Hello!
Two years ago, I didn't own a road bike. I didn't know the language, the clips, the climbs, or the gears. Now this is my second Ride for Youth, and somewhere between the early mornings, long kilometres and occasional hungover ride where I asked myself "why am I doing this", I caught the bug. Not just for the riding, but what this ride stands for.
I'm here because I've watched too many young people around me struggle in silence. Friends who look fine on the outside and keep pace in a world that never stops doom-scrolling. Mental health conversations are happening more now, sure - but that doesn't always make it easier, especially for kids in regional areas where support feels far away and isolation is loud.
Ride for Youth matters because it reminds people they're not dramatic or alone, they're human! Every rider brings a unique story, and every kilometre we ride is a way of saying help exists, even when you can't see it yet.
I ride for the sense that small, deliberate steps can make a difference, for ourselves and for others. And if that difference comes with a few early mornings and a sore behind along the way, then all the better.
