Hi everyone! My name is Mary Beth Byland. I joined WITW in 2018 after learning of a chapter being revived in the Kansas City area. I learned of the organization from my wife, who had been a part of the Khrome Cowgirls Chapter as well as a few others who were original members as well. I was excited to meet women in the area who loved doing what I love to do, and with whom I could form great friendships. Little did I know, at the time, that it wasn’t just going to be local friends, but friends from all over the country and Canada.
I've been riding anything with wheels and a motor for as long as I can remember. My Dad had me riding in circles around the yard on a three-wheeler before I could walk. In teaching me to ride, he also taught me, If you re gonna ride it, you re gonna fix it”. While every bike is different, the basics are the same. Being able to troubleshoot and narrow down an issue helps immensely while out on the road. Either it's not getting power, not getting gas, or not getting air.
I have a passion and drive for empowering women to learn about their ride and gain some confidence to do simple repairs, oil changes or install upgrades on their own. It doesn't take a fully stocked garage of tools. It takes a little confidence, basic tool knowledge, and maybe a YouTube video at times. Even if you don’t wrench on your own, it is helpful when you do take your bike in for service or a repair and you know what you are talking
about.
Every Spring, I host a Bike Maintenance Day at my house for our Chapter members. We've done just about everything you can think of; oil changes, tire repair, accent lights, and Spyder sway bar installs. This year was the 4th year, and it's turned into, I want to do this, I just need your tools”. It s one of the most rewarding things to witness when you have
members who were afraid to change an air cleaner and are now doing all of their Spring ride prep on their own. This has also provided a bonding opportunity for our members to learn together and overcome their doubts or abilities.