Six Women Making an Impact in the Gravel Community
A year ago, a group of women gathered outside Atlanta for an International Women’s Day Ride. We didn’t wear masks. We didn’t social distance. We didn’t have hand sanitizer. We had no idea how much the world was about to change.
I was excited that day because we had finished conversations with Live Feisty Media to start the Girls Gone Gravel podcast. Kristi Mohn had signed on as my co-host. I envisioned Girls Gone Gravel at events and having ride meet-ups all over the country by summer. We would share women’s stories and celebrate what was happening in communities around the country.
A week later, we were in lockdown. No events, no group rides. But over the past year, I have gotten to know so many amazing women and to celebrate their stories. I’ve loved meeting pros, race directors, bike mechanics, chefs, and industry insiders but some of my favorite moments of connection have been the women who saw a need and without sponsorship or big brands behind them, have raised their hands and said, I’ll make an impact.
Here are six women that I celebrate as difference makers on International Women’s Day.
Allyson de la Houssaye - Women of Oz
Allyson and the board of directors who lead, Women of Oz in North West Arkansas created a mountain bike club (they’ve expanded to gravel) for women in Northwest Arkansas. From partnering with bike shops to skills clinics, they’ve created a space that’s safe and comfortable for any woman. Listen to Allyson’s episode.
When Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, she feared that her riding days might be changed forever. She is riding again but also founded Pink Gravel, an organization that promotes breast cancer awareness among the active and encourages physical activity while spreading positive vibes. Listen to Amy’s episode
Devin Cowens - WTF Atlanta
Devin has not been a podcast guest but she did host a bike packing webinar for us early in the webinar. When you talk about helping newbies learn to bike pack in Atlanta, the name Devin Cowens will come up. She’s organized beginner-level trips, created a gear library, and created opportunities for the women, trans, femme community in Atlanta. Devin is an advocate for BIPOC women cycling. Watch the webinar
Erin Ayala - Stamina Racing Collective
You’ll meet Erin this week on the podcast. Erin was a women’s advocate for a large bike brand when she felt uncomfortable with their diversity practices. She left and founded the Stamina Racing Collective, a cycling team based in Minneapolis, MN. Our goal is to strengthen and diversify the pipeline of FTW (Femme/Trans/Women) riders in competitive cycling through mentorship, community development, and accessibility. Make sure you’ve subscribed to the podcast to get her episode.
Laura Karpinski and Rose Barcklow - Gravel Bike Adventures
Laura and Rose realized that one of the barriers to cycling for women was good route information. Where do you park? Where do you pee? What’s the route really like? Are you going to encounter any dogs along the way? How hard is it? What are the adventures that you can find along the way? They created Gravel Bike Adventures - a website with curated routes giving you the information you need to know for any adventure. Listen to the episode.
This article started with just three features, then it moved to four, then six. There are so many amazing women who are making an impact in their community. Do you know someone whose story needs to be shared? We’d love to highlight them on the podcast. Shoot us an email!