Micah Ling takes us along for the adventure through southern Arizona with Lael Wilcox and 60 women for the Komoot Women’s Arizona Rally. The 8-day loop included Mount Lemmon, Patagonia, Ruby Road, and endless highlights not on any map. Check out her recap, Ashley Gruber’s photos, and some testimonials below…

At 7 am on November 9, more than 60 women from around the world, ranging in age from 21-65, set out from Tucson for eight days of bikepacking through the Sonoran Desert for the Komoot Women’s Arizona Rally. Bikepacking in Tucson in the fall and winter months is largely ideal, but sometimes tricky to pack for – the days are warm and the nights are cold. But the women got lots of advice on packing, and what to expect from the course through online seminars leading up to the event.

Led by Lael Wilcox, the rally aimed to give women riders a chance to challenge themselves and find community on bikes. There were no rules, just a route, suggestions on places to eat, sleep, and resupply, and the promise of a grand adventure. The rallies are free, but require an application process. Then, women are responsible for all of their travel, accommodations, supplies, and equipment. Wilcox has been organizing rallies for women since 2021, and she’s learned that the value comes in the community – sharing the time and the place with 50-60 other women.

The details of the route – 394 miles and 24,500 feet of climbing – were meant to be challenging for both beginners and seasoned riders alike. And the group included riders who had never been on gravel before, some who would do their longest rides ever during the week, as well as riders who had set records, won races, and covered thousands and thousands of miles on the year already. Each rider truly made the week their own. Some shortened the course, some took a day off here or there, some hitched a ride for parts, and all of that was okay. “The point is to be flexible,” Wilcox said, “to be on an adventure and see where it goes.”

The most intimidating days by the numbers – by far – were the first two, where riders took on the rocky “backside” of Mount Lemmon (known also as Babad Do’ag, or Frog Mountain to the Tohono O’odham), Tucson’s crown jewel. The summit tops out at 9,171 feet, and reaching it involves navigating over primitive, rocky roads, through multiple climates, with varied terrain. From sand to pine needles to snow.

But along the way, riders got a surprise “secret aid station” put together by a group who had ridden the Women’s Arizona Rally last year. Perfectly positioned less than two miles from the top, blurry-eyed, dehydrated riders found smiling faces, salty snacks, fresh fruit, wagging dogs, and all the hugs, before powering on to finish it off. Proof that the friends made along the way during these rallies are for life.

Wilcox, who recently set the record for riding around the world, says the first two days are “at least five times harder than the rest of the route.” But Mount Lemmon is her favorite place in the whole world. “Lots of people come [to Tucson] and just head straight for the gravel south of town, but I really think you can’t skip Lemmon.”

After summiting the mountain, the route took the group down the smooth paved Catalina Highway to descend. And no matter how long it took riders to get up the rocky backside, the 25 mile glide back down was pure magic. Some shed tears, others whooped and hollered, but everyone smiled from ear to ear. There’s nothing quite like the low desert sun dancing through the hoodoo rocks and saguaros to make things feel calm and balanced.

Remaining days saw the group spread out even more. Some took a rest day back in Tucson, some pushed on all the way to Patagonia, others camped at wild spots along the way. In addition to balancing different levels of experience, the group also had a variety of introverts and extroverts, young riders and older riders, various backgrounds, experiences, careers, and place in life. Even the bikes looked different. Everything from full-suspension to rigid gravel. Some with bags on every possible surface, others with the lightest setup imaginable. Some camped without a tent, others went back and forth between being out in the wild and in the comfort of a hotel or Airbnb. Again, no rules, just choosing one’s own adventure with no judgment.

But one trend emerged throughout the ride: being generous and helpful. Someone didn’t pack enough food? They had their pick from others offering bars, candy, chips, and sandwiches. Someone needed sunblock? Four people reached for their bottle. Someone was feeling an ache or pain? Others offered salt tabs, Tiger Balm, ibuprofen, and advice on how to massage it out. Technically this trip was self-supported, but really it was perhaps the most support one could ask for.

The next days of the trip included meals at one of several great restaurants in Patagonia, AZ, and yet another surprise aid station, this time put on by Wilcox’s parents, who provided made-to-order sandwiches after a particularly tough gravel climb. Then on to Parker Canyon Reservoir, where riders went swimming, rented paddle boats, and camped out for a chilly night by Arizona standards.

The group then made their way down Ruby Road, past the ghost town of Ruby and Pena Blanca Lake, to the final night under the gigantic, full, Beaver supermoon. Komoot provided troughs full of cold beverages, and some celebration snacks – nothing hits the spot like fresh watermelon after several gas station meals. The final day involved making their way back to Tucson, for lunch and goodbyes. Or more “see you soon”s. For many, Wilcox’s rallies are just the beginning.

