We still get asked about the "Those Girls" contest we ran last year. Lady riders want to read the stories of other women riders. We feature a different story every month.

I always wanted to learn to ride. When my husband got his second bike he wanted me to try his Kawasaki 500. My first ride was in the DARK yard. I dumped it before even going 20 feet, with his encouragement I didn’t give up. Next I’m thinking, this is easy and I am in love. The wind in my face, the love of my life cruising next to me. Life is good. My THIRD ride- what an adventure. At the highway I sit, scared to be in traffic. Shaking I slowly pull on to the highway, to afraid to go any faster then 30 and not super good at turns, a semi almost runs me over. I ended up in a ditch but with my bike still upright. I head home shaken. After a bit we try again. A 100 miles later we head to my parents place to show off my new skills. So much for showing off. I no more then get into the driveway when I go down. I jump up crying, yes I have some scratches but no I’m crying over my pretty bike with the BIG crushed tank. I know the best thing is to get back on. After that I would ride just to feel the freedom. As for my bike well I am one of “THOSE” girls, I took a class and learned how to repair/repaint my bike all my self. Now my husbands red vulcan is my beautiful blue Vulcan.

-Michelle Orlovetz 

We still get asked about the "Those Girls" contest we ran last year.  Lady riders want to read the stories of other women riders. We'll feature a different story every month.  Here is Julie's story.

For THIS girl, riding motorcycles is not just a fun pastime or hobby. For me, it is therapy. It is a time for me to get inside my own head; to set order to the jumble of thoughts and ideas that my mind has accumulated over the past 5 days. After a good 100 mile or so ride, I dismount with a much clearer mind and more positive outlook on life. I began riding motorcycles because I thought it was “cool”. I quickly realized that motorcycles were a puzzle piece in my life that had been missing for 28 years. In riding I found the self confidence I had always lacked. I learned to trust myself and my own decisions. I learned that I am truly stronger than I had previously thought. Riding also put me in control of my own life. I was no longer at the mercy of another person to take me where my heart desired. Riding motorcycles has taken this shy insecure girl to more places and with more people than she ever imagined. I have ridden some of the most beautiful roads in the U.S. I have drag-raced and exceeded 130 mph in the quarter mile. I have made a beautiful motorcycle family all over the U.S. (and beyond) out of the people I have met along my travels. Riding motorcycles truly is the best therapy in the world for me. 

-Julie Henderson

We are very excited about our upcoming trunk show!

Here are the details.

Sound Chick Accessories & VaVaVroom LLC present:

The Edge of Fashion Trunk Show

Friday, December 9, 2011 · 12:00pm - 8:00pm

Location:  Made in Chicago: presented by AIBI Pop-Up Store, 44 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL

We still get asked about the "Those Girls" contest we ran last year. Everyone wants to read the entries and learn the stories of other women riders. We'll feature a different story every month.

Ride. Race. Live

I started riding at sixteen years old, I’m one of “those” girls because my mom is one of them too! As a little girl the motorcycles came out very rarely, but whenever they did, my sisters and I demanded rides all day. I hit sixteen and a motorcycle license was priority number one- I received my MC license before my actual driver’s license. I started on a Honda Rebel 250, and then moved up onto a Suzuki SV650S. But soon enough, street riding simply wasn’t enough. What I ride and race that truly makes me one of “those” girls is a 1974 Honda CB360. I race in the USCRA at Loudon NH and it’s a pleasure to be one of the handfuls of female racers on the grid. What I wear that makes me on of “those” girls is a customized Vanson leather suit with my race number and last name, and a custom painted Arai helmet. Gear is more than just something you put on, these functional items save our lives and when you are covered head to toe they are the only things truly identifying you on the road/street/track. What do I do for fun that makes me one of “those” girls? Ride the dirt or practice Supermoto on my Yamaha TTR 125 :) To commute, to cruise, to race, to practice, to have fun…..2 wheels or nothing! That’s what makes me one of “those” girls.

