A friend who had been with the Rydaz for a while encouraged Helen, one of about 6 women in the group, to fix up her bike and join them. The bike is still a work in progress, she said, but it’s been a great way for her to transition back into Los Angeles after having lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. It’s a powerful community-building tool–they have about 10 kids in the group and they do what they can to make sure the kids keep their grades up and follow the rules of the road when riding. And it’s the perfect healthy activity–she’s lost weight since joining the group and is able to do rides as far as Long Beach, even though she’s on a heavy cruiser with no gears. One of the best things, she said, is being an inspiration to other women that see her on the road. They’ll yell, “Yeah, that’s it girl! Ride for me, too!”

“You always hear people say, ‘When I get a bike i’m going to come join you!’ and i say, ‘Please come ride!'”