Welcome to Wild Things Women’s Cycling Initiative. I’m sure you have questions. Why an initiative? Why in Tuscany? Why “women’s” what’s wrong with men? Aside from the other obvious ones like how, where and when….I’ll answer them as best I can and in those answers I hope you’ll find a reason to join or support the group.

Wild Things will be a community of women cyclists dedicated to the idea that any woman can ride, firm in the faith that by building a community of women cyclists we can lift up the next generation of riders while continuing to challenge experienced riders, staying strong in the knowledge that by riding together we are a force to be reckoned with.

To be clear, at this moment in time it’s just me. I’m a dreamer who has made more than one dream come true, in fact this isn’t the craziest thing I’ve done. The group will surely grow slowly and will face any number of challenges along the way but I can give you a couple of promises right away.

I will not be referring to the group (me) in the Royal “we” until there are several members besides myself. I’m sure that marketing-wise maintaining the illusion that there is a group always at the ready, and that they are numerous enough to offer multiple ride days and challenge levels would be smart. But sooner rather than later that illusion would be shattered and any good will I may have built with individual riders will have been lost. I want to create a community that will outlast me and that community can’t afford to have grandiose statements that can’t be delivered on. I may say that Wild Things will be having a ride on such and such a day and we will meet at X o’clock, but that particular “we” is the wish that someone would join me and truly make us, we.

While there will be regular scheduled rides, almost any day (outside of the high tourist season) will see me riding and I would love if someone would just send me a quick message and say that they’d like to ride even though it’s not a group ride day. I would also hope that as others join the group they will send out an “I’m riding today, anyone want to join me?” message, and that there will be someone to answer that call.

We’ll learn to ride solo and in a group. These are two completely different kinds of riding, each with their own charm, responsibilities, and difficulties. Knowing the difference makes you safer and happier on the road. We’ll learn about our bikes, finding out how they work and how we can keep them working. We’ll learn about our own bodies as well. How hard we can push them, how to keep them fed and strong, and how to build the mental strength to keep riding even on those days when quitting seems right. We’ll brain storm ways to add cycling to to days already filled to the brim with work and family.

Most of all we’ll build friendships that make us better on and off the bike.

Please join me.