In my experience, motherhood is a lot like biking. It's a little messy, a little unpredictable, and always better with friends by your side.

I moved to Bentonville in July of 2018 with my 2-year-old son, Dex, and my husband, Rich, who is a pro mountain biker. We came from the hustle and bustle of Dallas, and I quickly fell in love with our new, charming town. Nature was just steps away, and life felt slower in the best possible way for our little family.

Rich was in his element. He had just founded The Ride Series, a mountain bike skills company, and was all in. He was meeting people, attending events, and fully immersed in the thriving bike community.

Meanwhile, I… was not. I didn’t enjoy riding bikes. I didn’t enjoy talking about bikes. I had already bought and sold two bikes after giving it a shot and deciding it just wasn’t for me. And if you’ve ever tried to learn a new skill from your partner, you know it can be rough.

Not long after we moved, my birthday rolled around. Rich asked who I wanted to celebrate with, and I completely broke down in tears. I was trying so hard to make friends. I’m a pretty outgoing person—friendly, talkative, not afraid to put myself out there—but nothing was sticking. As a stay-at-home mom, I was stretching myself thin with playdates and activities, but still struggling to find “my people.”

A few months later, a friend invited me to a Women of OZ (WOZ) Flagship Ride. My first thought? “Bikes just aren’t for me.” But after a little convincing, I said yes.

That “yes” changed everything.

I showed up to a group of around 50 women, all on bikes, all smiling, laughing, and chatting like old friends. We went on a short, low-key, no-pressure trail ride and ended at Oven & Tap, where the good times kept rolling. By the end of that first WOZ event, I knew two things: I had found my people, and maybe, just maybe, bikes were for me after all.

A little about this organization I’ve grown to love: Women of OZ is a nonprofit on a mission to get more women on bikes, but what we’re really great at is building community. Our group includes moms with toddlers, moms with grown kids, and everything in between. There are moms of fur babies and women who aren’t moms at all. We come from different backgrounds, careers, beliefs, and life experiences, but we share one simple thing in common: we ride together. No judgment, no pressure. Just a whole lot of encouragement and smiling faces on bikes.

We host a free Flagship Ride on the first Saturday of every month, where women of all skill levels come together to ride for a couple of hours and then stick around for an after-party. New riders can join a fundamentals skills class, while others break into groups based on comfort level.

But honestly, the after-party is where the magic happens.

I’ve come to realize how rare and special that time is. It’s time that’s just for her—the woman on the bike. A space where moms can step away from the mental load of grocery lists, work deadlines, and keeping kids entertained. It’s time to laugh, to connect, to celebrate (or commiserate) with other women who just get it. Whether it’s swapping stories with moms in the same season of life, learning from those a few steps ahead, or simply bonding over shared interests (or a margarita), it fills a cup that so often runs empty.

Through Women of OZ, I’ve found the kind of friendships that truly show up. The ones that cheer you on not just on the trail, but through the highs and lows of motherhood and everything in between. I’ve also discovered a sense of purpose outside of being “mom” in my role as WOZ’s Director of Operations. I get to see every new face that shows up to a Flagship Ride. I witness the nervous energy before we roll out, and then the change at the end: the smiles, the confidence, the connections.

Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with a sport I once resisted.  Biking has now become something that I get to share with my family. I’ve found joy in building The Ride Series alongside my husband, and together, mountain biking has taken us on adventures all across the country. Along the way, we’ve started creating family-focused content to help other families experience the sport in a fun, approachable way because we know firsthand how intimidating it can feel at the beginning.