Joyride037: Let's meet the 2018 Liv Bicycles Brand Ambassador Sonia Ruiz

Joyriders, Meet Sonia!

On this episode we meet up with the 2018 Liv cycling Brand ambassador for Portland, Sonia Ruiz. We talk about some of her plans for the season, bike trains, and periods.

Today’s episode is a little different than what you’re used to. I met up with Sonia after she led the Winter Warm up ride – AND Oh my goodness folks, what an amazing day!

The weather was great, I got to meet some new folks, enjoy a delicious dirty chai from the new breadwinner cycles cafe, rode bikes with my girl Nicole from V3 who I can’t wait to have on the show, and then hung out at Gladys Bikes and got to know Sonia a bit.

So, this interview is a bit shorter and you’ll hear lots of background chatter here, but I think it really gives you a sense of place. Let me know what you think!

Friends, I have to be honest, it’s a crazy world. As I record this, we are in the midst of another senseless mass shooting at a school – this time in Parkland, Florida. I want to acknowledge this, because it’s a reality.

I was out of high school when Columbine happened. I was a student at University when Virginia Tech happened, and remember the flickers of fear I felt in the days and weeks after that violence.

I can’t imagine being a kid today for a thousand reasons – for example, I am so glad I didn’t grow up with social media. Thank heaven! But by far the scariest thing has got to be the awareness of, and potential for bloodshed on school grounds like we’ve witnessed.

Now, friends, I get it – you’re here for the bike love – but it doesn’t feel right to ignore.

I want to share something from Brene Brown: Much of this post is excerpted from her book Braving the Wilderness, which I just finished today and highly recommend it. (More on this below.)

Anyway, the post is about speaking truth to bullshit, specifically on the topic of guns. And I hope you read it.

And after you read it, I want you to watch this video featuring Parkland survivor Emma Gonzalez:

She’s part of the 4th wave, you can feel it.

Now, don’t get me wrong friends, I am a strong advocate of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights – in fact I keep a copy of it here at my desk. #PoliSciNerd

Amendment II reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Well, here it is folks, the framers didn’t intend for this to cover an AR-15 and we have a professional army. Civilians should not have unfettered access to purchase machines of war.

Read this, too.

I hope one day we can look back and think, “wow, remember when it was legal to buy those?”

Back to Braving the Wilderness. In this book, Brene Brown writes about the quest for true belonging versus fitting in and the courage to stand alone. She discusses how to hold on to your values and stay civil. And the value of true connection, showing up for moments of collective joy and pain.

It wasn’t that long ago humans were living more communally. Now, evolution happens, but we’ve been so artificially separated from eachother it’s causing pain. It’s easy in our polished instagram world – where I am definitely NOT going out on as many epic bike adventures as everyone else – It’s real easy to compare yourself and get supes depressed. Instagram can be the ultimate cause of grass-is-greener if you let it. Especially in these dark times.

So, I’ve been making more time to get out and connect with others. And I hope you do too.

More eye contact. More smiles. More saying hi to strangers. More bike rides, less bullshit.

Topics discussed on the show:

GENERATE STOKE

Liv Cycling

Bike commute train (L.A. bike trains)

Breadwinner cycles cafe

Gladys Bikes

Period.org

Thanks for leading the ride, Sonia!

Make sure you check out and connect with Sonia on Instagram and Facebook.

Tag us in a story if you enjoyed the show!

Coming up on the Bike Love Calendar:

Swift Stoked Spoke Series (Seattle): February 28, March 28
Swift Industries WTF Bike Adventurers Happy Hour (Seattle):
Black Girls Do Bike National Meetup: May 18-20
Cycle Oregon Joy Ride: June 9
World Naked Bike Ride: June 23
Cycle Oregon Weekender: July 14-15
Seattle-to-Portland: July 14-15
RAGBRAI: July 22-July 28 (Iowa, y’all)
WTFbikexplorers summit (Whitefish, Montana): August 16-19
Cycle Oregon Classic: September 8-15

East Bay WomenBike Book Club: 2nd Thursdays (Oakland, CA)

Friends, you know I believe in the transformative power of the bike, in our personal lives, our communities, and the world at large. I would be super grateful if you’d leave a rating or review in iTunes, Stitcher, or via whatever method you listen. It helps more gals find the show, and I believe the more stories we share, the more women who ride, we make this world – both our internal and external worlds – better with every revolution.

Also, I read 5-star reviews out on the show because I love you.

Ratings and reviews help with that, but nothing is better than a personal referral, it’d be rad if you would share the show with even just one woman who you think might dig it.

Never forget, “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”

Keep moving forward and until next time I hope you enjoy the ride.

Forever Forward!

The Joyride Podcast is supported by listeners like you. Find out how you can keep the bike love flowing at thejoyridepodcast.com/support.