Biker Chickz Blog

Big Bike

2011-10-30T00:42:00.000-07:00

On the way to Moss Landing, CA there is a little shop on the side of the road where I always see bikers stop. They sell motorcycle gear, leathers, etc. Out front there are now three huge sculptures of motorcycles made of scrap metal and other creative junk. I like this one the best.

New Blog Post--At Last

2011-07-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

For all of you who have wondered what happened to me since my last blog post, I thought I would give you a personal update. I have been unemployed for 2 1/2 years and during that time decided to go back to school to train for a new career. I have just completed my education and recieved an Associate's degree, finishing with a 4.0 GPA. (Even bikers can be intelligent!) While in school I had no free time, even for riding. Currently I am spending several hours a day actively looking for employment. The weather here in Santa Cruz has been perfect for riding, so until I am working I plan to spend alot of time on the road, going to the beach, and just enjoying all this area has to offer. Back in the saddle again...

Parking Phobia

2009-07-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was the 4th Annual Bikes on the Bay in Capitola. It was a small but awesome vintage motorcycle show in the parking lot of the Capitola Mall. I met Willy D, Carol, B.B. and Dave there and we had a great time hanging out for a little while.

As I prepared to ride to the Mall to meet them, I realized I had a huge problem. It's been creeping up on me for some time, but I had no idea it was this bad. I have developed a parking phobia. This also crosses over to my car, but I won't cover that here.

Almost every time I ride or even think of riding somewhere, the thought starts haunting me. What is the parking situation? Is it on a slope? Will the street be so narrow that I can't turn around? Will I be able to get out of the parking spot?

I know that I can back into any space, but sometimes even that is a little difficult. This problem is keeping me from venturing out to places unknown when I am by myself. As I prepared to ride to the Mall, the panic and dread hit me. Of course, once I got there I found a nice spot in the parking lot, which is partially sloped in most directions. I was a little nervous I wouldn't be able to get out of the spot, since I had gone into it forward.

I had absolutely no trouble and rolled right out of the spot. What was I afraid of? That is usually the case so I don't know where this is coming from; although I have had trouble once or twice rolling my heavy bike backwards out of a sloped spot. I am not that tall so it is always a challenge, even though my bike is pretty low. It is just getting leverage that gives me a problem. I really want to overcome this, so I will be working on it by going lots of places that I am unfamiliar with.

Is this just a 'girl' problem or does anyone else experience this?

4th Annual Bikes on the Bay

2009-06-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 28 is the upcoming 4th Annual Bikes on the Bay vintage motorcycle show at the Capitola Mall near Santa Cruz, CA.

The 4th Annual Capitola/Soquel Vintage Motorcycle Show is held in the parking lot of the Mall located on 41st Ave, Capitola. Aside from the vintage cycles there is entertainment, food, swap meet, vendors, etc. The show draws local families as well as lots of bikers who appreciate the oldies.

The show runs from 9am to 4pm on Sunday, June 28th so if you're in the Monterey Bay area that day ride on over to beautiful Capitola and have some fun.

It's Ride to Work Day!

2009-06-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have a job, you probably already ride to work whenever the weather cooperates. If you don't, today is a day to get out there and join together with riders everywhere who are using their motorcycles for daily transportation.

It takes a little planning and organization if you take items to work with you. Once you find a place to carry everything, (laptop, lunch, extra clothes to change into once you arrive, if needed)
you will find a routine that is quick, comfortable, and a great way to begin your workday.

From Wikipedia:
Ride To Work is a Minnesota-based charitable organization devoted to increasing awareness of motorcycling as a transportation alternative, mainly through the annual Ride to Work Day. The organization was incorporated in 2000 by Andy Goldfine, the owner of Aerostich.
Ride to Work Day started in 1992 as an informal event, before Ride To Work existed. In 2009, Ride to Work Day will be on June 15.
According to a 2006 statement to the National Transportation Safety Board by Goldfine, Ride to Work Day is the largest motorcycle event by number of participants. Ride to Work Day is also run in other countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Israel, Turkey, Ecuador and the Philippines. In the United Kingdom, the Motorcycle Industry Association runs the event alongside National Motorcycle Week.

This year the day was moved up from July. It will from now on be the 3rd Monday in June. This was decided partly because the weather in most parts of the world is milder in June than July, and I guess Europeans are on summer holiday in July so aren't riding to work then.

I, for one, won't be working today. Still looking. I will be riding today, though aimlessly with no destination. That's the best kind of riding, right?

