The Big Bear Climb: Volunteers Needed for May 21 Stage of Amgen Tour of California

Big Bear Lake, CA — In anticipation of the Amgen Tour of California, the internationally recognized cycling race coming to Big Bear the weekend prior to Memorial Day, local volunteers are being sought to participate on Friday, May 21. The local organizing committee for the Big Bear Climb, which culminates with a finish at Snow Summit after a 135-mile ride from Pasadena, needs volunteers to assist with media, security, site decoration, volunteer check-in, the Lifestyle Festival Expo, and as course marshals. Though there are 75 professional course marshals that will line the course, which includes Highway 18 and the North Shore portion of Highway 38, the majority of local volunteers will be needed in the course marshal capacity. Those interested in participating in this large-scale event, which will include professional cyclists Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer, are asked to contact Big Bear Volunteer Director Eric Lewis via email at ericlewisbigbearlake@yahoo.com, or by calling 909/800-4371. For more information on Big Bear’s participation in the May 21 stage of the Amgen Tour of California, see the website TheBigBearClimb.com.

Bears Wrap Basketball Season With At-Home Loss in First Round CIF Play

The Big Bear High School boys varsity basketball team wrapped their season with last night’s loss to Alemany High School in a score of 67-97 in first round CIF play. Wednesday’s loss was despite 14 points by Daniel Campuzano and 17 points, four steals and seven rebounds by Parker Bradley. The Bears, led by Coach Bo Kent, finished the basketball season with a 15-9 record and placed second overall for the De Anza League. The team thanks the Big Bear community for their cheers and support at last night’s game at Our House.

Since Learning to Ride in Big Bear, Olympian Shaun White Goes Gold

If you didn’t catch yesterday’s Olympic highlights from Vancouver, Shaun White took gold again in the snowboarding half-pipe and, what you might enjoy knowing is that the gold medalist from San Diego started his snowboarding adventure right here in Big Bear when he was just six years old, though he started on skis at age four. Big Bear Mountain Resorts tell us that once White, now 23, began competing at age seven, he advanced so quickly that USASA placed him with riders almost twice his age in his earliest competitions. By age 13, White was riding professionally. For more on his story, and ties to Big Bear, NBC television is scheduled to air a segment on White during this evening’s 6pm newscast on channel 4.

Community Notes: Info on Youth Baseball, Food Distribution, Ted Fashempour and Erv Nichols

We have some community notes to relay:
Parents, just a reminder that today (February 18), like every Thursday, is a minimum day for students at Big Bear Middle School and all three elementaries within the Bear Valley Unified School District.
Big Bear Youth Baseball sign-ups are underway for the spring season, which will get started with tryouts at North Shore Elementary on Saturday, March 13. There will be after-school signups at each of the three elementaries this month, as well as sign-up opportunities at Kmart from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays through March 6. Questions on the baseball league for four to 14-year-olds can be addressed to Bill Jacquez at 585-4574 or Kara Burkman at 951/255-0229.

The family of Ted Fashempour has rescheduled his memorial service, which will now be held on Saturday, March 6 at 1pm at the Big Bear Lake Performing Arts Center. Fashempour, owner of the Little Green House Florist with wife Paula, passed away on January 2 and the memorial originally scheduled for January 24 was postponed due to severe snow that week.
The San Bernardino County food distribution at Community Church by the Lake will next be offered on Monday, February 22. Food will be available to those in need from noon to 2pm on Monday, weather permitting. Community Church is located at 40946 Big Bear Boulevard at Knickerbocker in Big Bear Lake.
And, just for fun, former Big Bear Lake resident Erv Nichols is one of several park volunteers featured in a story in today’s New York Times; use this link to access the park volunteers story in the New York Times.

Bears Basketball Teams Hosts First Round CIF Game Wednesday

Big Bear High School’s boys varsity basketball team, which wrapped regular De Anza League play with a 6-2 record last week (and 15-8 overall), advances to CIF competition this evening. The Bears’ first round of CIF play will be held at Big Bear High School with a 7pm basketball game against the Alemany Warriors of Mission Hills. Tickets to the game go on sale at 6pm, at a cost of $8, though $5 with BBHS student ID.
In other BBHS sports news, the girls JV soccer team earned first place in De Anza League, given their undefeated season!

