About Us
The High Plains Shifters began in 1994 when it was organized by local cycling enthusiasts, with the first meeting taking place in the now defunct Sweet Hearts Coffee Shop on Minot's Main Street. With Bob D. giving the group it's early direction, what was intended to be a group focused on mountain biking became primarily one of road cycling.
With access to the Bison Plant trail system, Black Butte near Sawyer, North Dakota, and even the ATV trails that ring Minot, the opportunities for MTB riding are better now than they have ever been. But however abundant the trail systems are, or will become in the future, the opportunity to ride on paved and uncrowded roadways has to be one of North Dakota's best kept cycling secrets.
In 2010, sixteen years after that first meeting, HPS remains "unstructured", meaning that members pay no dues; elect no officers; and hold no meetings. Rides and social gathering are announced on
Cycle-Babble or on the Calender of Events page of this website. This flexibility of
HPS is one of it's strengths as is the enthusiasm of it's members.
The club dynamic changes as new riders bring their energy, abilities, and ideas to the group. Cyclists from the Minot Air Force Base have played a key role in the success of the High Plains Shifters since it's beginning, and they continue to influence the club today.
Other cycling groups, and indeed coffee shops, in the state have come and gone since 1994, but HPS continues to thrive. We welcome anyone interested in the sport. Joining is simple: If you say that you are a member - you are! From novice to expert, you are sure to find someone to ride with here.