Stevens Point Area Visitors Guide 2023

OUTDOORS
Women
Who
Ride
How two women set out
to create a female-centered
biking community in
central Wisconsin.
by BAILY KRUZAN
Katy Olson
For two Stevens Point women biking is about
doing something that’s good for your body
and good for your soul. Seeking to empower
more women on two wheels, they came
together to build a female-centered biking
community in central Wisconsin.
The feelings of independence when riding ring
true for Stevens Point transplant Katy Olson.
Originally from Kansas, Olson ventured north
to take a summer job near Sunset Lake in
central Wisconsin. After falling madly in love
with the region she put down roots and has
since been nestled in the Stevens Point Area.
Her love for biking started at a young age,
but it evolved once she had children. She
would ride to work with one kid in the trailer
and another on the tag along. Unfortunately,
biking hit the brakes around 2016 when she
suffered a bad fall. “I was really scared to get
back on a bike,” Olson said. Encouraging her to
get back into biking, a friend suggested riding
to Waupaca. “I thought, okay, I could probably
do that.” They rode over 40 miles that day.
“Look how far you can go and what you
can see better from a bike!” The sense of
accomplishment gave Olson the push to get
back into riding and it then became clear, she
wanted to ride more.
For Kim Basala, biking runs thick in her blood.
Moving to the area over 20 years ago, and
even choosing her home due to its proximity
to the Green Circle Trail, Basala hasn’t known
anything other than biking. Starting off as a
child, she would watch her family compete
in biking races where she then joined in on
the tradition at just 7 years old. Continuing
to ride today, Basala began to think of ways
to bring women together within the biking
community in central Wisconsin.
That’s where the idea for Girls on Gravel, a
micro Girls Gone Gravel group, sparked a
conversation. Teaming up, Basala and Olson
began to envision a group that welcomed
women from all walks of life, wasn’t too fast
paced, and allowed different opportunities
to ride.
“It’s about women coming together,” said
Olson. “Girls on Gravel has been one of my
favorite groups I’ve ever been a part of,”
Basala said, noting that for most people in
the group, Thursday nights are their favorite
nights. “The group extends so far beyond the
two wheels we’re riding.”
After bouncing the idea around, Girls on
Gravel took shape in the spring of 2022 in the
Stevens Point Area. Immediately, they began
building a network to support their goals
– working with places like the Point Area
Bicycle Service in downtown Stevens Point
who have been great supporters.
“You don’t have to ride 20 miles an hour. You
don’t need to wear bike shorts. You don’t
have to ride for hours on end,” said Olson. It’s
simply a place to talk, laugh, share a drink
or two, and of course - bike. What may have
started as a group to ride with, has since
turned into a close-knit community.
Where To Get Out & Ride!
Green Circle Trail: 27-mile
multi-purpose trail that
makes a loop around
Stevens Point, linking
scenic natural areas.
Tomorrow River State
Trail: 24-miles composed
of crushed limestone
making it a convenient
and safe ride.
Standing Rocks County
Park: Features over
13-miles of mountain biking
in addition to groomed fat
tire biking during the winter.
Find more information
and plan your ride at
STEVENSPOINTAREA.COM/BIKING
Stevens Point Area Official Visitors Guide | 2023
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