It isn’t uncommon for the Little Red event organizers to receive a thank you notes after the race, but this one was from a man and was penned many months after the event.  He wrote to thank them and to tell them what the ride had meant to him and his wife. The husband said that for several years he had begged his wife to join him on bike rides but she had always resisted going. But one day the fun artwork of a postcard caught her eye. It had information about the Little Red Riding Hood Ride she was intrigued with the idea of women’s only  ride. She signed up and found the ride to be so fun and inspiring that she became an avid cyclist and enjoys riding with her friends…and her husband! For that he was profoundly grateful.

Now in its 25th year, the Little Red Riding Hood Ride has become established as one of the classic women’s rides in the country. The fully supported ride loops through the beautiful pastoral Cache Valley of northeastern Utah and offers a menu of distances: 18, 36, 50, 80 and 100 miles. With the offerings of shorter distance fairly flat loop rides, Little Red has continued to be a novice-friendly. It is fairly common to see sisters, mothers, daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters enjoying the ride together. One mother has had her daughter riding with her on a tandem at Little Red since the girl was only 5 years old. Now nearly grown at age 16, the daughter continues to enjoy this special ride with her mother. There are many who women have transformed into avid cyclists because of their experience at Little Red (including yours truly!)

The festive atmosphere of the Little Red Ride is enhanced with themes which change year to year. This year’s theme is “Feelin’ Groovy.” It’s a flash-back to the far-out and flower-power era of late 1960’s and early 1970’s when the term “roadies” had a closer connection to rock bands than cyclists. Little Red will be throwing a party where you can get hip to the groove on Friday night starting with wonderful Southwest-style dinner provided by Café Rio. It’s the chance to hang out and get down to the psychedelic music of a live band and “Shake it, Baby!” Flower Children and Hip and Happening Mod Girls, feel free to show your stylin’ threads and enter the costume contest! There will be over $600 worth of prizes given for the most hip and outta sight looks! Take five and visit the vendor expo where you’ll find super cool bike gear and apparel and score some smokin’ hot deals!  Can you dig that? Right on, Baby!

Little Red’s boutique offerings will blow your mind! The “Pedal Power” floral motifs are tastefully incorporated into the jerseys and the offerings this year have expanded to include a new razor-back style jersey as well as the traditional short sleeve and sleeveless cycling jerseys. Special limited edition 25^th Anniversary long-sleeve tech-tee shirts in vibrant red are also available. The boutique also offers other tee shirts including a tie-dyed hooded long-sleeve tee, socks, riding boleros, hats and a headband that will beautifully coordinate with the jerseys. It’s not a man’s world: jerseys and tees are made to fit a woman (2 fit styles available in tees.)

Bob's Ice cream was a popular finish line celebration stop with the 2011 Fifties Theme. Look for Bob's return in 2012!

On ride day, enjoy fresh fruit, bagels and coffee from Café Ibis. The riders who will be going the longest distances will start earlier so that riders can generally finish within a similar time frame.  The shorter distances are mostly flat while the longer ones include a few rolling hills but no big climbs. The ride begins and ends with a party and the routes are dotted with fully stocked rest stops. Expect a delicious lunch to be provided midday and a worry-free ride thanks to SAG support from Bingham Cyclery. It’s the makings of a fabulous day with your friends!  As you ride into the finish, you’ll be given a refreshing cold drink and a special surprise! The celebration party goes on at the finish line: food, music and fun! You should be there or be square!

Little Red continues to do her part to bring more peace and love to the world and has expanded the charity fundraising of the ride with the Huntsman Hometown Heroes program. Each member of the Huntsman Hometown Heroes program will be raising a minimum of $750 for cancer research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

If you snooze, you could lose!

The Little Red Riding Hood Ride is more popular by the year and is limited to 3500 riders. Last year registration closed in less than 24 hours and the 1000 rider limit for the century ride was reached in less than 9 hours.

Registration begins at high noon on February 1^st. There is a possibility that registration could be filled within less than 6 hours this year! AND this year it will be EVEN EASIER as registration packets will be mailed so you don’t have to wait in a packet pick-up line!

