“Moving Through Fear: How the 1928 Legacy Tour Stretches the Comfort Zone”… by Gayle

Photo: Rob Lay

I first heard about the 1928 Legacy Tour by Major Knox Adventures while I was scrolling through Instagram. The post was very intriguing to me as I had just begun cycling about a year and a half prior.  I was interested in learning more about these five African American women who cycled from New York to DC. Who were they, and why would they do such a thing? So, I clicked on the link in the bio just to get a little bit more history and information. My first thought was, “Wow, how cool it must have been for these women to have traversed the great outdoors in the 1920s when black people were not allowed to move so freely throughout the country.”  What tenacity and grit they must have had to undertake such a daunting adventure. But as the post stated, they were in it for the "pure joy of being outdoors and doing something that they loved."

Photo: Rob Lay

As I read a little bit more, I started to wonder if this was something that I could do myself. I was not an advanced rider, nor was I a young rider (58 years young at the time of the ride). I wasn't great at hill climbing, and I wasn't sure if I had enough endurance to ride the distance that was listed (100 miles a day and another 62 miles to finish).  There was something burning inside of me that really wanted to try it and to see if I could push myself beyond my own limits. I was scared, but why not give it a shot?

So, I attended one of the information sessions that was held by Keisha just to hear a little bit more about what was expected and to hear from others who had taken the journey. After listening to the stories (and a little self-talk), I decided to sign up and give it a try. Why not? I had nothing to lose.

Keshia laid everything out that we would need to do until the day of the ride. There were about 7 young ladies who signed up along with me, with emphasis on the "young" part. We had several Zoom calls to get acquainted with each other and to check in as we progressed along. We also had some great training sessions from experts in the cycling and athletic world about nutrition, bike repairs, training plans, and whatever else Keshia thought would benefit the group. All of it was extremely helpful in getting us prepared for the arduous task of the three-day ride.

Although I was training and preparing myself as best as possible for the 1928 Legacy Tour, I never told ANYONE else what I was about to do. I was still quite nervous and afraid I had bitten off more than I could chew. There were many times when I thought, “what have i done and how would it look if I failed.” That thought alone kept me from telling anybody else about this beforehand. If, for some reason, I was not able to finish the ride, the only person who would be disappointed would be me.  I was about to step completely out of my comfort zone into the unknown. 

I had never ridden back-to-back centuries ever. And when I did ride a century, I was exhausted at the end and needed a day to recover. So, what made me think I could do multiple centuries in such a short period of time? As the training continued and I could feel myself getting a little bit stronger, my confidence began to grow little by little.  But, I was still nervous and apprehensive because I was much older than the rest of the ladies. Keshia was able to pair me with a great mentor (Taffy) who was not only a duathlete but was also the same age as me. She encouraged me to stop putting limits on myself because of my age and newness to cycling. She reminded me that this group was about supporting each other on an adventurous journey. Taffy reminded me that the mind is the power muscle we have, so if we believe we can, then we will!!  So, with the help of my mentor and the growing bond with the other young ladies, I started to feel a little more confident. 

Photo: Rob Lay

As the start date approached, I was still nervous but ready to ride!! And what a ride it was! Day one was 120 miles, day two was 100 miles, and day three was 62 miles, and we conquered all of them together! There was so much support throughout the entire ride, not only from the ladies within the group but from the community at large. I tackled some of my biggest fears on this journey, from climbing big hills, maneuvering over various terrains, pushing my body to do more than I thought it could do, creating friendships and sister-ships with a phenomenal group of women, and completely stepping out of my comfort zone to face my own fears. I could not have done that without the help of this amazing group of women who embarked on this journey with me. My gratitude to Keshia for recreating this event and adventure. My thanks to everyone who supported me and these young ladies along the way. I'm proud of myself for not giving in to self-doubt. It was by far one of the greatest accomplishments and adventures I have had since I began the cycling journey. I would not trade this experience for anything!! 

Side note: It was not until after I finished this ride that I was able to tell others what I had done. If you are looking for an experience of a lifetime, I highly recommend the 1928 Legacy Tour by Major Knox Adventures. You won’t regret it!!

Photo: Rob Lay

Photo: Andrew Roberson