【Letter from SW USA】Girls Deschutes Overnighters
Photos and words by Rie Sawada
Hello everyone, it’s been a while.
Since I got US visa and started working at our new SimWorks USA office, it has already passed 6 months.
It is necessary to have considerable vitality and labor effort in order to start a new life and a new company in a different country. Nobody can succeed without any helps. I’m here in the US alone as a representative of SimWorks USA. Needless to say, Simworks/Circles in Japan helps me out, but at the same time I am very much thankful for the helps of the locals and all the connections I got so far.
Here in Portland, a bicycle population is the largest in the country, so that I see so many bicycles going around everywhere in all seasons and able to meet and become a friend with cool and unique cyclists.
It is not hard to make connections in this commercial and industrial city since there are a lot of independent bike business companies, especially frame builders and bike components craftsmen which have a deal with SimWorks and Circles. Many bicycle events and easy to get into its community so that we chose this place as our first SimWorks USA headquater.
In these days, we are able to communicate through this instant SNS called, ‘Instagram’. Thanks to this amazing tool, I am able to talk to the people, who have mutual interests, through DM after I post some photos and writings like my diary frequently. After that, we meet each other and ride a bike together and go for a long trip then finally become a true friend after all.
Especially, there are so many cyclists in Portland, so that there is also a high probability of meeting female cyclists more than any other cities. So, I was able to go for ‘Overnighter Off-Road Bikepacking’ with 10 female cyclists living in Portland who I met for the first time.
I was absolutely nervous being in this rare situation because I never met them except on Instagram. However, through this awesome trip, I was able to talk about the bicycle and moreover I felt something truly connected because I think we have something in common between us.
Girls cyclists I meet in the US are always independent, respect each other, having their own business or do what they like to do as their profession, loving their bicycles and trips. I never felt so much freedom and willpower within their hearts.
It takes about 2 hours driving from Portland to get to Deschutes River and started riding around doing overnight bikepacking. Unfortunately, It was very ver hot because there are no shadow places on the paths, but it was very much worth to see the great scenery of extensive blue sky with precipitous rock face. (It is very sad but the building in the photo was destroyed by forest fire last week)
After riding and camping together, we said,”Let’s do this again soon!” and somebody said,”See you around at WTF Bikexplorers Summit!”. I was like… “What is WTF?… means a ‘WTF’!?!?LOL”.
4 cyclists out of 10 we did bikepacking together were the organizers of WTF BIkexplorers Summit. Of course I didn’t know anything about it, but after months later I started hearing about this event everywhere I go in California.
I immediately googled it and found their website.
There is a summit in whitefish in Montana state in the middle of August.
I see 3-4 Days Bikepacking Ride there, too.
Female only.
??????
I get more interested in this event.
600 miles from Portland to Whitefish in Montana… means I have to drive 1,200 miles by myself…
However, If I miss this chance, I think I will never be in Montana in my life anymore…
I did 2500 miles driving last month so… I think I can do that.
I think nobody will come along with me and haven’t reserved any stays yet for a week, but this must be a lot of fun for sure!
I always wanted to make female cyclist friends to do bikepacking and do the adventure together!!! so this is the big chance!!!
Now, I decided to go to ‘WTF Bikexplorers Summit’ and ‘3-days Bikepacking Ride Series’!!!
I see ‘Bear Pepper Spray’ as a travel requisite everywhere…
Now, Im on it♡
My, Rie’s, explore will be continued!!!
Photos & words by Rie Sawada