If you’re a consistent visitor of my lifestyle hub here, you’ve probably been wondering: why all the crickets? It’s been quiet over here, while I’ve been living life, working on my own self-development, and writing on other platforms.
If you haven’t yet migrated over, I’d love to have you join my Substack community, Reclaiming the Wild Woman.
Reclaiming the Wild Woman: Personal , Heart-Soaked Essays on Substack
I’ve had my Substack up for a couple of years now, but only in the last few months have I truly devoted to consistently showing up. My intention always was to treat that writing space as longer-form #MorningCoffee that I once shared so openly in Instagram stories. But, I think as with many others, Instagram has lost me.
Substack is, at least for now, where I am enjoying sharing stories of healing, pain, love, growth… the ultimate human experience.
If you aren’t yet familiar with Substack, here are the basics. It’s social media for long-form writers. (At least that’s what it’s meant to be — there have been updates that are diluting their original intent, which I don’t agree with… but that’s another story for another time).
You can sign up, create an account, and download the app if you want to enjoy reading on the go. Creators have their own hub that you can subscribe to. Most have a free option, in addition to a paid option (usually $8+ per month, with a cheaper annual option). That paid option usually comes with bonus content, community connections, and/or monthly workshops online.
I have yet to figure out exactly what I want to offer, but if you sign up as a paid subscriber, you do get a discount on prints, coaching, and photo shoots.
Anyway… if you are tired of hearing crickets over here, that is where you can find me! My most recent publication is below (a poem I wrote in 2018, but has relevance to the essay I’m currently working on).
Iceland and Mountain Bikes with Jeff
In October, Jeff and I took our first international trip to Iceland (sorry, Canada doesn’t count).
I had a women’s retreat with Vǫlur on my agenda, and he invited himself along with the intention to have a mountain biking experience with local Icelandic mountain bike company, Lauf Cycles (Icelandic for “leaf,” and actually pronounced “LOYF.” Yes, he pronounces it wrong in the videos).
My retreat was sandwiched between the first week exploring Iceland with Jeff, and then exploring the Ring Road with my mom for the third week. It was a beautiful trip to reignite my love for the Nordics, and I’m still unpacking memories, stories, and photos.
Until then, you can enjoy the video Jeff put together below, featuring yours truly.
If I’ve piqued your interest about the world of Substack, these are the first couple of essays I’ve written about part of the experience. Many more to come!
Writing About All Things Mountain Bike-Tech… and More
For the last year, I’ve been writing articles for Jeff Kendall-Weed’s website — partially translating his YouTube videos into written essays, but additionally adding in my own two cents when it is suitable.
Not every article weaves in my own perspective, but there are a handful — usually when I’ve joined a work trip (and provided extra photography), or when there’s a topic that I feel is worthy of a more beginner-friendly POV.
Some of my favourites:
- A Woman’s Experience with the New Pivot SL/AM E-Bike — This was the first piece in which I dove into with full creative expression. I may or may not have run it by Jeff before publishing it… I believe that there is value not only in women’s perspectives of the male-dominant sport, but also in using the bike as a tool to enjoy letting your thoughts wander while enjoying forest bathing in motion.
- How to Crash Safely (Technique) — In this piece, I expanded on Jeff’s original Patreon video where he talks about gear and technique for crashing. Because, ultimately, we don’t want to crash, but everyone will… eventually. I have a lot of opinions on the matter, which I included in the technique piece (there is a separate article about the gear because… well… SEO and whatnot). One of the most important parts behind crashing safely, in my opinion, is to build your own body armour with strength training. I’ve only been in this world for less than three years, and I have yet to break anything despite some uncomfortable crashes. Building up muscles to protect your bones while increasing bone density is arguably more valuable than purchasing your body armour.
- Amflow Avinox PL Carbon Pro: Honesty Amongst Controversy. — If you know me, you know that I have opinions. A lot of them. Most of them, definitely correct (I jest, but also not). There was a lot of backlash in the MTB world about DJI launching Amflow into the world, with the emphasis on the Avinox motor (now rivaling Bosch, but still years behind regarding customer loyalty). I dive into my own thoughts about the launch from my own perspective, but also from witnessing Jeff’s thought process behind the scenes, which started with a lot of skepticism around if he should even promote the bike in the first place.
- Singlespeeds, Alpine Views, and the Best Bike Park in Colorado — This essay from the summer features some of my photography, as I had the opportunity to join Team JKW on a press trip for the Crested Butte-Gunnison tourism board. While the guys were doing all things bikes, I enjoyed some wildflower hikes and self-portrait shoots in hidden caves.
Looking Forward
All of that being said, if you’re missing some philosophical Savannah musings, come join me on the Substack space.
And if you’re curious about my self-love coaching (which I have really been diving more deeply into), you can book a free consultation with me, so we can connect heart-to-heart. No matter how far I stray from my path in times of turbulence or misalignment, I always come back to my purpose: to support others (especially women, but also men) in learning to love themselves.
More on the Sophrosyne Journey / Self-Love Coaching
Sometimes love whispers, and sometimes it roars. When we stand in courage, love holds us and asks us to show up fully.
If these words spark a fire of curiosity in your heart — even if uncomfortable — remember that real love begins with you. By strengthening the relationship with hold with ourselves, we step into integrity with our soul.
Sometimes it’s messy, but the path is always magnificent (even when hard).
That’s what we cultivate in The Sophrosyne Journey: embodied practices, soul-deep inquiries, and fiercely loving support to guide you into a more loving life.
If you’re curious, let’s chat — email or book a free consultation. I can’t wait to meet you, heart to heart. You can read more about what that looks like over here.
always with love,
Savannah
