Big Bear Lake has been selected as the race’s Stage 6 Finish on Friday, May 18, 2012. The City of Palmdale will serve as the Host City and start location for Stage 6, which ultimately finishes with a demanding climb to Big Bear. This is the second time in three years Big Bear Lake has been selected as a Host City, which reaffirms the mountain resort as a world-class road cycling destination.
Two years ago I served as Community Outreach Director for Big Bear’s Local Organizing Committee. Phil Hamilton and I did numerous presentations to local community groups and brought up professional cyclists to visit our local schools. We even had a student art contest with the wining pieces published in a calendar. I admit it was quite something to witness the peloton racing live up Summit Blvd with the whole world watching.
Footage from the Tour’s 2010 visit to Big Bear:
Cover of the 2010 Tour of California Big Bear Lake Student Art Contest Calendar (all participants received a limited edition silicon bracelet we made just for the students – the winner got a bike):
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Millions of fans around the world will watch Stage 6 – The “Big Bear Climb” – of the Amgen Tour of California, which begins in Pasadena and finishes 130 grueling miles later in Big Bear Lake on Friday, May 21, 2010.
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My latest Gobo bike map project is now widely available. Thanks to the support of the City of Big Bear Lake, the Big Bear Valley Trails Coalition, and several local businesses, Big Bear Lake Bike Maps are now available to help you find great road riding in Big Bear Lake. You can find the bike maps in many places around the Big Bear Valley, including the Visitor Center in the Village, the Discovery Center, bike shops, and many card racks located in local businesses. An online version is also available for download here.
The user-friendly maps label bike routes by degree of difficulty, and include points of interest you will find along your journey! The maps also correspond with milepoint markers along each route, making it easy to always know where you are. Stay tuned for a Valley-wide version that will include all trails and all activities…
The Lighthouse Project has partnered with the Big Bear Valley Trails Coalition for the Bike Ride for Ryan on Saturday, May 24. Join us for a “Day of Biking†with the Lighthouse Project’s “Move A Million Miles for Ryan Hall†Campaign, a community spirit initiative that encourages an active lifestyle by supporting Big Bear running hero Ryan Hall’s quest for 2008 Olympic Marathon gold this summer in Beijing, China. Our goal on this day is to simply get as many people as possible to ride their bikes as many miles as they can in support of Ryan.
Check-in is from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, with all rides completed by 3:00pm. Optional Guided Rides begin at 10:30am, as does the City of Big Bear Lake’s official ribbon cutting for its new bike routes. The rides stage and begin at the Snow Summit overflow parking lot on Brownie Lane. There is no cost or registration fee for this free event. We want your miles, not your money. Riders who have checked-in prior to their ride and logged their mileage when finished riding will receive a free special Ryan Hall ASICS tee shirt and complimentary Gatoraide. Bike riders of all types and skill levels are encouraged to attend, with several ride options available.
I’m excited to have been asked to serve on the Big Bear Valley Trails Coalition and look forward to helping develop and promote responsible use of our Valley’s incredible trails. The Coalition benefits from a variety of stakeholder members, including the City of Big Bear Lake, the County of San Bernardino, the US Forest Service, Caltrans, and SANBAG. Current successes include 26 new “Share the Road” signs around the Valley, an updated bike route system within the City of Big Bear Lake, and a cross-city bike route in the East end of the Valley. To the right is a little logo I designed for the Coalition.
As the updated 2008 SoCal Mountain Bike Racing Calendar shows, there are many competitive events for those of us who like the fat tire. Note that in 2008 there are several events in our local San Bernardino Mountains. I also included some of our other favorite endurance cycling events.
Wednesday afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting with Phil Hamilton about efforts to make the Big Bear Valley more bike-friendly. He’s heading up the Big Bear Valley Trails Coalition, a group of citizens and organizations who’s goal is to make “Big Bear a community that encourages and welcomes all forms of non-motorized uses for both recreation and transportation.†Phil has assembled an impressive steering committee that includes local and County representatives, as well as the Forest Service and Caltrans. And it appears they are off to a great start, and with gas headed towards a billion dollars a gallon, the timing couldn’t be better.
One project calls for a Type 1 (separate from the road) multi-use pathway around Baldwin Lake. Another project calls for dozens of “Share the Road†bicycle road signs throughout the Valley. And another seeks to complete a Type 1 path between Division and Stanfield Cutoff, picking up from the boardwalk on Baker Pond.
As good as the on and off-road cycling opportunities are in the Big Bear, anyone who has spent any time on a bike in the Valley knows there are some areas that would definitely benefit from more cycling-friendly attention. Making the Valley more cycling-centric is also consistent with responsible stewardship of our wonderful outdoor setting.
So hats off to Phil and the other Committe members. I plan to do my part to support the effort. Oh, and remember the 4 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Ride!
