As seen in Pick Me Up!: Clipping my helmet into place as I left the office, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I’d had a busy day, but I was ready to hit the road.

Jumping on my pedal bike, as the wind hit my face all my stress melted away.

I’d always been active and exercise was a huge part of my life. My weekends were filled with road trips, kite surfing, mountain biking and climbing. I cycled the 16-mile round trip to work every day, hit the gym at lunchtime, then liked to get out onto the water in the evening when I could, too.

And that day, a glorious spring evening in March 2014, I left work and headed off on the eight-mile ride to a lake just outside of central Oxford for a spot of wakeboarding. Coming out of the city, I headed a mile down the road – and as the traffic light ahead of me turned green, I pedalled hard to keep momentum. But as I sailed through, a car came out of nowhere, cutting across my path. It must have skipped a red light. And before I knew what was happening, I felt my body crumple as I smashed into the rear passenger door at 15mph. It felt like hitting a wall.

Screaming as I fell to the ground, one of my feet was stuck on the pedal thanks to my cycling cleats, while my other foot had come out of the shoe and my leg splayed out under the bike.

‘Help!’ I shouted out.

‘Are you OK?’ a stranger asked, rushing over to me.

In a daze, I tried to take in my surroundings. Trapped under the bike, I realised I couldn’t move as pain shot through me.

The traffic noises around me started to fade as people helped lift my bike off me, and passers-by who’d stopped to help shuffled me to the kerb.

Thankfully once the initial shock had subsided, I seemed to be mostly OK, apart from a few scrapes and bruises – although my right arm was in a lot of pain.

One of the people who’d stopped to help called an ambulance, while I called my husband Alex, 37, as the police showed up, too.

‘I’ve been in an accident,’ I told him, my voice trembling.

Alex met me at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford half an hour later, where the extent of my injuries became clear. My finger was dislocated, my right shoulder had doubled in size and my hip was damaged, too.

‘Get some rest, you should be fine,’ doctors said, discharging me after a few hours.

Back at home I was completely exhausted but in good spirits.

‘I was lucky,’ I said to Alex – I was confident that with a bit of rest I’d be fine and back out cycling, wakeboarding and climbing again in no time.

The thought of cycling on a road again was scary after what I’d been through, but I refused to let that stop me.

But as the weeks passed, if anything the pain got worse.

I assumed it was just the bruising and swelling.

These things take time, I told myself. But I couldn’t help thinking that something bigger was wrong.

And after two months of steroid injections to help the pain, I was referred to a specialist who discovered that my shoulder was dislocated.

I underwent full reconstructive surgery in April 2015 and I knew I faced a daunting recovery – but I was prepared to do whatever it took to get back on my feet.

I couldn’t help thinking something was wrong
And a few months post-op, I decided to buy a motorbike to commute to work as I was still unable to cycle.

I was terrified, but I knew I had to overcome my fear of being on the roads.

‘I don’t think I can do this,’ I said to Alex as I straddled the bike on our driveway.

But as I gently revved the engine and eased off the drive, I felt a rush of adrenaline. The motorbike gave me the adventure I craved, without pushing my physical limitations too far.

I spent the next year slowly trying to build my strength up and get my life back, and for Alex and me, motorbiking became our new hobby.

But in April 2016, I was devastated to discover I needed hip surgery. It had been causing me a lot of pain, and doctors discovered it was more badly damaged than they’d first realised.

I underwent a seven-hour operation at Cambridge Spire Hospital to fix my joint, ligament and cartilage.

Life as I knew it came to a halt – again. I became dependent on Alex for basic tasks, and I had to learn how to walk all over again.

For someone who’d always been so fit and active, I really struggled. It had been over two years since the accident, and at times it felt like I was going backwards – but I was determined to get back to my old self again.

‘Please can I have a dirt bike?’ I spontaneously said to Alex one morning.

‘If that’s what you want,’ he replied, grinning excitedly. I’d never ridden a dirt bike, but I loved to ride motorcycles, so I was excited to give it a go.

Of course, I had to wait to be mobile enough post-surgery, but we started the hunt and found a great beginner’s bike.

