Music in the Landing - July 17, 2010

Aaahhhh, Music in the Landing - one of the true joys of Gibsons BC in the summer. The town and a special donor sponsor free music concerts featuring local musicians just about every weekend in July and August.



Saturday nights are my favourite...a chance to sit back and relax to great music and great views after busy Fridays and Saturdays with guests and participating at the Fiddlehead Farmers Market.



This week was Lynne Dickson and friends. Normally, Lynne & Patrice (pictured here) partner with Wendy to be Definitely Divas...sweet jazz and standards. Tonight the joined with a couple of great guys for some fun music including Gord0n Lightfoot.




Picture yourself taking in a lovely summer evening with this as your view. Yes, all these picks were taken from my comfy lawn chair....all in sight while children play in the grass.



You can also find Music in the Landing on Friday evenings at 7pm in the Gibsons Gazebo, Saturday afternoons in Pioneer Park by the Visitor Information Centre, and Sunday afternoons at the Holland Park Market. Great music...good times...and a chance to meet up with old friends.

Summer at its best!

Thanks so much to Linda & Graham who organize and host Music in the Landing every single week! What would we do without you?

Gibsons Sailing School - July 13, 2010

Today was one of those gorgeous summer days...perfect temperatures, sunshine, and absolutely necessary to get out of the house and enjoy.

I had the opportunity to go sailing today with Greig & Gillie from Gibsons Sailing School. Both are certified sailing instructors with the Canadian Yachting Association and both are comfortable and easy to talk to.

After a few minutes of introduction and safety instruction, we were off into Gibsons Harbour. I was aboard the "Sailing Still", a Catalina 36'. These photos are of the "Django", a 28' Grampian.



After a bit of instruction, I was allowed to take the helm. I must say, this was a pretty cool experience. Greig did all the hard work working the ropes and managing the sails. I learned to tack and come about, and now I know the difference between the main sail and the jib.

Greig specializes in 4, 5, & 6 day courses designed to teach you to sail, read charts, and receive various levels of CYA certifications. You eat & sleep on the boat...plenty of room in the cabin. Sail across the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and the Gulf Islands.

Gillie specializes in a 3 hour "Introduction to Sailing course. This is designed to help educate a person in the basics of sailing, gain some basic terminology, and have a wonderful experience on the water. She loves to take women out for "Ladies Day-Sailing", a chance for women to learn and enjoy a very different and empowering experience.

For more information on Gibsons Sailing School, visit http://www.gibsonssailing.org/.


Gibsons Landing with part of Mount Elphinstone in the background.

All of this amazing scenery...only 5km from Arcturus Retreat B&B. What an amazing place to live and to visit.

"Django"

BC Bike Race - July 1, 2010

Happy Canada Day!

In true Canadian spirit, we went out and supported the 500 riders competing in the BC Bike Race. This is a 7 day mountain bike trek from Vancouver to Vancouver Island across to the Sunshine Coast and over to Squamish & Whistler.

This is the 4th year for the race. Best part for me is that it literally races down our street! There is a trailhead at the end of our street that I have always enjoyed hiking. This trail connects into Sprockids Mountain Bike Park and over the mountain to the reputable Roberts Creek trails.

Thus, the last segment of the day's ride is the decent down our trail and onto our street for a mad dash to the ferry and the finish line.

Riders cover a very wide spectrum. We've had Olympians and world champions. We have riders from many countries. We have men & women of all ages. There is a 60+ riding this year and there is a 15 yr old. It is hard to tell in this photo, but the guy in the center is a unicyclist! Can you imagine riding mountain bike trails...40km/day...on a unicycle?

They were muddy and wet today after a bit of rain last night...but the riders loved it. "Best trails I've ever ridden," said one of the racers we talked to. The heart of the group took 5 hours to ride today's course....and this was his quote.

I have a lot of respect for the race organizers. They have traffic control, trail markings, a bike shower, food at the finish line, first aid stations along the route, camping tent city every night, 24 hour repair crews to keep the bikes in top shape, and on-site massage teams to keep the riders in shape.

Very cool. Can't wait to see you again next year! For more information on great Sunshine Coast mountain biking, visit www.sunshinecoastcanada.com/visit/activities/biking.php or www.bcbikerace.com.