Riding like a Girl – Dirt camp Style

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Sometimes, as a development director, I’m obliged to make horrible sacrifices in order to engage donors in our work.  Sometimes, the only way to get a meeting is to meet people where they play.  At Cascade, that usually means biking somewhere.

Last Thursday, my office was Duthie Hill mountain bike park and Girl’s Dirt Camp. Taught by mountain bike instructor extraordinaire, Kat Sweet, the camp brings together girls ages 10 and older for a week of shred.

A few years back, I watched this video and I’d always wanted to check the camp out first hand.  I am the mother of two sons, so hanging out with girls is a rare treat.  And these girls blew me away.

Already in their fourth day of camp, they were jumping over logs, dropping down jumps and riding the trails like queens.  On previous days they had learned to fix a flat and made inner tube bracelets.

Thursday was rainbow sock day.

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As we sat around in a circle on the grass at lunch, Kat led the girls in a discussion about gender stereotypes. She and I were both amazed how little has changed since we were kids.

“I was riding up Boot Camp the other day to get warmed up and there were these two adult guys not doing too well.  As I whipped past them, one guy says to the other ‘You’re embarrassing us.  That little girl in the pink bike just passed us.’”

“After I jumped, a bunch of guys said ‘nice jump, dude’.  Then I swung around and they saw my long hair and they realized I was a girl.  Why are they always so surprised?”

I was honored, but not surprised.  I’d seen Kat Sweet work her miracles in the past and I expected nothing less than these articulate, courageous girls.

Before we broke from lunch to head to the “jump jam”, Kat sent them off with the following:

“Just remember, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do anything just because you’re a girl.  You can and you’re awesome”.

This camp is made possible by support from people like you to the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation.  If you'd like to support this an other programs that help get kids on bike, please consider making a donation.