The Victory Arrives in Santa Cruz

2009-06-10T21:57:00.000-07:00

Special Note: I promised my son that I would write a new post since I haven't been updating for quite some time. I knew I was disappointing some of my regular readers, but when my son asked me "what's up with your blog, Mom?" I felt really bad. While I promised him a couple of weeks ago, it has taken me this long to actually do it. Nate has grown into a wonderful person and a thinking, responsible adult. I am really proud of him and can't let him down. So this is for you, Nate.

I've been living in Santa Cruz since November and was without my Vulcan until late December. I've ridden alone since then, aside from a couple of rides with my brother and with my Salinas friends. On Memorial Day weekend Dave decided he would ride the Victory from Seattle to Santa Cruz and leave it down here. That way when he is here a couple of times a month we can go for rides together and enjoy exploring the lovely California roads.

According to Dave, the ride south was alot of fun but mostly uneventful. I guess that's a good thing when your bike doesn't let you down. He rode I-5 most of the way, which climbs across the Siskeyous and is a straight ride towards San Francisco. He rode 600 miles the first day and stopped in Anderson, CA for the night. The next day was 300 miles and he arrived here around 1:30 pm. The weather was good all the way through Washington and Oregon, with a few sprinkles as he passed into California. From there on it was great. I felt a little jealous as he kept calling to check in with me along the way. It sounded so fun!!

After riding all that time, the next day he was ready to ride again. We rode down the coast on Highway 1 from Santa Cruz to Big Sur. I can't even describe the scenery as we passed through Monterey and down along the coast south of there. There were no photos taken as it is a winding, 2 lane road with no guardrails to protect you from falling down giant cliffs to the sea.

It was great riding together once again and was another gorgeous day.

This is the famous Bixby Bridge that you may have seen on TV and in movies. This is the landmark bridge near Big Sur.

I can't wait to ride further south one day to explore Hearst Castle, Pismo Beach and other destinations I've never been.

Once Dave got the Victory to California, he looked up to see where the nearest dealer is in case he needs work or parts. THERE ARE NONE. The nearest 'dealer' is in Danville, about 100 miles away. If anyone in the Monterey area, San Jose area, or Santa Cruz area knows of anyone who works on Victory motorcycles, please let me know. I guess there aren't many other Victorys around here so Dave should be getting some good attention when he rides.

I'm Another Statistic

2009-03-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

There have been alot of changes in my life in the last 6 months. One of them is that I have found myself blogging less and less because it requires me to stay inside on the computer (I don't have a laptop) when I really want to be out in the sun, walking on the beach or riding my motorcycle on unfamiliar roads.

I moved to Santa Cruz, CA and have a new job which I really love. Until today..... I was laid off as well as a few others. The company is small and so it was a big impact on the number of people still employed there. The downtrodden economy has affected orders for our equipment, so it was necessary to downsize, for now. If orders do pick up in the near future I am assured that they will call me back to work. For now, I am another statistic.

I don't know what the future holds for me. Today, I want to continue living in Santa Cruz and see if there is another job out there for me locally. I did take a quick look at Craigslist and was amazed at the scarcity of job postings, compared to 5 months ago when I was actively looking.

I apologize in advance if I don't post as frequently as in the past. On the other hand, I guess I will have alot of free time on my hands for a while. Sounds like alot of daytime rides in the near future. This unemployed business might not be so bad after all.......

My First Ride to Pescadero

2009-02-08T11:30:00.000-08:00

When I first arrived in Santa Cruz the weather was warm compared to the Seattle area I had left behind. One of the sunny weekends my brother decided to ride with me north up Hiway 1 to Pescadero. The town is a tiny crossroads a couple of miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. I found out later that the town has a wonderful bakery that produces artichoke bread, which has artichoke hearts throughout the bread. Now, as a native Californian, I grew up eating artichokes and have always had an emotional attachment to anything artichoke. I will go back one day specifically to find the heavenly bread.

We started out making our way up Hiway 1 by passing through the town of Santa Cruz. Once you head up the coast the towns are few and far between. It is the loveliest stretch of coastline I have ever ridden on, although the Oregon Coast was just as gorgeous.

We stopped and rode up alot of side roads off of the Hiway. My brother has covered all of them on his motorcycles over the years. This day he was riding his '69 Honda.

We stopped at ano nuevo lighthouse for a moment. The iceplant covering the tops of the cliffs is a sight to behold. When it blooms it is a sea of hot-pink flowers.

We continued our round trip back towards Santa Cruz and stopped for a last look at Greyhound Rock. This particular day there were minus tides, which means the sea was much further out than usual. This made the Rock accessable and you can see there are a few people who made it to the top. Any other day you cannot reach Greyhound rock.

It was a fun day of warm temps and comfortable riding. Next time I go north will be heading to Half Moon Bay. I am hoping B.B., Dave, Willy D. and Carol can go along for the ride. As soon as things dry out and warm up again, we are off.

