In theory it should take me forty minutes to drive from my home to BCIT. But in reality it takes an hour. Where does this extra twenty minutes come from? One word: Traffic. From Lions Bay to the top of the cut its usually easy going. Everyone is moving along nicely, people actually use their turn signals, you don’t have to push your way into a gap. As soon as you cross over the Second Narrows Bridge it seems like all the drivers are much more aggressive. Everyone is racing towards their destination but theres really no point. While going twenty over the limit in the left lane I get passed by someone on the right side going much faster. I just do not understand whats the rush? Go ahead and speed around the corner straight into the slow moving mass of cars that awaits.

Winter is my favorite season of the year. I love winter so much because I like to ski. I wake up in the morning and head out for a full day at the famous Whistler & Blackcomb resort. With a drive of only an hour and a half from Lions Bay, you can even sleep in until eight and still enjoy a full day of skiing. The cheapest tickets are sold from any 7-11 store because you save about five dollars. There is a 7-11 in Squamish but I don’t know if that one sells tickets anymore. Alternatively you can buy an Edge Card which is a pay per day card. You get your first day free and then after its seven percent off the retail ticket price.

My favorite mountain out of the two has to be Whistler because of its steep and wide open terrain. Blackcomb is alright but it just doesn’t have nearly the same amount of vertical terrain Whistler has to offer. I find the runs on Blackcomb are usually straight line cuts in the trees. While Whistler on the other hand has many more open bowls and ridges.

As Summer approaches more and more people are leaving their caves and exploring the great outdoors. The Lions Bay public beach is the most popular place for residence to spend their lazy summer days. After you park on the nearby road and walk down to the beach, you are greeted warmly with an overhead welcome sign. As you move along there are stairs right in front of you and to your left is a small grass field. On either side of the stairs there is a playground. Going down the stairs reveals the beautiful beach in all its glory. A gentle downhill slope of grass leads to the sandy beach.

During the summer, a dock (secured by chains) floats about 30 feet out into the ocean. A sign declares “No Diving” but all the locals know its perfectly safe to dive when the tide is up. Lots of usually kids play a game of last man standing on the dock. Basically they try to toss everyone off. Meanwhile, the real men try their luck at the most difficult summer activity ever. Log rolling. The goal is to stand up on the slime covered log and stay standing for as long as you can. I can usually last 20 seconds, but my friend has developed his log rolling skill far beyond everyone else. He can make his way along each of the logs all the way to the dock without getting wet. Now thats impressive.

This is my fist blog entry for the Lions Bay blog! My main focus for this blog will be promoting this beautiful town. Lions Bay is a prime real estate spot because of its friendly community, beautiful views, and perfect location. With a population of only 1300 people, you never get a sense of feeling crowed in Lions Bay. The friendly and active people occasionally host events such as craft fairs, dances, and annual festivals. In the spring there is an easter egg hunt for children at the elementary school just up the hill. As you ascend higher up the base of the Lions, the views get better and better. Overlooking the Howe Sound and local islands (Anvil, Keets, Gambier, and Bowen), is a wonderful experience. Then if you spin around 180 degrees you can enjoy the natural beauty of the snowcapped mountains, and during the summer, the sunsets can be absolutely remarkable. The best part of Lions Bay has to be its location. Living between Vancouver and Whistler definitely has its perks. You can ski at the famous Whistler & Blackcomb resort in the morning, then relax at the Lions Bay beach afterwards. But if you are still feeling active you can go explore the downtown nightlife. All in one day.

Photo by: Grahame Jones