The Litas Wasilla: @thelitaswasilla
Meet The Litas WaSILLA
Nestled in the breathtaking Matanuska-Susitna Valley, with rugged mountains as a backdrop and endless Alaskan skies above, The Litas Wasilla THRIVES in a landscape as fierce and beautiful as its MEMBERS.
Guided by founders Kassi, Lacie, Jessie, and Kawenni:io, the very first Litas branch in Alaska balances experience, skill, and camaraderie, ensuring every ride is safe, welcoming, and empowering. In a state known for extreme weather and a short riding season, The Litas Wasilla faces the challenge head-on by preparing members to tackle everything from spring thaw roads to crisp autumn chill. With carefully planned events, pre-ride safety briefings, and hands-on leadership during every group ride, the Wasilla branch embodies the spirit of the collective: connection, empowerment, and the sheer joy of riding together in one of the most stunning places on Earth.
Who are your branch founders?
Kassi, Lacie, Jessie, & Kawenni:io
KASSI: Got my first motorcycle as a mother’s day present from my husband in 2021 after the birth of our daughter. Rode a H-D sportster Iron 1200 for the season going into the next season knowing I wanted something bigger and faster. Fell in love with the Pan America and pined for one for most of the 2022 season. In September I got my very own 22 HD Pan America 1250 Special and I’ve been in love with that bike ever since.
I discovered The Litas by actively seeking out people to ride with. I was desperately looking for a space to belong after having my daughter and wanted to connect with womxn like me. I took a solo trip to Babe’s Ride Out and fell in love with the different branches of The Litas I met in California. I knew I wanted to bring that same empowerment and community back with me to Alaska.
LACIE: Ever since getting my first dirt bike in 2014, I’ve been fueled by a deep passion for motorcycles and the freedom that comes with every ride. What started as casual trail rides soon turned into a lifelong pursuit of adventure on two wheels and an obsession with all things motorcycle.
I kicked off the 2024 riding season on a Royal Enfield Himalayan but quickly upgraded to my current ride- a 2022 Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 Special. Through The Litas, I’ve found a sisterhood of riders who share the same spirit of freedom, connection, and empowerment that first drew me to motorcycles.
JESSIE: Been riding on two wheels for 18 years and haven’t skipped a beat doing it. Alaska riding is beautiful and challenging. Really the only two words to describe it. You keep your defenses up but can’t stop looking off to enjoy the views.
I ride a 2020 Yamaha MT-07, and I’ve been turning this beauty into my adventure sport bike. Since joining The Litas, I’ve traveled to more rides than I ever thought I could, riding alongside other like-minded female riders.
KAWENNI:IO : I’ve been riding motorcycles for two years, though I grew up on dirt bikes. I ride a Kawasaki Z500, a Suzuki GSX-R 750, and a Grom. Each one gives me something different but the Z500 will always be my first love.
Wanting to connect with other womxn riders brought me to The Litas. My husband actually found the litas Wasilla through instagram and sent me the profile. After riding with them for a year, I was asked to be a founder.
What brought the founders together?
KASSI: None of us knew each other before The Litas Wasilla branch was founded. It’s purely because of this branch that we now know each other and have such strong relationships. Each founder brings their own unique flavor, and together the four of us contribute something special to the branch and to the collective.
I think the founders were born kind of out of necessity. After I started the branch, the two original girls I began with decided they didn’t want to ride anymore, and I was left trying to create something I knew could be amazing—but without much help. I met Lacie soon after, and she was at every meetup, every event, every ride. I asked her if she would be a founder with me to help spread the word and assist with group rides. She agreed, and we did the best we could, as much as we could.
Soon after, the group rides started getting bigger, and Jessie showed up and volunteered to be a sweep. For the next four group rides, Jessie quietly showed up with way more skill on two wheels than Lacie or I, and continued to volunteer as sweep. She looked after each rider and, after a ride, was always the first to offer advice and praise. She was an easy choice, and Lacie and I asked her to join the founder team.
Our branch continued to grow, and for the 2025 season, we had some of the biggest group rides I had ever been on. Kawenni:io (road name GIO) joined events and rides, bringing a lightness, ease, and spark that we knew we wanted. We invited her to join our team, and she completed what feels like the perfect blend of personalities and fun.
“Having a platform to be able to find and connect with these women has been so empowering and mind-blowing TO SEE.”
What is one of your greatest successes as a collective so far?
The Wasilla branch started as a dream of Kassi’s. She was already a member of the Collective app but wasn’t part of any branches. In early 2023, Kassi attended Babe’s Ride Out in Borrego Springs, CA, and connected with several branches of The Litas in California. Experiencing all these amazing, badass womxn empowering each other on rides, she desperately wanted to bring that energy back to Alaska.
