Flat Black Collective January Ladies Only Ride

My first ride after my 4 week hiatus was with the San Diego Ladies Only Ride with Flat Black Collective.

"Flat Black Collective is a group of women, riders, adventurers and individuals, interested in the road and motivated by the ride."

I had not ridden with this group before this ride, but I had been following them on Instagram. Since they are always posting great photos of happy ladies riding and they are right here in San Diego, I have been anxious to go ride with them.

I've met a few local women who ride thanks to Instagram, which I've determined to be the best social media platform to find women with which to ride. I was told by Anya Violet, co-founder of Babes Ride Out, that the primary advertising they did for the event was on Instagram.

"We promoted the event almost entirely on our Instagram account. We have a Facebook page, but didn’t do much with it."

I met up with Michelle and Kimmie in San Diego for breakfast, then the three of us rode up to San Marcos to meet everyone else. We were right on time and first to arrive.

Flat Black Collective often meets with other groups for rides, this time being Belles On Bikes. The ladies started rolling into Old California Coffee House a few minutes after 10:00 am looking fierce and arriving fashionably late.

Kari Helsten, one of the Flat Black Organizers, started giving the "10 Minutes!" call. . .

We headed to our bikes and geared up. I was quite surprised how quickly these ladies gear up and have their bikes started! I'm accustomed to women who dally as long as I do. (I can be high maintenance now and then. . . )

The ride through Elfin Forest wasn't long, but very beautiful. The temperature warmed up to the mid-60's and the skies were clear and bright. Absolutely the perfect day for a ride!

The ride ended at Pizza Port in Solana Beach. Parking was tight so I, along with a few other riders, pulled up on the sidewalk.

Photo Credit: Daniella Renee

At Pizza Port I was able to talk with a few ladies. Women rode from as far north as Covina, Riverside, Hemet, and Los Angeles and some from as far south as El Cajon and Chula Vista to join this ride.

After a salads, pizza and a little beer, women went their separate ways. A few rode up the coast to watch the sun set, others went off to check out a bike for sale. I rode back to San Diego with Kimmie and Babs, happy, tired and thrilled to be back on two wheels!

Add a little fuel to my bank account. My ebook, "Rude Biker Chick: Lessons From My Daddy" is available for purchase here. If not for you, buy a copy for a friend. The woman in your life will love you for it. Thanks!