Summer is Here

Summer is officially here; calling an end to my blog! I really enjoyed sharing my insight on some of fun activities you can do in the beautiful area in and around Kamloops. When I chose to pick an activity to feature on my blog, I made sure it promoted healthy living and showed the true spirit of the area. Thinking back, some of my favourite adventures were hiking to Eagle Eye Lookout, golfing Talking Rock, and paddle boarding at Lac Le Jeune. Furthermore, when partaking on a hike or ride I almost always met or made a new friend on the trail. This caused me to realize something; citizens of Kamloops are truly active people. Whether it's walking their dogs, kayaking surrounding lakes or going disk golfing, the citizens of Kamloops find unique ways to stay active and enjoy themselves at the same time. In a nutshell, this blog was meant to do just that; help readers find their own way to stay active and become more in touch with the area we live in. When making this blog, I was happy to have strengthened my love for biking and hiking. As a result, I plan on discovering many new trails once school is out during the summer. On parting words, I hope readers were able to enjoy Kamloops a little more and find a new activities they can do in the region. Cheers and have happy summer!

Disk Golf

Have you ever been disk golfing? For those who've never played disc golf, it's basically golf but instead of using clubs to hit a ball into a hole, you throw Frisbee's in a basket. Furthermore, there are a variety of disks that are used for shorter and further distances much like drivers and irons in traditional golf. Many of these frisbees can be purchased for low prices at sporting good stores, such as Consignor Sports and Sportchek. As Kamloops citizens were lucky enough to have two stellar course offered in the Kamloops region. Recently, I was lucky enough to test my skills with a few of my friends on the course located in Rose Hill. The few thoughts that came to our minds were that this course is absolutely stunning and free of charge! As a matter of fact, the views from hole 2 and hole 5 are some of the best views I've ever seen of Kamloops. As for the golf side of things, this course has great baskets, lots of tee markers, and informative tee signs that make golfing this course a blast. If you're a less serious player (like myself), the red tees are great for fun play. In contrast, the blue tees appear to offer additional length and more challenging throwing lines. The only area of improvement this course could use, would be replacing some of the concrete tee pads. All in all, Rose Hill Disc Golf Course offers premiere disc golfing with no cost. Theres no better way for you and your friends to get outdoors and have a little friendly competition than disc Golfing.

Course Map

24 Hour Gyms

Everyone wants that perfect summer body you can flaunt at the beach. What better way to get one than to buy a gym pass and start working out regularly. With so many gyms in this amazing town we call Kamloops, this is quite the dilemma for people looking to get in shape. Furthermore, a lot of these facilities have finicky schedules resulting in large crowds and frustration for clients trying to incoporate fitness into their day to day lives. With every problem there's a solution; buy a pass to a 24 hour gym. This way, clients can easily fit in workouts whenever they have free time. A premiere 24 hour gym located in the heart of downtown Kamloops is Acceleration. Owned by Greg Kozoris who trains pro atheletes like Shane Doan and Graham Aggasiz, this gym fits the needs of many athletes (including myself) in the Kamloops Region. As for pricing, it’s $240 for 6 months of unlimited access to this premium facility. From my own experience, I found this to be a stellar deal because many gyms in Kamloops cost upwards of $50 a month. Additionally, there are many training opportunities and whenever I have a question about a workout the staff does their best to answer it. If you're interested, Koz offers a free 30 day trial allowing you to become oriented with Acceleration's equipment and facility. Getting in shape allows you to feel, move and look better, this summer is the time to do so!

