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Women's Weekend!!

Lindsey and Cierra

Lindsey, TamBoggin, Kristen Butcher

At the end of Feb, I, Lindsey, was lucky enough to attend Ray's Milwaukee Indoor mountain bike park Women's Weekend. I was invited as a coach and more importantly as a passionate female mountain bike enthusiast. This experience touched me in so many ways, I hope I can express what it means to have the opportunity to connect with so many female riders!

First I must thank the super awesome Leigh Donovan for heading it up and always making us laugh! I was able to bring our Academy supergirl Cierra Smith out with me, and we were lucky enough to join rad super-jumper, Tammy Donahugh, aka, TamBoggin, or T.D.Hugh. Tammy knows how to handle a bike in the air and has a way with helping people find their courage. Jamie Lilly was on hand to provide sweet bmx skills and plenty of laughs, along with little bmx trickster extraordinaire, Miss Cory Coffee, ex bmx star racer Deanna Edwards, and the lovely, passionate Tania and Jeni from Indiana and Ohio who all brought their A-game to help the ladies find their power on the bike.

It was a great weekend full of fun and abdominal work with all the pump-track sessions, jump practice and laughter.

Beyond the usual "girl-power" and sense of belonging we women feel at these camaraderie-driven events, I was blasted through the heart with exactly why I'm passionate about getting more women out riding mountain bikes...

 Audrey after brain surgery

Audrey after a few laps on her bicycle

Meet Audrey. Audrey's brain "imploded" one day at work which caused a massive seizure and almost killed her.

She immediately went into surgery to have a tumor the size of a large orange removed from her brain.

After surgery, Audrey had to learn the basics all over again. She had to learn to walk, talk, read and take care of herself, but she said riding her bike was embedded in her soul.

She had to learn of the bike club she participated in from friends who were riding strong in her honor.

I saw hesitation in Audrey when I first met her, as she was nervous and told me her story immediately.

She said she used to be a great rider and was worried it would take some time to gain back her skills. She was comically self-depricating but acted ashamed.

I was more than honored to accompany Audrey on that first lap around the xc loop at Rays.

She hooted and hollered, whooped and screamed with each sweeping ladder bridge turn, down the wooden shoots and over every bump in the fabricated indoor trail. Audrey was back and her bicycle brought her there...

Newbie who fell in love!

Audrey coming around for lap 100?

 
 Of course I cried when I gave out her award!

Mother and Daughter smiling and riding

As I shuffled from station to station I saw Audrey ripping around the entire facility. Over the box jumps, through the xc obstacle courses, around the pumptrack, back over the skinnies, then another lap on the xc loop. With every lap her smile grew wider and her spark grew stronger.

Audrey was no longer a timid woman who went through traumatic brain surgery, OH! AND survived the removal of an ovary. This was Audrey riding her bike. This was Audrey sharing her passion and love of the bike with like-minded women. This was Audrey alive, in the moment, connecting and finding her power. I experienced how the bicycle fed Audrey's soul and made that incredible light inside her shine ever so bright.

The bicycle feeds the soul... This is why I am on a mission to get more women riding bikes; It is so empowering and builds strength both inside and out.

Ladies! Please come ride with me. I will post information on my whereabouts on our website and I hope more ladies will come find their power and connect with me and the bike. I even have sweet Specialized women's bikes available. I am all about helping women conquer fears, embrace perseverance and keep on pedaling through this life... Ladies AllRide.

Women + Bikes = Love.

Women and their SPECIALIZED bikes!!

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