This coastal living is good for the soul.

Since I've Been In Santa Cruz.....

2009-01-21T22:01:00.000-08:00

Since I arrived in Santa Cruz around Thanksgiving time I have been nothing but busy. I began a new job, which I liked from day one. I am starting to like it more each day and becoming more sure that I am doing good work and more comfortable with all the new people I work with.

I've always liked to take a little walk after eating lunch during my work day. The second week on my new job I was out for a walk and not paying attention to where I was stepping. I stumbled and fell face down on the sidewalk which seemed unavoidable at that moment. I really banged myself up and had to go back to work with blood running down my face and a stupid look on it as well.

I lived with this colorful eye for 3 weeks!

Living near the beach lends to lots of outdoor activity and exciting sight-filled walks. There is always something to see that is new or unusual.

I was finally pleased when my husband, 2 cats and my motorcycle arrived just before Christmas in a moving truck. All made the trip safely amid heavy snow storms between Seattle and Santa Cruz. Things are good.

Here is my Vulcan safe and sound in her new little garage.

Now that the Vulcan is here and the weather has been unseasonably warm (sorry everyone in the freezing climates) I have been riding to work a little and every weekend I'm on the road. There are endless places to go and new roads to discover. Stay tuned.

Biker Bloggers Meet-up in Salinas

2009-01-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

To break out of my self-imposed temporary blog retirement, I contacted B.B. and decided to ride to Salinas this weekend and find Dave's coffee shop since I was only 45 minutes away and had been dying to meet them for a while. The weather here in Santa Cruz has been record-breaking warm the past week. I had to ride.

We arranged to meet at the shop and I found out that Willy D and his wife Carol would also be there. I was excited as I started out that morning, not sure of where I was going and remembering that Salinas had already had 6 murders this year. I didn't want to end up in the wrong part of town.

My ride took me through fields of artichokes, which is one of the most beautiful sights there is. The central coast of California grows much of the nations strawberries, brussel sprouts, leeks, and many artichokes. It was a lovely sight to see fertile black soil plowed in rows for as far as you can see, ready for the next crop to be sewn.

I did get lost as I got into Salinas, so Dave and Willy D came and found me, then escorted me back to the coffee shop.

The girls were waiting to ride so we started out towards Monterey.

It was a very fun ride, and it seemed like I was riding with people I already knew. They were all very comfortable and fun to talk to. We ended up going along the coastline to Pacific Grove, and then back towards Salinas for another coffee drink. I loved it!

By the time I was ready to head back to Santa Cruz, the group decided they hadn't had enough riding for the day. Everyone rode together back to Santa Cruz to my exit off the hiway, then they gassed up and turned back towards home. My total miles for the day on the Vulcan were 129.

It was a memorable day and real pleasure to meet everyone. As B.B. said, it seemed like we were old friends in a way. I had enjoyed Dave's humor on his blog, and was not disappointed that he was a very funny guy. B.B was real down to earth and fun. Willy D. and his wife Carol were so cool I felt like I'd always known them. We plan to ride again and I look forward to spending more time on the road with all of them.

New Helmets Rock

2008-12-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

Before I left Seattle I ordered a new full face helmet for my son. He only had a half-helmet and was getting quite chilly on his rides to work and on weekend rides.

This helmet was found at Riders Discount's selection of Shoei Helmets. The prices were excellent and shipping was prompt, and free! The helmet I got him was the Shoei RF-1000.

Here is a review of some of its features:

Clean classic lines,very low key

Looks good on a lot of different bikes

Cool vents on back that are easy to open and close

Really nice sturdy opening mechanism for the visor

Very light, easy on the neck and back

Foam extremely comfortable

Fogs up a little bit at stops

Visibility is good in all directions

Nifty bag and extra pieces for nose and neck

He is very pleased with the helmet, and as his mother I think he is much safer with the full-face helmet. The road noise is also cut down considerably.

I would recommend checking out Riders Discount for a large selection of jackets, helmets, boots, and other gear at discount prices. They carry all the major brands and have a good selection of street and off-road gear.

I would definately go back to this website when I'm looking for more motorcycle gear, and can you ever have too much?

Landed in Santa Cruz

2008-11-27T20:52:00.000-08:00

We had a great car ride down to Santa Cruz coming from Seattle. We took two days and spent the night in Weed, CA. At the College of the Siskiyous was a Disc Golf course that my son had always wanted to play. So we went out early, found the course and ran through the woods playing disc golf in the 36 degree morning air.

We arrived in Santa Cruz safely and I have not been able to connect to internet so far. Will blog more when I do.

It has been lovely weather so far, with a warm sunny day for Thanksgiving and too much turkey.

