Article

by Joh Rathbun

April 9, 2014—When I first started riding, in 1996, I'd drive to Santa Cruz to get my mountain biking fix. It was about a two-and-a-half-hour drive, and always worth it.

At the time I only rode with men. Not because I don't like women, but because it seemed like there just weren't many women riding, and the ones who were didn't seem to like the kind of riding I loved. I've always felt a need for speed, so I rode with like-minded folks. They just happened to be men. We'd do a couple laps at Demo Forest—Braille the first time, then up Sulphur Springs to Saw Pit—before riding out via Hihn's Mill Road. I rarely saw other women out there. Or out at UCSC, my other favorite riding destination.

Fast forward to 2014, and it seems that women are finally being recognized in the biking world as a valid demographic. According to the Gluskin Townley Group’s 2012 American Bicyclist Study, women spent $2.3 billion in the cycling industry in 2011, and a lot of them seem to live in the Bay Area. Those Bay Area lady riders also see Santa Cruz as a riding destination.

Most women seem to get into the sport later in life and so must play catch-up. What better way to do that than with people rowing in the same boat? You'll find below all the amazing women-led rides now available in Santa Cruz County and a little bit beyond.

Guide to Women-Only Mountain Bike Rides in Santa Cruz

What: Santa Cruz Fat Tire Girls, founded in 2010 by Michele Lamelin

When: The next ride is TBD. Watch the Facebook page for updates.

What else? The Fat Tire Girls go places! This intermediate riding group has been to Utah, Downieville, Kernville, Tahoe and other major mountain biking destinations.

Knobby Nymphs: Michele Lamelin says of the genesis of the group, “There was this small group of women who rode together often. Lorrie Amman came up with the name on her very first ride with us."

“Santa Cruz Fat Tire Girls has a fan club of men who we ride with. We love riding with the boys! But it's fun to just go out with the girls. There's a sisterhood, a bond, a connection when you're sharing the dirt experience with your girlfriends. Santa Cruz Fat Tire Girls needs to get more official rides in the works, as we aim to support women riders and forge true friendships that will last a lifetime."

And mountain biking is “just going to get bigger and better,” Lamelin adds. “Especially here in Santa Cruz. Advocacy is getting stronger, and the mountain bike community is really pulling together.”

What: Velo Girls’ Dirty Velo Girls Melo Monday Ride, founded in 2002 by Lorri Lee Lown

When: Mondays at 6pm. Meet at Enid W. Pearson Arastradero Preserve parking lot in Palo Alto.

What else? Beginner-friendly rides on the San Francisco Peninsula with an established organization that offers many clinics and riding opportunities.

Peninsula Pioneer: “When I founded Velo Girls, I never saw groups of women riding together,” says Lown. “Occasionally I would see a group of men with one woman. But I knew there were women who rode.

“There are some significant physical and psychological differences between men and women. They way we approach sport and learning are typically very different. Women crave support and community. Women want to learn (not just do). And physically, there's a 20-year fitness differential between men and women, so providing a woman-only opportunity to ride levels that differential.”

Lown’s advice for women just starting out is gold: “Be patient with the learning process. Find others to ride with at your level. Find others to ride with who will challenge you. Don't judge yourself against others. Participate in a skills clinic to shorten the learning curve and learn to ride safely and confidently. Get a bike fit to improve your comfort and efficiency. Learn as much about your bike as possible. Always wear a helmet. Allow yourself to be in the moment when you're on the bike. But most of all, have fun!”

What: Shine Santa Cruz, founded in 2013 by Lindsay Beth Currier and Joh Rathbun

When: The rides are usually the third Sunday of the month at various locations. The next ride is Saturday, May 10 at 1pm in conjunction with Girls Gone Wilder at the Chanticleer pump track (Chanticleer north of Capitola Rd in Live Oak). Check Shine Riders Co for updates.

What else? Most Shine rides are geared to intermediate or advanced riders, but Shine Santa Cruz is branching out into all-level (and even some co-ed) events.

Shine on, Sister: Lindsay Beth Currier began Shine Riders Co in 2008 with the mission to “illuminate and inspire” women mountain bikers. One branch of the company is women-led rides and clinics, because Currier wants “to connect more—and with—female mountain bikers.

“I never had women to ride bikes with off-road when I was young and lived in New England,” Currier says. “When I moved to Santa Cruz in 2005, my heroes Jacquie Phelan and Juli Furtado were replaced by Kathy Pruitt and Lisa Myklak, and I had a whole group of amazing women to ride with—my age, even. I've had the opportunity to lead lots of rides, ride with pro females, and even coach. … I love making new friends in new riding places and introducing them to other female riders, to build a community. My goals are to inspire more women to lead lady-specific rides, encourage others to try new trails and skills, and most of all to teach others how make themselves happy. Happiness cures all, and mountain biking is a natural medicine.”

And my motivation (Joh here) for these rides is to teach self-reliance via my favorite vehicle—the bike. Empowering women by giving them the tools to commute to work, or to mountain bike solo, is incredibly satisfying. I never thought I'd have as much fun helping out beginning women as I do!