Who’d have ever thought that falling down the basement stairs and breaking an ankle, would lead to becoming a cyclist and becoming a multi-state organizer of some great women’s rides? That unlikely start is exactly what set Dani Lassiter on her road. Her broken ankle had been ”destroyed” and required 3 plates and 15 screws to put it back together. Her physical therapist recommended cycling as therapy to help her ankle heal. She was soon riding her cruiser, huffing and puffing up the  hills near her house, pulling her children in a trailer behind her.  She borrowed her husband’s hybrid bike and quickly noticed it was lighter and better able to handle the hills. Dani was soon riding more often and recruiting friends, sisters and even her mother to ride with her. It wasn’t even a full year before Dani was transformed and went from cycling “ 3 miles in yoga pants on my Electra cruiser to clipping in on a road bike for a 40 mile ride around the valley.”

Soon after, she signed up to ride the Little Red Riding Hood Ride, her very first riding “event.”The Little Red Riding Hood Ride was an inspiration to Dani. She saw so many women from so many different backgrounds and body types on a variety of bicycles. It was the place to feel comfortable; to go from beginner to  avid cyclist, to learn from other riders and to have fun and meet more women who like her, were falling in love with cycling. 

Dani was also involved with her local community’s ‘get healthy’ campaign (Healthy Herriman) and its family oriented cycling event,  Pedal Palooza . With an embullience stemming from cyclng endorphins and natural enthusiasm, she proposed they add a women’s only bike ride and she fully took it on. It was dubbed the Goldilocks ride, a fairy-tale homage to the Little Red Ride. She wanted every woman to feel empowered by taking on a cycling challenge that was “just right” for each one, and so, in its very first year, it offered mulitiple distances up to a metric century.

Although, its origins came out of Dani’s experience of riding in the Little Red Ride, the Goldilocks Ride has a girlish-ness to it that is very different and it stands out on its own quite distinctively.  The decor, food, t-shirts, jerseys, the fun finish-line party have a bright, cheerful festivity to it all. I’ve gotten to know Dani in the past year and have realized she is part party-planner, part cycling enthusiast and yet has another essential part to her that is incredibly detail-oriented. This makes for a well-organized, supportive ride where no one gets lost, a fabulous party atmosphere, and great memories that last.

There were plenty of good things to eat at the Goldilocks Ride!

The first Goldilocks Ride was held in Herriman, Utah in May 2010. (Herriman is a bedroom community about 25 miles SW of Salt Lake City.) Dani successfully took the Goldilocks ride across the state line to Las Vegas last fall and will bring it to the Boise, Idaho area on July 9th. The second Goldilocks Ride to be held in Utah was on May 7th. This year’s ride featured a full century ride,  had over 1000 participants and was sold-out weeks before. What’s Dani planning next? She is partnering US Tri Sports to a women’s beginner-friendly triathlon, Triathamom! This triathlon for women is scheduled for Saturday, September 24, 2011 in her town of Herriman, Utah.

Check out these scenes from the 2011 Goldilocks Ride in Herriman, Utah in the video below. (It may take a bit of patience to let it load–sorry!)

Goldilocks Bike Ride 2011 from Tara McKee on Vimeo.

Women’s rides are in a class of their own among cycling events. They are beginner friendly, supportive, and fun. Each ride has its own vibe, its own personality. Some offer perks like mini-spa stops, gourmet treats, volunteers that go above and beyond (guys in costume, or in drag), bands along the route and a few have themes that vary from year to year, The themes of the ride are often reflected in the custom jerseys offered for sale at the ride. The jerseys serve as a great keepsake reminder of a fun weekend with girlfriends or sisters. Later, when the jerseys are worn at another event, they become a point of conversation: “Where did you get that?” and that question is followed by others about the ride. I love seeing other women out and about wearing their commemorative jerseys. If it’s a ride I’ve been in, there’s an immediate connection: “Wasn’t that ride so fun last year? Are you going to do it again?” 

Here are a few of our favorite rides and jerseys with a few comments about each. Which jersey designs are your favorite? Feel free to comment and vote for your favorite. 

