Woman in a denim vest sits on a Road Glide in a line of other bikes on the side of the road

BABES IN BORREGO 2024

Written by Sanna Boman

Pictured above: Borrego was packed with tourists who drove out to the desert to see the massive wildflower bloom, but motorcycles still outnumbered the cars by a margin this weekend.

The first time I attended Babes Ride Out, in 2013, it wasn’t an official event yet, and I barely knew any other women who rode motorcycles. I just happened to see an Instagram post calling for women riders who wanted to go motorcycle camping in Borrego Springs, California, and I decided to join. Around 50 women showed up for the campout and slept under the stars on a dry lakebed in the middle of the desert. Most of us were complete strangers, but we all made friends for a lifetime.

Carlee’s is the local watering hole in Borrego Springs. It’s got great dive bar vibes and hosts live bands and karaoke at night. We stopped in for a burger lunch.
My friend Genevieve lives in Hawaii and traveled in for the event on her Sportster (which she keeps in California). We were so excited to be reunited.

Fast forward 11 years and Babes Ride Out has grown into an international powerhouse, with multiple annual street and off-road events all over the world, all focused on getting more women into motorcycles. But Babes Ride Out Borrego, which returns to the small desert town where it all started in 2013, is always going to hold a special place in my heart.

This year, the event was held at the end of March, and it was packed with activities—from Harley-Davidson demo rides to merch vendors, tattoo artists, custom helmet painting, poolside happy hours, and much more. My friends and I rode out to see the desert wildflower bloom and check out the metal sculptures that are scattered all over Borrego Springs. We grabbed lunch at the local bar, hung out at the pool (beer in hand), and danced the night away at the BRO disco. I saw so many new and old friends, and I can’t wait to go back and do it all over again next year. 