hand out at the local shops. i have found people to ride with doing that. if you are on facebook, put up an event or something for a ride. for all you know a few of your friends do ride!
The good thing about Spesh is they are really good value for money. I do not like the FSR that much though, but what bike a man chooses for himself is a personal matter, and a very personal one at that. If I were you, for a little bit less than what you mean to expend on the FSR, you could get a Pitch, which is no mean feat either and has got to it a little bit more of an all mountain feeling to it. Another thing is do not resort to small companies if you think you might not be able to source bobs and pieces back when they break. But again, as you live in Canada, the spectrum will be wider for you as most bicycle companies are based in your country. The good things about big companies, such as Spesh, is that they can bring prices down and still give you a good service in terms of quality products and the like.