The Bicycle Beach Crawl is happening on Thursday, September 15. This is its second year running as part of AMS First Week. Apart from the AMS, the event is also planned and run by UBC student Joshua Shepherd and UBC Bike Rave. Slackline UBC will also be making an appearance again this year.
Cyclists will meet on the plaza in front of the Nest at 5 p.m. to begin the night. They will take on a circuit that goes through UBC, and then hits local beaches like Spanish Banks, Locarno and Jericho. To keep the atmosphere pumped, Shepherd will be biking while attached to a chariot — with a speaker playing lots of tunes.
“Last year, Bicycle Beach Crawl was one of my favorite events of first-year because it introduced me to the UBC community as a whole, showed me the cycling side of Vancouver, and also connected me to other organizations on campus like UBC Bike Rave and Slackline UBC,” said Shepherd, when asked about his previous experience at Bicycle Beach Crawl.
Along the circuit, bikers will take stops at the beaches to do activities like slacklining, ultimate frisbee and beach volleyball. There will also be a stop to watch the sunset as well.
“It honestly was one of the most wonderful and magical events ever, just because I’ve never heard of an event like this and it was a new experience in a new city,” said Shepherd. “When we were all in the beach watching the sunset, it was the coolest and most wonderful feeling ever.”
Students of all ages who were passionate about biking and the beach attended this event last year. Vancouver has a big biking culture and an annual Bike Rave, so Bicycle Beach Crawl is an opportunity to learn about the city.
“If you’re looking for the best first week experience, come to Bicycle Beach Crawl,” said Shepherd.