Anchorage GRIT (Girls Riding Into Tomorrow) is a girl’s cycling mentorship program in Anchorage, Alaska. The project was conceived by Lael Wilcox and Cait Rodriguez while riding the Baja Divide in the spring of 2017. The six-week program gives 7th and 8th-grade girls (12-14 years old) an opportunity to be mentored after school through rides and learning sessions led by local women. The girls learn basic riding safety, bike maintenance, first aid, and other skills to prepare for a three-day, 60-mile adventure ride into the Alaskan country. By completing the course and journey, girls can earn their bike and other gear to keep pedaling into their futures.

The Anchorage GRIT program is made possible through support from the Anchorage School District, Bike Anchorage, Revelate Designs, Gu Energy Labs, and Specialized Women’s Cycling

Check out this post on Bikepacking.com for an interview with Lael and Rue by Logan Watts about the program.

And you can find some info from Lael and Rue on considerations for starting a GRIT program of your own here on The Radavist.

Photos and video by Rugile Kaladyte