Cycle the WAVE in Issaquah, Washington

Cycle the WAVE’s all-women bike ride originates in Issaquah, Washington and the fourth annual ride  will be held on Sunday, September 18, 2011. This event was created by women passionate about cycling, friendship, fitness, and the desire to “brake the cycle” of domestic violence and make a difference in their community. Cycle the WAVE offers three distances including the 25 mile Girly Girl, a fun ride through the rolling hills of Bellevue’s quiet neighborhoods and the 40 mile Middle Sister which offers a few more scenic miles. For the more experienced rider we offer the Burly Girl, a 62 mile metric century with beautiful scenery and challenging climbs! Cycle the WAVE loves its riders and will pamper you with well stocked rest stops, bike mechanic support, surprises along the way, sassy tees, girly gift bags and fun finish line festivities! 

This event is hosted by Lakemont Ladies Cycling Club and Rising Star Guild for Eastside Domestic Violence Program and it is a true team effort to put on this fun ride and make it a unique cycling experience for women. The designers of this jersey, Deborah and Val had this to say about what inspired them: 

“The design for this year’s jersey began in December…While shopping for decorations; I was inspired by these amazing green and pink ornaments. That was it! Fresh and feminine—it was the perfect color combination. Our desire was to create a jersey that felt more like a fun and cute top–not just another cycling jersey. After all, we do want to ‘Ride Like a Girl!’” 

---

Girls Gone Riding Ride of Gilbert, Arizona

The 2011 Girls Gone Riding cycling jersey

Girls Gone Riding began as a women’s team for the Arizona MS 150 bike ride. Because so many women wanted to prepare for the ride but were uncomfortable with group rides with testosterone-laden men, and because often women didn’t have anyone to mentor them, Sheryl Keene started a team to share what she knew about cycling and to make more riding friends. They had so much fun at the MS Ride, that it soon led to a fun all-women, fully-supported ride to raise money for charity, the Girls Gone Riding ride.

The 4th annual Girls Gone Riding was held on February 19, 2011   and the ride included a choice of four routes: a casual 15-mile jaunt, a 30-mile ride, a metric-century or a full 100-mile century. The finish line festival has great “girlie products” and vendors. Cyclists can choose among 5 charities to raise money for and the motivators include earning a pair of cycling socks for raising $100, and an official Girls Gone Riding jersey (for raising $250). Put this on your calendar for 2012!

About the 2011 GGR Jersey design: “We wanted to demonstrate power and a toughness while being colorful and incorporating the Girls Gone Riding logo or a strain of it. The feedback I received from women was that pink was too overdone and that orange and teal are optimistic colors. The stripe on the front had a ‘roller derby’ feel to it that we liked and the back is a take on the Arizona state flag.”

---

 

The Goldilocks Rides: Herriman, Utah, Las Vegas, Nevada AND Meridian, Idaho

The Goldilocks Ride was started as part of Herriman, Utah’s Pedal Palooza, a community bike event to promote health, fitness, fun and cycling safety. Dani Lassiter, the ride’s organizer, was inspired by the Little Red Riding Hood Ride and gave it a fairy-tale name in tribute. The theme worked very well as women were encouraged to choose a distance that was just right for them. For the 2011 Herriman ride, that includes a century ride as well. The ride has a bright and cheerful, fun atmosphere and  Goldilocks was a hit and it sold out the first year. Dani was inspired to take the Goldilocks Ride across state lines and last fall came the debut  Goldilocks Las Vegas, the first women’s only cycling event in Nevada. This year, Idaho will get in on the fun as Meridian will have its very own Goldilocks Ride as well.

The dates for the 2011 rides are:

•  Butterfield Park, Herriman, Utah– Saturday, May 9, 2011
• Settlers’ Park, Meridian, Idaho–Saturday, July 9, 2011 
• Rainbow Family Park, Las Vegas, Nevada–Saturday, October 22, 2011

The 2011 jersey has the familiar riding Goldilocks motif and the signature polka-dots. The jersey is offered in two color combinations: the pink and black (shown here) or a sleek steel-grey with jet-black trim. The pattern is the same.   

---

 

Le Tour de Femme of Cary, North Carolina

Cary, North Carolina has a great women’s ride to raise community awareness and funding for cancer research and cancer survivorship programs. The ride has been dubbed “ Le Tour de Femme” and it offers a full metric century, half metric century and a fifteen mile “mother/daughter”  bicycle ride and great refreshment s along the way and a fun post-ride celebration . One rider commented: “My favorite part of the entire ride…was the range of women involved:  newbies, team riders, older women, young women, various fitness level, it was so cool to see! And having it as a “women’s only” ride was my second favorite thing – all women made it a ride, rather than a competition.” 

