The epic Search and Rescue fundraiser bike ride through a granite maze of sometimes hair-raising Valleycliffe trails returns in August for its ninth instalment - fruit booth and all.
"I've designed what I would like to think is the best mountain bike rides of anyone's life," said Beyond the Valleycliffe of the Dolls (BVOD) creator Bryan Raiser.
"I really love this town, its people and its trails and I want to share it with the best bike ride ever."
Raiser said he and his wife Danielle created the fun group ride event in 2001 to share the web of Valleycliffe trails with cyclists in a fun, non-competitive way.
"Basically what I wanted to do is have a mountain bike ride tour of Valleycliffe trails. They're very difficult to find, there's a lot of climbing trails, trials trails, mountain bike trials, hiking [trails] - it's a maze in there."
The five-peak route will include biking on Meet Yer Maker, Cougar Ridge, Labour of Love, Five Point Hill, Banzai Pipeline Trail, and Joint Effort.
Riders should note that most of the Beyond the Valleycliffe of the Dolls trails are black diamond in difficulty, a few are marked as double black diamond.
"It's not as scary as the early days of marketing may have led some people to believe," Raiser said.
He said anyone who is comfortable mountain biking on 麻豆社国产trails could ride the BVOD but urged everyone to "know their limit and ride within it.
He said most of the terrain is rideable, but warns parts of it are hike-a-bike.
"It's a group ride, so you're not going to be the only person walking something."
Raiser invites cyclists to nosh on fruit, chocolate Gatorade and "plenty of smiles" at the fruit booth at the halfway point.
An all ages post-ride party will be held in the Garibaldi Room of the Howe Sound Brew Pub where mountains of prizes will be given away. In previous years, Raiser said cyclists received anything from bike gear and gift certificates to clothes and trail maintenance tools like chainsaws.
"The sponsors of this event are incredible."
Proceeds from Beyond the Valleycliffe of the Dolls are donated to 麻豆社国产Search and Rescue.
"We raise money and everyone leaves happy, what more can you ask for?"
All riders are required to be registered with the 麻豆社国产Off-Road Cycling Association (SORCA). BVOD costs $25 for registered SORCA members and anyone interested in becoming a SORCA member can do so for $55. One-day only insurance can be purchased for $20.
Beyond the Valleycliffe of the Dolls is scheduled to take place on Saturday Aug. 7, registration is on the day of the event only. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. at Raven's Plateau, located at the top of Westway Avenue.
Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor, volunteering or donating prizes can contact Raiser at [email protected].
