Chicago's Women's Dirt Days at Kettle Moraine in 2015. Photo by SnowyMountain Photograhy

This is great inspiration for women who love MTB in Chicago. Our Women's Dirt Days at Kettle Moraine and Palos are popular and definitely worth checking out. I love the idea of having industry sponsors and bike demos for the outings.

SANTA CRUZ >> Girls Rock began as an informal ride with three other women 18 months ago. Today it is a monthly mountain bike jam with more than 100 women, industry sponsors, bike demos and professional athletes. Later this year, it is poised to inspire what could become an international movement.

As a large crowd of women mountain bike riders formed outside of Santa Cruz Bicycles on the northern edge of town Sunday, Girls Rock founder Jessica Klodnicki seemed surprised by what she had created.

“It started out innocently enough,” she said. “I never thought it would turn into something like this.”

General manager and executive vice president of Bell Helmets and Blackburn, the Scotts Valley sports equipment company, Klodnicki may seem like a natural catalyst for a women’s mountain bike movement, but the fact is she started riding less than three years ago.

“I was struggling to find other women of my level to ride with,” she said. “When I put out the call for other women riders, it was clear there was a real need for something like this. The response was amazing.”

Full article: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/NE/20160207/NEWS/160209722