Riders. That is who we are. We could argue and say that we are defined by our particular riding disciplines, but when it all comes down to it, we share the same desire for dirt. So what is so special about two wheels and a set of handlebars? Why do we crave for just a few hours a day on some short singletrack? Why do we fantasize about burly rock gardens instead of planting our own? There has got to be something more going on here.

Maybe our quest for the perfect ride is not characterized by riding at all. Maybe our passion for riding stems from something else. Something deep within us that desires to be reconnected to nature. Think about it. We don’t spend all of our time outdoors and wish we were inside. Instead, the opposite is true. Mountain bikes are a way for us to escape. To go to places unknown and discover new adventures. Sure, riding is awesome! We all know it and we all feel it. However, riding bikes is only part of the adventure.

We are all riders. We share the same passion and the same path. We are a community of brothers and sisters whose lives are stamped with living on the edge. We are made up of weekend warriors and weekday sojourners. We carry a flag ... a flag that marks us all riders.

Whether you spend two hours on a bike each week or 50 we are all a part of the same family. We ride to build relationships, for peace of mind, and the ever impressing views that mother nature delivers us. We ride because it’s our life.

Words by Sam Thomas, Loam Coffee intern. Photos by Deanna Campbell.