BIG MOUNTAIN WEEKEND: If there's a resident of Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear who will take us to task for saying that one of the best qualities of their particular area is its peaceful nature, well. That resident is probably a rare bird. That's because everyone loves the mountains for its bird-chirpy, breezy-blowy, kick-back way of life. There's no hustle and no bustle, just some fishing and some hiking and some staring at clouds. Good times. But every so often the hustle comes to the mountains, and sometimes the bustle, and when both show at once? Well, it must be the weekend of the Lake Arrowhead Film Festival and the AMGEN Tour of California, which just happen to be coinciding, kind of, over the May 18-20 weekend.
AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA: Stage 6 of one of the world's best-known cycling races pedals hard to Big Bear Lake on Friday, May 18. The buzz that's been going down in the Bear ahead of AMGEN's arrival is positively noteworthy; students have been creating art and various agencies have been putting together visitor packages and such. The King of the Mountain cycling tour -- that's for peeps like you and me and not the racers -- is worth noting, but there's a lot going down. This page should get you kick-started nicely.
LAKE ARROWHEAD FILM FESTIVAL: It isn't just about movies shot around the lake -- although goodness knows Hollywood has long been drawn to the area. Nope, there's a global feel to this three-day fest. A fest that knows what's happening in neighboring Big Bear, and thus advises attendees to head up the mountain at certain times to avoid the throngs. Good advice. The film festival rolls from May 18 through 20.
