy than most others.

But it is not all bad, fat takes time to be converted to usable energy - you will stay feeling satiated longer.

Rule No. 2 - include fats. But not too many, and stick with the healthy stuff if possible - olive oil etc.

Proteins.
Hmmm... my favourite. A gram of pure protein contains 4 calories. And proteins are a complex product - animal proteins are the muscle. And, your body's muscles cannot increase their mass without protein. 

Okay, a little tangent here. When you exercise hard your body breaks down muscle fibres. The soreness you feel the day after exercise are these damaged muscle fibres (or lactic acid, whatever). And your body is repairing them... cool. Of course your body needs protein to repair and it has two options - consumed protein, or employ existing protein - your other muscles. Your body does not and cannot fabricate muscle from fats or carbs! Read it again - fat does not turn to muscle and vice versa. 

Rule No. 3 - eat protein. We live in a world of abundance - protein is an easy option.

Burning the energy.
Or exercise. Do not tell me you don't have time to exercise. You have time to watch tv, surf the internet, check personal emails, take selfies, go to the bar, chat with friends... etc. read my crappy blogs... rubbish, get outside and go for a walk.

Weight, speed, elevation, inclination are all factors to the energy consumed but just assume 200-300 calories per hour. Squash (my favourite) 1200 calories per hour (based on my personal stats). Just for fun the number of calories in a White Spot double double meal, with a coke - 1360 (my favourite) number of hours I have to walk to burn those calories... six hours. Six! It is almost a full days recommendation of calorie consumption!

What burns energy?
Muscle - yes, fat no. More muscle, more calories burned. 

Fad diets.
Rubbish, crash diets - yes you will lose weight, you will lose fat, fluid and muscle. When you come off your diet you will have a slower metabolic rate, (less muscle you see) it will be easier to put on fat. And your body will be in this famine state (OMG, we are going to starve, limited food... okay guys lets slow the energy burn down, and speed up the fat storage... not ideal for the dieter).

But a quick fix
sounds better... 

Quick Fix?
There is none, none, none. Remember at the beginning - $55b industry? A quick fix would wipe out this industry overnight. If there was a quick fix do you really think they would share the info? No! 

The solution is diet and exercise.
Burn more calories, eat more of the right foods, less of the wrong foods.


But I feel hungry!

So, so hungry... brains... yes, high in protein!
Ask any Zombie.

Then you are eating the wrong stuff. Eat a 500 calorie bagel with cream cheese and a coffee for breakfast - what 800 calories? Your body converts this to sugar instantly - it leaves your stomach, goes to the blood stream, is unemployed and gets stored for later (on your hips, or ass, or stomach - actually everywhere). The insulin is working hard to convert all that crazy sugar - two hours later, it is gone, converted to fat. Your blood sugar level has now crashed, your stomach is empty and you are craving a donut. Thank god Frank from accounting brought a dozen in from Tim's 'I'll just have one... okay two...'

Three eggs, with cheese.
350 calories (depending on the amount of cheese of course...). The proteins and fats will take a while to be converted to usable energy. Your blood sugar will not spike, and it will not crash, four hours later you are not desperate for food. Your blood sugar is balanced and you will find it easier to make a healthier choice. 

And... the White Spot meal - 1360 calories? Equivalent to 20 eggs... I can eat the burger meal, it is yum, but could I eat 20 eggs? Probably not...

But what has this to do with Big White? Not much, but if you are lucky enough to live here, you will enjoy a slight (altitude related) metabolic rate advantage. Maybe it is the extra work your body does to extract the oxygen from a lower level of oxygenated air. I don't know... but that sounds good eh?

Just for me!

You want to get healthy?
1. Exercise 15 minutes every day. Every!
2. Start your day with a high protein breakfast.
3. Don't try and starve yourself but make healthier choices - fish over steak.
4. Cut down on carbs, increase protein.

Sólido Properties
lives, works, owns, rents and manages property and exercises at Big White. And yes, sometimes I make poor food choices too... beer...