The sixth annual Le Tour de Femme ride will be held on October 8, 2011, which is appropriately during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  The jerseys are Nalini jerseys and  100% of the profits being divided between the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Rex Hospital Angel Fund. 

A carnation, is the symbolic flower for Le Tour de Femme. It provided a challenge for designer, Kim Massey, who wasn’t fond of carnations…at first!: 

“It took a few days of just drawing carnations and trying to simplify them so they worked well in a logo. It was late at night when I ‘got it.’ I looked at the pink looped ribbon used to represent breast cancer and saw a petal shape for the carnation. I started to use that loop and connect them, the same way we are all connected in this fight against cancer. It formed a simple but beautiful carnation that seemed to have an energy all of its own and even a hint of a bike sprocket. Perfect. 

“ As an all-girls ride, I wanted both to be all girl – no gender neutral here. It was fun and easy to design once I created the carnation mark. I just wanted to use that flower more and more, and the shirt and jersey were my canvas. I used the pink color pallet for the first jersey and flooded the shirt with flowers in all shapes and sizes. At the event, I watched the women start the ride, and it was beautiful. Here were a bunch of strong beautiful women riding for two incredible causes, and the jerseys made it look like the hard dark asphalt was taken over by a moving garden. Wow. 

“That idea fueled the design for the years ahead. My goal? Totally transform the asphalt into a moving field of flowers. Each year the jersey is updated and the colors change, but they all work together and have a consistent feel, much like a field of flowers do. No matter if you wear a current year jersey or one from a previous year, each rider is part of the group. I encourage people to buy one and share their old one with a friend to encourage them to participate. 

The small flower garden moving down the streets of Raleigh five years ago is now a huge field of flowers represented by a beautiful collection of women making a difference and it keeps growing. And, I can now report that carnations are my favorite flower!” 

---

 

 The Princess Promenade of Sacramento, California: the ”Road Trip Jersey” 

The Princess Promenade is an event for women and girls along the beautiful American River Parkway bike trail in Discovery Park, Sacramento, California. There are 5 distances to choose from: 3, 15, 26, 55 or 64 miles. It is a fitness festival in a beautiful, green setting. Fittingly, a spread of delicious all natural foods will be provided for snacks and lunchtime. After the ride, there will be fashion shows featuring costumed cyclists: both children and women. This year, the ride will be held on Sunday, October 2, 2011. The ride will benefit several local community service groups including WEAVE, Girls on the Run of Greater Sacramento, CERT, Sacramento/Yolo Emergency Communications Services, Sacramento Food Bank, and helps support our state and county parks. 

“This jersey  was introduced for the 2^nd annual Princess Promenade and has cocoa brown, raspberry, yellow gold, and local icons including California’s Capitol, Old Sacramento’s I Street Bridge and Folsom’s Rainbow Bridge. These jerseys look good and keep you comfortable!” says ride organizer Janae Noble. (This jersey, which is still available, is made from Airies Micro Plus by Voler for breathability and durability.) 

---

  

Little Red Riding Hood Ride in Cache Valley, Utah

  

The Little Red Riding Hood Ride is now in its 24th year! This classic ride takes advantage of the rolling, rural topography of Cache Valley in northern Utah. This year’s ride will be on Saturday, June 4, 2011. 

Little Red is hosted by the Bonneville Cycling Club. Proceeds from the LRRH ride go towards women-specific cancer research. 

For the 3000 cyclists that take part, there are a variety of route distances to choose  from: 17 to 100 miles.  The century ride takes riders into south Idaho for a few miles. Little Red Riding Hood organizers have had fun with changing up the theme every few years and this year, the fun of the event centers around a “Fabulous 50′s” theme.  This year’s jersey reflects the theme for 2011 with Little Red in a poodle skirt, the Big, Bad Wolf dressed as a “greaser”  and bright and colorful argyle pattern. 

---

Hot off the presses: the 2011 Venus de Miles jersey design!

