Put on your mask and join us in the Krewe of Nereids Mardi GRAS Parade in Waveland, MS! The date is Sunday, February 12. Many trikesters are heading down early to tour the area on Saturday. Check out the discussion on our Discussions Forum for more details! We will have “throws” for you to appease the onlookers with, and expect to have a huge turnout! Some folks are even selecting their trikes in Mardi GRAS colors! What a great way to support a recovering community and have fun at the same time!
Parade Info

A recent issue of Discover Magazine published an article “How you will die: Risk Factor”. The National Safety Council table of risk factors shows we are 786 times more likely to die of heart disease than a cycling accident. Here is the table:

How you will die:

Total, any cause: 
1 in 1
Heart disease: 
1 in 6
Cancer: 
1 in 7
Stroke: 1 in 28
Motor vehicle 
accident: 1 in 88
Intentional 
self-harm: 1 in 112
Accidental poisoning by, or exposure to, noxious substance: 1 in 130
Fall: 1 in 171
Car occupant accident: 1 in 303
Assault by firearm: 1 in 306
Pedestrian accident: 1 in 649
Motorcycle accident: 1 in 770
Accidental drowning: 1 in 1,123
Fire: 1 in 1,177
Pedalcyclist accident: 1 in 4,717
Firearm discharge: 1 in 6,309
Air transport accident: 1 in 7,032
Electrocution: 1 in 9,943
Heat exposure: 1 in 12,517
Cataclysmic storm: 1 in 46,044
Bee, hornet, or wasp sting: 1 in 71,623
Legal execution: 1 in 96,691
Dog attack: 1 in 120,864
Earthquake or other earth movement: 1 in 148,756
Flood: 1 in 175,803
Fireworks: 1 in 386,766

The RideSouth Signature Ride is, well, our Signature Ride of the year. It combines trail riding, road riding and great fellowship . . . all in a Southerly direction! Check out the link provided below and choose your distance and involvement. There is something for everyone! Come join us this year and see why RideSouth is The Way to Ride!
More info . . .

We have our first Greenspeed Anura Quad on the showroom floor! This is a unique recumbent that is sure to be a big hit with everyone! The larger rear wheels give the Quad a cool dragster look. The rear differential offers the traction to take on any terrain, while the torsional flexing of the main tube keeps all wheels on the ground . . . somewhat like a moon rover! The RANS seat is very comfortable and the 9 speed drive train has a good range. Adding a Schlumpf speed drive would be a good option if more gears are needed. The Anura Quad is sure to be a popular recumbent for those wanting the ultimate in a very stable and versatile recumbent. Come by and see it soon!

Growing up, 2012 was definitely too far into the future to think about. Well, we have managed to make it here, and it’s arrival is exciting! Our 2012 RideSouth family is strong, and growing! Here are a few highlights of what to expect from RideSouth in the coming weeks:

Rise & Shine Bread Rides
We begin this Saturday at 7:30 AM! Expect more structure with published routes, ride leaders, sweep riders and some new routes! Look for the same delicious oat bran bread, with homemade preserves and jam, to be ready by 10 AM.

Waveland Mardi Gras Parade
We have entered the Waveland Krew of Nereids parade on February 12! We expect to have 20 or more trikesters riding the Mississippi Coast streets, and having a great time throwing beads to the onlookers! Parades are loads of fun on a trike and a great way to spread the recumbent gospel to thousands of folks! Get your hotel room now and join us! See the Discussions forum on our website top menu for more updates on this event and others.

YouTube
Check out the RideSouth 2011 Jingle Bell Ride Movie Trailer on YouTube! You may be in the movie! Stay tuned to RideSouth Recumbents TV for weekly episodes of informative and entertaining programming!

Friends of RideSouth
Ask about how you can benefit from being a Silver or Gold member in our Friends of RideSouth Program in 2012! You may already qualify for some serious discounts on purchases, and some free services!

Facebook
We have a RideSouth Facebook page and are working on posting photos, videos, ride information and event announcements on it soon. More on that later, but the need is there and we have begun to accept this part of the future!

Kayaks & Trikes
We have some kayaks left, but are making more room for trikes, so select your kayak soon. There are some exciting trike models on the way from ICE, Greenspeed and other suppliers. We expect to even have the new Greenspeed Anura Quad next week! A very cool four wheeled recumbent! By February, we expect to have our rental trike program in place. Then, new trike riders will be able to rent trikes for extended periods before you buy!

More than just a leap year, 2012 will be a springboard year that will launch us further into the future than even we can imagine! We sincerely hope that you, our Friends and Family, will enjoy this year with us, and help us to show others that RideSouth is the best Way to Ride . . . into their future!

We have super sale prices on all kayak accessories and most of our kayaks! Come in the shop this week and save big! Sale ends on December 31! Paddles and PDFs are 40% off this week only!

HOBIE® OUTDOOR ADVENTURES TV SERIES DEBUT

We are excited to announce that a new series featuring the use of Hobie Cat® products called Hobie Outdoor Adventures will debut on Thursday, December 29th at 8:30am EST on the Versus Channel. The series will air once per week for 13 weeks, and each episode will feature a different adventure centered around a Hobie Cat product, from night fishing to the Transparentsea voyage on Hobie Mirage® Tandem Islands. At the conclusion of the 13 weeks of Hobie Outdoor Adventures, the same time slot will feature the IFA Redfish Tour Television Series, with a segment of each episode dedicated to the IFA Kayak Fishing Tournament sponsored by Hobie Cat. As of January 2, 2012, the Versus television network will become NBC Sports and Outdoors, so be sure to verify air times with that channel in mind come the new year. Please note that it is possible the January 5th episode may be pre-empted, so check your local listings.

HOBIE OUTDOOR ADVENTURES TV SERIES DEBUT

Hobie Outdoor Adventures will be airing at 11:30am EST on Thursday, December 29th and not at 8:30am EST as was noted in last week’s dealer bulletin.

Our apologies for the error.

Ruth Triglia
[email protected]

BentLovers & Friends:

Taking a moment to browse through the many photos we took of you when you took home your RideSouth purchase, brings a sense of purpose to the season. The purpose and resolve that perhaps you felt that moment, when the decision making was over, and now, it was time for action! Action to give to others, action to take control of your own destiny, and action to improve yourself. That moment, as the camera shutter snapped, recorded something different for each of you, and maybe it still exists.
We miss our RideSouth family members who are no longer with us, and we hope time has begun to help heal the loss for their loved ones. We encourage the rest to reflect on that moment and re-experience the exhilaration of going somewhere on your bike! It doesn’t take much to have fun, it doesn’t take much to have adventure, and it doesn’t take much to make a difference . . . just a moment in time.

Merry Christmas!

This was a good first time event for the Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Ride. Even with the cool weather, there were about 70 decorated riders on the trails and the Trace. Thanks to you, Team RideSouth was a top contributor! Many folks were introduced to recumbents as the bikes we had available for test riding were rarely idle. Thank you very much to Janet for having her trike available and helping to spread the recumbent gospel! Thanks to Joan for getting us involved! The Friday night dinner was a great way to network as our Jingle Bell Ride movie trailer produced some jaw dropping moments to the uninitiated. Two big screens in the Millsaps Media Center surrounded everyone there with images of hundreds of our customers doing what they do best . . . have fun! Ask to see the movie trailer next time you are in the shop. Make it this week and also get blown away by the terrific deals we are making on most of the bikes and kayaks we have on the floor!!