http://www.kozoris-acceleration.com

Eagle Eye Lookout

         Last week I found one of the most beautiful hikes in the surrounding Kamloops region. Not knowing what to expect, I headed to the hills with a camera, packed lunch, and a few friends. We were not disappointed as after a mere 30 minutes of  hiking, we were enjoying a picnic in the sun surrounded by wild flowers and amazing views. Located 40 minutes outside of town, Eagle Eye Lookout is an optimal hike for unparalleled views of the stunning Kamloops region. To reach the trail head, make your way to the North Shore, and then to Bachelor Hills. Next, follow Batchelor Hills Dr all the way through the residential area of Bachelor. Continue on this road which turns into Lac Du Bois Rd at the cattle guard for 15.5 km. Turn Right on McQueen-Isobel Lake Rd. Later on, the road will fork roughly 1.6 km in, so make sure to keep to the left. After a little while, you'll see the parking lot. Subsequently, after you have parked your vehicle make your way to the two trail heads on the right side (west). As a precaution, I advise you ignore the trail that has the Eagle Eye Look Out sign and take the other that is not signed. (Look for the red cattle guard at the trail head.) This may seem contradictory, but the marked trail head is actually much more difficult to trek. As of last week a bus driver, had to get rescued off the mountain because he got lost when hiking in this area. In a nutshell, the unmarked trail is quite straight forward. On the summit, there is a picnic table, old fire tower and incredible views. This week is the time to get out and start your summer adventuring!

Paddle Boarding in Lac Le Jeune

Paddle boarding is an amazing way to get a workout and immerse yourself in nature. One of the best locations, to go in the Kamloops area is at Lac Le Jeune. With a provincial located on the shores of the lake, Lac Le Jeune offers 8 kms of pristine water ideal for paddling. For those who are curious what paddle boarding is, it's when you stand up on a surfboard and use a paddle to propel yourself forward. The next step in your Lac Le Jeune paddle boarding adventure is to acquire a board. Three options are to borrow a friend's, and rent or buy one from a local dealer such as, Paddle Surf It. I'd recommend renting one because if you don't like the sport at least it's only in your possession for a few hours. Finally, when you reach Lac Le Jeune head to the provincial park where there is lots of parking and launching locations for your board. When on the water, I'd advise you to take a loop around the lake which is around 8 kms and filled with majestic views of the entire landscape. Nothing says summertime like getting out on a lake a experiencing the true fun of paddle boarding.

Farmer's Market

Some of my fondest memories of Kamloops Farmers Market are meandering my way through the various vendors with my grandma to buy fresh fruits and veggies for the week. As a little boy, the farmers market helped show me the faces behind the food we eat and what fresh foods actually look like. Whether you're looking to for the freshest fruit in the city, craft alcoholic beverages, delectable food trucks, exclusive jewellery or specialty jams unique to the Thompson-Nicola area; the farmers market is the perfect place to purchase products. In the city of Kamloops, there are two farmers markets, one on Wednesday and the other on Saturday. Subsequently, the Saturday market is located on 200 block of St Paul St. and the Stuart Wood schoolyard 8:30-12:30 (April 22nd to October 28th, 2017). As for Wednesday's, the market is on 400 block of Victoria St from 8:00-2:00 (May 3rd to October 25th, 2017). On another note,  some of the every one of  the products offered at the Kamloops Farmers Market is unique to Kamloops, fresh and supports the local economy. After all, the fresher the food, the better tasting and healthier it is.  In a nutshell, the Kamloops Farmers Market is an ideal location to buy fresh food and support local farmers/craftesmen. Not to mention, the market offers an interesting social experience. This week is time to make memories and expirience the tastes of Kamloops! 

TRU Basketball Courts

          What's better than sun, friends and a competitive game of pick up basketball? Recently, Thompson Rivers University added two new outdoor basketball courts to the university's campus for the public's use. A few days ago, my brother and I enjoyed the whole court to ourselves for an intense game of one-on-one. My first impression was one to remember as these outdoor basketball courts are a work of art. First of all, the courts are full sized and concrete with glass backboards and high quality netting. Furthermore, the "playgrounds" are located in the heart of TRU's campus and offer impressive views of Kamloops. During anytime of the day you can bring a ball and some friends for shoot around or some competitive fun. As a result, these outdoor courts are a substantial substitute for Tournament Capital Centre when the indoor basketball courts are reserved for practices. A strong distinction from TCC is you won't have to worry about playing on a crowded hoop or getting in anyone's way because the TRU outdoor courts are relatively unknown to the public. The peak time of use on the outdoor hoops is usually early or mid afternoon if you're looking to join in on a bit of street ball. Playing basketball is a fantastic way you and your friends can incorporate a new workout into your week.

Click here for a map of TRU if you're having trouble finding the courts!