Cross-country tours, what a life. Whether by car or bike, you’ll be on the road for quite some time. As a women, I can think of a few reasons why this is not ideal. This past summer I was on the road for a number of weeks with the non-profit organization Bike & Build. Our cause was to bike across the country to volunteer and raise awareness for affordable housing. Thirty-two of us started in Portland, Maine on June 18th. We had 4,000 miles to ride before we reached our end in Santa Barbara, California, which also meant myself and 19 other women would have our periods, likely at the same time, on the trip.
While I was preparing for this trip, I honestly had no idea what I’d do for my period needs. I had heard about the DivaCup, but never really got around to trying it. I knew I’d be logging a ton of hours in the bike saddle each day and really needed to find a better solution for my period.
Cycling has been a prominent part of my life since I was little. My dad and I would mountain bike in the Catskills, spending hours on tiny, hidden trails, leading to mesmerizing cliff side views or secluded lakes. Now that I live in NYC, cycling is my sole mode of transportation. As I’ve grown, it’s become extremely important for me to channel a sustainable and thoughtful lifestyle. I’ve no need for a car, and the idea of burning gasoline while living in NYC on a 16 mile island is absolutely blasphemous. I’m all about using my own ingenuity and energy to get around, which is why being a cyclist is so amazing. The city is at my fingertips; wind blowing in my hair, and my view uninhibited by cars or subways – the freedom I feel is unexplainable. So of course the DivaCup mantra is one that syncs perfectly with my state of mind.
What first drew me to the DivaCup was its sustainability factors: reusable, free of harmful dyes or chemicals, non-invasive design, waste-free, and better for your overall health. I also thoroughly enjoy the idea of saving money, and can’t fathom the amount of money I’ve spent on tampons over the years.
The “lady love” aspect of cycling and the DivaCup are both equally important too. Cycling has empowered me: I rely on myself for travel, I bike through all kinds of wicked weather, and leave a clean, no-trace footprint on the earth. The DivaCup functions by similar means via providing a friendlier, efficient way to handle my period.
So how has the DivaCup benefited my cross-country adventures so far?
In the first 4 days of our trip, our team traveled over 200 miles across three states. That’s about 7-10 hours in the saddle each day, mostly on remote country roads. Obviously, it is both unsafe and uncomfortable to use other methods for that amount of time. The DivaCup sort of saved my life and my integrity out of sheer convenience.
The 12 hour factor is great, although as a first time user with a pretty heavy first day, it got a little hairy. However, I learned quickly its capacity and just changed it more regularly. Once in, I can’t even feel it, even when doing a high-intensity ride. Comfort while riding long distances is key and the DivaCup provides that flawlessly, which has me breathing a lot easier on the road.
I’ve noticed that I ride harder and have less desire to stop because I know my period is in check; that’s the best thing to have happened yet! I enjoy my ride days so much more, and can take in the sights with confidence. It’s lead to some wonderful off-the-bike explorations, with countless more to follow.
In Bike & Build, each rider also has a restriction on the amount of personal items that they can bring. The DivaCup’s portability is like a blessing in disguise. It saves a gigantic amount of space in my bin, and it’s easy to stow in a saddle bag or jersey pocket. Overall, I see the DivaCup as a progressive product made by women for women, with functionality, comfort and feminine well-being in mind.
For the Divas who travel off the beaten path, I wholeheartedly suggest giving the DivaCup a try. It’s been an ease through my first-ever period on the road and I no longer dread my upcoming “time of the month.” My fellow B&B ladies echo my carefree ease, and thanks to the DivaCup we can put our entire energy into riding for affordable housing, without period qualms of the past!
Kim M.
Kim is a 22-year-old from a small New Jersey town named Mahwah. She graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in photography and has been living in Brooklyn for the last four years. She is an avid cyclist who likes to spend her summers exploring the forests of Southern New Hampshire. She also enjoys yoga, reading, making friends with dogs on the street, cooking and swimming in vast bodies of water. Kim is a nomad at heart and loves being active and outdoors.
