Babes Ride Out, Santa Barbara, CA

♥ babesrideout.com

♥ @babesrideout

As one of the largest ladies-only motorcycling events, Babes Ride Out is centered around camaraderie and empowerment between ladies (and we mean all women and non-binary folk!) in the motorcycling community. For two nights and three days, motorcyclists from around the U.S. gather: strengthening and building bonds, skills, and memories together. Babes Ride Out was originally set in the Anzo-Borrego desert, where it returns in a few weeks. Joshua Tree hosted the event for several years before moving up to the Central Coast (Santa Margarita). This year, motorcyclists settled in the beautiful canyons of Santa Barbara for the first time, riding through the winding roads of the coast. 

We started our day with a stop in Solvang for some pastries and coffee. This small, Danish-inspired city is only 45 minutes north-west of Santa Barbara, located in the Santa Ynez Valley. Within its kitschy architecture is the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum, which showcases a series of classic American, Japanese and European motorcycles. It makes for a great stop on the way to BRO.

After breaking in Solvang, we then rode to Jalama beach to enjoy views and good-eats at the seaside campground, before heading back up the coast on the 1 and 101. 

After settling in for merch, maps, and food, Babes Ride Out kicked off on Friday the 17th with the well-loved Real Deal workshops, which teach women basic skills in relevant trades like bike maintenance, custom painting, welding, and more. Real Deal strives to build confidence in motorcycling women to understand and work on their own bike themselves, hopefully one day entering into the Real Deal bike show!

The day continued with workshops on self defense with Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu, long distance riding trainings hosted by Black Girls Ride Magazine, and a camp-wide happy hour before the Real Deal Bike Show winners were announced on stage. Naturally, karaoke ensued to continue the celebrations. 

Saturday morning, the gates were opened early for bikers to hit the dirt and ride as they pleased! Yoga, watercolor activities, motorcycling games, Real Deal workshops, happy hours, raffle awards and of course, great food, busied the campsite all day long for those in the pavilion. At night the festivities ran into the wee hours of the night (well, midnight) with a community dance party hosted by DJ Porsche Taylor and DJ Ry Toast!

Sunday morning, it was finally time for goodbyes and see you next years. We hope to see you then, too!