Venus de Miles of Longmont, Colorado

Venus de Miles is celebrating their fourth year in 2011! This ride begins and ends in Longmont, Colorado on Sunday, August 28, 2011. With four different skill levels, novice and experienced cyclists can easily find the ride for them: from the 33-mile jaunt through the scenic countryside, the heart-pounding 51-mile ride, calf-cramping 67-mile ride, or the rolling 100-mile ride.  The rest stops offer gourmet treats and local bands play music to keep you pumped and energized along the way. Funds raised go to support the Greenhouse Scholars, 

The Venus de Miles jersey is a LUNA Sport jersey and the 2010 jersey was designed to be “elegant, beautiful and fun.” “Our riders rave about LUNA Sport’s fit – I like to say it fits like expensive lingerie,” says Teresa Robbins (the self-titled “Priestess” of the Venus de Miles.)  

---

Which is your favorite jersey from these great women’s rides? Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Let’s Go to the Hop!

The famous Little Red Riding Hood Ride is going retro this year. This year’s Little Red Riding Hood Ride will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2011. It will be a trip back to the Happy Days of the fabulous 50’s!  So you’ll want to brush up on your 50’s slang terms such as “Like crazy, wow!” because it will be so exciting, so cool! Friday night starts with a “bash” where you can enjoy great eats at Little Red’s Diner and then practice your dance moves such as “the twist,” the “jive” and the “mashed potato,” American-Bandstand-style, while you enjoy that great 50’s rock ‘n’ roll!  It’s absolutely “Coolsville, man!”  Be sure to get a souvenir photo with the Big Bad Wolf, who will be dressed as a “greaser” in a black leather jacket. On Saturday, he will be driving the course in a 1950’s Cadillac.

Stay Friday night in town so you can “pile up some Z’s” and be refreshed and ready to ride on Saturday morning.  Remember, it’s a ride, not a race, you can enjoy an easy-going ride with the girls or if you prefer it speedy, go ahead ride “flat out”! No need to “sweat it” if you have troubles along the road, friendly volunteers in retro bowling shirts are there to help! At those roadside lunch stops, you and your girlfriends will be served by roller-skating “bike” hops and relax while listening to great jukebox tunes! At the finish line, there will be another great party (LRRH really does know how to “Rock Around the Clock!”) and there will be a “special surprise” for each rider!

 The Little Red Riding Hood Ride is known for their “cool threads” and this year their boutique has outdone itself with an expanded clothing line including cute black cycling skorts adorned with a poodle, and “Rock ‘n’ roll” themed shirts, socks, hats, and more!

Alas, we can't promise you'll see James Dean, but you WILL have a great time at this year's Little Red Ride!

What’s not to love about this ride? It’s always a great party and a great weekend get-away for you and your girlfriends, and the route which winds through the beautiful Cache Valley area of northern Utah is breathtaking! Choose the length of your ride: 17, 35, 50, 63 & 100 miles. The century ride has been slightly altered from last year (it will not go into Preston, Idaho this year) and for 2011, there will be a limit of 1000 for the century ride.  Popular Little Red is still the queen of all women’s-only bicycle rides; it’s the largest in the country with 3000 riders. It’s well-organized with different start times, so you’ll never feel crowded and you can relax and enjoy this fabulous party on two wheels.  Did I mention that “Little Red” is popular? So be “in the know” and sign up as soon as you can. 

Registration for Little Red Riding Hood Ride 2011 WILL OPEN UP on  Wednesday, February 9th at NOON!    Click HERE for the registration link–but it will not work until the above time!)

 (If you need extra inspiration–read about the ride’s founder Alice Telford, who just turned 87 last month and is planning on riding her 24th Little Red Riding Hood Ride this year!)

On February 19, 2011, hundreds of women will choose their route of: 15, 34, 62 or 100 miles. The option to raise money to benefit a local charity and earn an official jersey or a pair of cycling socks offers women a chance to ride a great ride in February plus connect with other females who have thrown their hats in the ring of cycling sisterhood.

GGR is the annual fundraising event for local charities—many benefitting the cycling community and others supporting health initiatives in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Created originally as a team fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Arizona MS150 Girls Gone Riding women’s team, the idea has grown and has taken on a life of its own. After riding in the Little Red Riding Hood Ride hosted by the Bonneville Cycling Club in Utah a few years back, the Arizona all-women’s ride idea was born! Besides the mission of raising needed funds for area charities, the mission is to encourage women to learn more about cycling, challenge themselves and encourage one another.

