We plan to ride the Greenspeed Glyde in the Ridgeland Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 4 at 2:00 pm. If you want to join in the fun, the vehicle lineup is at 12:45 PM in the Holmes Community College parking lot. Trikes are great for the 3 mile, slow pace parade and should be a lot of fun! We will have the Bread Ride on Saturday morning at 7:30, as usual. The shop will remain open all day Saturday, as usual. Come see us and take advantage of some great inventory at great prices… as usual!

BentLovers & Friends

This year’s Birthday Challenge week started on Thursday, like last year, with a well-attended clinic on Riding Faster and Riding Further. In order to improve our riding, we covered everything from the physics to the fuel. We hope some of the information passed on will help you. Thanks to John and Troy for input from their Bacchetta team experiences! We are hoping to have these Ride South Workshop Clinics more often. Thanks to Captain Johnny for the loan of his PA system, too! Please let us know if you enjoyed this one.

We began the slow cooking of the pork loin with some oak and cherry wood charcoal about 3 in the afternoon on Friday. The customer appreciation pre-ride party was to begin at 6, but we had the ping pong table warmed up way before. As folks began to come in, it was fun pitting various ping pong teams against each other. The spirit of competition spreads to everything, it seems! Great! Cool Water Cafe brought in some most-excellent chicken penne pasta Alfredo, tasty anti-pasta, peach melba tea, yeast rolls, fruit and veggie trays, etc.. The pork loin disappeared with the delicious Jezebel sauce made by Lane, as did the brownies, and we could have treated another bunch of hungry folks with the food left over before we shut down at 9! Thanks to Captain Johnny for entertaining us with his songs and guitar playing! The unexpected pleasure of Scott with all his harmonicas was a real treat and the duo was fantastic! Thanks guys!

The frosty fields were picturesque, as we drove down to Prentiss early Saturday morning . . . anticipating! A good crowd was visiting at the Prentiss trailhead, preparing for a chilly start of the 2010 Birthday Challenge. Thanks to Lee McCall who called the group to order with a new PA system! The Color Guard presented the Flag to a beautiful rendition of the Nation Anthem and a prayer for a good event . . . and indeed, a good event it was! There were about 100 folks at the start, and we discovered later about 20 riders could not make the 9:00 start. From this rider’s point of view, we think the Friday night fuel was sufficient because, this day, folks were flying up and down the LLT! Thank you Lee for all the well stocked rest stops! We missed visiting with many of you, since we took the Greenspeed Glyde velomobile out for a (significantly warmer) PR voyage to recruit some more ride mates for you. Hope it works! Congrats to all who made the effort! We hope you met your challenge Saturday, and will continue to ride throughout the year! More importantly, we hope you had a good time!!

This Saturday we will continue the Rise & Shine Bread Rides, so plan your day around the 7:30 AM launch and the hot bread at 10! This is prime riding season (what isn’t?) so come on out and join us every Saturday! The next BIG event is the Signature Ride which is the last Saturday in March. We hope you will sign up early! The Ride South shop will be closed Thanksgiving weekend so stock up on your Christmas gifts now. We have gift certificates, too.

Thank You,
Jim

Here is a link to the spot on the 6:00 News, November 9 2010:

http://www.wlbt.com/global/category.asp?c=195965&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5277780&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

The Ride South shop will be closed for the Birthday Challenge Ride on the Longleaf Trace on Saturday, November 6. If you are from out of town and need something, we will open Sunday, by appointment.

Thank You!
Jim

BentLovers & Friends

We forget how many years we have had a Birthday Challenge Ride, but each year it gets bigger and better! Lee McCall, chairman of the Longleaf Trace Birthday Challenge Committee allows us to celebrate their all day event with a mass start at Prentiss, MS on this Saturday, November 6 at 9:00 AM! You need to be at the Prentiss Trailhead by 8:30 AM to find a parking place, register, and prepare yourself and your bike! The weather will be invigorating, so wear some layers to shed as the ride progresses. Remember, the personal challenge is to ride your age in kilometers or miles. The trail is marked for you. Just do the best you can. Everyone can enter!!!

We went down to preview the trail yesterday and everything looks great! Herlon Pierce is doing a great job as trail manager! Heath Sumrall plans to have a preview of his reopening of the Sumrall Station, so be sure to check it out! (Remember the Ice Cream Ride we had many years ago?!) We are not sure about the fuel supplies at the rest stops, so be sure to have a stash on board to get you back. Lee says we will have BBQ sandwiches until 3:30 PM at Prentiss. Thank you Lee! We know how important it is to refuel immediately after a long ride! The venders will charge a nominal fee. Be sure to thank them for staying for you!!

Here are a few reminders about the ride. Please start with the group! We will get a group photo at 8:55 AM, right after some announcements! Please stay on the right side of the trail unless you are passing. Pay attention for riders coming up on your left. Riders passing, please announce yourself before you pass! Wear your helmet! No one is allowed without a helmet! Return before 3:30 for the door prize drawings. Have a safe ride and a great day!

We are closing the shop for the day on Saturday. If you are here from out of town and need something, let us know and we will open Sunday for you. Remember the Ride South Workshop Clinic on Thursday, November 4 at the shop from 6-7:30! We will be discussing How to Ride Faster and How to Ride Further. John Schlitter (Bacchetta) and Troy Timmonds will be on hand, hopefully to pass along a few pearls of wisdom! Sign up for our Pre-Ride Party we are having on Friday, as well. We will have roast pork, pasta, anti-pasta, fruits, veggies and ping pong! We might even have some other entertainment! If you musicians have your instruments tuned, come share with us!! We will go from 6-9 PM!

