In the 5 months since applications opened for Pedal the Pacific, I have heard countless times that it would change my life - it wasn’t until retreat that I truly saw how.
Going into retreat weekend, I was nervous. Nervous about meeting new people, nervous about biking on a road bike for the first time, and nervous about Pedal the Pacific becoming real. Although I consider myself an extrovert, there is something inherently nerve-racking about meeting nine other girls, whose faces you have only seen through a screen, in person for the first time, especially when you’ll be spending 50 days with them this summer biking the Pacific coast. Once at retreat, surrounded by the genuine, kind women in leadership and on my team, my nerves quickly turned into excitement for what was to come.
Becoming an advocate and a cyclist are no easy feats, but Pedal the Pacific helps provide us with the tools to do so. Generosity was a consistent theme throughout the weekend, from home-cooked meals to bike gear, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. My teammates and I all got the equipment we’ll need to start cycling safely, including our Lumos helmets and lights. My new Lumos helmet and light helped me ride with more confidence and less worry. Knowing that I’m more visible to drivers makes me feel more protected and allows me to focus on enjoying the ride, whether it be by myself or with my teammates. We got our bikes, endearingly called our summer home on wheels, and our journey with Pedal felt like it actually started.
Our first ride together as a team was so much fun. We cheered each other on, communicated efficiently, and put the first 13 miles on our bikes (and none of us fell - win!). For many of my teammates, including myself, this was our first time riding bikes like this. Although the ride was short in comparison to the distances we’ll be cycling this summer, it is an incredible accomplishment, and I’m proud of my teammates and myself for taking this first leap so fearlessly.
Retreat was much more than getting on our bikes; we learned the history of Pedal, heard stories from alumni, and continued to learn about advocacy and the realities of sex trafficking. We spoke with Melissa Snow, the Executive Director for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), our primary beneficiary. Although trafficking continues to be a difficult conversation, what we learned at retreat helped provide me with a solid foundation to approach the topic with others.
Throughout the weekend, we were truly immersed in what it means to be a member of the 10th team of Pedal the Pacific. Pedal is unlike any organization I’ve ever been a part of. It is a community of some of the strongest, most fearless, and most admirable women I’ve ever met, and I have so much to learn from each one of them. Leaving retreat, I feel so fortunate to get to experience the community, joy, and challenge that is Pedal the Pacific.
Retreat weekend marked the beginning of an exciting, yet scary, journey. It’s hard to believe that the next time I see my teammates will be at the starting line in Seattle! In the 126 days until June 4th, I will continue to learn more about advocacy and what it means to be an ally. I will continue to grow as a cyclist, wearing my Lumos helmet every time. I don’t think I’ll ever feel truly prepared to cycle 1,700 miles down the Pacific coast, but after retreat weekend, I know I’ll be supported every pedal of the way.
Thank you, Lumos, for keeping my teammates and me safe on this life-changing journey!