This year’s event will feature a post-ride expo where girlie products and businesses will be featured. Lunch will also be provided following the ride as well as well-stocked rest-stops, opportunities to purchase GGR swag and connect with other ‘Girls gone riding’. Group rides are available for beginners who wish to prepare for the ride now through the end of the year. January and February will offer gradually more difficult rides to help those who wish to challenge themselves train for their chosen route length on Feb. 19^th. Global Bikes, a Gilbert-Chandler, Arizona-based bike shop, is hosting free clinics for women to help prepare for training, learn shifting, gain knowledge on nutrition and hydration and prepare their appropriate gear. These Wine, Women and Wheels clinics are scheduled every few weeks with different topics for all women riders.

GGR’s mission is advanced through three initiatives: education, community and giving back. Through these initiatives, Girls Gone Riding will offer more women of more ages and ability levels confidence to get in shape and ride; begin more communities of women riders throughout the state and country; and raise needed dollars for charities while growing personally.

Founded by Sheryl Keeme, former president of the Arizona National MS Society Arizona chapter, Girls Gone Riding is not only a ride, but it is also a women’s cycling community. Through a newsletter to members, social media, women’s clinics in local bike shops and group rides, Keeme has built a network of women who want to learn more about safe and healthy cycling and lifestyle choices.

Beneficiaries of this year’s event are: Not One More Cyclist Foundation; National MS Society, Arizona Chapter; Phoenix Women’s Sports Association; and Institute for Mental Health Research. To raise money online toward any of these, visit the Active Giving website where one may create a personal fundraising page and email friends and family with a request to make a secured, tax-deductible donation.

The register for the GGR ride, visit Cycle & Style’s Women’s Only Rides page and click on the website/registration link for Girls Gone Riding. For more information about lodging, fundraising, sponsorship or training, contact Sheryl Keeme at Sheryl@girlsgoneriding.org or by phone at 602-369-7452

Cycle and Style is recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Since the program began 25 years ago, mammography rates have more than doubled for women age 50 and older and breast cancer deaths have declined. The sheer number of pink ribbons, pink labels,and special commemorations for Breast Cancer Awareness really educates and increases public awareness about the importance of early detection and the need to fund the fight and save the lives of so many women.

As a cyclist, you can join in with thousands of other cyclists across the country on Saturday, October 9^th and take part in the Trek Breast Cancer Awareness Ride! 100% of the $25 registration fee goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Upwards of 100 Trek dealers across the country are hosting the 10 and/or 20 mile rides where each rider will receive a cool goody bag. And yes, husbands, dads, sons and brothers – can come join the ride! Make it a family event! You can register the day before online as well as the day of at participating dealers.

Check the new Trek Women News   where you can get inspired, informed and rewarded! And, if you want to connect with a growing community of women cyclists, join us on the Trek Women Facebook page where more than 10,000 women are sharing their stories and encouraging others to ride and spread the love of bikes!

The bike path in Long Beach

At Cycle and Style, we always want to know about the latest and greatest all-women’s rides. So we were excited to hear about this new one with its sun-kissed Californian beach appeal If you live in Southern California or will be visiting on July 17th, you’ll want to check it out! It’s called the Beach Babe Bicycling Classic and is a ride created by women for women with a 30-mile there-and-back again cruise through some of the most scenic beach places from Long Beach to Huntington Beach.

As their website notes: “The Beach Babe Bicycling Classic departs this Saturday on July  from hip and chic Long Beach, winds along the beach bike trail toward the Belmont Shore Peninsula with a tour through fabulous Naples Village, around the marina and to neighboring beach towns of Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, and Huntington Beach and back to Long Beach for festivities.”  This pleasure cruise is held in conjunction with the 100^th anniversary of Jones Bicycles, which is where the ride will begin and where the après-ride celebration will be held.

“This is the first time I’ve felt safe. Eastside Domestic Violence Program saved our lives.” Survivor

Domestic violence touches the lives of all of us; perhaps you have never had to deal with it, but since one out of four women experience it, it is likely you know someone who has. Think about the women you know, surely you know more than one who was a domestic violence victim. When things get so bad that a woman feels like she has no other choice but to seek a shelter, it is heartbreaking to not be able to help her.  Sadly, for every one accepted at shelters, 13 are turned away.  With a need like that in their local community, women from a local cycling club in Bellevue, Washington banded together to help. Thus was born another women’s ride with a conscience: Cycle the Wave (Against Domestic Violence.)

