Salt Lake City road trip & the secret society of women's cycling

I suppose I should have expected this. My preparation for outdoor adventures has been put on hold by the very thing that inspired me: A's move to Salt Lake City. The past few weekends have been filled with frenzied bouts of sorting, packing, selling, tossing, and donating. In a completely selfish maneuver, I also volunteered to drive out to Salt Lake City with A (and take a redeye back to New York). According to my reasoning, this would mean not only a few extra treasured hours with him. It would also be my first time out West. Wasatch Mountains, here I come!

I've always had romantic visions of road trips: winding roads, beautiful vistas, new people, and spontaneous stops. In reality, it always works out to involve a bit of grumpiness and misadventures, too. Since we're on a tight deadline for reaching our destination, the trip will probably feel a bit more like this (and at this speed):

Courtesy of Michael Bartolomeo

Or, it'll be a mind-numbing stretch of corn fields.

My research skills must be lagging from all of this packing frenzy. At least, I'm telling myself that, because I'm having a hard time believing that there aren't any women's cycling clubs in New York City.

I started researching groups to contact when I'm back from Salt Lake City, and I tried every search variation I could imagine:

• women's cycling clubs
• women's cycling groups
• bicycle clubs women
• girl cycling
• girl bikes
• cycling for chicks
• chicks on bikes
• chicas y bicicletas

Well, you get the picture. (I don't recommend looking up the last two.)

One group on Meetup.com with particularly pink fonts looked promising until I read this: "I started this group for the more leisurely paced rider who enjoys riding slower like I do." I found myself reassessing my strategy. Just why am I looking for a women's group? Am I afraid that I'd eat the dust of faster, dorkier bike dudes? (Maybe.) Am I looking for simple camaraderie in a male-dominated sport? (Yes.) Aren't there women who enjoy riding fast and breaking a sweat? (Definitely!)

It'll probably be more fun and productive if I try riding with a few diverse groups. Who do you ride with, and where do you ride?