A Sample of the Women on the Ride

Fiore Baratti, 21, from Milan, Italy

Bike: Custom Ornus, a wooden gravel bike designed in Tuscany
Baratti is the first person in her family to use a passport. She’s currently studying environmental science at university.

“For me it was very inspiring to meet so many women from all over the world. I have many good memories from the trip, but maybe the hardest moment was at the end of the first day when I wanted to reach the campground [at mile 72 for the day], but I discovered that the sun sets really early. So I cycled the last kilometer or so totally in the dark and cold. But it was so great to camp all together at the foot of Mt. Lemmon. One of the most special moments was taking the boats out on the reservoir and swimming. Afterwards we had dinner with a beautiful sunset and I toasted my first marshmallow.”

Following the rally, Baratti and two other women – one from Scotland and one from Mexico – continued the adventure on a road trip to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Page, and Flagstaff, AZ. They hiked and experienced the indigenous culture of the area. They sang karaoke in the car, stopped often for coffee or kombucha, and bonded even more.

Cora Jones, 29, from Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Bike: Surly Bridge Club (Steel) with a fairly light setup of bags

Jones is a winemaker. Before the rally she had just recently landed her dream job working at Plēb Urban Winery in Asheville. Plēb manages 7 acres of vineyards using organic and biodynamic farming practices. Jones was in heaven: she loved her co-workers, she loved the ethics and motivations of the brand, and she loved her role. But at the end of September, Hurricane Helene moved inland and devastated the Asheville area.

Storms have taken a toll on Asheville in the past, but what happened during Helene was beyond what seemed possible. The small city is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountain range in western North Carolina where the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers join. It sits at 2,124 above sea level. But during the storm, the rivers rose 26 feet. Nearly everything was destroyed, including Plēb: completely gone.

“Because of the hurricane and losing my job and everything right before, I was in a pretty low spot,” Jones said. “I just didn’t feel as excited as I had prior to the storm when I was super stoked for the event. It was hard for me to get in a good head space and feel like I deserved to do this. There was just so much destruction and devastation where I’m at that I felt guilty to go do this.”

For a while after the storm, Jones didn’t know if she’d even make the trip. But she was encouraged by her partner to do it—to just be away from destruction for a while. “Once I got there,” Jones said, “it was literally everything I needed. It put me back to feeling like myself. I had forgotten how good it feels to just be on your bike. And my biggest concern was getting from point A to point B, and having food and water. It was nice to get back to such basics.”

Like many riders, one of the highlights of the trip for Jones was descending Mt. Lemmon. “At the end of the second day, I started descending Lemmon and somehow ended up in a group with Lael and Rue, and some others. I think it was Eve who just kept saying ‘wow’ over and over a million times – she was so stoked. I had no idea what to expect, but seeing it I was like, ‘Oh this is why Lael loves it so much.’ Going down at sunset was just perfect.”

Jones is eternally grateful that she decided to make the trip, and while the cleanup back at home is slow and ongoing, she has a renewed sense of self and is excited to keep helping her community. She’s taking part in an endurance event, Old Fort Strong, to raise money for the local efforts where she’ll be riding for 12 hours. Funds raised will put money directly into the hands of Old Fort residents and businesses as they rebuild after Hurricane Helene.

Dalila Lecky, 36, from London, UK

Bike: GRX-specced Canyon Grizl

Lecky is a Building Inspector in London, UK, and a Shimano Gravel Alliance Rider. She’s had loads of experience riding and racing all over the world, but was still unsure of what to expect when she arrived in Tucson. The first day of riding included a section of road that went past a shooting range, where recreational target practice could be seen (and heard) just meters away from where the group was riding. It was unsettling for sure, but especially so for those who had come from other countries, where they thought the rumor that all Americans have guns was just a joke.

Luckily, the gunfire faded (mostly) into the background as the group made their way up Redington Road. Lecky summarized the scene saying, “When they say there are more guns than people in the United States, I’m thinking a significant number of those guns might be in Arizona. I’ve never before in my life seen people target shooting so close to a public road, absolutely wild.”

On a less jarring note, Lecky says the always much needed surprise aid stations were especially great. What’s better than crisps, and a sandwich when you least expect it? She also loved descending Mt. Lemmon at sunset after a full day of dusty climbing. And finally, like many of the other riders coming from outside the U.S. where roasting sugar bombs over an open fire isn’t as common, making s’mores at Parker Lake campground topped her list of highlights.

Lecky also had a few low moments throughout the trip – namely, “Hearing the coyotes howling as I rode up the gravel trail to Peppersauce Campground on my own in the dark.” And also an especially freezing night of camping in Patagonia, AZ “because I’d brought the wrong type of sleeping bag.”

One thing that will stick with her, though, is “the number of women who took pity on my lack of stove. This was a deliberate choice as I’m trying to see how I manage without it. But they all offered me the use of theirs to cook up a warm meal.” She’ll also remember “all of the curious Arizonans who stopped to ask us how far we’d come and how far we were going, and the amazement on their faces every time.”