Cycle the Wave, now in its third year, is a well-organized, fun all-women’s ride that donates 100% of its proceeds to the Eastside Domestic Violence Program; (In their first two years they raised over $76,000!) Cycle the Wave takes its riders through cities and towns located east of Seattle: Bellevue, Issaquah, Maple Valley, Renton & Newcastle. Three different length rides are offered: a 25 mile Girly Girl ride, a 40 mile Middle Sister ride and the Burly Girl 62 mile ride.

The local firemen give their support by handing out an approprate treat: hot tamale candy

Surprises Along the Way

Cycle the Wave, founded by passionate women with a desire to make a difference, provides a fun, nurturing, and uplifting experience from start to finish. I truly can’t think of another ride that goes to the trouble to decorate the port-a-potties with inspiring posters and flowers! The course winds along the shores of beautiful Lake Sammamish and because of the typical terrain on the west side of the Cascade Mountains, it is a bit hilly in spots. Just when they need it, riders receive a little special encouragement: local high school cheerleaders will be there, giving special cheers they have made up just for the occasion; cyclists will also find a drumming group is located at another spot and firemen will be on course to hand out their form of candy encouragement: hot tamales to all the cyclists. Enthusiastic volunteers will be at the rest stops along the way as well.

Cyclists can cycle to the beat of drummers who are tucked into a tunnel at the top of a hill along the route.

Every cyclist will be given reusable bags full of goodies from the sponsors, chocolate truffles and offered massages at the finish line and a fabulous lunch (last year riders feasted on burritos, fresh tamales, fruit and more!) The celebration includes a raffle drawing, a tribute to domestic violence survivors and more. Sharon Anderson, the ride organizer, has said that the 2010 Cycle the Wave will be even bigger and better than last year! Riders can have a wonderful time and make a difference for a great cause!

The clothesline exhibit was created especially by Cycle the WAVE as a tribute to the courage of those who took action against domestic violence, and sought the services of Eastside Domestic Violence Program. Each voice is a testimony to the difference EDVP has made individually and collectively for more than 100,000 victims and their families since 1982.

Cycle the Wave is starting it all off with a big kick-off party at Maggiano’s Little Italy near Bellevue Square on July 15^th.

With support from cheerleaders like these, cyclists will easily conquer a hill or two in the Cycle the Wave ride!

The Goldilocks Ride is an all-women’s ride that just made its debut earlier this year in Herriman, Utah. Dani Lassiter, who was the ride organizer was able to get the ride organized and filled to capacity in its first year. Starting a new ride in your area can be a bit daunting, but with the support and enthusiasm of the community, putting on such an event can be a lot easier. There is a lot of enthusiasm for women-only cycling events from bicycle shops to the participants. Women-only rides often bring out many novice cyclists and women of varying backgrounds of cycling. There is a real comfort level in being with other women.

The video below has our interview with Dani and she gives a brief how-to on putting together such an event and the key points in making it successful. The last 3 minutes of the video have photos from this event that was held on May 8th of this year. With the success of their first year, we look forward to Goldilocks 2011!

One other thing we have noticed is that we women love to ride for a good cause of some kind. The Goldilocks Ride was no exception. Dani and others who helped her organize the ride, worked countless unpaid hours and all proceeds went to buy helmets for children who needed them. Another ride for good so you can have fun, get fit, and make a difference in your community!

Goldilocks Ride 2010 from Tara McKee on Vimeo.

By Tara R. McKee

Maggie Sullivan has been called the “Grande Dame of Women’s Triathlons”. She has been at the forefront of women-only triathlons since the very start when she took on and built the Danskin Triathlon series beginning in 1990. Now at the helm of  the aptly named “Xxtra-Mile,” she produces both the Danskin Triathlon Series and the Trek Women Triathlon series. Back in the early days of Danskin Triathlons, the triathlons often had several pro-level women triathletes, but the intent is now firmly on making the sport accessible to women across America.  The distance for both series is  doable, yet challenging: a sprint distance consisting of a half mile swim (.75K), a 12.5 bicycle ride (20K) followed by the 3.1 mile run/walk (5K.)

