Community Calendar for February’s First Week, as of Monday

Recent road conditions and the threat of more winter weather later in the week have prompted more cancellations in coming days.
For starters, the Big Bear Valley Historical Society will not be holding their general meeting on Tuesday, February 2 at the Big Bear Discovery Center; no follow-up date has yet been announced by the Historical Society.
The Civil Air Patrol was to hold a spaghetti dinner on Saturday, February 6, but this will be rescheduled as there is not enough parking at the facility (due to snow) at this time. Those with questions on the CAP fundraising event can call Jim Gundred at 584-9195.
We will bring you more notices as they are made available to KBHR.
In the meantime, some activities are still a go this week.
Among those, the parenting support group Common Ground will this evening present the first in a five-series workshop for adults on “rethinking how we parent our tweens and teens.” This evening’s free workshop begins at 6:30pm at Community Church by the Lake, and will address Empathy vs. Anger. To reserve your space for tonight’s Common Ground class for parents, call 801-1766.
The Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District still plans to take a trip to the Staples Center in Los Angeles this Saturday, February 6, to see the Clippers/Spurs basketball game. Tickets are $42 per person, and include transportation and snacks on the luxury bus. For more information, call Rec and Park at 866-9700. Also, snowboard lesson makeups will soon be underway; parents should have received a flyer with specifics but, if not, contact the Rec and Park offices for snowboard lesson makeup dates.
The third annual Snowshoe the Bear event, to launch from the Village at 10am, takes place Saturday, February 6. Post-race activities in the afternoon include live music from Elevated Roots, Big Bear’s reunited reggae band.

Snowshoe the Bear Returns on February 6, as Does Conquer the Bear Series

Big Bear Lake, CA — With snow likely in the coming week, weekend athletes may want to step into some snowshoes to gear up for the third round of Snowshoe the Bear, which returns to the Village of Big Bear Lake and surrounding trails of the San Bernardino National Forest on Saturday, February 6. The family-friendly event features 5K and 10K snowshoe races, as well as a free kids snowshoe, and per event co-organizer Paul Romero, “Snowshoeing is a great sport that everyone can do. The 5K course is a great start for first-timers, kids and families, while the 10K course will challenge every level or athlete. It’s really about getting out, having fun and enjoying the great outdoors in the snow.” The February 6 event gets underway at 10am, and will also feature live music, exhibit booths, product-sponsor giveaways and pre- and post-race activities. Participants will need to provide their own snowshoes for the third annual Snowshoe the Bear, though local sporting goods stores including Equada Outfitters, Goldsmith’s Boardhouse and Bear Valley Bikes will have them available to rent. As with last year’s Snowshoe the Bear, it will be the first race in the Conquer the Bear series, which also includes challenges in mountain biking, running and kayaking over the course of the year. For more information on the Conquer the Bear series, which features two levels this year, reigning 1^st and 2^nd place Conquerers Heather and Ted Devito will present an informational meeting on Monday, January 18; the 7pm meeting at the Mountain Fitness Center, located at 42007 Fox Farm Road in Big Bear Lake, will also outline a Mountain Sports Academy for those who plan to train for both Snowshoe the Bear and the Conquer the Bear series.
Update: Given Monday’s weather and power outage, the Conquer the Bear informational meeting will instead be held on Thursday, January 28; time and place remain the same.

Sledding Available, and Snowshoeing Tours on the Forest; Be Sure to First Park Legally and Off the Road

If you plan to sled, tube or toboggan, first be sure that you are not parked illegally, in the roadway or in a residential driveway and, if on the San Bernardino National Forest, be sure to display an Adventure Pass on the dashboard before leaving your vehicle. Big Bear offers two developed snow play areas, Alpine Slide and Snow Play, at either end of Big Bear Lake on the Boulevard/Highway 18. The Big Bear Ranger Station reminds sledders to pick a safe location, away from roads, large rocks and trees. Also, don’t sled or tube in unfamiliar terrain, as snowdrifts can conceal steep cliffs and other drop-offs. Visitors are reminded to “know before you go” so, to access recreational information on the forest, call the Big Bear Ranger Station at 909/382-2790 or visit the website of the San Bernardino National Forest. The Big Bear Discovery Center also offers guided snowshoeing trips on the San Bernardino National Forest, including a special 4pm tour on New Year’s Day; for more information call 909/866-3437. Have fun sledding and, remember, leave only footprints when done enjoying your snow play.

