Playtri Tyler hosts night mountain bike ride to celebrate International Women’s Day

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Six East Texas female cyclists came out on International Women’s Day to do what they love.

“Some people might go to a bar, or might go dancing. We go ride our bikes,” said Lynnette Wood.

Lynnette Wood is a bike mechanic at Playtri. She says mountain biking is a male-dominated sport.

“A lot of time when you go to any mountain bike races, there are many fewer women who race. Many fewer women ride, and I love just seeing women on bikes. No matter whether they’re racing or just out there riding and having fun.”

So Wood decided to start up this event and encourage other women to join in on the sport.

Cat Hammers came along for the ride and says this is her first time night riding.

“It’s something new and I have been kind of out of the riding scene. I went back to school. But now that my semesters are kind of tying in, I’m trying to get back into the community just to get back into shape.”

They started at the shop’s parking lot on old Jacksonville, went through Legacy Trail, and rode down to Faulkner Park through the mountain bike trail. The route was ten and a half miles long.

“We love riding our bikes and it’s a fun thing to do and to find other women who do it as well and they don’t think they’re odd to do it you know. It’s good to have something in common and just go out and have fun with your friends.”

Wood says she hopes to continue the night ride event and bring in more women each year.

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