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Aerah Hardin

@aerahh

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Lover of dirt, bike, adventure, all things outdoors.

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We came here to ride dirt and level the playing field in women's sports... and we’re fresh out of dirt.

2026 was the first year of our women’s Creative Mentorship Program. We welcomed three experienced women creative mentors and three up-and-coming mentees honing their craft, and everyone who witnessed it can attest: when they came together, they made both magic and history.

Only 32% of sports photographers are women, meaning women tell only 32% of the story. When we empower women in sports media, we empower women across the world of sport: from athletes, to mechanics, to brands, organizations, and products. It's a ripple effect.

Seeing Rebecca’s Private Idaho and our Mentorship Program through the lens of these brilliant creatives is something we’ll cherish forever. The grit, the determination, the joy, the connection: it’s all there.

Stay tuned as we continue to celebrate them and the photos they made.

📸: @rewikstrom

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I’ve had a lot of conversations on What’s the Rusch that stayed with me long after we stopped recording.

Sometimes it’s an entire story. Sometimes it’s one sentence.

These are a few of those sentences.

Words about uncertainty, identity, resilience, community and what it means to keep growing through different seasons of life. I’ve found myself coming back to them on the bike, in hard moments and in conversations of my own.

Maybe one of them is something you needed today, too.

Which one are you carrying with you? And send this to someone who might need one of these reminders right now. 👇

Full conversations with @kateplusfate, @michaelgervais, @coryrichards, @drstacysims, @chipconley and @sperberc are on What’s the Rusch. Listen or watch at the link in my bio.

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Some things never change. Some do.

Things change. Feelings change. People change too.
Never thought the circumstances would’ve changed you…

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the places I’ve been.

Not just the actual places, although there have been a lot of those. The mountains, the start lines, the long drives, the places I’ve gotten to see because of a bike or a job or
because I said yes to something that sounded fun.

But also the places in life.

There are versions of me I barely recognize anymore.
Things I wanted so badly that I don’t want at all now.
People I thought would be there forever.
Plans I was so sure about.

And then there are the things that somehow keep finding their way into every version of my life.

Bikes. Mountains. People I love. Noodle. Community.
A camera somewhere within arm’s reach.

And this feeling that there’s still so much out there I haven’t seen yet.

Maybe that’s the part I keep coming back to.

For everything that’s changed, there’s still so much of me here.

And still so much me ahead.

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I’ve spent my whole life exploring wild places, and so many of those adventures have been on public land.

This month took me across Idaho’s backcountry at RPI and on the Hot Springs Route. Places like these have shaped who I am, and wild places like them across the country deserve the same protection.

The Roadless Rule has protected more than 58 million acres of America’s wildest national forests from new roads and logging for 25 years. It keeps water clean, wildlife connected, and adventure possible. Right now it’s on the chopping block.

Today is National Public Lands Day. Use your voice to keep this rule on the books. Public comments are open until October 6. It only takes a few minutes. Just share why a wild place matters to you.

Tap the link in my bio to stand with me, @outdooralliance, and so many others!

🎥 @visitidaho

#publiclands #nationalpubliclandsday #roadlessrule #idaho #adventureoutside

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Idaho doesn’t give you one kind of gravel. It gives you all of them, sometimes in the same hour.

This month I put a lot of miles on my @envecomposites MOG and G SES 4.5 wheels, first at RPI and then on the Hot Springs Route. Chunky climbs, smooth rollers, rough descents, and not a single issue.

Reliable gear is its own kind of freedom. It lets me ride with more play and less worry.

#gravelbike #visitidaho #cycling #adventure #getoutside

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Almost two weeks ago I won the last Rebecca’s Private Idaho.

But not because I finished first.

Although wildly enough that did actually happen. With a head cold I had resigned myself to riding in the shortest course, and felt well enough to try hard (as Rebecca inspires us to do) and got to stand on the top step for the first time in my life.

No, I won the last RPI because the incredible person @rebeccarusch who started this dream of a race 14 years ago trusted me with the mic to help share the story, her story and that of the @begoodfoundation . With the raspiest voice, and a killer outfit, I shared the stage with the Rebecca Rusch one last time at her event. There is no where I would have rather been (even though my own bed sounded really great at the time).

