When I started organizing cycling rides, three years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. I just started putting emails about times and place and people just started coming. Since then, I have had an opportunity to cycle with all types of riders of all skill levels. One thing I realized was that there was no true beginner ride for people. Several people had attempted to start one, but they slowly turned into stronger riders and beginners never came back.

When I became president of JMC (Jackson Metro Cycles), I wanted to start a true road riding beginner group. Once I became an LCI (League of American Cyclists Ceritifed Instructor), I decided to make it an educational ride as well.

When I began the ride last year, it was tremendously successful. It was comprised of mostly ladies and only a couple of men. The ladies loved it because it slowly became a social outing and a cycling group. They didn’t want to come and “hammer” the entire ride and then leave. As a result, we cycled for a couple of hours and then met for pizza afterward.

It has become a very popular ride in the Jackson area. I have developed quite an advertising team! ;-) When people say, “I really want to get into cycling, but I don’t know where to start.” People say, “You should come to OUR beginner group