Womens Radical Pursuits was created a year short of my 40th birthday when the big questions started to surface in my mind questioning my purpose here on this planet, my true passions, and what I really want to be doing to make a living and how to enjoy every day of my life; from sunrise to sunset. I finally woke up to the fact that I'm not invincible and that my life would soon be half over. That shocking moment of reality is what drove me to start living the life that I wanted to live and stop doing things that didn't fulfill my soul. 

I had no idea what journey I was about to embark upon after signing up to take a course that didn’t interest me ONE BIT but had gotten persuaded by a friend who was relentless for me to take it. It was titled, “How to make money online.” I seriously thought, “Barf, this is so not me!” Little did I know that this class would completely change my life. What I learned in that class was how to ‘think outside the box’ when it comes to creating a career that you love and a life that you are excited to live. Two hours after the class I was outside with the instructor setting up a time to meet and discuss the possibilities of what I could do; turns out he was a life coach and I was sold. It’s amazing how ONE PERSON has the potential to change your life. And he certainly did.

Once I identified what I wanted to create, it was as though the ideas poured through me like a river, non-stop. Doors were opening and things felt easy which signaled to me that I was on the right track. My life coach told me I had to create a niche market in this industry, something no one else was doing. I put everything that I loved together; Mountain Biking, Yoga/Mindfulness, and traveling to Latin Countries. Those are all the things I loved to do and practice, but I knew there had to be more to it besides travel and adventure. It needed to have a deeper purpose and mission to help improve peoples’ lives in a positive way. I decided to tailor my trips to women with a focus on empowerment through Adventure Travel.

Traveling has the ability to bring about transformation and I wanted this to be a component for my trips to help women experience a kind of transformative adventure. By removing ourselves from all things comfortable, space is created for contemplation along with new perspectives within and outside of ourselves. This I had experienced first-hand after living in Colombia, South America for two years where and when I finally faced my ‘stuff’, made big life changes, and experienced the most personal growth in my life while having the time of my life living in Colombia! This marked the beginning of my love affair with Latin America, exploring new cultures and traveling. I had no idea what laid on the horizon after accepting a teaching position in an International School located on the Carribean Coast of Colombia in the city of Santa Marta. Prior, I had been living in a little ‘ski town bubble’ for 10+ years. The catalyst to leave Crested Butte and move south was due to a broken heart. I am forever grateful for that pain, for it was the gateway to my own personal journey of self-love, healing, and true empowerment. Part of that pain is what fueled my mission and desire to help empower other women to find their own pathway to making positive changes in their lives; embodying self-love, striving for personal growth and development, and ultimately; creating a life filled with passion and purpose.

I decided to incorporate the Mountain Biking and Yoga/Mindfulness as sort of a Yin and Yang component to compliment the inner workings of the trips. Mountain Biking has personally taught me endless lessons about life. When the climb (life) is kicking my ass, pedal harder (creating resilience). When you fall off your bike, get back on and learn the lesson (overcoming failure). You can’t ride technical trails half ass (self-doubt), you have to commit to clipping in and riding the lines with the right amount of speed and precision (confidence). Pedal hard and have fun; the destination is half of the experience, enjoy the journey (be present).  Not only is Mountain biking MY.JAM, it’s what keeps me sane. I LOVE the physical and mental challenges of the sport and the exhilaration and adrenaline that I feel running through my veins as I bomb down fun, flowy descents. The effects of mountain biking provide incredible physical health benefits, an increase of endorphins which help improve mood, a positive mental state, and the feelings of pure child-like bliss and happiness!

Mountain Biking provides a physical outlet for stress while Yoga & Meditation provide for an inner outlet. Not only do I enjoy the practice of Yoga and Meditation, but I give it full credit to the positive mental and emotional changes in my life. I, like most of us, at different times in my life have struggled from depression, anxiety, and other forms of mental stress and self-destructive habits. Embarking on this path has greatly enhanced the quality of my life. I recently deepened my practice and completed a 26 hour Yoga Teacher Training which leaves me thrilled to be teaching Yoga classes and helping people of all ages and abilities discover the benefits of these ancient practices. Themed Yoga & Mindfulness classes are part of the daily schedule on every WRP trip. It helps to slow down the mind, embrace the present moment, and reflect on the inner workings of mind, body, and spirit. My intenion is that this daily practice will provide space for women to reflect, embrace the present moment, accept what is, and begin their own personal practice upon return.

Last but not least is the cultural flare that WRP trips provide. Latin America offers a vibrant, colorful, joyful, and full of life experience to travelers. The traditions, food, fiestas, celebrations, and slower pace of life provide the opportunity to explore other cultures, ways of life, and the Spanish language! Not only do we play hard on WRP trips but we fully take advantage of the cultural offerings that our destinations provide! From Latin dancing to eating out at the local restaurants to experience the delicious traditional dishes, or exploring ancient Zapotec or Incan ruins; we provide opportunities to connect with the people, culture, and unique offerings each place provides. Sometimes just taking time to get outside of your norm helps create a broader sense of being, awareness, and living on this planet that we all share and call home.

2017 is the year when I learned that with a clear vision, heart-felt purpose, lots of hard work, sweat & tears, and true passion coupled with relentless dedication to something you believe in are what it takes to make dreams come true. Womens Radical Pursuits launched the first adventure to Oaxaca, Mexico October 2017, with two more spring trips to Oaxaca on the books, a new upcoming trip to the Sacred Valley of Peru this summer 2018, and collaboration with an outfitter located in Malorca, Spain for a fall MTB/Yoga Adventure, 2018.

Excitement arises as WRP has been offered to partner with two Adventure Companies from Mexico with similar visions this spring in Oaxaca. Tlayudona is a small company that offers unique and authentic Cultural/Adventure day trips to explore the unique offerings in and around the city of Oaxaca. I will also be joining Coyote Adventuras teaching Yoga & Mindfulness classes on their retreats while working with local cliental from Mexico. This opportunity allows for more exploration to other locations where their retreats are held. When the doors of opportunity open, one must go!

I am thrilled to have started a fun, empowering and inspiring business and am looking forward to expanding and operating trips in other countries including; Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, and Spain. My future, long-term goal is to develop a biking program for young girls living in underprivileged countries with the mission of getting girls on bikes to empower them one pedal stroke at a time while providing them with activities, resources, and opportunities that they might not ever experience while gaining skills, confidence, and having fun riding bikes.

I continuously remind myself that I only get one shot at life; that this is the time to dream big, live & love every moment to the fullest, and to fill every day full of passion and purpose because it’s uncertain how many days will be left to live.

That’s the heart and soul behind Womens Radical Pursuits trips and what fuels my passion to invest in this vision and create unforgettable experiences for those who are seeking something more than just a Mountain Bike Trip.

If you are ready for a unique and authentic adventure that has the potential to positively enhance or change your life, join Womens Radical Pursuits for one of our Mountain Bike and Yoga Adventures of a lifetime!