-Jen Ross

During the Chicago Harley Davidson open house in Glenview, hundreds of motorcyclist came to see, buy, and simply interact among one another. One of those motorcyclists was motivational speaker and author of Repotting Yourself: Financial-Emotional-Spiritual Flow, Mary Lou Dobbs. During our interview I asked Mary, why she wrote the book, " I wrote the book because I felt stuck...I had this sticky feeling of being stuck...buying the motorcycle moved me in the direction of living life full throttle and I wanted to share it with other people."

Many women are successful in their careers but often feel empty. When we understand ourselves, our needs and our wants, energy seems to flow from within us to accomplish all our goals and feel alive, juicy, sassy and vibrant. Repotting yourself, weaves sales strategies and power phrases throughout the text to help women sell themselves on how they can master the impossible and give up their winning strategy, which may have enabled them to meet many of their goals but also limited their full potential. As the conversation continued Mary told me that, "You dont give up your fear, you harness your fears, but if you become focused enough to choose better options, you may make better life choices.

I enjoyed reading Mary Lou's book and received inspiration and ideas on how to improve my life. If you would like to purchase it, you can here: Buy Now!

Top 10 Riding Apparel Safety Tips

10.In the rain, wear breathable, waterproof fabric

9. Wear protective gear that is such durable as Teflon or leather

8. Do not wear loose fitting clothing that could get trapped in the gears of your bike

7. Wear gloves that have traction on the palms

6. Wear riding boots with re-enforced toes

5. Wear sunglasses during the day and clear lenses glasses at night

4. Remove any jewelry which could get tangled while you are riding

3. Wear protective riding pants

2. Wear protective riding jacket

1. Wear a helmet that is DOT or Snell approved

By Jessica Rush, VaVaVroom Fashion Design Intern

I have a leather riding jacket that I have been riding in for the past couple of years.  I was looking for another jacket with a removable liner so that it was more versatile weather wise. I wanted more pockets and I also wanted a jacket with CE approved armor. My jacket now is reinforced and has some padding but doesn’t have actual armor.   

I got the VaVaVroom riding jacket and I love it. I was drawn to the jacket first because of the style and the clean look of the stripes down the side. The waist and the sleeves have adjustable straps so that it fits snug to my body with out riding up. My bike has nowhere to put anything so for me pockets are really important; there are a lot of great pockets in this jacket (including a cell phone pocket on the inside).     

There is removable CE approved armor in the elbows and shoulders. There is also a removable back pad. Having the protection makes me so much more comfortable.

Like I said I needed a more appropriate jacket for different weather conditions. I love the fact that it has a removable liner and the jacket is textile, so it’s breathable. And it even has a vent in the back. When you remove the liner you don’t loose interior pockets because they are on both! I also like that there is a hood on this jacket. It snaps down so that it doesn’t flap around. Let’s be honest sometimes when I take off my helmet to reveal my helmet hair I just want to cover it up right away, and the hood does just that for me.

To give you an idea of size I’m 5’3’’ and 110lbs, I wear a small in this jacket. The small is true to size; there is enough room to wear layers underneath with out loosing movement or feeling too bulky. With the tightening straps on the side I am able to adjust it to my body. It’s a great fit. Retail price is $149.99.  All and all I got the things I really wanted out of this jacket and it’s a steal at that price!  You can purchase online here.

By Jessica Rush, Fashion Intern at VaVaVroom

I was in the market for a riding boot that was going to be more comfortable and give me a bit more height, given that I am only 5’3’’.  My biggest issue with my current riding boots is that I can only wear them for a couple hours before my feet start to ache. 

 There were a couple of boots that I had thought about purchasing but I wasn’t totally sold on any until I saw these.  They had a nice stylish look, the heel I wanted and they were waterproof.   As soon as I got them I put them on and wore them around the house, they were instantly comfortable.  The first time I wore them riding, I rode for 100 miles straight.  My feet were comfortable the whole time.  I felt like I had good traction and I could be flat footed on my bike too.   Usually once I get to my destination I want to peel off my boots right away, I was fine walking around for a couple hours in these and getting back on the bike.       