Eleven Contenders Overcome Challenges to Conquer the Bear; Heather Devito and Wes Barton Take Titles in Five-Event Series

The Conquer the Bear challenge, launched this year with February’s second annual Snowshoe the Bear, included five athletic events and, ultimately, 11 contenders, who completed races in snowshoeing, mountain biking, running and paddling. The final, daunting competition was the completion of the 26.2 mile marathon in Saturday’s Run the Bear, which was the culmination of eight months of training for the 11, many of whom had never tackled such tests of athletic endurance.
For the oldest of the final contenders, 53-year-old Doug Heyes, the completion of the challenge is remarkable in that, in 2000, a spinal cord injury while skiing left him paralyzed—intense physical therapy and determination made possible his amazing achievements this year, including a successful run in the marathon in less than six hours.
For Conquer the Bear’s youngest contender, 13-year-old Jordan Romero, the completion of his first marathon came on the heels of a record-breaking 16,000’ summit to Indonesia’s tallest peak, from which he returned on Labor Day, before competing in a Big Bear Middle School cross-country meet in Hesperia’s 97 degree heat last Thursday.
Even for professional racers like Heather Devito of Big Bear Lake, the series presented plenty of challenges—including being bumped out of her kayak during July’s Paddlefest, and then, one week later, red-lining her way to the finish line in the Multisport. Devito had pushed herself in the final sprint, only to be surprised (along with all others) with the final ropes course, dubbed the “ropes of pain,” at the finish line. She tells KBHR that she’d “left everything behind” in that final push and, by mere seconds, missed out on a podium finish in the Multisport competition.
For 48-year-old Diane Bradley, a mother of three and popular waitress at Thelma’s, this was her foray into mountain biking and kayaking, and though her knees were taking a toll during the marathon, she ran it to completion, beating out Poway contender Jasmine Kall, half her age, with just six seconds to spare at the finish line.
In addition to Heyes, Romero, Devito, Bradley and Kall, final Conquerers in the series also included Ted Devito, Jeff Villepique of Big Bear City, Dave Emig of Fawnskin, local mountain biker Steve Kinney, and South Bay power couple Wes Barton and Tiffany Meyers, who made the trek to Big Bear for every event. Though each of these 11, out of the original field of 25+, is a winner in having accomplished such challenges in less than a year, the Conquer the Bear titles, based on overall times in five events, went to Heather Devito and Wes Barton. Second place finishes were earned by Tiffany Meyers and Ted Devito, and third place positions went to Diane Bradley and Steve Kinney.

Twelve Athletes Still in the Running for the 2009 Conquer the Bear Title; Series Culminates With Saturday’s 26.2 Mile Marathon

This Saturday, September 12, brings the second Big Bear Lake Marathon, as the Run the Bear event, which also includes a half-marathon, 5K and free Kids’ Kritter Run, gets underway, starting first with the bike tour, which launches from Pine Knot Landing at 6:30am. For 12 athletes, Saturday’s Run the Bear will be the culmination of a strenuous year, as they will participate in their final event in the Conquer the Bear series. Conquer the Bear began in February, when over 25 athletes–both professional and casual, from Big Bear and beyond—competed in the series’ 10K snowshoe race. Local athletes Ted and Heather Devito made impressive showings in Snowshoe the Bear (with Ted taking first overall in 1:13), and earning the couple the top ranking spots going into the second Conquer the Bear event, May’s Team Big Bear Shoot-Out #1 mountain bike race. Athletes then hit the water, as the third Conquer the Bear event was a 10K kayak paddle in the July Paddlefest. Just one week later, athletes tackled the grueling California Multisport, an event that included a 9K run, 20K mountain bike ride, a 4K run, and the final hurdle, a ropes course at the finish line, on a sweltering day. As athletes in the Conquer the Bear series must participate in each of the five events in order to be eligible for a place on the podium, the field has dwindled since Snowshoe the Bear but, again, 12 competitors are hanging on and gearing up for their 26.2 mile marathon around Big Bear Lake this week. Going into the final competition, the leaders in Conquer the Bear are Ted Devito of Big Bear Lake, Wes Barton of Manhattan Beach, and local cyclist Steve Kinney; top female contenders are Heather Devito, Tiffany Meyers of Redondo Beach, and Big Bear Lake’s Diane Bradley, a 40something mother of three who has embraced the sporting challenge, prompting her official introduction to kayaking and mountain biking. Other contenders in Conquer the Bear still include Dave Emig, Doug Heyes, Jasmine Kall, Jeff Villepique, Mike Whalen and 13-year-old Jordan Romero. Conquer the Bear athletes will likely be wearing special blue jerseys in the marathon, so be sure to cheer them on! For more information on Run the Bear, or to register, visit RuntheBear.com; for specifics on Conquer the Bear, click on the “Conquer the Bear” link below for KBHR’s complete coverage of the series, and/or visit OpenAirBigBear.com.

