The third annual Travesia de las Ruinas ride is in the books! This all-women's mountain bike event is a collaboration between Old Town Outfitters, an adventure tour operator in Antigua Guatemala, and World Ride, a non-profit that works to empower women globally through mountain biking.
This year's event attracted about 60 riders of all ages and levels to come together and enjoy a day on the bikes. The goals of this women’s-only fun ride is to help build more community and raise the stoke level among the lady cycling community in Guatemala. World Ride and Old Town Outfitters work together several times a year to host mountain bikers (mostly from the North America market) on 7 day riding itineraries. For the riders who choose the January adventure, they are lucky to cap off their week in Guatemala by joining this special event with local women riders.
“The Travesia was the highlight of my trip to Guatemala. It was amazing meeting so many Guatemalan women who were having fun and challenging themselves on the bike,” said Jess Hana, a World Ride client who participated alongside local riders. “It was a unique and special day that I hope I get to experience again in the future.”
It's encouraging to see the more experienced riders both local and international, share tips and advice with the new crowd, and the men on the World Ride trip showed up to cheer on the women who were riding. We find these events help build confidence for the riders to explore new areas of their country and feel safe, supported and encouraged along the way.
The goal of World Ride’s international programs is to make mountain biking more accessible to women and the Travesia event is a great example of how to inspire more women to join the sport. Each year that the event has been hosted, a large percentage of participants are newer riders that are completing the ride for their first time. Many of these new riders have joined the growing group of women participating in regular group rides around the Antigua Guatemala area. After three iterations, new locations are being considered to help the event attract even more women and continue to grow this expanding community.
About Old Town Outfitters
Old Town Outfitters is Guatemala’s premier adventure guide specializing in creating unforgettable cultural excursions, outdoor experiences and custom adventure tours. Make Guatemala your next destination for mountain biking, trekking, volcano tours, kayaking and more. Our local guides have led Guatemala adventure tours since 1988. Whether you’re summiting the Acatenango Volcano, shredding singletrack or touring coffee farms, OTO offers fun, safe and authentic trips for thrill-seekers and first-timers alike.
