This Saturday’s 19th Annual Tour de Cariboo bike ride from Williams Lake to Gavin Lake is shaping up to be an event not worth missing, said lakecity Big Brothers Big Sisters executive director Lorraine Levitt.
“It’s supposed to be an absolutely gorgeous day,” Levitt said. “We’re really looking forward to it.”
The ride, a 75-kilometre excursion from Williams Lake’s Cariboo Memorial Complex to Gavin Lake, features spectacular scenery, varied terrain and fun. The ride is used to help the local BBBS fund its programs.
Upon arriving at Gavin Lake riders will be treated to an outdoor sauna, live entertainment and a dinner banquet, catered by volunteer Adele Mclearn.
“The ride is fully supported, which means there are rest stops all along the route for hydration and snacks, as well as first aid, bike mechanics, support vehicles to carry tired riders, lunch out at Big Lake and then a nice dinner banquet out at Gavin Lake,” Levitt said.
Many riders’ friends and families also choose, normally, to meet at Gavin Lake to greet and cheer on the riders as they cross the finish line and stay for dinner.
For those with aches and pains from the ride, massage therapist Cameron Self will be on hand.
This year’s live entertainment includes Jay and Chelsea Goddard, Sam Tudor, Steve Hunter and Oren Barter.
Levitt said the event is a lot of fun and a great opportunity to socialize once at Gavin Lake.
“Lots of people like to stay overnight and that’s all free accommodations,” Levitt said. “We’ll also be having breakfast at 8 a.m. the next morning.”
Levitt said registration for this year’s ride is down slightly, but hopes more people will sign up closer to the race date this Saturday.
“We’d like to encourage people to put a relay team in, so people who haven’t trained quite as much can register as many people as they want, ride as far or near as they want and just make kind of a fun day out of it,” she said.
“There’s lots of great prizes, too. We have prizes for pledge earning but also lots of great draw prizes for volunteers and riders.”
Riders participating in the Tour de Cariboo are asked to collect pledges, all of which stays locally in Williams Lake to help Big Brothers Big Sisters fund its programs.
“One hundred per cent of the funds stay in Williams Lake to support BBBS children’s programming,” Levitt said.
“The Tour de Cariboo is our largest fundraiser, and we’ve been doing it for a long time.
“We’ve got some fabulous volunteers that help us year after year and it always runs very smoothly.”
Riders are asked to meet at the Cariboo Memorial Complex at 8 a.m. for registration.
The ride is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
For more information or to register visit www.bbswlake.com/tour.htm or call BBBS at 250-398-8391 or drop by their downtown office located at #200-369 Oliver St.