Summer is finally here and this mama is loving it! I’m eager to get out and enjoy the sunshine. This time last year I spent the summer being very pregnant and didn’t get to enjoy many of my favourite outdoor activities, so I vow to make up for it this summer!

One of the things I miss about my life before having Addie is the ability to hop on a bike and pedal with a group of friends. Luckily for all of us active mommas, Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA) added Baby Bumps to their already highly popular Monday Night Rides, making riding with baby, moms and moms-to-be a fun and social outing.

The one-hour ride starts at 6pm at the Whistler Bike Co. and is guided by soon-to-be mom, Ainslie Conway. Ainslie caters the ride to the groups’ comfort level and ease of maneuvering a bike trailer (fortunately for me we didn’t encounter uphill). Our intimate group took a scenic ride on double-track trails around Lost Lake, Nicklaus North and the Valley Trail, making it manageable to haul my extra weight and allowing me to share my baby experiences with moms-to-be.  One of the advantages of riding with moms is the common understanding that nothing really goes as planned. Baby dictates the flow of events, whether she needs to be fed, burped or changed it’s time for a break. In my case my bambino felt the need to hydrate during the first 10 min of our ride, mammas were very patient while Addie took her time savouring milk to the very last drop.  Once we hopped back on our bikes she enjoyed the surroundings from the comfort of her royal coach, the Chariot. She took a nap and played with her toys while I cherished the ride, company and chat.  I am a fan of the Chariot for biking. The trailer is stable and my bambino is tightly and safely secured. The bright colour makes us visible and the ability to carry other cargo makes it convenient for baby necessities such as; bottle, wipes and diapers, or groceries!

In order to participate, all you need is a decent bike, bike trailer and a WORCA membership ($50/year) the $2 ride fee cover the guide and beer or pop after the ride with other Monday Night Riders at a participating restaurant.

I find it invigorating to ride a bike with my little one.  It is freeing to be able to ride a bike together instead of having to lug around the stroller. Having other moms riding with you side by side makes it that much more enjoyable.
In the words of our favourite local TV personality, Nicole Fitzgerald – mountain mamas are a certain breed of mothers. Skiing and mountain biking is a huge part of our life, as much as diapers and bottles.

For more information, check out WORCA’s website at worca.com.

If you are looking for a last minute idea for Father’s Day that will show Dad you think he is the most awesome guy around check out this deal from Canadian Wilderness Adventures! You can get $20 off on bookings before June 20…and make sure you tell them Whistler Is Awesome sent you!

Businesses in Whistler are invited to attend an information session on Tuesday, June 11, on the upcoming Subaru IRONMAN Canada event.

Hosted by the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), Tourism Whistler, the Whistler Chamber of Commerce and Subaru IRONMAN Canada, the meeting will provide your business with the details you need to know to prepare for and maximize the business opportunities associated with this event.

The meeting is scheduled at two times to fit your schedule, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. AND 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the Rainbow Theatre in the Whistler Conference Centre.

Everyone is welcome to attend, but the meeting will be of special interest to Whistler retail and hospitality businesses. Please pass this information along to your network. Read more

We all came for a winter but this new video, produced by Switchback Entertainment for Tourism Whistler, beautifully illustrates why we all stayed. Watch “Summer In Whistler” now.

Max Jenke is a boss and if you’ve ever seen him snowboard you’ve known that for years. But when it comes to Endeavor Snowboards and AirHole Facemasks, he is the boss.

Former and longtime pro-snowboarder who has appeared on the cover of all the major shred magazines and member of the infamous Wildcats crew, put 34-year-old Jenke on a snowboard and he’s a force to be reckoned with. But put him behind the reigns of a few companies and he’ll blow-up more than just the snowboard world.

Enter the BDC Young Entrepreneurs Award, a $100,000 award handed out to young entrepreneurs who “have reached a turning point in their business and proposed a solution to take it to the next level.” Yes, you read that right, a hundred g’s up for grabs and Jenke is poised for the win.

All he needs is your vote. Everyday!

At the time of publishing, Jenke is sitting in second place and needs more votes from all of us to secure the win! Go and VOTE  for snowboarding, do it for an awesome company, and do it for one of Canada’s OG shreds. #VoteJenke, and tell your friends.

VOTE HERE and check out his interview below!

Photo by New York Times photographer and World Press Photographer of the Year Samuel Aranda

On Wednesday, June 5, at 8pm, Whistler Arts Council presents a powerful photo show at Millennium Place with international New York Times photographer and World Press Photographer of the Year Samuel Aranda. He will be joined by his partner, Whistlerite and National Geographic Cultural Manager Lindsay Mackenzie. Together they will show provoking and stunning images of refugee displacements, impoverished living, and armed conflicts in Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Columbia, and Spain.

This is a rare opportunity to view acclaimed pictures and discuss the effects of each country’s challenges with first-hand witnesses. Go and experience parts of the world most people never see.

Tickets are $16.50 or $14.50 for WAC members. Purchase at the door or online at artswhistler.com.

On Sunday, June 9 join in the Down to Earth: Dinner and Dialogue, featuring a screening of the documentary Edible City: Grow the Revolution at 4 pm at the Whistler Museum. This inspiring film will be followed by a spectacular four-course, locally sourced and seasonally inspired meal at Alta Bistro at 6 pm. Only $35 for the combined event, but act fast as there are only 30 tickets available. Get your’s now exclusively online at: http://downtoearthdinnerdialogue-efbevent.eventbrite.ca/)

If you just want to check out the film, it is $5 but once again, act now since there are only 20 tickets available at the Whistler Museum.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler and the Public Art Committee invite artists to submit proposals for a project to be developed along a section of Whistler’s Valley Trail. This competition is open to artists, craftspeople and designers, as well as to individuals and teams.

Please join us for the 5th annual Raise the Roof event, a fundraiser for Whistler Adaptive Sports Program and Habitat for Humanity on June 7th from 5-8pm at the Delta Whistler Village Suites (4308 Main Street). Tickets are just $15 and include a variety of appies and are available in advance at the Delta Whistler Village Suites or at the door. Complimentary parking is available during the event (see our front desk for instructions).

Hosted by the Delta Whistler Village Suites and Tantalus Resort Lodge, the event is a fundraiser for both Whistler Adaptive Sports Program and Habitat for Humanity. The event features a silent auction featuring numerous hotel stays, restaurants, activities and local artists. To date $53,016 has been raised for the 2 charities and we are gearing up for our best year yet. Local favourite Chad Oliver is set to provide the entertainment with his mix of rock favourites.

About Whistler Adaptive Sports Program:

The Whistler Adaptive Sports Program is a not-for-profit society that provides year-round, recreational programs for people of all ages with disabilities. They are a centre for learning and sports excellence that has a local, regional, national and international clientele and encourage independence, self-confidence and self-motivation for all of our athletes and participants through outdoor recreation.

The vision is to make alpine recreation accessible to everyone.

For more information visit: www.whistleradaptive.com

About Habitat for Humanity:

Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national, non-profit organization working towards a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. They are able to give a hand up to low-income families in need of safe, decent and affordable shelter. Habitat for Humanity Canada offers families who qualify and are able to repay an interest-free mortgage the hand up they need to break the cycle of poverty.

For more information visit: www.habitat.ca