It is with great sadness that we report on the passing of Ian Sims, known to most of us as the founder and CEO of Greenspeed Trikes. Ian was a great innovator and leader in the Human Powered Vehicle movement in Australia and beyond. A genius in many respects, Ian brought many Greenspeed trikes to the world market, including the popular Magnum and Aero. He visited our shop many times and it was a pleasure, and a challenge, trying to keep up with his forward thinking and innovative ideas. Ian was the featured speaker at our Recumbent Rally and Convention and was well received by everyone. Greenspeed has been a mainstay for our shop for over twenty years, and Jerome Hediger, the Greenspeed distributor for the USA assures me the company will continue and trikes will be available. We are deeply saddened for Jerome, all of the Greenspeed family and especially Ian’s family and friends in Australia. We hope Ching and the rest of his family find some comfort knowing they have spent quality time with such a great man. Ian died today with complications from liver cancer.
Ian pilots his Glyde at the Rally
Flowood learns about recumbents!
Ian showing off the production Aero
Working together in the shop
At the Rally
Please visit us on Wednesday for some deals on kayaks!
Spring Fling: Ride Report
It has been a while since our last cookout, so here is a brief report on how it went. Near perfect! The weather was perfect Friday night, with a slight breeze keeping the smoke from the Hasty Bake away from the guests enjoying the MANY flavorful dishes. All were offered by our customers to go with the beast burgers, veggie burgers and salmon burgers from the grill. Even some local business people from around the shop could not keep away from the aroma, and were welcomed.
Many thanks to Robert and Katrina for providing fresh slaw, beans, potato salad and buns! Beverly and Richard brought flavorful dips, carrot cake and awesome healthy salad all the way from Baton Rouge as well as a case of beer! We are planning a road trip to Baton Rouge to reciprocate, so let us know if you are interested! Thanks to Sandra, Louis and all the other guests for decorating and helping to clean up after. Lane made some awesome burgers and brownies that were a definite hit!
Saturday, we launched from Sumrall at 10:00 AM under overcast skies and pleasant temperatures. Shorts and short sleeves were perfect attire. Many trikers with yellow RideSouth jerseys decorated the LongLeaf Trace, some for the first time! Some folks elected to drive to Hattiesburg and ride towards us, which worked out great! Louis noticed Lane had a low tire and we repaired it in just a few minutes at a rest stop.
Riders arrived at the Southern Prohibition Brewery in shifts, minutes after they opened at noon. It was only then that we discovered that the pizza oven was not in operation! So, we recharged on a variety of beers and sodas which, for my part, was very enjoyable! Try the flight of four beers when you go! It took a couple of flights for me to decide the best, a grapefruit tasting pale ale, I think! It is worth redoing this when we have time to do the tour!
The weather on the way back was the same and everyone made it back to their destination safely! We even got back in time to see our alma mater play well enough to go to the National Championships! But, it was not to be 🙁 But, it was really good to get out and enjoy the day with customers on cool bikes! Thank you to our customers for supporting our shop and continuing the tradition that RideSouth IS . . . The way to ride!
Remember our Spring Fling Ride this weekend! We will fire up the grille at the RideSouth shop around 5:30 PM. Come early and play some low key doubles table tennis on the table in the shop and have a beer on us! The weather promises to be mostly clear for Friday night and Saturday on the LongLeaf Trace. We will launch at 10:00 AM from the Sumrall Gateway, heading towards Hattiesburg. Rumor has it that some of us will make a beeline to the Southern Prohibition Brewery by 12 noon to recharge on high voltage beer and pizza! They are expecting us! Of course there are other recharging stations in the area, too! Since we have no takers for the bus, everyone is responsible for their own transportation, as well as food and drink.
We will have a few veggie burgers, many beef burgers, and some are bringing fish burgers to put on the Hasty Bake charcoal grille tomorrow night. We plan to have chips, dip and potato salad as well. All are welcome, we just need a head count TODAY! The RideSouth Shop will be CLOSED on Saturday so we can participate in the fun! If you just HAVE to get your new bike or kayak this weekend, call and leave a time on Sunday for us to meet you! We will accommodate!
