By Pemberton Gateway Village Suites Hotel

08/15/2014 Aug. 13, 2014 Re-Posted by Myson Effa: Manger: Pemberton Gateway Village Suites Hotel

In Pemberton, British Columbia, cycling is the new golf, said the president of Tourism Pemberton, David MacKenzie. In the small valley community, about two and a half hours north of Vancouver, there are more bikes per capita than cars or children.
The area has several hundred single-track mountain bike trails and a road cycling tradition that’s been a training ground for triathletes and bike racers for years.
Pemberton also is a farming and food hub. The surrounding Pemberton Meadows agricultural region is known for growing about 30 varieties of root vegetables, most notably potatoes, as well as carrots and beets, and supplies nearby Whistler’s farm-to-table restaurants.
It’s no surprise, then, that its residents have combined the two interests into a popular annual event supporting the slow food movement, which encourages consumers to be more aware of where their food comes from.
Pemberton’s Slow Food Cycle Sunday, now in its 10th year, has grown from a small grassroots gathering to promote local agriculture into an event expected to attract more than 4,000 cyclists.
“The whole idea is about food to table, and Pemberton being an agricultural community, it only made sense for us to promote where food is produced,” Mr. MacKenzie said. “You would call it a reverse farmers market.”
The Aug. 17 tour is a 31-mile (50-kilometer) round trip ride that takes cyclists on a “fairly structured” self-paced jaunt from downtown Pemberton through the region’s farmland to visit and sample produce from about 20 vendors, Mr. MacKenzie said. It’s a casual ride suitable for “people of all age ranges, kids, mommas and dads with chariots with infants in tow,” he said.
Advance registration (5 Canadian dollars per person or 20 dollars per family, plus processing fee), available at www.tourismpembertonbc.com includes a gift bag; or, people can register the day of the event, Mr. MacKenzie said.
Bike rentals are available through Pemberton Bike Co.; 604-894-6625.

Comments:

1) Thanks for covering our little village. We hope to see some of your readership here this weekend. If you can't make it this Sunday, come bike another time. There are almost 200 kms/125 miles of free bike trails in Pemberton & 47kms/30 miles of free trails in nearby Whistler. Your readers can find the Pemberton farmers every Wednesday at the Pemberton Farmer's Market in the new Barn, & at the Whistler Farmer's Market in Whistler Upper Village every Sunday; both run till Canadian Thanksgiving in the Fall. Posted by Myson Effa Manager: Pemberton Gateway Village Suites Hotel

2) Update: 10th Anniversary Slow Food Cycle Sunday 2014 was a success, on the past Aug 17. Several thousand showed up - official count of 2,600 passing the midpoint - not all the riders made it midway. Our famous local Mile One Eating House served 700burgers on Don Millerd's & Bob Mitchell's Farm where Pemberton Meadows Natural Beef is raised. Mile One was recently featured on"You Gotta Eat Here" (already on the Food Network Canada & soon will be rebroadcast on TLC, USA). If you missed Slow Food Cycle Sunday this year, hope to see you next year. As mentioned, come cycle any time on more than a hundred miles of free trails & checkout the Pemberton farmers every Wed: Pemberton Farmer's Market (New Barn), & Sun: Whistler Farmer's Market Upper Village, till Thanksgiving. Although most farms are not set up for unannounced Visitors, west of the Village, down "The Meadows" several farms have "U-Pick" berry picking. Strawberry season is ending, but blueberry season is in full swing. There are also a few farm gate stands with Garlic & Potatoes. All are welcome till late in the fall at North Arm Farm, just East of town. It is an Agro- & Gastro-Tourism site, also with "U-Pick" berry picking,"U-Pick" vegetables, a bakery & farm animals for the kids to see. North Arm Farm also hosts many Feasts of the Field with Whistler Chefs, such as the recent event hosted by Iron Chef famous, Araxi's Executive Chef James Walt. Posted by Myson Effa, Manager: Pemberton Gateway Village Suites Hotel

Pemberton Gateway Village Suites Hotel

Gateway to Whistler & Gateway to the Backcountry: #Book Direct: cut & paste goo.gl/wxV3K3 #Book airbnb: cut & paste goo.gl/n71s2R l>o Superhost o<l ....http://Pemberton-Gateway-Village-Suites-Hotel.business.site... ((((-FreeWifi-)) Telephone: 604-894-8888 Toll Free 1.8…

Read More »