Bike tours are where friendships are born

Sep 28, 2026

Karen

2 mins

Helga Y. (left) and Galina S. met on a WomanTours trip in 2021. Their friendship continues as they meet up at least once a year. Here they are pictured taking part in the Sourlands Spectacular, an annual ride in New Jersey.

We see it and hear it over and over again. Someone comes on a WomanTours trip by themselves, and in about 10 minutes, they have a new batch of friends. Often, these friendships last long past the duration of the tour.

As one of countless examples, here’s an email exchange we had with frequent WomanTours rider Helga Y. of Berwyn, PA about her recent meet-up with Galina S. of Princeton, NJ.

WomanTours: How did you two meet?

Helga: We met on the Moab, Utah tour in 2021. The weather was absolutely atrocious. We had to deal with high winds, rain, and hail. That's usually enough to make someone miserable, but we somehow found things to laugh about. In fact, we ended up laughing so hard the entire time that Galina's face hurt.

WomanTours: How have you kept in touch after meeting on the Moab bike tour in 2021?

Helga: We live about an hour away from each other. There is a ride called the Sourlands Spectacular in New Jersey that the two of us (and a couple of other WomanTours guests, Mary N. of Madison, NJ and and Colleen L. of Morristown, NJ) like to do. That is our opportunity to reconnect with one another and exchange stories about the other tours that we've been on.

WomanTours: Do you keep in touch with other WomanTours guests?

Helga: Despite not being on social media and generally being a bad correspondent, I've managed to keep in touch with about 5 other WomanTours guests. Some are on the other side of the country, but I have pulled off a couple of opportunistic visits while on business trips.

WomanTours: What, in your opinion, makes a bike tour a great place to make friendships?

Helga: Bike tours are a great place to make friends because you are already starting off with something in common. The group dinners at night are a wonderful opportunity to get to know the other women. The "just us girls" atmosphere is so relaxed and supportive that it's a natural time to make new friends.

WomanTours: Anything else you want to add?

Helga: Don't be afraid to come on a tour without knowing another guest. I've done 11 (going on 12) tours, and came solo for about half of them. I had a great time (even with horrible weather) at all of them!