Is This A Logo??

Is This A Logo??

Sunday 20 November 2011

Who I Ride With

My riding partners can basically be broken up into three groups...although the groups will often intermingle during rides.

First is the BlueStreakRiders group.  This group is predominantly road bikers who also mountain bike.  This group really got its start from a group of competitive gymnasts.  I originally met a couple of them randomly on the trails (although the running joke is that we met on e-harmony dot com...a less than manly road biker kind of joke), and this is where my nickname (Riot) really got its start.  Actually I stole the nickname from my son who used the name for online gaming, as I needed a nickname for the BlueStreakRider web forum.  These guys ages range from early 30's to mid 50's and the rides are motivational as hell.  There are some extremely fit riders in this group, and riding with them often pushes my endurance levels to the limit!

Then there is the Bicycle Works crew.  This group includes staff and customers of the shop, http://www.bicycleworkswaterdown.com/ ...and includes both genders, and all ages and skill levels.  There are professional athletes in this group.  There are the most technically gifted riders in the region, possibly in the Country in this group...and unbelievably fast!!!  Keeping up with mid-level riders in this group is a challenge, and riding with the advanced group on group rides makes me realize how much more work I need to do; and motivates me to do just that!

Finally, there is the group that stems from the team that originally introduced me to the sport.  In fact, this team enjoyed our first ever podium finish in a race this year (2011).  We finished 3rd in the Hot August Nights 24 hour relay race in Albion Hills.  This team included NewfieSteve, a very gifted (technically talented, fast, and strong) rider originally from Newfoundland; EnglishJim, a rider with the heart of a bull...he just keeps on going...and is originally from Britain; Oliver, EnglishJim's son, young and fast; Launchzone, endurance and speed up the wazoo, and is originally from Trinidad (actually recruited from the BlueStreakRiders for this race); and me, a Metis man originally from Saskatchewan.  How is that for an international team!! (Insert any number of racial jokes here...there was no such thing as Political Correctness with this group during this race.)  We went into this race just looking to have fun, and were surprised as hell to find ourselves vying for a podium spot.  Check out some of our non-race local riding on YouTube channel NewfieSteve36



So there, you have it.  Although, I often ride solo, or run into other riders on the trails, these are the riders I most often end up with not only for the fun and experience, but for the motivation to be better.  Ride on!

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