Sunday’s Team Big Bear Mountain Bike Race Is Second Event in “Conquer the Bear” Series

Team Big Bear hosts the first of three cross-country mountain biking events this Sunday, May 31, and nearly 300 mountain bikers, from novice to pro, are expected to participate. Team Big Bear’s Shoot-Out #1 will also be the second competition in the Conquer the Bear series hosted by the Open Air Big Bear coalition; to date, title holders are Ted Devito of Big Bear Lake and Tiffany Meyers of Redondo Beach, the two who won February’s Snowshoe the Bear event. (Twelve-year-old mountaineer Jordan Romero is the youngest qualifier in the Conquer the Bear title series, which will also include the Big Bear Paddlefest on July 11, the California Multisport on July 18, and the Run the Bear Marathon on September 12.) As for this weekend’s competition, registration is still open; mountain bikers can sign up at La Montaña restaurant, at the Moonridge Y, on Saturday at 3pm or online at the OpenAirBigBear.com website. The event is open to everyone and, says event organizer Tom Spiegel of Team Big Bear, “If you’ve never tried mountain bike racing, this is a great event to get started. The trails are in great shape, and the weather is perfect for biking.” Pro riders take to the track at 11am on Sunday, to be followed by Category 2 and 3 and junior riders, including 15-year-old National Mountain Biking Champion Casey Williams of Big Bear, at 11:30am. The course, which is shorter for novice riders, begins on Forest Road 2N10 just above Bear Mountain, and winds along the southern rim of the Valley before finishing on Bristlecone Drive (near Snow Summit and the Pine Knot campground). Spectators are welcome to cheer on the riders in the Team Big Bear Shoot-Out, or join riders for the awards ceremony, scheduled to take place at about 1:30pm at La Montaña. Dollar tacos will be available at the post-event party, which will also include music and prize raffles.

George Crezee Inspires Others to Get Outdoors; 59-Year-Old Celebrates Birthday Skiing, Skating, Surfing, Riding, Climbing and Paddling

Longtime Big Bear resident and outdoor enthusiast George Crezee is celebrating his 59th birthday with an afternoon of kart racing at Adams Motorsports Park in Riverside this hour [3pm]—though this is just event #10 in his day of fifteen activities. Since waking in the 4am hour for a healthy breakfast, Crezee has already taken a mountain bike ride, skate-skiied at Snow Summit, snowshoed, taken some runs on the slopes (on both alpine and Telemark skis), rock climbed, ridden motorcross and supermotorcross. In hour 12 of his birthday celebration, Crezee is scheduled to water ski, then bodysurf in Newport Beach, play a game of volleyball, do some inline skating, then kayak in Newport Harbor before celebrating his 59 years. So, why all the exertion in the mountains, lakes and beaches for his birthday? Crezee says his mission is to encourage others to get off the couch and get active. In Crezee’s words, “I can wait another day, but I’ll be another day older. So, why wait? There are no excuses. Do something, and get outside!” For more information on the birthday boy’s big day, you can visit Crezee’s inspirational stories blog at CrezeeDoSomething.blogspot.com.

Update: Well, as it turns out, Crezee did have to wait another day–due to the strong winds–but today (April 16), he is taking on the 15 activities. In this hour [10am] he is rock climbing in Big Bear Lake. Go, George!

