Friday Nights All Right for Riding

In high school Friday nights used to be the highlight of my week. I was doing well in school, had a great part time job, and had no real worries. I also had just bought my first real mountain bike and bike light and was discovering what riding was all about.

I used to meet up with a couple of friends on my way from Fairview to no where in particular to set out on our weekly adventures. We would always take different routes as much as we could. Some nights we would only make right hand turns at red lights or left only if we ran into a stop sign.

We would often end up at Point Pleasant Park deftly evading the park patrol with their spotlight on their night patrols. From there we would ride through the container pier and cruise through downtown Halifax. We’d often stop and watch the people stumbling in and out of the bars. The night air always seemed so full of energy. Pizza corner was a favourite spot to hang out, grab a slice and people watch.

It was a right of passage so to speak for us. We were not allowed to use our respective family cars on a regular basis but still wanted to spread our wings and explore the city where we lived. We learned how long our lights would last and how to get around Halifax, usually while breaking a few motor vehicle laws. More importantly we found kindred spirits in our desire to just ride.

The folks I took those Friday night rides with are no longer in my close circle of friends. Some have moved, some have families, or some just don’t ride anymore. In their place I’ve found others whom I ride with. I’ve expanded where I ride and prefer the dirt to asphalt now. More importantly the number of friends I have has increased, as well as the love of biking grows stronger every ride, trail build day or just getting together with other like- minded individuals.

The carefree, adventurous spirit of those Friday night rides has evolved into something much bigger for me, a way of life filled with amazing friends and experiences.