From Determination to the Gulf: Local Sisters Ride for a Cause in ‘She to Sea’

When you clip into your pedals before sunrise, the air is still cool and the miles ahead stretch farther than you can see. Five hundred miles in five days is not something most people would willingly attempt.

But for the women participating in the She to Sea cycling fundraiser, the ride is about far more than distance.

Now in its fifth year, She to Sea is a women’s endurance ride that begins at the West Cancer Foundation in Memphis and ends on the Florida Gulf Coast near Seagrove Beach. The event was founded by Kirsten Sass, of McKenzie, and a small group of friends who wanted to create a women’s counterpart to the long-running Ride to Rosemary, a men’s cycling fundraiser held each fall.

“We decided to call it She to Sea so we weren’t tied to one destination,” Sass said. “As long as it ended at a beach, we were good.”

Because the men’s ride takes place in October, the women scheduled theirs in March, which means training through winter weather. Sass said the riders embrace the challenge.

“Endurance sports teach you that sometimes the conditions aren’t perfect,” Sass said. “You keep going anyway.”

The group has grown slowly over the years to maintain its close-knit feel. This year, 26 women will take part in the ride, traveling more than 500 miles over five days from Tennessee to the Gulf Coast.

Support vehicles travel alongside the riders to assist with traffic and mechanical needs. Sass’s husband drives an RV that serves as a mobile aid station and midday lunch stop. Riders largely cover their own travel, lodging and equipment expenses so that fundraising dollars can go directly to the cause.

The real goal is raising money for the cause, and the results have been remarkable.

Last year, the event raised more than $122,000 for the West Cancer Foundation. Donations support programs that assist Mid-South cancer patients, including breast cancer screenings, post-mastectomy prostheses, transportation to treatment, free wigs for chemotherapy patients and compression garments for those with lymphedema.

“We all know someone who has been affected by cancer,” Sass said. “When the ride gets hard — when we’re tired, sore, or wondering if we can keep going — we think about the people fighting cancer. And we know what we’re going through is nothing compared to that.”

For the second year, Sass will ride alongside her sister, Robyn Hatler. Both credit their late father, Volker Winkler, for introducing them to endurance sports and the resilience that comes with them.

“Endurance sports teach you resilience,” Sass said. “They teach you to keep moving forward even when things get hard.”

This year’s riders will pedal in honor of those currently battling cancer, including some local friends: Lindsey Barnett, Angie Hones and Theresa Reynolds.

They are also riding in memory of those who have lost their battles with the disease, including family friend Charles T. “Buzzy” Wicker, who passed away last March after a three-year fight with cancer.

The public is invited to attend the official send-off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 21, at the West Cancer Foundation in Memphis. Supporters are encouraged to arrive by 8 a.m.

Community members can donate through the riders’ fundraising pages for Robyn Hatler and Kirsten Sass, or contribute to ride expenses via Venmo at @Kirsten-Sass.

For the riders, every mile represents a step toward helping others in the fight against cancer.

Submitted by Kirsten Sass