Ripping Off-Road: Women motorcyclists use an old coal site to sharpen their riding skills

Kelly McCaughey is one of those people who takes new passion and just runs (or in her case rides) with it at top speed to places most folks fear to go.

Shortly after learning to ride, McCaughey began thinking of ways to support her fellow female riders in an oft male-dominated sport, while also encouraging newbies to motorcycling to join in the fun.

“I started out riding with my husband and his guy friends and there were days I wished there were more people like me in the group,” said McCaughey. “I just wanted there to be another female with me.”

Out of that desire for more female riding friends, she created Over And Out (www.overandoutmoto.com), an off-road riding event series focused on bringing together women of all skill levels (from beginners to advanced riders) to come together, ride off-road, push each other to improve, and have a great time.

The interest in her initiative was almost immediate. “So many of the female friends I had made through street riding saw how I rode dirt bikes in the woods, and they wanted to do it too,” she said.

Over And Out hosts several events every year where women riders join forces to ride off-road, take lessons, and make new friends while they’re at it. OAO’s annual flagship event takes place this fall (Sept. 15-17) and includes multiple days of riding, camping, lessons, games and fun on thousands of acres of private land adjacent to old coal mining sites in Eastern Pennsylvania, near Allentown.

But not everything they do is just for the ladies. Over And Out hosted a co-ed, off-road riding clinic for kids in California, and an adult co-ed “Ladies’ Choice” event (think Sadie Hawkins dances of old) where female riders can invite a plus-1 guy rider.

Her events are often sold out, with more and more women vying to join their rides and forge new friendships.

“I want to keep exposing new riders to the sport and creating epic experiences for women to get into the sport, learn and build community,” she said.

Over And Out events are for women who ride (or want to ride) off-road motorcycles. We welcome female riders of all levels for epic weekends of riding, camping, lessons and fun in a positive, welcoming, sport-focused and all-around amazing environment!