My Last Days in Seattle

2008-11-19T18:48:00.000-08:00

Saturday the sun broke out and the rain quit for a few days. We had to get out for one last weekend ride. We got a call from our friend in West Seattle and decided to make that our destination for the day.

It had rained for a couple of weeks straight, and not just that misty Seattle rain. It had been a downpour every day and dark and dreary on top of that. Saturday was dry, warm and sunny.

We took the interstate over to West Seattle, which is a completely seperate town from Seattle. It is a lovely place with a small town feel, awesome views back towards the City and also views across the water to several islands.

Once we arrived at our friend's, we decided to stretch and take a nice walk down the hill to a wooded park with nice pathways and views through the trees. This park eventually ends at the Vashon Ferry dock.

We all had a nice walk, which did us all good to get outdoors and move around. We tend to be lazy sometimes and don't get enough healthy exercise.

We rode back home just before dark, which nowadays is close to 4:30pm. It was great to be out again on the road, even though it was getting chilly by the time we got home.

Today I had some last minute errands to run and the sun was out again. The rain is threatening to come back tomorrow and not end anytime soon. It was my last time to ride in the Seattle area before I leave for California.

I got the bike out and took off for the Post Office, a snack, and then just to ride. The sun felt warm and the wind lovely on my face. I thoroughly savored every moment of my ride, knowing it would be the last for quite a while. I had so much work to do at home getting ready for my trip that I couldn't stay out as long as I would have liked. I was very happy that I got one last ride in.

As I rode home and parked the Vulcan for the last time, I had a moment of sadness. She will be joining me in California as soon as possible, but not soon enough for me.

SANTA CRUZ HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDES INTO SUNSET

2008-11-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

I came across this article yesterday in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. It caught my eye and filled me with a sense of fear that it is only a glimpse of things to come.

A long standing Harley-Davidson dealer closed its doors this week because they couldn't make enough profit to pay the rent. That is a sad state of affairs. Because of the economic downturn people consider motorcycles as a luxury item. They are not selling anywhere.

Check out the Santa Cruz Sentinel article. It will give you a wake up call...

Vulcan In For Scheduled Maintenance

2008-11-01T15:16:00.000-07:00

Since I am getting ready to move to California, I am beginning to find an urgency to wrap up loose ends before I leave. My time here in Seattle is running out and I am working right up until the week I leave.

Today I decided to take my '07 Vulcan in for it's scheduled 4000 mile maintenance. I have 4300 miles on it so far. The oil needed to be changed and a good overall check. I will be leaving the bike in Seattle for now, so I wanted it to be sweet and ready to ride when it finally moves down to CA. Hopefully I won't be without it for too long.

I can't say enough good things about the Lynnwood Cycle Barn. They have recently downsized their shop and moved into a smaller facility that is shared with the Seattle Harley-Davidson. I guess motorcycle sales have dropped off like all other businesses, so it was a necessary move.
Even so, this is a slow time of year for their service department and they got me right in when I called.

I dropped the bike off around noon, and just got a call that it is ready for me to pick up. It had only been 3 hours since I left it. The problem is that the rains have started and don't look like they will end for a few days. I think I will bite the bullet and put on my rain gear. I would rather pick up the Vulcan and have it sitting safely in my garage than in their shop.

So off I go to pick up my Vulcan. I have become attached to it and will be sad to leave it even for a short while. My husband has promised to ride it often enough to keep her in good shape.

After I move I will be living close to my brother, who has a nice Kawi Ninja. That should be fun to get the occasional ride fix out of my system!

Moving to Santa Cruz, CA

2008-10-21T16:44:00.000-07:00

After 5 years of trying to find a job and relocate back to northern California, I finally have landed a job in Santa Cruz. This is a beach community on the north part of the Monterey Bay. I will be making scientific metrology equipment, which is a welcome change from making ultrasonic devices for 20 years. I'm very excited to learn something new.

I grew up in the Silicon Valley and left there several times, only to feel the pull back home eventually. This time I am moving back to be nearer my elderly parents, brother, and many old friends.

I won't be able to take my motorcycle at first, which is going to kill me. But I'll be busy with a new job and staying with a friend in the beginning, until I can find an affordable place to live. Then my husband will bring the bike, and alot of stuff down that I'll need to set up house. He has a stable, good paying job in the Seattle area, so will stay there until the stock market comes back a little and job market is such that he can find something in California.

It will be quite an adjustment for us both, but worth it in the end. I'll miss my bike most of all! (just kidding Dave)

I'll be going from a winter like this.....

To winter skies like this......

I'll move just before Thanksgiving and start the job Dec. 1. I will try to keep up the blogging as long as I have internet connection. There may be a slight lag, but I'll warn you ahead of time.

