As many of you know, we have been organizing the annual Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Trail Challenge, combining our love of BC trails, biking in some of the incredible nature we have right at our doorstep (across the bay), an opportunity to meet and catch up with our fellow mountain biking community and just a weekend to be outdoors, camping and of course, the delicious BBQ and live music enjoyed with a beverage of choice in hand.
We can’t quite believe that it has been nineteen years since our first Sunshine Coast Trail weekend. We have loved each and every year, got to meet new people – some briefly, some have returned again and again.
It can be hard to end something that you love and enjoy hosting so much, but also it seems fitting to acknowledge the almost two wonderful decades we have had with this event – and to honour it by going out with a bang and making it the best year yet.
The inspiration for this event, way back when, was to highlight and encourage bikers to ride the amazing trails on the Sunshine Coast and to raise awareness to the value of these trails. With this in mind we wanted a weekend that would have a point to point ride and add some festivities, fun and a chance to actually catch up and get to know our fellow riders.
This amazing trail network that we have for our biking pleasure is thanks to the hard-working trail builders and maintenance volunteers, events such as these and all of the riders who come out to participate and support (our Sunshine Coast Trail Challenge has donated over $5,000 dollars to trail building on the Sunshine Coast.) and also increased awareness and use of what we have available to us really helps the biking community, the Sunshine Coast community and benefits the future generation of mountain bikers (we have had riders from the age of 9 at our Sunshine Coast event – and some young, aspiring riders joining us this year!)
As well as our riders we have an amazing team of volunteers who come along to ensure that you have to do is enjoy the ride!
The delicious food, the encouraging and well-stocked rest stops on route and all the other behind-the-scenes are a huge part thanks to the busy team of volunteers who know that they are going to be around a fun and passionate group of people and we love that!
We have a particularly environmentally conscious team this year and are working on doing our very best to make this year our most eco-conscious yet. As cyclists, we already know that we reduce our carbon footprint the more we choose biking over other forms of transport.
We will be working towards efficient and proper recycling and we ask all of our attendees to bring a plate, cup, cutlery and anything else that you will need for eating at mealtimes.
This is what is at the heart of events like these, and ultimately at the heart of why we do what we do – firstly; we love to ride. We love any opportunity to get out on the road/trails with like-minded folk.
With that we value and respect nature, our environment and ensuring that we are giving back to it as much as we are getting from it.
The community; as a cycling tour company which has been providing trips and tours all over Canada and the world for over 35 years, we know the importance of community. Whether it be the people you bike with or the advice and tips you get from friends or strangers all over the world. We love to meet new people, hear stories of cycling adventures and maybe even make some new friends to hit the trail/road with.
This is why we do what we do, this is why we have run the Sunshine Coast Trail Challenge for 19 years and we could not be more grateful to all of you who have supported, encouraged and shared your wonderful feedback (and company) with us.
We are very proud and happy to be able to offer something special like this weekend with you all and although we are sad to let it come to an end, we know that there are new and exciting things to come.
We really hope you can come and be part of our final installment of The Sunshine Coast Challenge, if not we want to say a big THANK YOU from all the Great Explorations team.
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