I’m pretty excited to be apart of the RBC GranFondo Whistler this summer. There’s so much happening around this year’s Sea to Sky bicycle festival, I barely even know where to start!!!
How ‘bout here…
This year I’m volunteering with the medical team. Talk about an awesome job!! My role is to ride the course, provide first aid (hopefully no casualties), and officially drink beer at the finish line. I knew this position was for me when I volunteered for the Granfondo Kelowna earlier this summer. I remember seeing the bike medics pull into the finish line full of smiles and then enjoying a few cold ones. Man was I envious! Not only did they get to ride the course, but as soon as the race was over… refreshments!!! Ahh the life! Thanks to Dr. Sian Spacey for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the team. Whoa Yeah!
The other role I’m involved in this years “Fondo” is the rider package program. My job to assemble and distribute 7000 rider bags with the help a small army of volunteers. Inside the rider bags are all the free sponsorship items like coffee, chocolate, water bottles, socks, batteries and the like. After stuffing them full of loot, we will then distribute them one by one when the riders come through the plaza to collect their dockets & timing chips. It’s actually a 3-day process, a BIG process. Go commercialism!!!
The Sea to Sky Highway
As a Vancouverite born and raised, I’ve often driven up and down the Sea to Sky highway on my way to and from some of BC’s finest destinations. So, to have an opportunity to ride my bike on a lane dedicated to just cyclists, the GranFondo has become a very exciting venture. The extra appeal for me is that I would not typically ride the Sea to Sky. In the past due to the huge amount of fast paced highway traffic, an almost non-existent bike shoulder, and crazy tourist drivers have all been things that have kept me, and my bike from riding the 99. But now with major highway improvements, a proper shoulder installed, and a lane especially dedicated to the GranFondo, this Sept 10th is now awesome way to safely spin the highway, and take in some of the most amazing scenery that British Columbia has to offer.
The Event Company
I gotta tip my hat to Toit Events. I’m constantly amazed at the creative energy, dedicated hard work, tight team cohesiveness, attention to detail, and never ending enthusiasm in order to create, produce, and vet every detail to deliver an event like this. After seeing them in action, and visiting the Toit headquarters, I gotta shout out to Kevin, Neil, Sian, Alison, Johanna, Matt, Liz, Kaileigh, Lindsay, Krista, Stephan, Alex, Bruce, Janice, Chelsea, Baily, Lindsey, and Jen. ... “Hell yeah!!”
The Volunteers
An event like this couldn’t happen with out the help of volunteers…. 805 of them to be exact. (Holey Shit!! that’s a lot of volunteers) To volunteer is a great experience, which I can personally testify is a great time. Why so fun? I got the chance to meet some really cool people, I got fed and watered, and received some really cool Lululemon clothes that has gotten me a lot of recognition since I’ve been wearing them around town. And last, it might sound a bit cheesy, but I got a lot of satisfaction in knowing that I was a cog, albeit a small one, that helped create a fantastic event that everyone seems to know about.
So, if this interests you, Toit still needs a few more volunteers this week. Please go to the volunteer registration www.rbcgranfondowhistler.com/volunteers/volunteer-registration and sign up for the time of your life. You’ll be happy you did.
See you on Race Day,
CH
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