[Mattco]

I have been using the stationary bike at the gym for a couple months and decided that since I am out of town for 5 nights a week now that I would buy a bike. I bought a crapper at Wal-Mart for about $130 or so and had fun with it and just bought a Gary Fisher Wahoo today.

My problem is now that all my friends are lazy asses and if I do talk one into going trail riding with me, I am about 4 levels above him from the stationary bike (Endurance and speed that is anyway. The other day my buddy drug around for a lap while I was having fun and ended up doing a couple more laps when he left).

What is the easiest way that you all have found to locate more local trail riders to go riding with?

I am from southeast Alabama and don't mind driving a couple hours to hit a new, fun trail.

 

[oldskoolbiker]

You're in the right place. I too have found that it's difficult to get my non biking friends to go riding with me, and if I do convince them, it usually isn't very fun.

Take a look in the Southeast regional forum on here (http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80). Perhaps you can find people on there to ride with, or maybe someone can point you more in the right direction as to which websites AL riders hang out on.

I really got back into riding about a year ago, and all the people I now ride with I met on MTBR or ridemonkey.

 

[perttime]

Bike shop employees are often riders themselves and know something about the local scene.

 

[justaguy]

Check here...

http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80

Check out the Bama riders post, or start one of your own. What part of South East Alabama. I travel frequently as well...not as much as I used to, but I get down to Brewton occasionally. Maybe we can hook up and ride.

Always welcome at Oak Mountain in Birmingham as well. BUMP has a third Saturday ride the third Saturday of every month. This month it is the 15th (not this Sat., but next). Meets at the south trailhead at 9:00 and has riders of varying abilities. I have been riding for about a year and a half but still consider myself a beginner because I only ride a couple of times a month and am old and slow.

I think Swayback is supposed to be a really good trail although I have never been. I think it is near Opelika. Start a post and find someone to ride with. Safer AND more fun. Ride on.

 

[med]

Sometimes LBS's have organized rides through local trails that could be a good way to hook up with people. I'm starting from absolute scratch and just went out on my first "real" ride, and it was with a group from an LBS around the corner from where I live. I know a few other shops in my city (Toronto) that do similar things, usually weekly.