This Redmond, OR-based crew works together at the Northwest Outward Bound School and adventures together whether it’s rafting the Grand Canyon, climbing/biking around Central Oregon, or wandering in the desert southwest. Each woman has done some form of bike adventure separately, and this year they are setting out together. What better way to spend a winter month than biking together in Baja!
Instagram: @gingersnapspice @rachelmmack @c.r.a.b.b.y
In December, Ambassadors Cori, Rachel, Jennifer, and Abigail will set out with the goal of riding 550+ miles of the Baja Divide route. Starting near Loreto, Baja California Sur, MX the women will ride south to Cabo San Lucas. As a self-supported bike adventure, the crew will spend several weeks pedaling through the mountainous desert landscape with stopovers in small villages and cities to resupply.
Fundraising goal: $6,000
The Baja Divide route is a rugged 1,700 mile off-pavement bikepacking route that spans the length of the Baja California peninsula, in its entirety, stretching from San Diego, CA, USA to San José del Cabo, BCS, MX. Connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the route passes through every major mountain range in Baja California on miles of primarily dirt roads. The route utilizes existing roads and jeep trails, but was first developed and popularized as a bikepacking route by Lael Wilcox and Nicholas Carman in late 2015.
“As the adventure and outdoor culture shifts to reflect the reality of who actually plays/works/recreates/enjoys the outdoors, I’m excited to be one of the many faces. I have worked on backcountry trail crews and as an outdoor educator for the last two decades. At this point in my career – and my life – I feel driven to demonstrate that people of all identities spend time in the out of doors world.”
–Cori Callahan
“I work in adventure education where I facilitate climbing, backpacking, whitewater rafting and mountaineering experiences for young people and adults. I do it because I believe that when we allow ourselves to be truly be in wild places, we uncover parts of ourselves that lay dormant. We face our fears, we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we see what we are capable of and as women this is the stuff we for so long been told not to see. I witness this in myself and I witness it in others. I am inspired by our human potential!”
– Rachel Mackey
“My whole life, I’ve loved the outdoors and was called a tom boy. As I got older and went to university for outdoor recreation, I heard it called “a boys club”. Now, I am part of an all female administrative team at a major outdoor company. I am so, so excited to be able to represent women outside. To show young girls that they aren’t a tomboy, they’re just tough. There’s space for all of us out here.”
– Abigail Taylor
“It’s hard to exaggerate the impact that discovering experiential education and the outdoor community has had on my life. It has allowed me to cultivate deep, genuine connections with people who inspire me to push my imagined boundaries and question my concept of self. I feel grateful to be in a position to help other young women participate in opportunities that might empower them to find their people and to realize they are capable of more than they know.”
– Jennifer Dresselhaus