It’s Official: The Amgen Tour of California to Cycle Into Big Bear on Highways 18, 38 on May 21

Big Bear Valley, CA — It’s official as of today: the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be making its way from Pasadena to Big Bear on Friday, May 21st. The route for this, stage 6 of the eight-day race covering California and including the world’s top professional cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Dave Zabriskie and George Hincapie, is the most challenging and is known as the queen stage. According to Andrew Mesick, president of race presenter AEG Sports, “The May timing of the 2010 edition of the Amgen Tour of California is going to allow us to visit some challenging new areas of California that previously were not possible due to the weather. The stage 6 route from Pasadena to Big Bear is the perfect example, with our first-ever mountain finish at a 7,000 foot elevation.”
Cyclists will begin their May 21 ride in front of Pasadena City Hall at 9:45am, and will ride 135 miles and climb more than 12,000 feet before reaching Snow Summit in Big Bear Lake in roughly the 3pm hour for the finish. The mountain portion of the route will include Highway 138 to Silverwood Lake before segueing onto Highway 18 above Crestline, through the Lake Arrowhead area, past Running Springs and along Arctic Circle to the Big Bear Dam, where riders will then take Highway 38 into Fawnskin, cross Stanfield Cutoff over Big Bear Lake, then take Sandalwood Drive (behind the Interlaken Center), Fox Farm Road, Garstin Drive, and then the final push, up Summit Boulevard to finish the race at Summit and Switzerland Drive.
The Tour of California is the largest cycling event in America, said to now be on par with the Tour de France, and it is expected that, given numbers from 2009’s fourth annual event, will reach an international audience of 3.5 billion. In a statement from County Supervisor Neil Derry, who this week appropriated $40,000 in funds to promote and stage the event, he said, “All eyes will be on San Bernardino County as we host the first mountaintop finish, and I am excited about the immediate economic impact and broader ability, to showcase our region as a great place to do business. Past host cities and surrounding regions have seen a noticeable impact in economic activity and we are hopeful to benefit from the same during these tough economic times.” In an effort to keep cycling enthusiasts and race fans in the Big Bear Valley through the weekend, local organizers will host the Tour de Big Bear on Saturday, May 22.

Bears Play for DeAnza League Basketball Title; Minimum Day for BBMS, Elementaries on Eve of Four-Day Weekend

Big Bear Valley, CA — Each Thursday is a minimum day for Big Bear Middle School and elementary students, to allow for teacher’s strategic planning in the afternoon, and that is the case for today as well, despite the upcoming holiday. All BVUSD students are on the eve of a four-day weekend, as Friday is a school holiday in observance of Lincoln’s birthday and Monday, February 15 is a school holiday in observance of the Presidents’ Day holiday.
In other school news, the Bears varsity boys basketball team won their game over Desert Hot Springs yesterday in a score of 76-68 (given double figures from Parker Bradley, Dylan Helm, Owen David and Daniel Campuzano) and, this evening, they play for the league title. Big Bear High School’s team travels to 29 Palms for a 7:30pm game that will determine the De Anza League championship.
Update: The Bears varsity boys basketball team lost their game against 29 Palms last night. It was said to be an intense game, with a final score of 46-56. The Bears ended regular season play with a record of 6-2 and though they did not win the De Anza League championship, they will be eligible for post-season CIF play.

Early Out for BBMS, BBHS Students Today; Community Schedule Changes Prompted by Snow