Team Nigel: Moonlight Snowshoe Hike and Ski-a-Thon in Support of Seven-Year-Old Nigel Holland

Team Nigel, the grassroots community group in support of seven-year-old Nigel Holland, has two outdoor events planned, proceeds from which will assist with medical bills, especially as the second grader has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment for brain cancer. The first of these Team Nigel activities is a moonlight snowshoe hike tomorrow, Tuesday, hosted by the San Bernardino National Forest Association and launching from the Aspen Glen Picnic Area near Red Ant Hill. Snowshoers are invited to meet as early as 4:30pm, and the guided hike will begin at 5pm. For those who do not own snowshoes, those will be provided free of charge, compliments of the Discovery Center; all participants should wear warm clothing in layers, including snowpants, jacket and hat. Snow boots or hiking boots work best with snowshoes. Though the Team Nigel moonlight snowshoe on the 10th is provided free of charge, a $15 donation is suggested.
On Sunday, March 22, Team Nigel hits the slopes for a Nigel Holland Ski-a-Thon at Snow Summit, from 9am to 3pm, with registration starting at Bear Bottom Lodge at 7:30am. During the ski-a-thon, skiers and snowboarders will be challenged to ski and ride the most runs on chairs 6, 7 and 10. Prizes will be awarded for the most runs made, and the participant who raises the most money will score a Dual Mountain Anytime Pass from Big Bear Mountain Resorts. For a lap pledge sheet for the Nigel Holland Ski-a-Thon, email nigelskiathon@gmail.com. The ski-a-thon awards party on the 22nd will start at 3:30pm in the VIP Room at Bear Bottom Lodge.

Ted and Heather Devito Take Fastest Bear Titles in Saturday’s Snowshoe the Bear 10K

Local adventure racers Ted and Heather Devito claimed the Fastest Bears in the Bear titles in the 2nd annual Snowshoe the Bear 10K race, which took place in the Village and on the San Bernardino National Forest on Saturday morning. The 5K and 10K races drew roughly 180 competitors on February 7, a perfect day for the event given fresh snowfall and sunny skies. Ted Devito, last year’s overall winner in the first-ever local snowshoe competition, completed the course in one hour and 13 minutes; second place male finisher in the 10K was Slater Fletcher of Huntington Beach, third went to Darren Clarke of Australia. In the women’s 10K, top finisher was Tiffany Meyers, a triathlete from Redondo Beach, with a time of one hour, 35 minutes; top local finisher and taking second at one hour, 37 minutes was Heather Devito; and third went to Kim Williams, last year’s Fastest Bear in the women’s division. In the 5K, David Burks of Big Bear Lake took first for the second consecutive year with a time of 36 minutes; Matt Fawcett of Big Bear Lake placed second, Bob Antonacci of Big Bear Lake placed third. In the women’s 5K snowshoe, Big Bear Lake’s Karin Parks won with a time of 44 minutes; Stacy Gorin of Big Bear Lake placed second, Robin Piatt of Yuma, Arizona placed third. In the juniors, 14 and under category, in the full 10K, local boys did us proud—14-year-old National Mountain Biking Champion Casey Williams placed first, 12-year-old international climber Jordan Romero placed second. And 8-year-old Carissa Wolcott, a third grader at Big Bear Elementary, was the first place finisher in the free kids race in the eco-friendly Snowshoe the Bear competition organized by Equada Outfitters and Team Sole.

Snowshoe the Bear Event Kicks Off This Evening

Big Bear Lake’s second annual Snowshoe the Bear event kicks off with the pre-registration party this evening, from 7 to 10pm at Northwoods Resort in the Village. You don’t have to be a competitor in the snowshoe race to enjoy this evening’s reception, which will include live music; the party is offered free of charge, though attendees are asked to bring a can of food to benefit local families in need. The big event, the 5 and 10K races launching from the Village, start at 10am tomorrow, following a pre-race meeting at 9:40am. Those of all levels of snowshoeing ability are welcome to participate in Snowshoe the Bear—and, if not planning to compete, there will still be plenty to do in the Village tomorrow. The expo begins at 9am, and a breakfast cart hosted by Amangela’s and Sol Food Market will be available; there will also be sled dog demos, a free snowshoe race for the kids, a climbing competition, free snowshoe demos, and live music from Inhale. The community is invited to come enjoy the eco-friendly Snowshoe the Bear event, in which locals Ted Devito and Kim Williams will defend their titles as “Fastest Bears in the Bear.”

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