Rev up, ladies!
For 17 years now, the first Saturday in May has been more than just another date on the calendar. It’s International Female Ride Day, an event designed to inspire women riders globally and draw the attention of the industry towards our presence and prowess. Here’s what happened with the adventure ladies.
Morag Campbell from Openrider and her team jumped at the opportunity to recce this stunning adventure route beforehand, and took responsibility to lead/sweep the groups.
The rendezvous point for the adventure ride was at the crack of dawn at the Lion and Safari Park, and arriving at sunrise (fondly referred to as ‘sparrow’s fart’ by our early arrivals), we found Rodney from BMW Fourways our caffeinated saviour, was already at the scene, setting up the coffee station, food, and gazebo
Riders channeled their inner Lewis Carroll with an Alice in Wonderland theme, and girl, you should’ve seen the outfits! It’s a wonder some of the costumes stayed intact on the ride, let alone what the cage drivers thought. With bike numbers capped at 50 plus a few crazy pillions, we split into five groups, each named and dressed according to the classic tale.
Setting off at 15-minute intervals from 7.30 am, the lucky first group had the privilege of experiencing the ethereal beauty of the misty mountains and the soft morning light, not to mention up-close encounters with the curious local wildlife . Let’s just say, lynx ears on a helmet can be intriguing to a sleepy cheetah.
This year, riders tackled an 18 km gravel route offering stunning views of the Lion and Safari Park and the kind of tranquility that can be hard to find. For the first time in years, we had NO mud on an IFRD ride, but the rocky section was a great challenge for our beginner riders, giving them a taste of the adventures to come.
At the midway rest stop, we were treated to a selection of exquisite cupcakes, specially crafted by Mad Batter Delights, and kindly sponsored by Motul. They were such a hit that a cheeky giraffe attempted a heist, only to be thwarted by the swift folks from BMW Fourways, who were also offering test rides on their display bikes and off-road cars.
The event queen was Kerry from Bikers Warehouse, who orchestrated an unforgettable experience for all. She coordinated with dealers and brands, and her team worked for a month to create the Wonderland-inspired decorations at Avianto, our enchanting final destination. The prizes were abundant and impressive, (thankyou industry!) though we couldn’t help but chuckle at the road riders snagging all the off-road gear!
It was a huge turnout, both in the gravel and on the road this year, mostly ladies, a roaring success. Huge thanks to everyone involved!
We are already counting down the days to next year’s ride. Here’s to the adventures that await us!
A big thankyou to Marius and his team from the Lion and Safari park, who gave the ladies such support.
Bikes are welcome at the park, look them up at www.lionandsafaripark.com
Stunning, Stunning, what a Magical Day