Ana Jager, 27, from Anchorage, AK.

Bike: Salsa Cutthroat. Rigid, with 2.2 inch tires. “It felt just right as a versatile set up for the loop.”

Jager juggles a variety of jobs. Lately she’s been working in schools in a student support role. Middle schoolers are her favorite age. She’s also a total badass when it comes to bikepacking and bikepack racing. She took second this year in the Tour Divide, and cut tons of time off her previous fastest time. In 2022 she took first place at both the 300- and 800-mile Arizona Trail Race, was the fastest woman to complete the Tour Divide, and took second place at the Colorado Trail Race. She was also the second woman ever to complete the Triple Crown Challenge in a calendar year (Tour Divide, Colorado Trail, and Arizona Trail Race). She’s also toured the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail in Alaska solo and self-supported. So the rally was a bit of a vacation for her.

“There were so many highlights throughout the week riding with everyone. The best part was laughing so much. I think at most points throughout the week I could bust out laughing with pretty minimal prompting, which just speaks to the group dynamic of the whole ride.”

Jager said it was fun to be around such a varied group. “Riders came from different parts of the world and with differing experiences, all with the desire to connect in a positive, non-judgmental and fun way.”

The only low during Jager’s ride came in the form of a giant puncture, but even that left room for laughing. “I got a big flat when a couple big construction staples went through my tire on a road section. Not ideal, but honestly even that was fun because Lael and Shelby hung out on the side of the highway at sunset to help me patch it. Lael was ripping off little bits of thread from her bike shoe to reinforce the multiple plugs and entire thing of super glue that I squeezed over the slices. We kept laughing.”

Jager was both aware of the beauty of the area, and the reality of what it means to be so close to the border. “I noted the lights of many border patrol cars patrolling from high points as I rode past in the dark one night to meet up with a group of riders ahead of me. This was a stark and painful reminder that the safety and comfort I felt amongst the rally group was entirely opposite to the experiences of other people in this borderlands area and beyond. The power of both of these feelings– the safety of community and the violence of dehumanization– have stuck with me from this ride.”

The lasting images for Jager came with all of the camping. “Riding into camp at sunset and waking up to glowing sunrises while sleeping out each night were defining memories of the rally. It was special to share the desert light and colors with people who so easily and naturally became my friends.”

Jessica Fry, 36, from Tucson, AZ

Bike: Canyon Grizl

Fry works as a Parachute Rigger – she maintains and packs parachutes. She initially did this work for skydiving companies, and now works for the U.S. military. Fry has lived and worked in several places, but has spent the last year in Tucson and is still enjoying exploring the area by bike.

“My biggest high from the rally was meeting so many women bike packers. This is my first year diving
into bikepacking and riding my bike long distances. Most of the time I am riding and camping alone.
I’ve found it difficult to meet people who do this sort of adventuring and it was so inspiring to be amongst women from all over the world who absolutely crush it.”

Even though Fry lives in the area, she too was intimidated by Mt. Lemmon. “Living in Tucson, you drive up the front side, and watch as cyclists casually ride beside you, and think, ‘Wow, that looks tough, I’m not sure I’ll ever do that.’ When applying for the rally, I knew that section was going to be the most challenging for me, but I was very committed to completing it, even if it took me all day, and it did. Reaching the aid station the previous rally women had set up was such a gift.”

Mt. Lemmon was more than just a physical feat. For Fry, and for others, it meant even more. “The physical exertion of that day brought out a lot of dormant emotions from events happening in my life
right now, and it felt really good to let out some tears nearing the top.”

Besides climbing mountains and coming to terms with big emotions, it was the little things for Fry. Namely, just not being alone. “I found myself camping with so many women, and sitting by a fire chatting after thinking I’d be setting a tent up alone because I hadn’t seen anyone for so long. It was very cool to be able to have solo and group adventures at different times of the day.”

But there were also some struggles. These rallies wouldn’t be as impactful without some problem-solving and strategy. Fry struggled toward the end of the ride, and made the decision to skip the Ruby Road section. “It was the section I was most excited about because I had never ridden down there before. But when we reached the Wendy’s in Rio Rico, nearly at sunset, me and my friend Shelby decided it would be best for our bodies if we did a shorter day. We headed north along the highway to Tubac and stayed at an Inn.

“Although I think I absolutely needed it—I could barely sit on my bike, my legs were so sore, so exhausted, and I had developed some kind of sun rash on my thighs—I was a little disappointed. But I’m committed to finishing that loop in the next couple months, I just won’t have the beautiful energy of all the other women helping me along the way.”

But Fry will never forget the final night with the group. “Watching the full moon rise over the mountains with all the women on the last night: it made the rally feel so complete; so full circle. And then literally forming a circle and hearing some stories from the ladies about their days on their bikes. Together but separate for 8 days. It felt very balanced.”