Do you prefer the bad news first or the good news first? I prefer the bad first, so here it goes.

There is a lot of snow in the upper part of the lower Bike Park. In fact, there is more snow this year than we can remember (of course, it is right after the Ski and Snowboard Festival, so maybe we just can't remember). Usually at this time of the year, we can see at least portions of the trails. That is not the case this year. There is not a trace of the Bike Park on the upper part and riding is out of the questions. OK, I feel bad now. I didn't want to make you cry (my eyes are a bit damp too), so here is the good news.

We have got a brand new John Deere 50D and two of our most capable machine operators, Marty and Ken, clearing that nasty white stuff off A-Line. When A-Line is done, hopefully by Friday, the boys will get on B-Line and then Dirt Merchant. Hopefully, we will get a bit of a helping hand from Mother Nature by blessing us with hot weather next week.

We are also planning to get a bunch of D1 (read shovel) operators -myself included - and we will start exposing some of that beautiful, brown dirt and rock on favorites like Schleyer, Joyride and Angry Pirate. We may be beating our heads against the Wall Ride, but doing nothing is not an option. We are committed to get this Bike Park open ASAP.

If you are like us up here Whistler, then what you thought was a continuous bad hangover is nothing but a bad case of Bike Park Deprivation. This condition can only be cured by ripping down A-Line and catching some sweet air.

We have suffered with you and hopefully we will not suffer for much longer. The Bike Park will officially open May 20, 2006. We promise you that and we also promise you that we will make every humanly possible effort to open earlier. Maybe May 6 and if not, then May 13. These early openings could be marginal and your expectations should not be too lofty. But it will be better than sitting at home, watching Extreme Poker.