Maggie Sullivan, director of both theDanskin & Trek Women Triathlon Series

The two series are slightly different in feel, even as there are subtle differences between the events from city-to-city. But the basic intent of the 15 women’s triathlons is to make the sport accessible to women across America, and it is a bit slanted toward the novice.  The age group is a broad one with women who are between the ages of 14-87. The diversity of the participants doesn’t stop there as Maggie points out:   “There are women who have competed in sporting events, women who have never done anything competitive, gals who work out 5 days a week in the gym, as well as gals who have never been in a gym.”

Maggie is often asked, what is it  that brings so many women from so many backgrounds to these races? Do they really want to be athletes?  The participants often voice the reasons they are there lined up at the start line of these triathlons: “It’s about doing something that will improve me;  I want to do something that’s going to be good for me. I want to do something that is going to challenge me and push the boundaries that I may have put on what I can do in my own life.  I want to do something with my friends;  I want to do something with my sisters, with my mom.”

As Maggie sees it, doing a triathlon for so many women goes way beyond the sport.  It becomes something so much more, it is something they once thought they could never do, and now they are doing it. They feel the support of these well-organized triathlons. They know they have the support they need to complete it safely and they will not be left behind, in fact, they will finish! The Danskin/Trek series has learned to offer that type of environment and they don’t differentiate unless they know one participant’s skills aren’t as sharp as the others, in which case they will keep an eye on you. They want it to be a positive experience for everyone.

Over the years she has noted some distinct differences between women’s triathlons and men’s triathlons. In a co-ed race, people will sometimes jump right over another racer during the start of the swim portion and sink them. In the women’s tri series it is common for others to stop and ask, “Are you ok?” Women will often stop to help another change her tire or that type of thing. Maggie adds, “It sounds cliché, but it’s not, when we say that ‘finishing is winning.’ Women are often competitive with themselves, but they are not at the expense of another person who might need a leg up or a hand extended to them. It’s truly remarkable to see!”

Sally Edwards starts the triathletes

Sally Edwards, who is one of the pioneers in the sport of Olympic triathlons and has written many books on triathlons, is now the “Chief Inspirational Officer for the Trek woman Triathlon Series.  She is there to offer her inspiration, expertise and motivation to help all women finish.  During the weekend of Trek Women Triathlon, she will often ask, “How many of you think you might be last to cross the finish line?”

That kind of heart is in both series; the mission is to support women and try to make a difference as they do it with an active lifestyle. They offer support from the beginning with training seminars taught by Sally Edwards, held in the host city several weeks in advance of the triathlon itself. Barriers are broken not only for novices of all types, but for those to who could really use the uplift. Last year, they had a category for women who had lost their jobs in the past year. Maggie’s reasoning was that women who have lost their jobs already have one problem on their hands and they shouldn’t have to choose between doing something that would be very good for them mentally and emotionally and the lack of money. So the entry fee was waived for these women who made up 10% of the entries for each triathlon.

Over the years, the Danskin series was associated with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and now are partnered with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. As Sally and Maggie considered what could make a real difference in the lives of women dealing with cancer, they were in the right place at the right time to help launch the Team Survivor program in 1995 as an offshoot of the Danskin Women’s series. Team Survivor was for women of any age and fitness levels who were in cancer treatment or recovery. It gave them a program and team of their own to train with as they prepared for the triathlon. Team Survivor is open to women who have been diagnosed with any type of cancer and age range from the older woman who has been in remission for two decades to the 28-year old going through it now. Both of the triathlon series have special divisions for Team Survivor members and they often start the race together and support each other the whole way along the course.

As I concluded the interview with Maggie Sullivan, I couldn’t help but feel there is a whole other aspect at the heart of triathlons when they are designed especially for women. The atmosphere is supportive; there is more of a feeling of sisterhood rather than competitiveness. When you know what it feels to cross the finish line after completing your first triathlon, and you have felt that sense of achievement from completing a physical challenge, you want to share that with others. I have seen women finish triathlons and then run back to give support to those who are still on the course. If you take a photo of women at the end as they cross the finish line, exhausted, but exuberant, you have the gist of the reason that Maggie Sullivan continues to enthusiastically do the women’s triathlon series year after year in cities across the US.

We recently completed our list of Women’s Only Triathlons across the USA, including the Trek Women/Danskin Triathlon series. To visit our page, click here and find one to “TRI” near you!