Thursday night bike rides to begin at OSU Botanic Gardens

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

For the next eight weeks, there will be ladies only bike rides on Thursday nights at 6:30, directly following Yoga in the Gardens.

The rides are on mostly gravel roads and will begin and end at the south parking lot of the OSU Botanic Gardens, located off of Highway 51. The Red Dirt Divas, a group of around 200 riders, made up of women of all ages, levels of fitness and knowledge of cycling, will be hosting the rides. 

Although the rides are not working directly with Yoga in the Gardens, the leader of the rides, Nicola Allison, intentionally positioned the start time so women could enjoy both events. 

“I’ve been leading the ladies Thursday night rides for around seven months and several of us have loved the fall and spring yoga series,” Allison said. “When Yoga in the Gardens started, I didn’t want ladies to have to choose between the two.” 

The rides are generally somewhere between 10 to 15 miles and open to bikers of all levels says Allison. “I call my ride beginner friendly; we ride at an easy pace on a less challenging route and stay together as a group. This ride is just as much about socializing as it is about fitness.”

Yoga in the Gardens begins Thursday at 5:45 p.m. and runs until 6:30 p.m. at the Botanic Gardens, with the ladies gravel ride directly following. For more information about Yoga in the Gardens, call 405-744-9355. To learn more about the Thursday Night Gravel Rides, contact Nicola Allison at nickieallison@yahoo.com.  

Story by Jackson Hodges