And I was over the moon to see it sat on our driveway a few days later.

Five months later, in September 2016, I was able to steadily ride my dirt bike near to home.

It was completely blissful. I was only going slowly, but it was enough to give me a glimpse of my old life.

But there was a niggling feeling in my hip, and eventually I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

After a private scan, I was devastated to discover that my previous surgery had broken down and I had shrapnel in my hip.

My whole world fell apart when doctors broke the news that I needed yet another operation.

Over the next four years, I underwent four more surgeries to fix my hip and it felt like I was constantly doing physio.

I was craving off-road racing, but I couldn’t take the risk with the damage to my hip.

I spent countless nights in my garage just practising and strengthening my core by doing squats and lunges.

Eventually, I mastered a lot of balancing techniques on my dirt bike, and Alex and I were both so proud of how far I had come. I even started riding again tentatively, too.

‘I’m starting to feel like me again,’ I whispered to myself happily.

And the more I rode my dirt bike and the more I got my confidence back, the more I realised how much I loved it – and how good I was at it.

So in 2020, I took the plunge and competed in my first off-road race.

It was exhilarating – zooming around on off-road courses like gravel, mud or grassy roads. Over the next few years, I entered more competitions and I fell more and more in love with the sport.

In a twisted way, I’m grateful for the accident
And in February 2024, I completed my most challenging race yet – an extreme 13-day race from Nador in Morocco to Dakar in Senegal, nearly 3,500km.

Afterwards I was absolutely shattered and every muscle in my body was tired.

But it was definitely my biggest accomplishment outside of my recovery.

I’m the first British female to ever finish this event, and I’m proof that a bad accident doesn’t define you.

The past 10 years have been a rollercoaster ride for me, but without the accident I wouldn’t have found my new favourite sport or achieved any of the amazing things I have.

So in a strange, almost twisted way, I’m grateful for it.

It was hands-down the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, but it’s taught me strength and resilience.

If I can overcome that, I can overcome anything.

Now, with a collection of nine bikes, I’m on a mission to inspire other women to join me on the track.

You can do anything you put your mind to – don’t let fear hold you back.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life-changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Threads, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in Two Wheels For Life: Goodwood Festival of Speed saw an army of volunteers join stars from the world of motorycle racing at this landmark event for the charity.

Two Wheels for Life enjoyed a fantastic four days at Goodwood Festival of Speed as the event’s official charity partner, raising over £100k for the charity from donations at the VIP dinner, at the stand and from collectors around the site.

Ambassador Vanessa Ruck (The Girl on a Bike) joined us on the stand introducing the crowds to what we do alongside our amazing crew of volunteers.

Left to to Right, Alessandro Botturi, Andrea Coleman, Randy Mamola, Pol Tarrés, Kenny Roberts Snr., Vanessa Ruck

The event also saw a very special moment as co-founder and MotoGP™ legend Randy Mamola rode up the iconic Goodwood hill with long time Two Wheels supporter ‘King’ Kenny Roberts and new ambassadors Ténéré World Raid team riders Pol Tarrés and Alessandro Botturi. Two Wheels CEO Andrea Coleman joined the commentary box to talk about the charity on the Goodwood FOS live TV feed!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, donated and spent time finding out more and supporting our life-saving work. All funds raised will be used to support transport for healthcare programmes in Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria and The Gambia, getting vital services to vulnerable communities who desperately need it.

“Being invited to be the official charity of Goodwood Festival of Speed was a dream come true. Seeing new ambassadors, Yamaha riders Pol Tarrés and Alessandro Botturi ride the Hill Climb with co-founder and MotoGP legend Randy Mamola and long time supporter King Kenny Roberts was a special moment that illustrated how the great things we have achieved have always been made possible with the support of the world of motorsport.” – Zoë Herron Coleman – head of partnerships and communications, Two Wheels for Life

For the rest of The TwoWheelsforLife article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life-changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Threads, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The Advrider: Adventurer, motorcycle enthusiast, and rally racer Vanessa Ruck (better known as The Girl On a Bike) has recently returned from an epic eight-day journey through the Indian Himalayas aboard Royal Enfields.

