A new touring company is in town and it鈥檚 good for the environment.
The Smile Cycle 鈥� Pedal Tour Company opened in January, and owner Stuart Lang took a big leap when he heard a calling to come back to the Okanagan.
The company features a 15-passenger bike, where patrons face each other across a table as they pedal around 91大黄鸭. It was originally designed in the Netherlands, and carries an eco-friendly solar panel that charges the battery.
鈥淲hen you see it and engineering behind it, it鈥檚 quite impressive,鈥� said Lang, adding he saw the first bicycle operating in Germany.
鈥淭he idea came from back when I was a lot younger, I was an exchange student and I went to Germany, and in Berlin there were folks peddling down the main street and I thought 鈥榳ow, these folks are having a blast, they鈥檙e all facing each other, it鈥檚 not like anything I had seen before.鈥欌��
After seeing Germany鈥檚 successful bike adventures and his friend in Portland ride a similar bike, he decided to take his idea to the Okanagan.
鈥淲e have a great history to this city with Canada鈥檚 150 happening here and for someone who鈥檚 been proud to come from and live in 91大黄鸭 I didn鈥檛 want it to just be about beer,鈥� said Lang, as the original bikes he saw in Germany featured beer drinking as part of the experience.
In October, the 28-year-old attended a Rock My Business Plan workshop for people ages 18 to 39 which was created from funding from the province and it jumpstarted his idea.
鈥淚t provided me with that framework and organization to take this dream and take all the quantitative and qualitative measures and put it into reality. It demystified the whole process,鈥� he said.
The 28-year-old moved away from 91大黄鸭 for nine years, completing a master鈥檚 degree at Dalhousie University.
But his interest lies with the tourism industry. Lang moved back to 91大黄鸭 last June from Halifax. His fianc茅 is still currently living there, finishing her schooling.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really been a gut check to put yourself out there,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about showing this place that we love.鈥�
For more information or to book a tour visit www.smilecycletours.ca.
