Consider Yourself Lucky
On New Year’s Eve, I had a conversation with my neighbor about the festivities surrounding the opening of Highway 40. He made the statement…”Wow. St Louis really needs to get a life if they have a (bike) festival based on the re-opening of a highway”. The rules of social etiquette held my mouth back from speaking my thoughts. But, my thoughts were… “Dude. Do you have a pulse?”
Think about it… When was the last time you couldn’t find a ride to participate in? NEVER! Thanks to organizations like Team Rev, Big Shark, Trailnet and all of the other clubs and bike shops around town, St. Louis is a haven for cyclists. The Tuesday night crits, Wednesday night Team Rev rides, Highway 40 Time Trial/Family Fun Ride, the whole freakin cyclocross series, Cross Ocalypse, Moonlight Ramble, Monday night Mueller Rd…oh heck I could elaborate for pages. I guess the point I am trying to make here is that cyclists in St. Louis need to appreciate what they have. This cycling community has a core of individuals that I would put up against anyone in the country. They live and breathe cycling. They never fail to come up with races, rides, etc. to further incorporate cycling into our lives.
Okay, a strong community base is great, but it still is down to the individual rider to get out there and ride. Folks riding the Monterey peninsula in 75 degree weather or the folks tooling through the gorgeous scenery of Moab or Sedona can be considered cycling enthusiasts. Heck, you’d have to be freakin nuts to not want to hop on your bike and ride in these towns. St. Louis, however, is a city that is rarely found to be 80 degrees. It is a city of extremes 20 to 100 degrees is the range. Scenery on the Riverfront Trail can hardly be compared to that found in Monterey. Riders in St. Louis are faced with hydrating sufficiently in the summer and layering enough in the winter. 
Kudos to the rider heading south on a brisk 20 degree January day down the Riverfront Trail.
What I’m trying to point out here is that cyclists in St. Louis are not a bunch of candy a*#ses that ride when the weather is perfect and the pavement is smooth. They are a group of individuals, supported by a world-class community, that gets out there and rides no matter what the weather, no matter what the scenery. We ride because we love to ride. In my case, I ride because I love to ride with the people I am riding with. It is a love for riding in its purest sense that we all share.
What a jewel.
How lucky we are to be a part of this cycling community.
Category: Big Ring