But while the towering peaks of the mountains, plunging valleys, and pristine military roads along with dusty dirt trails provided the perfect playground for a motorcycle adventure of a lifetime, the trip has tested Vanessa and her crew’s limits.

Navigating massive landslides, braving a blizzard on the Shinkula Top pass, and squeezing their bikes through a traffic jam so enormous the army had to step in, Vanessa and her crew reveled in the stunning scenery from the turquoise waters of Pangong Tso to the vast expanse of the Tso Kar salt flats, encountering wild horses, donkeys, and even a few shaggy goats along the way.

But it wasn’t just the mind-blowing beauty of the Himalayas that took their breath away – riding the highest mountain passes in the world, altitude sickness is no joke.

“Altitude was one the biggest challenges on this trip. Honestly, riding the Himalayas was probably one of the most brutal adventures I’ve taken on, outside of desert racing. Long, 11-hour days on the bikes, gnarly terrain, remote places – it’s nothing like the Alps or the Pyrenees where, if something goes wrong, you can get help quickly. In the Himalayas, you’re out in a very unforgiving environment, and the altitude is a big part of that,” Vanessa shares.

So how do you deal with altitude of over 19,000 feet while traveling on two wheels? Here are some of Vanessa’s tips to ward off altitude sickness when riding on the roof of the world:

Acclimatize Gradually

According to Vanessa, there was no time to acclimatize as she and her team landed in Leh, India: the city is situated over 11,000 feet above sea level. “We immediately noticed that the air was thinner; just getting out of the airport and carrying our bags and gear, we were out of breath, so we wondered how we would do at 19,000 feet,” Vanessa recalls.

“Luckily, Royal Enfield offered us some solid guidance: first off, we spent a couple of days in Leh, drank plenty of water, and let our bodies adapt to lower oxygen levels.”

Carry oxygen cylinders

Vanessa and her team equipped themselves with portable oxygen tanks before starting the ride. These are widely available at local pharmacies and can be a lifesaver: a quick inhale provides a boost of oxygen when needed.

“Although my body adapted to high altitudes quite well, there was a moment when we were stuck in a massive traffic jam at 18,000 ft altitude. I tried to push snow out of the way to make room for us to squeeze through, and because of the exertion, I started to feel out of breath and dizzy; that’s where the oxygen cylinder really came in handy,” Vanessa explains.

Plan a gradual ascent

Another crucial tip is to avoid aiming for the highest pass on the first day and try to ascend and descend alternately to help your body adjust. “Ride progressively – don’t just aim for the highest pass immediately. Ideally, it’s best to climb, then descend, then climb again; this helps your body to adjust more effectively. Increasing and decreasing your altitude is key.”

Limit time at high altitudes

“When you’re on the really high passes, be mindful of how long you spend there. When we got to 19,000 feet altitude and up, we tried to only spend 15-20 minutes there, then get going – spending too much time at very high altitudes can be dangerous.”

Recognize the signs of altitude sickness

“Along the way, we met a group of travelers and later heard that one of them ended up in hospital because of altitude sickness. He was in a pretty bad shape, and it took him over a week to recover. It’s so important to recognize the signs early – if you start feeling nauseous, dizzy, and out of breath, take a hit of that rich oxygen from your tank!”

Monitor oxygen levels

According to Vanessa, clinics in the Himalayas offer to measure your oxygen saturation; if you’re worried about altitude sickness, it’s a good idea to measure your oxygen levels for a peace of mind – and safety.

Listen to your body

Finally, Vanessa suggests listening to your body – and not trying to be a hero.

“If you don’t feel well, don’t pretend that you’re fine and don’t push yourself – that will only get you further into trouble. Practice deep, diaphragmatic breathing, utilize your oxygen tank, and, if necessary, just descend. At and over 19,000 feet, the oxygen levels are just 50 percent of what they are at sea level; just for perspective, some of the Himalayan passes are higher than Everest Base camp – so while utterly spectacular, it can be dangerous if you ignore your body,” Vanessa says.

For the rest of The Advrider article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life-changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Threads, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.