Meet Lei... Determined to 'unapologetically take up space on the trail'

A few years ago I came across a blog post written by a woman for Renaissance Cyclist , whose words spoke directly to my soul. She was writing about her weekend experience with a group of women who were spending the weekend mountain biking through the rugged and remote Alaska trails. This is an excerpt from the blog post...

"As a female rider who primarily hits the trail with men, I didn’t realize how rewarding an experience mountain biking with a large boisterous group of gals would be. There were so many voices uttering words of encouragement, of shared joy, words meant to bolster. I left the trail recognizing my fierceness."

"I was especially proud of the part I play in shaking up the status quo of a mountainbiker as I stood shoulder to shoulder with a group of strong female cyclists who ranged in age from mid-20s to late 50s, eager to explore some Alaskan backcountry by bike, on a rainy summer day.

After a glorious day of biking filled with fireweed, stream crossings and several bee stings, a pony keg of Cynosure IPA sat chilling in the river awaiting our return, 2 boxes of wine, along with a case of Alaska Cider Works, and ½ gallon of whiskey. Around the campfire that evening, raucous laughter filled the air punctuating the meaningful stories shared.

Before the cider, I stepped away to write down my impressions and was struck by a familiar phrase that I’d heard uttered repeatedly, ‘I’m sorry’. As I wrote this story I struggled with the proper lens. I’m not used to writing stories like this, where other folks participated and may have entirely different takeaways but ultimately I’ve got the keyboard. I don’t have a dramatic call to action.. I can only attest to the fact that I recently became aware of how often I apologize while on the trail compared to my male riding companions. With this in mind, I’ve made a point to unapologetically take up space on the trail from this day forth and I hope other female riders unapologetically take up space on their trails too."

I hope you'll take Lei's words to heart, as I did. If you feel like you're not up for the group ride because in your mind everyone else is better, faster, more fit than you, understand that all the group wants is for you to enjoy the ride, and unapologetically take up space on the trail with them.

About Lei: Lei has lived in Alaska on and off since 2013, and learned how to mountain bike on the trails of the Kenai Peninsula. These days Lei calls Anchorage home base, which she shares with partner Cameron. She can often be found enjoying coffee among her ever growing plant collection, romping on the local trails, or working at the Bear Tooth Theatrepub & Grill where she is the Assistant General Manager.