Big Bear Valley, CA — Today’s snowstorm, and anticipated travel issues, have prompted some changes for today. Among those: The Big Bear Computer Club will not be meeting this evening at the Discovery Center. Those with questions on this evening’s canceled Computer Club meeting can call Yomar Cleary at 878-5622.
Students at both Big Bear Middle School and Big Bear High School will be on an early-out schedule today, due to the storm. BBMS students will be released 20 minutes early, at 1:35pm; BBHS students will be released at 2pm. At Big Bear High School, both varsity girls and boys basketball games have been moved up, to 2:15pm (girls) and 3:45pm (boys) this afternoon. Senior parent recognition will go as planned during the games, per BBHS Athletic Director Dave Griffiths—and no admission will be charged for these games at the high school in Sugarloaf. However, both JV games have been canceled, and will not be rescheduled. Today’s varsity soccer match, also against Yucca Valley, and at 3:15pm at Lucerne Valley High School remains unchanged.
Yoga class with Dr. Claudia Eads at the Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District offices has also been canceled.
The Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation will continue with their Pizza and Pizzazz fundraiser at Maggio’s Restaurant this evening. Per event organizer Phil Hamilton, “Trails people are tough and resilient, and we’re gonna do it.” The Pizza and Pizzazz fundraiser runs from 5 to 8pm this evening and, again, at Maggios in the Interlaken Center.

Sneak Preview of Amgen Tour of California Route Available to Locals on Wednesday

Big Bear Lake, CA – This Thursday, February 11, the cycling route for this May’s 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be revealed to the world—but, first, our local organizing committee for Big Bear’s stage six finish from Pasadena will present an exclusive sneak preview video of the route on Wednesday evening. This free event is open to the general community and cycling enthusiasts of all ages, and will be held at Nottinghams Restaurant in the Village, starting at 6pm on the 10th. After the Amgen Tour video presentation highlighting the route from Pasadena to Big Bear for the high-altitude finish on day six of the eight-day, 750-mile race, Bear Valley Bikes will host gold sprint contests at Nottinghams. The Amgen Tour of California will roll through the Big Bear Valley on Friday, May 21st. For more information on the preview video, call 909/866-4607.

Over 200 Brave the Elements to Race in the Third Annual Snowshoe the Bear

Big Bear Lake, CA — For the first two rounds of Snowshoe the Bear, the local snowshoeing event launched by Equada Outfitters and Team Sole in 2008, the clouds parted and racers enjoyed fresh snow under sunny skies. Not so for this, the third annual Snowshoe the Bear, which launched from the Village of Big Bear Lake on Saturday, February 6—it was a wet morning and though there was plenty of snow coverage on the street at the starting line thanks to the City’s Public Works crews, conditions were a bit more arduous for the over 200 participants in the 5K and 10K snowshoe races. However, Saturday’s storm provided some snow during the race, at higher elevations where the course ran along trails of the San Bernardino National Forest.
The first snowshoer to cross the finish line was local Jonathan Stiles, who was also the first to cross the finish line in the 5K of September’s Run the Bear. Other top male finishers in the 5K were Steve Blaine and Dale Beeson; top 5K females were Lauren Sullivan and Susan Maya and Lisa Waner, both of Big Bear Lake. In the 10K competition, overall leader was Adam Williams, a Snow Summit ski patroller and resident of Big Bear Lake; Williams was followed by Iggy Rodriques of Argentina (who’s living in Big Bear for the winter) and 15-year-old Casey Willliams (no relation to Adam, and yet his mom Kim was the first female to take the Fastest Bear in the Bear title in 2008). Top female finishers in Saturday’s 10K competition were Theresa Uhrig of Los Angeles, followed by Big Bear Lake residents Kelley Brunson and Karin Parks. As Casey Williams finished third overall in the men’s category, he also took top honors in the juniors 10K, and was followed by Ramon Escobar of Baja Mexico and local Jordan Romero. In the free kids’ race, nine-year-old Carissa Wolcott, a fourth grader at Big Bear Elementary, won, retaining her title from last year.
As in years past, Snowshoe the Bear offers a perpetual trophy (in the form of a wooden bear carving by George Crezee) to the fastest locals in the 10K; this year’s Fastest Bears in the Bear are Adam Williams and Kelley Brunson, joining a list that includes the aforementioned Kim Williams, two-time champion Ted Devito and last year’s female Conquer the Bear winner Heather Devito. The Conquer the Bear series continues this year, and all who participated in Snowshoe the Bear are eligible to continue in the four-event series, which next includes a mountain bike race on June 20. For more information on Conquer the Bear, visit OpenAirBigBear.com.

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