Mountain bikers from all over the world will be passing through Terrace in August on a tour called BC Bike Ride North.
Tagged the Ultimate Road-Trip Experience, the tour passes through six communities in the north, including Terrace, Smithers, Burns Lake, Prince George, and Williams Lake.
Bikers will explore 14 distinct trail networks and will hit the Terrace trails August 11.
Fletcher Havelaar, a director with Terrace Off Road Cycling Association (TORCA), says he’s excited.
“The benefits to the community are many,” he said, adding that awareness about the awesome recreation opportunities is just one.
“The trails and backcountry are stunning and [Terrace offers] world class mountain biking, hiking, skiing, climbing, fishing and virtually any other recreational activity I can think of,” he said, noting that the tour will boost tourism and benefit local restaurants and businesses.
Bikers will select which trails to tackle, with local riders as guides, and Havelaar says he expects Terrace Mountain trails to be favourites because of the incredible views and quality riding.
“Downtube, Steinhoe, and Flathead are world class trails that will have guests grinning from ear to ear,” said Havelaar confidently, adding that downhill trails on Copper Mountain will also be top options.
The tour will take riders via train from Smithers to here Aug. 10, with dinner, a campfire and entertainment planned in Terrace before they sleep and hit the trails the next day.
Dean Payne, president of BC Bike Ride North, explains that the tour helps people explore different trails that they normally wouldn’t.
“The idea is that we bring people on tour through the different towns to explore their trail networks one day at a time,” he said.
“This is an ambitious tour, we are really trying to go across the north.”
Payne says they won’t be lingering in towns, but touring through quickly and hitting the highlights. He believes this race will attract people from all over the world. In previous races, he has had people from 30 different countries come out and experience British Columbia.
“These are people who are regular everyday mountain bikers that want the experience,” said Payne.
“We went to France in the fall and met people who did our race. They look a little different, they talk different, they ride different bikes, but there is one common thread: Loving that feeling of mountain biking,” he said.
That is “where we bring people together.”
For more information, check out their website here.
— With files from LaShaina Blair-White, Smithers Interior News