I'm finally going home to stay this time.

A Chance to Win Your Own Customized Harley

2008-10-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

Those of you who LOVE the Harleys are going to have a chance of a lifetime to build your own fantasy Harley Davidsen and have a chance to actually win your design!

From Harley Davidsen:

In the "Build It to and Win It" sweepstakes, contestants can customize a Harley-Davidson 2009 model and enter it to win the bike they designed. Using the Genuine Motor Accessories Customizer, anyone can choose a Harley-Davidson model and then select from hundreds of custom options, including Color Shop custom paint sets, Screamin’ Eagle performance components, hand and foot controls, custom front end parts and decorative collections, and place them on a virtual motorcycle. As the bike is created, each new component appears on a picture of the virtual motorcycle, so a customizer can see exactly what the finished custom Harley-Davidson will look like. After customizing, the bikes can then be saved in a personal profile "Garage," along with a convenient, printable list of each component with its part number and price.

A contestant can customize, save and enter up to ten 2009 models between Oct. 15 - Nov. 6 and each will be entered to win. Representatives from the company will randomly select one bike, which will be awarded to the Grand Prize winner after the Nov. 6 deadline.

More details on the contest are available here:
www.harley-davidson.com/customizer

So put your thinking caps on and start dreaming!!!

It's Time for Change

2008-10-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

Both presidential candidates are for 'change'. The climate is changing. The financial system is changing. Those of us with money tied up in the stock market, whether it be in a 401K or other savings vehicle, are seeing a big change for the worse.

All of this brings to light that the weather is also changing and it 's time to dig out the winter riding gear. I didn't want to think about it yet, as it is only early October. I can't fight it any more.

Our weather in Seattle has cooled off drastically this past 2 weeks. The mornings are around 40 degrees. The days have been lucky to reach 55 degrees. It will only get worse from now on.

This weekend promises to have a day or two of riding weather. I will dig out my winter liner for my leather jacket and zip it in. I will dig out my winter warm gloves and start wearing them, although keeping my lighter one's handy if the day warms up as I ride. And I really dread going back to the full-face helmet. It's been a joy to ride all summer with a half-helmet, but now it is too chilly for that, so back to the full enclosure. I will also need to wear chaps at all times, just for warmth.

It takes me a little mental preparation to get ready for winter riding. Once I get out there and adjust to the proper gear for the cold, I do feel like a rarity on the road. Not many others are out on motorcycles in the winter, but when you do pass another bike there is always a common wave. Not many of us are that devoted, so I do feel a kinship with others I pass on those cold mornings on the way to work.

Does anyone else ride in the winter and have to mentally prepare in the fall?

Love My Rippin-Kitten T-shirt

2008-10-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

My newest favorite tee is the new original design by Rippin-Kitten. I ordered through Pay Pal and Liz shipped the shirt out immediately. It arrived two days later, and it even had to travel across the entire U.S. I was pleasantly surprised that the shipment also included a cool Rippin-Kitten.com sticker as well.

I ordered my normal adult size and the shirt seemed quite large when I tried it on. I washed it and it did shrink the slightest bit, so I am happy that after a couple of washings it should fit just the way I like. The price is very reasonable and also makes a great gift.

Get your own Rippin-Kitten tee-shirt while they last and you, too, can have a cool original shirt.

Made It To Oyster Run '08

2008-09-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

Against my better judgement we decided to go to the Oyster Run in Anacortes, WA on Sunday. It is the largest one day gathering of motorcyclists in the Western U.S. This year they expected over 30,000 bikes to attend. I estimate there were more......

We got up early and expected to get going by 9 am. From 7 o'clock on you could hear the drone of motorcycles off in the distance going up I-5. By the time we left home and merged onto I-5 heading North it was a sight to see. What a thrill it was to be on a 3 lane interstate surrounded by hundreds of motorcyclists in every lane, with only an occasional car squeezed in between the crowd. All you could see ahead or in your mirrors were motorcycles. I have never seen anything like it and it was an emotional and exhilerating experience.

We stopped about 30 miles north of home to drop in and see my son, who had a group of many friends who were gathering to go also. The gas stations in his town were filling up with hundreds of bikers meeting up. Nate and his friends were going to breakfast so we headed to the Oyster Run without them and said we would meet up later. We never found them at the event. We did, however, run into the friend who had sold Dave the Victory. What were the chances of that?

We went off of the interstate and headed towards Anacortes on the back roads which were scenic and rural. It was a clear blue day which turned out to be warm and sunny. As we neared the town of Anacortes traffic came to a halt. We crept into town inch by inch. That is when the fun ended for me. By the time we parked my clutch hand had a full cramp.

