5 Things I Learned about Gravel and Adventure with Lael Wilcox and Rue Kaladyte

I met both Lael and Rue when they were in Atlanta for the release of her film, I Just Wanna Ride. When we launched the podcast, I knew I wanted to have her as a guest. She was personable, fun, and open to talking for a very long time after the Atlanta event. Rue was a bit more reserved but a beautiful storyteller and incredibly composed when asked about a tough situation. Had it not been for COVID-19, getting on these adventurers' schedules would have been almost impossible, but since they are sheltered in place in Tuscan, we were able to book them right away. Here are five things I learned from my conversation with Lael and Rue:

Epic Adventures Take a lot of Planning

Lael and Rue had just returned from creating new routes in Columbia (film coming this fall) to highlight conservation work. As they described the amount of Planning and coordination that it takes to plan new routes, I decided that I would have to stick with pre-planned routes.

Know Your Strengths

Lael and Rue talked a lot about the Anchorage GRIT program and how they execute and document the program that Lael founded for middle-school girls in Alaska. Although people have encouraged her to expand the program nationwide, she knows that she's not that type of personality. As she says, she's a dreamer, not an administrator. Instead, she encourages people to create the program in their own community and fully endorses it.

Don't Be Afraid to Try Just Because You Are a Woman

We discussed this both in terms of going for the overall record on a course instead of just the women's record and related to bike-packing as a woman. I'll get into the first part in my next point, but both Lael and Rue mentioned that we often limit ourselves because we believe we aren't safe as a woman. They've had the opposite experience in many of their travels.

Sometimes Winning is More about Strategy and Less about Speed

Lael is the woman who is known for going for the overall win, not just the women's win. She says the first thing you have to do is believe that you can get the overall win. For her, a lot of this came down to strategy. She figures out where she could save time (like eating on the bike instead of stopping to eat) and does the math. From there, it's all about executing.

Start Small

Finally, we talked about how women can get started in their bike packing adventures. Both Lael and Rue recommended that you start small. Find a route from your house and take everything you need. Make it short. Just do something to give it a try. After doing it once, you'll gain some confidence.