In October 2023, which is right at the start of the Alaskan winter, the Wasilla branch was officially approved. The first season began with just six members, but with the mentality of “if we keep showing up, girls will join,” the branch grew quickly. Today, we have over 120 members, with group rides as large as 20+ bikes.
Honestly, our biggest success as a collective is simply that we exist. At first, in Alaska, we thought there weren’t many women riders—but the more events, group rides, and connections we make, the more we realize there is a strong, thriving community here. Having a platform to connect with these womxn has been incredibly empowering and inspiring to see.
What challenges do you face living and riding in Alaska?
Weather. Being in Alaska is truly like living in a postcard, but it comes with very real and extreme weather conditions. You have to be prepared to ride in those conditions. We like to say that if you’re planning on riding for over 30 miles or 30 minutes, you have to be ready for every type of weather Alaska can throw at you.
Another challenge is the length of our riding season. If the snow melts early and the roads are “dry,” we can ride as early as April or May. Our season continues until the snow returns. This year, we were blessed with a warmer fall, and some riders were able to get out in late September, but normally we have snow by the last week of October. Most of us have only ever ridden in Alaska, so at the beginning and end of the season, riding in 40°F weather is just the norm.
Weather truly is the biggest challenge in Alaska. It’s dangerous, and if you’re not prepared for it, there are life-altering ramifications. Dressing for the weather is huge and having safe and waterproof gear up here is a necessity if you plan on riding for longer than 30 minutes.. or 30 miles! Some of our rides are very remote, so having communication devices like Garmin are very important. We also have hosted classes with Palmer Fire and Rescue and Med Flight Alaska on how to vector a helicopter to our location in case of an emergency or a crash.
What does a day riding with The Litas Wasilla typically look like?
We put a lot of time and consideration into planning our events and rides, because safety for every rider is our number one priority. We’ve learned through trial and error, and this past season, as founders, we feel like we’ve really got group rides dialed in.
If you’re coming out for one of our rides, we usually have about a half-hour buffer for meet-up and KSU (kickstands up) so we can walk around and get to know the riders who show up. We ask about comfort levels and expectations for the ride. Fifteen minutes before KSU, we hold a pre-ride safety briefing where we go over the route, road conditions, staggered formation, hand signals, and answer any last-minute questions.
We also take this time to speak with less experienced riders and ask that they ride near the back of the pack to give them extra buffer space. Riding in a group can be intimidating the first time, and we want to empower, not scare, newer riders.
All four founders stay on comms via Cardo during rides. We divide roles between lead, mid, and sweep, with two sweeps in the back. This way, if a rider needs to pull over or the group gets split at a traffic light, a founder can step in to assist. By being on comms, we are always talking between the four of us, whether we need to slow down for girls to catch up, to confirm if everyone has made it through the twisties, or to pull over for anything if needed, etc.
Top recommendations for Litas coming to Wasilla, Alaska:
Alaska is amazing for riding motorcycles, and honestly, everywhere is breathtaking and incredible. For fun & twisty roads, we recommend the Old Glenn Highway, then take the East Knik River Road. This route puts you directly between the Knik River and Pioneer Peak and is beyond fun on two wheels. Along the same road is Lulu’s Tents and Events, where we’ve been hosting our Annual Moto Camping & Glamping Event. We rent out the entire property and camp with members not only from The Litas Wasilla, but also from the Anchorage and Fairbanks branches.
Another incredible ride right outside Wasilla is the road to Hatcher Pass and Independence Mine. This route takes you up into the mountains all the way to the historic Independence Mine. From here, you can overlook the entire Matanuska-Susitna Valley, including Wasilla and Palmer. It boasts some of the best day-hiking opportunities, including Gold Cord or Summit Lake hikes, or you can hike around the mine to learn some really incredible Alaskan history. Bring a camera, because each ride has postcard worthy Alaskan vistas to capture.
Top recommendation for food: Bleeding Heart Brewery in Palmer. Since the beginning of our branch, BHB has encouraged and cheered for The Litas Wasilla. They’ve provided us a space for our monthly Open House / Meet + Greets and are champions of what we’re bringing to the moto community. Their menu is incredible, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options, and their brews are top-notch. They also offer NA options, too! Get the Mac and cheese, you won’t be mad.
“We started in 2023 with a hope, a dream, and a vision to continue to create a safe and inclusive space for womxn riders here in Alaska. We don’t believe in gatekeeping and continue to encourage womxn to get out and ride outside of just our events. Our branch is here to help you find other womxn in Alaska to connect and ride with. With this mindset, we have seen The Litas grow and thrive here in Alaska. In 2025, we not only have our Wasilla branch but branches in Anchorage and Fairbanks too. The womxn riders here are incredible, strong, wild, and fierce just like the landscape, and we are so blessed to know and ride with each of them.”