LAST MONTH IN OUR Everyday Cyclist column we attempted to locate every no-drop ride around. We missed a few.
Turns out some of the area’s best and most competitive cycling clubs also have some great regular rides for range of abilities. And they all like to recruit new riders.
VERTICAL EARTH in Coeur d’Alene (verticalearth.com) has no-drop mountain bike rides on Tuesday evenings year round except during the summer when they move to Thursday so they don’t conflict with the Twilight Series races held on Tuesdays. They also host Wednesday evening road rides from roughly April through September. These are no-drop rides but they’re at a 17-18 mph pace.
EMDE SPORTS – FITNESS FANATICS USA Cycling and USA Triathlon Team (emdesports.com) is a mix of cyclists, triathletes, and runners. Outside of racing season they hold regular weekend rides. They welcome other riders to join them. Like Vertical Earth, although the rides are no drop they do have an expected pace to keep. They have rides set for 15-17mph and as high as 22mph. Fitness Fanatics (fitfanatics.com) has shop rides too, including a no-drop mountain bike ride Mondays at 6pm and a 12 mph and up road ride on Wednesdays, also at 6pm.
ZUSTER CYCLING (www.zustercycling.com) is a women’s racing team. Their training is somewhat spontaneous with members sending an email for rides they want to lead. They do road and mountain bike rides. They try to have a few road rides geared towards beginners so they can work on handling, riding in a group, and riding in traffic. New members must be sponsored by a member who’s been on the team for at least a year.
RIVER CITY RED is a new team sponsored by River City Brewing. They will be doing a “Friends of the Shop,” no-drop ride leaving from Steve’s On Cannon Street around 5.30 pm on the last Thursday of each month, April through August (April 26, May 31, June 28, July 26 and Aug 30). The ride is about 20 miles and paced to keep everyone together or re-grouped. They will ride a loop out to the Seven Mile Bridge on the Aubrey White Parkway and back on the other side of the river. For more information: RiverCityRed@gmail.com.
Thanks for everything these clubs do for our cycling scene. Hope to see you on the road (or trail) soon.
JON SNYDER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
editor @ outtheremonthly.ziplinestaging.com
For info: http://targetzero.com/Plan.htm
