Every year, around Valentine’s Day, Rays Indoor MTB Park brings us “Womens Weekend.” This features free riding time for women, coaching sessions and a man-free 8 hour day on Friday. Every year, Rae goes. Every year, Rae brings the kids.
L to R: Captain Rae in the lounge. Bri drops into the Kink Bikes BMX bowl. Ivy’s first time on a pump track.
Girls are different than boys. The learn differently, they need different kinds of coaching support. Most importantly, their budding little bike-racing careers have a distinct lack of relatable role-models. Cycling is a sausage-fest and it’s intimidating. Events like the women’s weekend at Ray’s give little Mandalorian ladies a chance to bask in the joy of a room full of other humans who have felt bullied, intimidated, letf out and unserved by the community at large. It’s not all bad news, though.
At women-only events, girls don’t have to be nervous about their bodies- too small, to pretty, not pretty enough (the list never ends.) At women-only events, girls can let down their guard. At women-only events, girls have a chance to spend quality time with adult women who want to help the succeed.
L to R: Quinn doing the sideways on the pump track. Rissa working out wheel lifts. Tess pumping rollers.
Every year, we watch new-to-biking girls come out of their shells, conquer new obstacles and make new friends. We watch women novices (who often start riding because a boyfriend or husband has biking as a hobby) connect with other women of all different abilities. Every year, we scream with joy when we see friends we’ve been missing since the summertime. Women come from ALL OVER THE PLACE to ride at Ray’s.
If you live in Northeast Ohio, you probably don’t know how lucky you are- we have an indoor mtb park AND a velodrome. Many riders never get to experience either of these amazing things. Go check them out.
Enormous gratitude to Band of Traders Podcast and to Sue Pullen Financial who provided instructional scholarships for all 6 of our girls with enough left over for lunch at Pack your Bowl and smoothies at the Gypsy Beans coffee stand. Mandalorians are stronger together and our hearts swell with joy knowing other people wanna help us spread the stoke.