Spring Fling Ride
Some of our Louisiana friends have suggested a Spring Cookout at the RideSouth shop. We have done this a few times over the years and next weekend looks like a great time to do it again! Join us Friday, April 5 at 5:00 PM for a burger cookout at the RideSouth shop! We will provide the burgers, beer and fixings! The ping pong table will be available!
On Saturday, April 6 we will close the shop to ride the LongLeaf Trace, launching from Sumrall at 10:00 AM. Folks can ride either direction and/or ride to Hattiesburg to refuel. Plan to meet us in Sumrall for the launch, or let us know if you need to take the RideSouth bus down and back. If we have enough requests, we will take the bus. Otherwise, we will just meet you there and you can leave when you are ready.
We need to hear from you if you are interested, in order to have enough food for Friday night. Please email a RSVP back right away if you are interested. If the weather is unsettled, we will move the cookout to Saturday and the ride to Sunday. As a back-up, we will postpone the event to the following weekend. One way or another, we will enjoy Spring with a LLT ride!
RideSouth . . . The Way to Ride!
[email protected]
We have many 2018 Hobie Pedal Kayaks on SALE NOW! We have most of the models on the floor for your pleasure on the body of water you choose! Spring is here in Mississippi this week and the kayaks will be exiting the building soon!
by Jim
on December 29, 2018
The kayaks and bikes we sell stimulate all the senses. Gliding along silently in the dawn mist, up a secluded slough, appeals to most ears. The Hobie Mirage Drive is the key and your hands are free. Pedaling my recumbent trike down the Natchez Trace, all alone, is a similar spiritual experience for my ears. The visual beauty of Nature is abundant and often one can even smell the freshness in the air. The taste of cool water after a workout adds to the sensory experience.
But the real treasure one gets from our kayaks and bikes is the Feeling. The feeling of sitting in a comfortable chair, looking straight ahead, and gliding over the water or landscapes. The feeling of your body, devoid of any painful pressure points, moving your spirit toward new and exciting adventures. There is nothing like it. So, the magic happens when your transport allows focus on the important aspect of getting from A to B . . . how it feels. Then you can really enjoy the ride!
Come by today and try one out!
45 Reasons to Ride a bike in 2019!
by Jim
on November 26, 2018
This December will usher in our biggest push to move inventory EVER! We have cruiser bikes, hybrid bikes, recumbent bikes, recumbent trikes and road bikes that HAVE to find a place under your tree! We even have kayaks as low as $300! There has never been a better time to visit RideSouth . . . ever! Don’t wait until Saturday, though. We have been known to jump early for our previous customers!
by Jim
on November 2, 2018
Tomorrow, Saturday November 3 will mark our 20th year of business! RideSouth is only as good as our customers, you! We hope you will join us in Sumrall, MS tomorrow at 10 AM to ride the fabulous LongLeaf Trace! Make your way to Hattiesburg (17 miles) or head out towards Prentiss for any mileage you wish (it is 25 miles if you go all the way to Prentiss). If you wish to challenge yourself, ride your age . . . either in miles, or kilometers. Note that the multiplier is 0.62 miles per kilometer. So if you are 100 years young, you will only need to ride 100 kilometers/62 miles! A piece of cake!
It is a great ride if you choose to ride straight to downtown Hattiesburg. We think ALL of our customers can ride 27 kilometers/17 miles, have a rest and nice meal, then ride the 17 miles back. We have included a link below to help you navigate the short distance from the end of the trail to a popular spot we like, Bianchi’s Pizzeria. There should be no hurry as Southern Miss has a game at 2 PM and folks should be clearing out by the time most of us get there. My Living Earth weather app says the weather will be 60 degrees at launch time and rising to 71 degrees around 1PM with FULL SUNSHINE! Bring sunscreen, lunch money and come to make a great day of riding and fellowship!
The shop will be closed on Saturday but we will be available by appointment this Sunday. If this is your only weekend to secure your next bike or kayak, send us an email indicating the time you wish us to be at the shop and we will accommodate you! We encourage EVERYONE to join us on Saturday, no matter what you ride. We will have some long and short sleeved tee shirts in Sumrall if you cannot make it by the shop today.
Downtown Hattiesburg route from the end of the trail:
Pull this up on your desktop, might make a better screen shot from there.
https://goo.gl/maps/EY1aucoaJdT2
RideSouth . . . the Way to Ride . . . .for the NEXT 20 years!
by Jim
on October 5, 2018