What: Girls Gone Wilder (GGW), founded in 2013 by Kristina Hanson and Traci Hukill

When: Once a month, usually on Sunday afternoon, at various locations. The next regular ride is May 18 at Wilder Ranch; on May 10 GGW teams up with Shine at the Chanticleer pump track. Check Hilltromper Events or Facebook for updates.

What else? All levels are welcome, especially beginners. The group often splits into fast and slow groups that take different routes and meet up afterward for beer.

Girl Talk: Kristina Hanson's goal with GGW is “friends first, bikes second.” She adds, “Cycling lends itself to isolation. I think that taking the headphones off once a month and interacting with your peers in a group setting is healthy for everyone. I know I spent far too many hours riding alone! ...One of the reasons I rode alone so much was lack of confidence. When I first moved to Santa Cruz, I was at the back of the club rides. Of course they were ‘no drop,’ but I didn't really leave feeling good about myself and my riding. I left feeling a little bit ashamed and a little bit like I was going to hone my skills in secret and come back faster and better. I did, of course, come back faster and better, but had I ridden in a women's-only group, it would have been a healthier, happier, faster road to increasing my skills and speed.”

Traci Hukill adds, “Women make most of the purchasing decisions in households, they still do most of the housework and increasingly, they are bringing home the majority of the income. They're under a lot of pressure, and being in an environment where they can relax and hang with their girls is really important. … In this group, the women are really kind to beginners and willing to help them out. There's an awesome big sister-little sister thing that happens.”

What: The Girly Ride, founded in 2013 by Epicenter Cycling

When: First and third Saturdays, 10am. Meet at 1730 Mission St, Santa Cruz. Next ride is April 19.

What else? This no-drop ride usually heads up the Emma McCrary Trail, then splits into two groups, with beginners heading back down and seasoned riders heading up U-Con toward Wilder Ranch.

Advice from A Girl: “I would have to combine words of wisdom from Walt Disney and Jens Voigt: ‘Keep moving forward, and shut up, legs,’” says Candice Covello, one of the founders of the Girly Ride. “I would like to encourage anyone who is interested in outdoor adventures, health or fitness to try mountain biking or cycling in general. There is a true sense of freedom when you're on two wheels.”

Covello got into bikes via her sister Kazia. “When [mechanic] Sarah Hansing started working at Epicenter, she would ride with Kazia after work. I'd listen to their epic ride stories and say, ‘I should go soon.’ One night they invited me to join, or rather, they dragged me out... OMG, it was a blast! Everything fell into place after that. Lady customers would ask, ‘When will you have another group ride?’ We had the staffing, and there was a definite need for a Girly Ride. Ka-blammo. Lastly, there's nothing that will make you feel more accomplished than when you pedal to the top of that hill, and when you conquer that hill you should tell yourself, ‘Dang, I'm amazing.’”

What: Velo Femme Mountain Bike Ride, founded in 2014 by Alyse Marika and Bicycle Trip. (Campbell Steers started Velo Femme for road rides in 2012.)

When: Next ride is April 26 at 10am and leaves from Bicycle Trip, 1001 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz.

What else? All levels are welcome to this brand new group led by the energetic Alyse Marika, a Liv/giant Ambassador.

Velo City: Says Alyse Marika, a native of the Sierra foothills, “Growing up in a small town flooded with singletrack and cycling enthusiasts, it was only a matter of time before mountain biking entered the forefront of my out-of-doors meditation. I recognized that it was a great way to cover a lot of terrain (like skiing), and with my favorite trails eventuating with a swim in the South Yuba River, it allowed me to take note of the seasonal changes in my watershed (and wash off the poison oak). The camaraderie of riding led me into racing when I was in college, which expanded my technical skills and industry savvy. But I kept my passion grassroots and coached for the Nor-Cal League to encourage other young women athletes.”

“I didn't have a lot of women to ride with when I first got into mountain biking, and I didn't realize that motivations are often different for us ladies. I think we can share a common-ground passion for cycling, but we are built differently, conditioned by society differently and relate differently within respective gender groups.”

To beginners, Marika says this: “Have fun! First and foremost, riding a bike should simply be that: fun! Beyond that, talk to someone who already rides. Enthusiasm is infectious and motivating. And in this region, there are plenty of opportunities to get out and ride with others people, including trying out bikes for folks who are ‘dirt-curious.’ Hydration should be noted here too. Our bodies can take in 8oz of water every 15 minutes when we are resting, so plan accordingly when you are exerting (and asserting) yourself. And use the ‘buddy system.’ Riding is more fun with company, and it will keep you motivated to show up and improve your skills.”

It seems we're all in it for each other—and as the mutual admiration society grows, so too will the number of women on the trails.

Joh Rathbun is a freelance action sports writer, and columnist & ride leader/coach for Shine Riders Co. To stay up to date on West Coast events, or to join her on a ride, like her Facebook page, or contact her at johrathbun.wix.com/freelancewriter.