The event was interesting, with local vendors and bike builders etc. All the biker groups were there wearing their colors, but no incidents as far as I know. Everyone was happy to be there and appreciating looking at the motorcycles. We walked around in shoulder to shoulder crowds and made our way up the entire street and back the other side. There was one group doing a scheduled stunt show but we didn't wait to see it. Otherwise, it was just a large gathering. After I saw about the thousandth bike they all started looking the same.

Here is a lineup of Big Dog bikes.

Not sure what this was but when it was revved it was so loud people were covering their ears!

How's this for a motorcycle cover?

I liked this biker gorilla.

They said this bike was on Biker Build-off. They were giving it away.

As we tried to leave town the traffic was even worse than coming in. There were several directions to go but all were creeping or stopped. We headed east and found a back road with only a few bikers on it. It was a long ride home and I was very tired by the time we arrived. All day we only went a total of 155 miles, but rode for about 6 hours. My left hand turned purple from clutching. I guess I'm not as tough as I think sometimes.

I don't think I would ever attempt to go to the Oyster Run again, because it really had nothing to offer me. Crowds like that aren't my thing. I'm glad for the experience, though, and got my first bike event pin.

LVMS to host seventh annual Femmoto this weekend

2008-09-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

Press release:

LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host Femmoto 2008, a weekend of motorcycle riding, demonstrations and motor fashion to celebrate female enthusiasts Friday through Sunday. Femmoto is a women-only event which offers female riders the opportunity to test-ride motorcycles on the LVMS track, peruse the latest gear designed just for women, discuss the lifestyle with manufacturers and meet other women who share their passion for motorsports.

“Being involved with the biking industry for a long time, I began to see an increase in women riders, the bonding that was going on between the women riders, and the need to have an all-female track event,” said Femmoto founder Bonnie Strawser. “I wanted to get more women comfortable on motorcycles and give them a great environment to do that.”

Femmoto is hosting 11 motorcycle brands for demonstrations at the event, including Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Kawasaki, KYMCO and Triumph. Attendees are invited to ride all brands and styles of motorcycles on both the track and street throughout the weekend.

“Diversity is what we’ve been aiming for and I think this year we have really hit our mark,” Strawser said. “As there are many types of female riders out there, there are many types of motorcycles they might be interested in. Having so many brands and so many bike types will make this a really fun event for all our attendees.”

Track rides are reserved for female participants. Pre-registration slots are filling up for the closed- course demos and interested riders are urged to pre-register. The entry fee is $135 per day. Appropriate track gear is required for closed-course demos.

Last year’s event hosted more than 550 female riders and Femmoto organizers predict an increase in participation in the 2008 event.

Femmoto was created in 2001 to introduce ladies to sport bikes in a safe and fun environment. Its growth and support have allowed the event to evolve into a weekend providing women with new and exciting features including workshops, seminars and exposure to a wide variety of specialty products and services.

For more information on the Femmoto 2008, call (419) 340-3977 or visit www.femmoto.com.

The Ride Home--Bandon,OR to Seattle

2008-09-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map

While in Bandon we spent one day going to town and visiting our favorite stops. We had lunch at The 2 Loons deli in the downtown area. It is always one of our favorite places to eat, with that local flair that only a small town has. The food was delicious. Our next stop was the Wagon Wheel, where we always buy a T-shirt. When the T-shirt wears out in a couple of years, that signals us that it is time to make another trip to Bandon. The other place you cannot miss is Cranberry Sweets. Bandon is the Cranberry capitol of the world, and we just missed the Annual Cranberry Festival the day before we got to town. Cranberry Sweets is a candy store that puts out plates of little candy samples, so of course you want to buy after you've tasted all the wonderful flavors.

As we headed back to our motel down the little road that goes from town and follows the coastline, we passed Face Rock. It is so cool. Can you see the face?

We left town on Wednesday morning and made a quick stop on the north side of the Coquille River where the historic Coquille Lighthouse stands. It is a landmark for artists and photographers to appreciate. It is from the 1890s and not in operation any more from what I understand.

The view looking back towards Bandon.

Once we got on the road we headed back up the coast with the intention of heading inland towards McMinnville for the next nights stay. This morning was the coldest and most miserable of any on our trip. The further north we went we rode through mist, fog, and very cold temps. I had on 4 layers on top, my jeans and chaps, and my Buff around my neck. I had only brought my regular gloves. By the time we rode a couple of hours, my fingers were numb, I had pulled the Buff up over my nose like a bandit, and my legs were cold through my chaps. I could feel that my teeth were cold, even though I kept my mouth shut (no comments from the peanut gallery). We stopped in Waldport for a hot cup of coffee at another DQ.

