Strong Coffee Strong Women Podcast

Alenka Vrecek, author of the book She Rides, was born at the foot of the Alps in Slovenia, a part of former communist Yugoslavia. She spent her earliest years idolizing the likes of Reinhold Messner and other great alpine climbers.

Born with a spirit for adventure, she came to America at twenty years old with a backpack, a pair of skis, and a pocket full of dreams.

Her run as one of the top ski instructors in Squaw Valley ended with an accident that left her with a shattered knee and torn ligaments. During her recovery from surgery, she got a cancer diagnosis that would change the course of her life.

Barely through her chemo and radiation treatment, Alenka decided that the way to get clarity was to jump on her bicycle and ride solo from her home in Lake Taho to her home in Baja, Mexico via one of the most grueling trails on the planet, the Baja Divide.

This is a story about one woman’s quest to summit her own personal Everest.

I love this episode so much. I rode the Baja Divide shortly after my conversation with Alenka and I have no idea how she did it. Actually, I do. She’s Alenka.

Listen to the end. It’s an amazing conversation with an inspirational woman.