Fit:

I typically wear a 6.5 and these boots don’t come in half sizes, so I got the 7.  I’m happy with the way they fit.  I thought that I might have to wear a thicker sock but I rode in them this weekend wearing a thin sock and I was totally fine.  No slipping or rubbing anywhere.    

Traction:

Being a smaller girl I sometimes have a hard time maneuvering my bike around especially if there is an incline (like my driveway).  The soles on these boots have a lot of grip, much more then my other boot.  This is not something I thought about much until I tried these, what a difference! 

Comfort:

I put these boots on and was shocked at how comfortable they were even with the bigger heel.  They are soft and reliable with still feeling that they are durable.  There is no need for any break in time they were comfortable instantly!  I felt completely stable and balanced wearing this 3’’ heel with no worries about twisting an ankle.

Features:

-Amitex lining – A four season lining that’s breathable, absorbs moisture, and is antifungal.

-Zippers on either side for easy on and off

-3’’ heel

-Extremely soft waterproof leather

Retail price: $169.99  

Purchase online here.

Mods vs. Rockers Chicago, 2011

The Mods vs. Rockers event, hosted by Ton Up Club Chicago on Friday and Saturday, June 17 – 18, 2011 was a rip roarin' success. Attendance was at its highest this year, with countless rows of bikes lining Lincoln Avenue near Delilah's Bar. Over 1,500 people attended, riding into the city of Chicago from over 30 different states. Country flags were placed on the street indicating to bikers where they should part their bikes. Triumphs squeezed into the UK spaces, BMWs filled in the German spaces, Kawasaki, Hondas, and Suzukis filled the Asian section and of course the Harley's parked by the US flags. The “Mods” (scooter riders) also represented by filling in all possible parking spaces reserved for them. Friday night's activities included rally registration and bag pick up, following by a rumble cruise to the Bottom Lounge. Saturday's activities started around 1pm and included a vintage motorcycle and scooter show, followed by the Mods and Rockers riding to the Bottom Lounge on Lake St. Once at the Bottom Lounge, all riders feasted on fish and chips dinners while checking out the Triumph hosted fashion show.

 NEW Cafe' Racer Burnout Tee

 VaVaVroom participated at the Saturday event where owner, Denise Maple, show cased the company's newest product- the Cafe' Racer Burnout Tee. The positive feedback from the crowd for this product has further fueled VaVroom's excitement to launch this great new product. Look for the new Cafe' Racer Burnout Tee soon.... VaVaVroom also sold its full line of motorcycle and scooter casualwear, jackets and jewelry.

For more pictures- check out Tone Up Club's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ton-Up-Chicago/75094371681

Denise Maple

Newly appointed President, CBAA

On May 12, 2011, Denise Maple, founder of VaVaVroom, was elected president of the University of Illinois College of Business Alumni Association (CBAA). Joining Denise on the board are Steve Cohen of the Private Bank as vice president and Julie Scott of CTS Holdings, Inc. as treasurer. Previous president and treasurer, Jim Goss and Julia Cloud, were thanked by Denise and the board for their years of service.

The College of Business Alumni Associations’ mission is to provide activities and services through which the alumni develop and maintain lifelong relationships with one another, the college, and the university. These activities and services focus on networking, career and educational opportunities, volunteer activities, occasional interaction with current students and support of their initiatives or programs, recognition of alumni achievements, and support of various awards and scholarships

When asked how Maple is planning on meeting the organization’s mission she commented that:

“She would like to lead the board for the next two years to increase the level of outreach to alumni, faculty and students through expanded programming and analysis of existing events. She plans on implementing a speaker series to engage students, faculty and alumni, informing them about important topics in today’s business world”.  

With her experiences as a Lasalle Bank Vice President and the owner of a successful women’s motorcycle apparel start up venture, VaVaVroom, Maple is well qualified to effectively lead this organization.  