We hope you will participate in one of the biggest events we have ever had! We would like to see all of our customers and friends show up! Wear your Ride South shirts and show everyone that Ride South is the Way to Ride!!

BentLovers & Friends

Those of you who choose not to participate in some of our events must get tired of glowing ride reports, so get ready for another one. This year’s Natchez or Bust Ride was the best ever! The 7:30 AM launch time with the Bread Ride crowd was awesome! Thank you to Drez for leading the Bay Ride group and keeping the shop open! Everyone chose their route for the day and off we went on a picture perfect fall day. The temperature went from 60-80 during the NOB ride, making shorts and short sleeves the perfect uniform. The wind picked up a bit in the afternoon, providing a fun game of catching the falling leaves as we cruised down the trace at a comfortable pace for all. Lane was awesome, providing drink and food at all the right places!!! Thank you, Lane!!! We encountered the usual motorcycle groups at Rocky Springs, staring at our bikes in silence (after turning off their noisy machines)! One fellow did brag about “biking” to Nashville. Quite a hump, he said. I told him that two of the cyclists in our group had made the trip as well. End of conversation . . . we had to get on the road again.

The last third of the trip proved equally entertaining as the hills surprised a few folks. With lots of help from Lane and the pickle jar, we replenished the depleted sodium and forged ahead to arrive at the showers within about 20-30 minutes of each other. Lane served red wine and cheese to refuel a bit, and we loaded up the vehicles to head to the restaurant. More anti-oxidants came in the form of world class Bloody Marys that were garnished with huge olives, green beans and citrus fruit. Everyone had something different and it was all eagerly consumed. There was a football game on the big screen that provided some ausome entertainment, for a couple of us anyway!

After the fantastic meal, we decided to make this event concurrent with the hot air balloon festival next year. This means you can mark your calendar for the NOB Ride on the third Saturday in October! We also are encouraging those who can, to plan to stay overnight and get to know Natchez a bit better. We will still offer the shuttle back though. In fact, the ride back usually proves entertaining along the trace, as critters are lurking around almost every bend, and the full moon was gorgeous! I believe I heard Michelle crying wee wee wee, all the way home . . . in the other vehicle! We hope all had as much fun as she seemed to, and will return next year! Thank you Doug for planting your truck at the park on Friday!! Maybe we can ride with you TO Jackson next year! Thanks to all for joining us!

Jim

BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE RIDE: NOVEMBER 6, 2010 The Must-Do event for everyone!!!!!!!

A long, but entertaining read that we don’t necessarily agree with:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/24/bike-snobs-guide-cycling-tribes

Buying a bike is easy.

You can go online.

You can go across town.

Or you can go out of state.

In the end… all you will have is a painted steel frame with wheels and a seat.

The wheels will roll… but the experience will not turn into a wonderful relationship like we have enjoyed with Jim and Lane at RideSouth.

Jim is a motivator, a counselor and a friend… and Lane is a consummate cheerleader.

Ann and I value our relationship with the Sniders and RideSouth. When we need advice on how to ride… where to ride… or what to ride, we know that the best counsel will come from Jim, without even the slightest hustle to buy.

For me, the proof of what I gained by riding a recumbent is in the results: Weight loss exceeding 170 pounds in just a year – and a fitter, brighter and more exciting outlook on life that comes with the joy of riding a recumbent from RideSouth – and new-found experiences on the Natchez and Long Leaf Traces with my bride of 33 years and the prospect of some great cycling vacations ahead.

There are two good reasons why RideSouth remains a 12 year institution in Flowood. Jim and Lane Snider: people who put friendships first.

Blake Wilson
Brandon, MS

Jim and Mike- here’s my testimonial for you. It’s good news anyway, but for us Type II folks, cycling is really good news.

Dear friends,
I’m 55 years old and rode a hybrid mountain bike on and off for a few years. My first recumbent was a trike and I rode a good bit, but wanted to go faster and longer. So I traded it in and bought a CA2 in August of 2010 from Ride South in Brandon. It was comfortable from the beginning. My idea was to put 100 miles a week on the bike and I did that until just recently. Work and the weather have interfered with riding lately and I’m logging in less miles, but I’m hoping that will end soon.

I began riding because I can’t walk more than a couple of miles due an ankle problem and running is out of the question. Also, I began riding to relieve stress and maybe lose some weight while having a little fun too. Since August, I’ve lost 20 pounds, but the best news health-wise is my A1C diabetes level dropped in an October test from 7.5 to 6.5. Anything below 7 is out of the danger zone. I’m Type II. The test reaches back over three months, and I took the test after riding only two months. I’m thinking my next test, may yield even better results, “normal” results.

In summary, I feel better, having fun exercising, and my golf game has improved. I don’t know how that happened, but I’m thankful. I love the CA2- wonderful bike- it has helped me enjoy life with better health all round. I like zipping around the landscape of the Natchez Trace and other bike trails in my area too- it’s a fast bike and when I get more fit, it’ll be faster!

The Rev. Scott Lenoir

Jim,

We are having so much fun on the Hobie kayaks. Everyone in the family is just crazy about them. We were up and out on the water at 7:00 this morning. I usually can’t get them out of bed before noon. The effortless speed of the pedal drive still amazes me. The lake has a completely new character from the seat of a kayak. Thanks again for your help and service.

Frank Coxwell