After we thawed out, we continued on north until Lincoln City. Then we headed inland towards McMinnville. Once we were away from the ocean, the sky opened up, the sun was out, and we started warming up. We passed through the most lovely countryside and followed a river. Soon we saw amber fields of grain, vineyards, Italian prune orchards and wide open spaces. This was one of my favorite roads on the trip, probably because it was 30 degrees warmer than along the coast. We stopped in McMinnville, which is a cute little town where McMinnamin's Brewery started. It's a Northwest favorite. We found the Hotel Oregon, that houses McMinnamin's. We considered staying there, but they only had on the street parking. We weren't comfortable with leaving our bikes out on the main street all night. So we had a beer and thought about it......

There was a Native American casino and hotel that we had passed about 20 miles back. We decided to go back, get a room, eat a nice buffet dinner, and gamble. We got a really good rate on the room which was luxurious and big. It was so good to be warm, and to walk around for a change. We were able to watch our bikes from the 5th floor room we had. We had a wonderful time, lost our shirts (not literally) and were ready to ride home on Thursday. By the end of the day we had ridden 6 hours and about 250 miles, for a total of 729 miles so far.

We left Thursday morning for the home stretch. I was ready to get home and see my cats. I miss them when I am away, they are such a part of my life. We were about 90 miles from Portland, so once we hit Interstate 5 it was freeway all the way home. I led and had to go 80 most of the way through Oregon to keep up with traffic. It was windy, cold, and raining off and on the last day. Once we got through Seattle I felt a great relief that we had made it all this way with no motorcycle problems or events. The only thing that happened was Dave's zipper pull breaking on his motorcycle jacket while we were in Bandon. He was able to use the inner zipper for his liner to keep it together so he could make it home. We got home around 4pm Thursday all in one piece and happy to be sleeping in our own bed that night.

The second day was about 250 miles and 6 hours of mostly freeway riding. The total trip was 987 miles. I would do it all over again, now that I've rested up. I can't wait to plan our next trip.

Destination Bandon: The Second Day--Pacific City to Bandon, OR

2008-09-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

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On the second day of our ride from Seattle to Bandon, OR we woke up with our bikes soaking wet with morning fog.

We wiped them down, packed up and off we went south towards Bandon. We expected it to take about 6 hours of riding. Before we left Pacific City we went back towards Cape Kiwanda to snap a few photos. It was around 10 am.

Once we got on the road it was comfortable riding and the sun was coming out. The road is narrow and twisty so we took our time as well as followed lots of logging trucks and large RVs which kept us at a slow pace. The scenery was lovely so it allowed us a glimpse of the ocean every once in a while. We finally stopped at Cape Fowlweather for a break. According to the sign, Captain Cook discovered and named this Cape. We were there on a nice day. Winds can be over 100 mph here with no visibility.

There was alot of fog to ride through from this point south.

Cape Foulweather did not have a public restroom (?!) and I take advantage anytime we are stopping. I had already had a couple cups of coffee earlier in the morning. We headed south again down 101 and, lo and behold, we ran into road contruction. This was a Monday morning and they had the road down to one lane on a major through way. I tried to stay calm and not think about it as we sat with our engines turned off for 40 minutes as nobody moved. The fog was surrounding us so we couldn't really see the scenery either. We finally got going and so did the miles of cars and logging trucks behind us. The first town we came to I stopped. What a relief!

As we rode on further the temps got cooler and the fog was covering the ocean view. We stopped often for hot coffee and food. That day DQ became our fast food friend. Almost every small town in Oregon has a Dairy Queen with clean restrooms and hot strong coffee. They would prove to be our rest stop of choice for the days to come.

We finally arrived in Bandon around 4 pm after riding 6 hours and about 180 miles that day. So far we had gone 479 miles on our trip. It felt much easier than the first day, although challenging terrain. The road is narrow and passes inland through deep dark forests, and then moves out right along the rocky cliffs next to the Pacific Ocean. Again, my mind registered so many images I was having trouble processing it all. We would be staying at this little motel for 2 nights. It is called the Windermere and was originally built for artists who would take little cabins and park their Model A's in between. It has been updated but still keeps the quaint woodwork and charm of a beach motel. It had a little kitchen area fully supplied with necessities. There is a sliding glass door which looks right out to the ocean. I could have lived there. Some mornings the fog would cover the whole beach, but if you waited for the window of opportunity there were a couple of hours a day you could actually see out to the horizon. Our other window looked out to the bikes so we could keep a good eye on them. It was perfect and 1/2 mile down the road from my aunt.

