With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/692226
July/august 2016 BCBusiness 157 adaM blasberg in 2009 i made a retirement cake for Trevor Linden, and some people at the party asked me, "We're starting a bike club. Would you like to join?" That's when my little weekend ride turned into three-hour eve- ning training sessions and a 4 a.m. Cypress-Seymour-Grouse Mountain climb before work. Then our training group signed up for races in Europe. We always said the week when the 12 of us would be somewhere in the Alps for 10 days was the best week of the year because all you do is ride your bike, laugh, drink—and the next day you ride again. After Day 5 you hate it, like, "I'm never going to do this again," because it's so hard. And then on Day 7 you sign up for next year again. There's an app that came up around this time, it's called Strava, and it has taken o• like crazy and also cost a lot of friendships. If you're on a GPS cycling computer, it tracks your rides, so I can make a segment from Dundarave to Horseshoe Bay. It tracks everybody that does that segment and creates a leader board. The fastest person gets a "crown"—and then the ego starts, and people get totally obsessed about it. A lot of riders track their heart rate, so it ranks your žt- ness level; I'm not a big numbers guy so I use it mainly for the basics. I made a rule: I only fol- low people I have ridden with, but I have a lot of people follow- ing me who are curious how my ride was. While it brings apart some individuals, it actually creates a great community. You see who rode today and you can put a "thumbs up" and make a comment, so by the time you hit the road, you know so many people. —as told to Marcie Good AiRPORT/ cathay Pacific business travellers have a new place to relax at yVr. the airline's business class lounge in the international terminal is a tranquil retreat with a contemporary asian aesthetic and a mountain view–plus comfy armchairs, free WiFi, workstations with iMacs and printers, a noodle bar and showers. TRiP/ For a shorter hop, the 35-minute Harbour air flight between Vancouver and Victoria can be bookended by hotel stays. until the end of september, the Magnolia Hotel & spa in Victoria and loden Hotel in Vancouver have a best of two cities package that includes the flight, drop-off at Waterfront/Harbour, two nights' accommodation in each city, early check-in/late checkout, daily breakfast for two and complimentary bikes. HOTeL/ tech-savvy travellers can plug into opus Hotel Vancouver's new business bundle. In addition to existing perks like free WiFi and rides to downtown locations, guests can choose three more: the use of a samsung smartphone, iPad, ring-credible and lounge buddy apps, unlimited north america calling, iluv docks for bluetooth and charging, free colour copying or use of the boardroom. ADVenTuRe/ For outdoor enthusiasts, BCBusiness 30 under 30 alum and shareshed founder daniel dubois has launched guiides.com to connect with local guides who will share insider experiences ranging from $20 outdoor yoga to a $1,699 backpacking trip. –Felicity Stone In this issue: the latest developments from the world of travel A Taste for Speed Chocolate master Thomas Haas on riding the world with Trevor Linden and fending o• the virtual competition Sugar ruSh Thomas Haas rides one of his regular routes up to Cypress Mountain N e w + I m p r o v e d WARRiOR sPOTLigHT Thomas Haas was ranked among the top pastry chefs in New York City before moving to Vancouver and starting his eponymous line of chocolates in 2000. Now with two café locations in Kitsilano and North Vancouver, he typically makes 20,000 chocolates a week (quadruple that number in November and December). W e e k e n d W a r r i o r