How I Made Friends & Gained Confidence From Dirt Skrrts

by Bernadette Peters

I live an hour west of Asheville and had long wanted to connect with other women who ride. Even with 30 years of mountain biking under my belt, I was afraid the Asheville/Brevard mountain biking community would be out of my league — and that it would be hard to break into as a relatively shy person. One ride changed all that.

In June 2024, I signed up for the Pride Ride, thinking I might have more in common with this group than just mountain biking. I brought a friend along for moral support. That day I met Kim Sasdelli and Carrie Plaxco. I was a good bit older than most of the group, but they welcomed me warmly. I didn't dive into signing up for rides right away, but I kept running into Kim at shows and other events around town — and she always came over to say hi and remembered my name.

Before long, Carrie and Kim were each inviting me to ride outside of the regular Dirt Skrrts events. Kim introduced me to Jen Dabbs and other riders from other groups. I met Dorene O'Malley at a work event, and she was the one who finally got me to commit to riding with the Silver Shredders. I got to know Dee Reeb, went camping with Martha Johnson, and started riding with the Silver Shredders on a regular basis. I was asked to be a ride leader. I just started saying yes to everything — and each time I did, I met more and more amazing women.

This past October, I attended the Outdoor Economy Conference and ran into seven other Dirt Skrrts there. We hung out, went on an excursion together, and grabbed dinner.

Now I feel like I've found my people. I met these women through a shared love of mountain biking, but I've ended up with friends who enrich my life in so many ways.