Jen Swisher

This next member highlight comes from a long time GRT member, Jen Swisher. Jen made the trip to a small track in Dillon, CO back in 2015 when we were just getting started and has been coming to ride with us ever since. One of the most rewarding parts of GRT is getting to grow with some of these ladies throughout the years and it has been a pleasure getting to know Jen! Here is a little bit of her story around moto and life.

“I’'m a certified veterinary technician (my day job of 21+ years), and currently reside in Fairplay, CO with my husband, 11 year old daughter, our cat, and a bearded dragon. I'm originally from rural Maine, and the day after graduating college in Vermont, drove out to the Colorado (sight unseen) to pursue my newly discovered passion at the time: skiing (1999). I had never been exposed to dirt bikes, until a few years later when my husband taught me how to ride his old '86 Honda CR80 that he had as a kid. After that, summer-time (instead of winter) became my favorite season!

I started taking dirt biking seriously about 6 or 7 years ago, starting out on a Honda CRF230, and then graduating to a Yamaha WR250F. The last two seasons I've been on a Husqvarna TE300, my favorite so far!

My favorite style of riding is speeding through wooded, rocky, technical single track with my friends. I love learning new skills to overcome obstacles. I also love the adrenaline rush that comes with riding a trail as fast as I possibly can, and improving my strength and endurance. I would dare myself each year to enter one enduro race per season, because they scared the heck out of me, and it's an accomplishment just to finish!

At the beginning of this year (at the age of 40), I decided to make dirt biking a priority. I reserved as many Tuesday afternoons off from work as possible to attend Girls Ride "Too"sday, and followed Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit Racers to enter as many enduro races as possible. Racing enabled me to ride several areas of Colorado I'd never been, as well as Wyoming and Texas, and met some really amazing people. The racing family is just so awesome, supportive, and encouraging. The series just ended, and I placed 3rd in season points for the Ladies B class!

I love Girls Ride Toosday because it is so supportive of women in the sport. Having the beautifully groomed Leadville Motocross Park track, and other women out there giving tips and lessons is such a wonderful opportunity and gift! I have appreciated having the venue to practice cornering and jumping, and I feel it has improved my woods riding as well. I have also cultivated some of the best friendships through GRT!

Dirt biking has become my passion as it provides for my physical and mental health, fresh air and sense of adventure. It helped me work through post-partum depression, and has cultivated some of my best lasting friendships. I love seeing people get excited about the sport, and I enjoy teaching and challenging my friends, especially other women. I feel like since I learned how to ride later in life, as an adult, that it helps me relate to & teach others better. I remember the challenges & fears of learning, and how to overcome them. I recently became involved in Adventure Riders of Colorado, a group encompassing all types of off-road motorcycle riding. Through ARC, I led a couple guided rides last summer: one was ladies only, and one was everyone welcome. They were so much fun, and I hope to do some more of those next year, starting as early as January (weather-permitting)! One of my favorite accomplishments this year was teaching my daughter how to ride the same 80cc bike that I learned on, kick-start & clutch and all! I hope to continue doing this until I'm an old lady - riding hard & inspiring the younger generations :).”

Thank you for sharing your story Jen!