By James Quigg
My life has almost always revolved around a spinning pedal.
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The bike was my first tool to break bonds with my family and all others; to feel the breeze on my face, to pick my own direction, to choose my speed, how high or how far I could jump. For me, cycling has been about whether I was first, second or if I finished the race at all. Sometimes it was about how far, or where I went or who was riding at my side. Sometimes it was about the bike itself. Building them, repairing them and saying bad words when they broke down.
Fast-forward to cycling in the High Desert: It’s no paradise, but it has its own awesome locations to ride. October is really one of the best months to ride around here. Over the next five weeks there are three scheduled, well-planned and organized events to ride.
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On Oct. 12, Victorville Cycles hosts one of Trek’s biggest Breast Cancer Awareness Rides. Trek bicycle dealerships across the country host bike rides with benefits going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Victorville Cycles’ ride is all about wearing pink. The ride offers 12- and 25-mile routes. The 25-mile route is very doable, even for a beginner. It’s a flat route that will generally have a tail wind on the second half. This ride is usually one of the top money earning rides of all the Trek dealerships in California. There are also plenty of raffles, so bring some extra cash — if its got pink trim, you might have a chance to win it.
On Oct. 19, take the Tour de Apple Valley. It is the longest of the three upcoming local rides. Chuck and Pat Hanson have been organizing the TDAV and leading the fight for more bicycle lanes and a more bike-friendly High Desert for most of the 10 years I’ve lived here. They’re a big reason why most of Apple Valley has well planned and thought out bike lanes.
The ride makes best use of those bike lanes, but also takes riders along what might be considered the best cycling loop in the Victor Valley. Besides the 62-mile route, they’ve also added several smaller, family oriented routes and a pricing plan that makes it realistic for a family with several children to share the ride. Proceeds from this ride go to continuing efforts to get more bike lanes and better bicycle awareness in the High Desert.
Finally, in November the Ride in the Rocks is the only mountain bike ride of the group. The 22-mile route in Lucerne Valley is a serious mountain bike ride which benefits schools there. An experienced rider will find it challenging, but not overwhelming. Beginners should prepare for the worst, but the BCAR and TDAV make good training rides to prepare for Ride in the Rocks. The Ride in the Rocks also offers 10- and 5-mile loops as well as a 5k run/walk. But the 22-mile challenge is the heart of the event.
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Source: vvdailypress.com/articles/bike-42643-first-ride.html
Information for the rides can be found at:
- Ride in the Rocks — mitsubishicement.com/educational-foundation/ride-in-the-rocks-13/
- Tour de Apple Valley — tdav.org
- Victorville Cycles — victorvillecycles.com