Again the fog and moisture took over our bikes as the sun went down. The motel was great about giving us alot of rags to wipe them down in the mornings. They were also very interested in the Victory and the motel owner was seen checking it out many times in our 2 days there. Everyone we met along the way was interested in the bikes. These were all Seniors travelling along the coastline like we were. We talked to people from Utah, the Netherlands, and other motorcycling travellers.

In Oregon you are not allowed to pump your own gas. Can you believe it? They don't want the public breathing gas fumes, but it is OK for the guy working the pumps. With motorcycles it is a different story. They have to slide your card into the 'pay-at-the-pump' slot, and then hand you the nozzle. I always fill my own and Dave does too. I think bikers are more particular with their gas drips, so they always had a paper ready for me to catch them with.

As we wound down for the day, we looked out at this lovely view. Now we could relax, visit with my aunt, and rest up for our ride home on Wednesday.

Destination Bandon: The First Day--Seattle To Pacific City, OR

2008-09-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

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We rode down to Bandon, Oregon to visit my aunt. It was the first long trip for both of us. We had luggage on Dave's Victory that strapped to the back rest. It worked very well and held everything we needed that wouldn't fit in the saddlebags.

We finally left on Sunday around 10am. The weather promised to be sunny and clear, with temps around 70. We headed down interstate 5 as far as Olympia, the state capitol. It was pretty quiet on a Sunday around noon.

At Olympia we cut over towards the coast. Now these were lovely wooded highways with almost no traffic. There were smooth, fast and slightly curvy roads that I really enjoyed. They followed along small inlets and bays where oysters are raised. This area claims to produce the most oysters in the world. The aromas you smell as you ride along are amazing. The ocean air is cool but clears your head.

We finally arrived at the Astoria Bridge, which crosses the mouth of the Columbia River. This large expanse of fresh water flows right out into the ocean. This bridge has always scared me when I crossed it in a car. It is extremely long and on the Oregon end there is a tall part that you climb up, up, up so that ships can go under it. It freaks me out. So I was not looking forward to crossing this bridge on a motorcycle. It turned out to be a lovely experience and quite enjoyable. The sensation was entirely different than I expected and I only wish I could have stopped and taken pictures.

We stopped for a break at Cannon Beach. This area is famous for its Haystack Rock and others scattered along the coastline. It is an artists mecca and, of course, a tourist trap. You can see why.......

Finally after riding for 7 hours, with a few short breaks in between, we arrived in Pacific City, Oregon. An old friend and her husband had driven a fully restored 1963 Austin Healey 3000 convertible on a British Car Rally and ended up in Pacific City that night. We met up and had a great time visiting, eating and drinking at the Pelican Pub and Brewery. Good beer and atmosphere, good food but just a little overpriced.

We got a room at a little motel in town called the Inn at Pacific City. It was inexpensive, clean, and quiet. It was perfect for a night of much needed rest and a welcome hot shower. In the morning we walked up a block and found the tiniest cafe with bang-up breakfasts. The biscuits and gravy were the perfect thing to get me ready for the road.

On the first day we rode for 7 hours, and 296 miles. Once you are in Oregon, the roads are narrow and very rough in some places. There are passing lanes once in a while, so you can get around the guy you've been following at 25 mph. for 10 winding miles. For me, it was physically challenging to ride so long, but it was worth it. I already felt like I had accomplished something riding so far and as fast as we could go to keep up with traffic. So many images had already been recorded in my memory that I will think back on and reflect fondly for the rest of my life.

Ride to Bandon, Oregon

2008-09-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday my husband and I are taking off on a ride to Bandon, Oregon. The town is on the southern Oregon coast not far from California. My elderly aunt lives there and we like to go down every few years and check up on her. It is also a lovely little fishing town with not much to do except enjoy looking at the beautiful rock formations in the ocean and walk the beach.

We decided to go suddenly when the weather looked like it was going to stay dry and warm for yet another week. Here in the Northwest it is always a gamble whether we will have rain or not as summer ends. Once it comes, you can kiss summer goodbye.

We'll be going on the Vulcan and the Victory with only what items we can stuff into our saddlebags. My husband also borrowed a T-bag from a friend so we should have plenty of room. We'll take two days to get to Bandon, stay a day or so, and then two days to come back. We plan to be back home on Thursday evening.

Our route will go across on the Edmonds ferry to the Olympic peninsula. We'll take back roads all the way down to Astoria, Oregon. From there we will follow the coastal highway all the way to Bandon. If there aren't too many RVs on the road to slow us down, we should have a fun ride. The coastal highway is a winding two-lane road so there are not many places to pass. My friend and her husband are also heading down the coast on a British car rally, so we'll probably see alot of sports cars along the way.

I will be taking photos as we go so stay tuned for a fun virtual trip.