The Bear Valley Adventure Company (BVAC) has enjoyed a busy summer with a steady flow of locals and visitors. While it's easy for us natives to take the beauty of Bear Valley for granted, it's a pleasant reminder when people enter the store and rave about the scenery and our remote location. Plus, for those that just traveled over Ebbetts Pass, we sell our fair share of Dramamine and ginger ale ;-).
This summer, BVAC extended the store hours to 6 pm and immediately noticed a decrease in parking lot speeding near the 5 o'clock hour. While safer conditions are appreciated, we plan to return to a 5 pm closing time as summer traffic slows. We are also making progress on installing new credit card reading gas pumps to enable access to gas 24/7. Hopefully, this announcement won't place another jinx on the project, as this has been a priority since the Bear Valley Mountain Cooperative purchased the business in 2018. Our fingers and toes are crossed!
Special events at BVAC took a recess during COVID, but we are excited to start again as conditions permit. The Labor Day Used Gear Sale is scheduled for Monday, September 6th, when our full selection of rental bikes and boats, most of which were purchased this spring, will be offered at discounted prices. Other events are the popular XC Trail Work Days on September 11th, 25th, and October 9th. These "workdays" trim back branches, clear obstacles, and help get trails ready for winter grooming. Afterward, a complimentary lunch is served while swapping tales and making predictions about the arrival of winter. Check our website (www.bvadventures.com) for details.
The recent Tamarack Fire was a stark reminder of how quickly a community can be impacted by a wildfire. Our friends and colleagues in Markleeville have experienced a tragic summer, one that will take years to rebuild. We can only hope a similar disaster doesn't happen in Bear Valley. Let's all be fire safe and send healing thoughts towards Markleeville.
