One year. 12 women. We ride for change. We clip in, mount seats and grip bars in solidarity and to bear witness to the strength and passion, as woman, each of us has been gifted with. We are strong enough to overcome fear. And, we are dedicated to inspiring others to join us on the road, in a race, through valleys and over hills.According to the Alliance for Walking and Bicycling's 2016 Benchmarking Report, "Despite rising advocacy efforts to engage more female riders, even in the most-populous cities, women are vastly outnumbered by men, making up just 29% of commuters who bike." Women make up an even smaller percentage of competitive cyclists and/or recreational mountain bikers as well.The personal affirmations below from a few of the other WomenRide4Change ambassadors reveal their extraordinary journeysâand may they embolden you to embark upon your own:"The Women Ride4Change campaign for me means that I will be able to continue to spread my love of cycling to women by encouraging and motivating them to ride a bike. I am on a mission to help women change their thinking and fears about cycling. Cycling for me is simply freeing. I'm free to be and just ride. Each pedal stroke allows me to continually move forward to places that are visualized in my mind and I feel unstoppable."~Stephanie Ford"For me, I am excited to be a part of this group because it shows me how everlasting the magic of the bicycle can be. I recently moved across the country and being able to explore my new surroundings via mountain biking has given me such a strong connection with the natural world. It has opened new places, new communities and pushed my limits further so I may keep striving for more adventure. Having this opportunity to explore and share with others the boundless fun you can have on a bike is a remarkable blessing."~Sarah Katz-Hyman "The Women Ride for Change Campaign is giving me the opportunity to be a part of a network of like minded women. I am looking forward to sharing stories and encouraging each of us to do our best. I have just recently started to understand how important cycling and being fit is to my life and I want other people to enjoy the same feeling. This campaign will allow me to reach out and grab other ladies to come along for the ride!"~Pamela Clarke"Since winning my Zaskar mountain bike from the Girl Bike Love and GT Bicycles, I have ridden through pinyon pine and juniper forests, alongside mountain bluebirds, hiked my bike up steep mountain passes and bike commuted on gnarly dirt roads in total for over 450 miles. I live in a remote mountain town in Southwest Colorado. I have biked over 23,000 feet in elevation. I've gone over my handlebars twice, fallen several times and I'm just getting started. I knew getting a mountain bike would change my life, but I didn't know how much it would help me grow in strength and confidence as well as in experience. I had only mountain biked twice before entering the contest, so I have much to learn. My bike is teaching me how to ride and be present with single-track focus. It has taught me some lessons which translate well as metaphors for other things in my lifeâlike to put on my 'big girl pants' and ride; stay focused on where I want to go; have confidence; 'ride it out' and relax as much as possibleâespecially when dealing with obstacles. Momentum is my friend. It's fun to go it alone, fall, get back up and keep pedaling. I feel like my bike came with a secret manual to happiness. My Zaskar has gotten me very close to wildlife. I've had some unexpected close encounters with big racked bucks, gobbling turkeys and I even came head to head with a runaway cow. I followed a friend on single-track that was so steep that it required all of my focus and courage. Just as I dropped in the saddle, I saw the silhouette of a yellow mountain cat about the size of Labrador Retriever in my close periphery. Too engrossed in the intensity of the immediate drop in, I couldn't take a second look. The adrenaline from the ride was bigger than the animal. I've been spooked more by countless rabbits and chipmunks darting out in front of my bike. I've biked up a plateau above a herd of elk migrating below. I've also been so present in my surroundings, that I watched a baby robin fledging its nest, and then take flight, while I was biking a slow uphill. Some of these wildlife sightings have been like a gift from my bike. As an ambassador for the WomenRide4Change campaign, I hope to push myself beyond what I perceive as my limit. My bike is now the perfect teacher. This summer, I am 'bikepacking' a section of the Colorado Trail that has the reputation of being the hardest segments of the trail, 75 miles, from Molas Pass to Durango. To go unsupported, on a long trip like this, is a big experience."~Elizabeth Riley
