af2nr

I have been here in Columbus, MS for about 2 months now and have seen a total of 2 other people on bikes, never while I am on mine though. I have searched high and low for some kind of organized club or even just other riders with no luck. The closest clubs I have found so far are 30 and 65 miles away respectively. I don't mind riding alone but I also enjoy riding with others as well. Is anyone else out there it this type of situation? What do you do about group riding?

dbduke

Ride alone alot. I travel on the weekends to ride in a group. My clubs are 45 and 80 miles out.

TrekDen

If I were you, I would look into the club that is 30 miles away. You just might find that on weekends they will have a ride in your area occasionally. I belong to a club that is 50 miles away, but on average they have 3 rides a month around where I live. Seems they like getting out to ride in the country as much as they can.

ImprezaDrvr

My LBS and club(s) are all about 25 miles away, but it's an easy drive. I ride with them when I can. It's worth it to check them out even if it is a drive. I'm working on getting them to come out to where I live for a ride every once in a while. Better roads, less traffic and good climbs abound here.

Hattori

I live in a small town and although we don't have a large cycling community I do enjoy riding here.

bccycleguy

ditto, I rode about 4,000 km last year, maybe 120 km with other people (100 of that in a metric century ride).

af2nr

I have tried contacting this club with no luck so far. They do show one route that comes this way but all start in the area they are in. I am actually joining the club that is 65 miles away and will be able to ride with them some on weekends but no weekday rides. They actually do one ride that is in my area in March, 45 miles for me and closer to 100 for them.

Like I said I don't mind riding alone but being new to the area I still don't really know my way around very well. Guess I just got used to having a local club to ride with at my last base.

MikeR

I know exactly how you feel. I'm in a small town about 35 miles from the nearest city with a bike club. Nice club but it seems a waste to spend 2 hours driving to and from a bike ride unless it’s an all day event. I sometimes drive down there but most times I have maybe 4 hours to spend on cycling and I don’t want to waste half of the time in a car. This club does not have many rides in my area – most members think that my area is too hilly.

I like riding alone – but not all the time! I know that there are some other cyclists around here, it’s just hard to run across them.

Here’s what I’m planning to do. Come spring I plan to run an add in the local paper. I don’t want to start a club; just get some group rides together. I’ll explain that I’m looking for fellow riders who want to go on some impromptu group rides in the area. I set up a Yahoo newsgroup, and will make it available for local cyclists to arrange rides. I’ll also give them my phone number but the email newsgroup would be easier. Anyone who wants to get together for a ride can post a meeting time and place. I think I’ll have to run the add for a while but I hope others respond.

EdZ

I live in a small town, a very small town in the middle of PA Dutch land. Other than my lbs owner and his son, whose also my team mate, I have seen about 3 other people on bikes near my home. On the other side of town, yeah sure, lots of people. But here, no one rides. I usually get perplexed looks or friendly waves from farmers driving tractors down the road.

Portis

I've ridden about 15,000 miles in the last couple years. About 50 of those were with a group. Those 50 are among the worst miles i have ever ridden. I am a lone cyclist, right or wrong. And yeah i am in a smaller town too (45,000).

There are group rides and i do see riders every now and then but not too much.

Machka 

Yep ... pretty much!! And I ride alone the majority of the time.

I do try to get together with other cyclists at events now and then, but that's about it.

Thrifty1

Population of my town is 180 and the nearest LBS is 35 miles but they do not have a club or group rides. I don't know of or see any other cyclists at all......only 3 or 4 cars/trucks in 4 hours of riding. My wife and always ride togeter in case of break down or encoounter with couger, moose, badger, elk, etc.

af2nr

MikeR,
That actually was something I was looking at as well. I was first going to try and get something going through the base here, I have heard that there were some people here last year who rode. If that doesn't work I may try your approach. I guess it is nice to know that I'm not the only one who seems to be in the middle of cycling nowhere...

Portis

What? So one of you can sacrifice the other?

Conundrum

Welcome to cycling in most of Mississippi. I'm in the same deal on the bottom end of the state. I took up cycling a year ago and have about 1500 miles in that time and have yet to do a group ride due to the same circumstances. If you come to the beach give me a shout and I'll ride with you - plus side is there are some nice country roads and decent enough hills where you are. Good Luck.
C.

ImprezaDrvr

If there's an outdoorsy group in a town close to you they may have a newsletter or something that you could advertise in to get group rides going.

120372

Conundrum, you shouldn't be in the same situation. There are group rides a couple of times a month in gulfport and biloxi. (pre-katrina, at least)
Also, even though the common theme in this thread is not wanting to drive to ride, the Tammany Trace (google it if you're unfamiliar) is about the finest 38 miles of cycling in the gulf south. On a typical saturday you'll see hundreds of other cyclists.

af2Nr-welcome to the middle of nowhere. Nice to meetcha.

LCI_Brian

Although I live in a suburban area with plenty of clubs, I spend some time at my mountain cabin in a small town that is 30 miles away from the nearest club. I've been meaning to drive down and ride with them, but it's too far if I'm just at my cabin for the weekend. Sometimes in the summertime they do a remote ride out my way. I do stay in touch with one of the club leaders via email to talk about routes, road conditions, etc.

They have a couple of special rides during the year, including an annual century. I've been thinking of joining along for those kinds of rides.

MikeR

I was thinking of posting on bulleten boards in stores as well.

Thulsadoom

I live in a small town, in a small town area, with gorgeous scenery and roads to ride on. The advantage is I don't have to put up with the big town traffic, but I do most of my riding alone for the most part. It would be nice to find some people around that ride. I'm thinking I'll just have to try to motivate some people around here, maybe try to organise some small rides and see if anyone will show up. Who knows? Maybe a whole bunch of people will get hooked.

Conundrum

120372 - unfortunatley I'm about a 45min drive from where those rides take place and about the same from the groups in Mobile AL - net result is about the same. I keep meaning to join up with one of rides in Biloxi but just haven't made it yet - again its the whole drive to ride thing.
c.

af2nr

Thanks! I also thought I had seen a site for Gulf Coast Cycling Club out of Biloxi when I was searching the state of MS for cycling clubs.

HPS

Val's has been running Wednesday night rides for quit a while now (over ten years it seems) and the High Plains Shifters started about that time also. (See cover of 2006 CANDISC brochure to see last years hi-vis jersey)

The rides alternate between Oak and Roosevelt Parks on Wednesday nights at 6:30, and the riders bikes range from comfort bikes to Colnagos. Give Rory a call at Val's, or Google "High Plains Shifters" for more info. Rides are generally from the beginning of May and run to mid-September.

Hope to see you this Summer!

TDK/Offdaback1/Minot ND

Machka 

I know how you feel ... I'm in a similar situation. And as for what I do about group riding .... I don't. I ride solo.

HPS

Riding solo is great.

The ride starts when your wheels begin to turn (..not waiting for someone else to get ready); you get to choose the route; your always the first one up the hill; and you don't feel guilty if you feel like riding slow.

...but riding is like Faith. Sometimes it's nice to hang around with people who believe what you believe in.

As far a small town riding goes, check with your local bike store and ask them who some of the local riders are. Chances are, there are more riders out there than you think. For example, you may not even spot a rider that is on the same road as you, but has a 15 minutes lead. Given that scenario, 45 riders may be riding the same route during an 8 hour period, and not see each other.


HPS