Kelowna Killer Beez

Killer Beez Sunday group rides will commence this Sunday at 10 AM from the plaza in front of the Landmark 6 building (next to the Bean Scene) on Dickson Road.   With the exception of face masks (wear them if you want), Covid 19 safety protocols must be adhered to by all participants.  This means no pace lines and practising recommended social distancing pre, post and during rides.  Riders will break up into groups of 10 maximum based on desired distance and average speed. 

Please be aware that all participants assume personal responsibility for any  incidents, accidents or injuries that may result during the ride.

Hope to see you on Sunday.

We all know that cycling is one the funnest things you can do with your clothes on.  This fact is now confirmed by Trek’s latest ad which you can view here. 

So let’s get at it.  Time to rinse out the chamois and don the latex for another season.

The first Killer Beez Wednesday evening ride from Kelowna Cycle, will start at 4 PM this Wednesday, April 7th. 

Dates and times for other Killer Beez group rides will be announced later this week on this blog.

Start your Engines.

Thanks to Tom Ferguson, who has volunteered to lead us on a hike around Black Mountain on Friday, April 2nd.   The weather forecast looks decent for Friday – cloudy with a high of 12, but no rain is predicted.  We will gather at the intersection of Mackenzie and Swainson Roads (familiar to cyclists as the Mailboxes at the top of Mackenzie hill) at 9:50 AM to be guided to the trailhead. 

Come out to enjoy a great hike.

Please note the below times and dates for activities for this week. I will not text everyone with updates; instead I will edit the information below if changes are made!

Wednesday

9am Ski from Kallis parking lot – This has been the best time to start to have good conditions. The temperature rises quickly in the mornings now!

Friday

9am Hike at Lebanon Creek

Estimate: 9km. 2.5 hours. 500m gain. Meet at the trailhead.

Rain or shine! Some sections are steep so bring good shoes!

Saturday
9am Ski from Kallis parking lot at Nordic

Sunday 
9am Ski from Kallis parking lot at Nordic

Please check back for updates!

Here’s something totally different from what normally appears in this blog. Never mind, you have to read it anyway.

Some of you may have heard that our little cousins, wild bees (not a rival gang), are facing adversity. Wild bee populations are being threatened by the following factors:

• Loss of natural habitat due to urbanization and other human development.
• Diseases due to importation of bees from other countries.
• Use of pesticides harmful to bees.

Why are wild bees important? About eighty percent of the plants we eat depend on bees for pollination. Without bees, many fruits and vegetables would no longer be available. Wild bees are also very important to biodiversity in nature. We must not allow them become extinct. Fortunately, there are a number of ways we can help our little cousins.

We can grow plants native that attract wild bees, monarch butterflies, and other pollinators. For plant recommendations click here. We can also monitor our insecticide use closely (or not use them at all) — even if it’s labeled “organic” — and follow all label instructions before use. For bee-safe insecticide recommendations click here. If we have a garden, we can let it go … just a little bit! Allowing our veggie and herb plants to flower and some dandelions to bloom, will offer forage opportunities for bees. Lastly, we can educate our children, relatives, friends and politicians about the importance of bees and what we can all do to help them thrive.

Let’s make an effort to help our wild bee cousins. It’s for our benefit as well.

*** Edited March 17 at 2pm – after a fabulous ski starting at 9am ***

Please note the below times and dates for activities for this week. I will not text everyone with updates; instead I will edit the information below if changes are made!

Wednesday

9am Ski from Kallis parking lot – yes 9am! We are going to see how the extra half hour affects snow quality, plus a few of us have a busy second half of the day!

Friday

9:30am Hike of the Dilworth Tour, about 8km, 400m elevation gain

Meet in Lilliooet Park, 2180 Summit Drive

Rain or shine! I tested it today and there was no mud but wear good hiking shoes nevertheless as some areas are steep. 

Saturday
9am Ski from the main lodge at Nordic (road has been graded)

Sunday 
9am Ski from Kallis parking lot at Nordic

Please check back for updates!

If you have time to join us tomorrow (Friday, March 12), please meet us at 9:30am at Gerstmar Park!

We will walk into Scenic Canyon, which starts flat and then has a few “bumps” along the way. The trail runs along Mission Creek and is … well … “scenic” 🙂

Duration 1.5-2 hours!

 

Besides being an alternate method to get to a coffee shop, there may be 10 other benefits to cycling.  Who knew?

By the way, there are only about 60 sleeps until the start of cycling season for you hardy ones out there, 90 sleeps for the softies – if you’re counting that is. 

In the meantime there is snow to play in.  Contact Biggi or Mel for snow-play dates and times.