The best way I can synopsize the speech I was honored to give is as follows:

Rebecca Rusch is the kind of person whose belief in the possibilities of the human spirit are infectious. The newly dubbed queen of play has always been the ultimate cheerleader for all.

I don’t think I’m alone and thinking that Rebecca is the Dolly Parton of the bike world. Not enough credit is given to professional athletes who when they’ve made it to the top turn around and reach out a hand behind them to pull the next in line up, better yet to just encourage others to take up a little more space in the sport.

It’s because of people like Rebecca that I’m going to line up at a 50k mountain bike race in two weeks. When she believes in you, it’s contagious. You believe in you too.

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The women we surround ourselves with matter.

At Rebecca's Private Idaho, I got to spend time with some of the most incredible girls and women in gravel cycling.

They're fast. They're strong. They're kind. And they make room for the next generation.

Every conversation, every word of encouragement, every photo, and every moment together reminds me that I belong here too.

I'm lucky to have role models who show me that there are no liamits to what girls can do.

One day, I hope another young girl looks at me the way I look at these women.

That's the kind of community I want to be part of.

#WomenInGravel #RebeccasPrivateIdaho #girlswhoridebikes #DeathToDoubt

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trying to be good (and stay feral) *pt 1 @begoodfoundation @baltimoreyouthcycling @rapha_women @leila.streb thank you @meganzabelholmes for the amazing pictures!

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A few more moments to share from the Idaho Hot Springs Route. @republicofdoom and I are really enjoying being off the grid and exploring these beautiful trails.

Make sure to subscribe to my Substack to catch the full recap of this incredible trip when I get back!

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I believe the whole point of life is:
+ To have as much fun as possible.
+ Do & see & feel as much as you can with grace, generosity, & curiosity.
+ Elevate others along the way. Leave a ripple of love & inside jokes. Bring people in & bring ‘em with you.

The way I know how to do this best can be found in the sweet spot of movement, creativity, and humanity.

I am a hardcore advocate for people sharing their lens of the world. Be there, notice, vibe, and document it. Creative work itself is an act of generosity.

When you point a camera at someone, you signal “I see you. You matter. This matters.”

And so, it was an honor to be a creative mentor alongside the legend herself @rewikstrom and megabadass @annekeller1 alongside the @begoodfoundation.

It was meaningful to share what I’ve learned about building a sustainable career, trusting your voice, showing up as your whole self, knowing and asking for what you’re worth, and taking up space in this industry.

This sometimes looked like making @crawleysoftpen hang in the back of a truck with her camera while I rallied dirt roads for almost 100 miles. But you got the shot, every time, Molly, and I had a blast stoking your stoke. Thanks for the music and laughter and work ethic you brought to this. You’re a real one.

All the women I got to work with on this are talented, ambitious, and going places. Getting to be in their energy was magnetic. Getting to see them share their lens, see things how they saw them was the best part. I learned a lot, too.

And of course, to Rebecca: thank you, @rebeccarusch for bringing everyone together and creating @biglostidaho, for pushing what’s possible, and for reminding people what matters just by being yourself. Thank you for a decade of believing in me, hiring me, talking to me with candor, and relentlessly rooting for me whether it’s a dude, a house project, or a longass caption like this one. I value the longevity and versatility of our friendship so much. Look at this life and this event you made and then brought us all into!!! Hot damn, woman. 👑 You gotta see it to be it, so thanks for everything.

#bikes #gravelbike #idaho #photographer

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It has been an incredible first few days exploring the Idaho Hot Springs Route with @republicofdoom.

So far we have visited 4+ hot springs, ridden over 170miles, consumed many burritos, ridden through a mountain storm, and even seen a double rainbow.

Having lots of fun! More to come soon!

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10 photo snaps that don't even come close to doing this week justice. 🚲✨

Being chosen as 1 of 6 @begoodfoundation Fellows out of 100+ applicants was an honor, but experiencing this week alongside these incredible athletes and causes? Absolutely life-changing.

From racing the 14th and final Rebecca’s Private Idaho- @biglostidaho to @rebeccarusch and @aerahh Disco Cat tearing up the dance floor, my heart is full and my compass is completely reset.

Full story coming soon—for now, we’re en route to sponsor the @navajomtbfestival! Let’s keep the momentum rolling! 🌵🔥

#BeGoodFoundation #RebeccasPrivateIdaho #NavajoMTBFestival #BikesChangeLives #Fellowship

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