Denise Maple, founder of VaVaVroom LLC, received a Future Founders Champion of the Year Award to recognize her contributions to the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center's Future Founders Program. The Future Founders program was created in 2005 to expose students to careers in entrepreneurship and to foster skills such as public speaking, presentation, technology, and financial literacy skills by giving them the opportunity to work with successful local entrepreneurs.

Maple was presented this honor at a ceremony located at the Hard Rock Cafe, on May 4, 2011. Notes Maple on her award, “I really enjoyed working with the students on their business plans. I was the one mentoring them, however I still learned a great deal from them about the importance of creativity. I get as much out of it as I give. Seeing these kids learn and gain confidence throughout the year is very rewarding for me.”

The Future Founders Champion Award is awarded to volunteers who have made a significant impact on the lives of our young entrepreneurs. These volunteers have been committed to Future Founders for multiple years and are champions of the effort to expose students to careers in entrepreneurship.

This year’s Future Founder's contest included steeper competition; participants grew from 160 students in 2010 to 200 students in 2011. Students at five south side Chicago public high schools were provided the opportunity to become young entrepreneurs. The competition required students to develop and showcase a business plan for a new products or service they created independently. The students were recognized for their businesses by a panel of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. A total of $25,000 in prizes were awarded to various participants. The champion award and 1^st place in the technology category was awarded to Anthony Driver from the Chicago International Charters School's Ralph Ellison campus for his unique Charge 'N' Go device. Driver's device charges consumer electronics. Karalyn Kelly, a junior at Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy, won the product category with “Food Girl”, a business that makes and delivers lunches for high school students and faculty. For more information about the Future Founders program, visit www.chicagolandec.org/futurefounders.

Maple is no stranger to mentoring since she has held various leadership roles at LaSalle Bank, including a Senior Vice President position. Maple also understands what it takes to create a successful new business, as the founder of the increasingly popular female motorcycle apparel company, VaVaVroom LLC. She created VaVaVroom in 2007 to counter a lack of femininity and style in an ever-increasing market of women motorcycle enthusiasts. The apparel company delivers a passion for design, fit, and practicality to the industry.  

 Denise Maple, recipient of Future Founder's Award                                            

Teacher Scott Steward ofGwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy was honored for his contributions to the Future Founders program.

The results are in for the 1.0 Riding Jacket Sweepstakes! Congratulations to the three lucky winners:

  - Valerie Brownlow

  - Jenna Osborne

  - Carol Moore

The winners will receive two VaVaVroom 1.0 Riding Jackets - one for themself and one for a friend.  Sweepstakes entrants were asked to tell us their favorite part of our new riding jacket.  With over 400 responses we were elated by the high level of participation. A special thanks to the participants for their valuable feedback. This information helps our staff  create the best female motorcycle and scooter apparel on the market.   

The favorite attribute about the jacket was the overall, sleek, and stylish design.  Some comments include:

 “My most favorite feature of the VaVaVroom Riding Jacket is the quality and sleek design. These features show that I’m serious about riding when other people see me wearing it”

 “The new VaVaVroom 1.0 Riding Jacket is a great fit and shows my style down to it’s wonderful detail”

 Also among favorite attributes were the adjustable straps - allowing each rider to fit the jacket to her body, the edgy racing strips, the light-weight material - making the jacket a comfortable fit for the spring and summer, and the reflective arm bands - making the jacket a safe bet.

  Sportbike Track Girl is proud to announce the    "Ladies First" all-female track day, Friday, July 1,  2011 to be held at Grattan Raceway, Belding,  Michigan for the discounted price of only $105!*

 As usual, ST Girl is happy to provide free leather  rental and complimentary "Track Assistance  Program." TAP is designed to provide total  support for our women riders so that they can  attend track days independently. We're happy to  help unload your bike, prep it so that it passes  inspection, offer mechanical/technical  assistance throughout the day and help  load/strap down your bike for your trip home.

 The "Ladies First" day will follow a  traditional LED format, with 2 groups and  extended track sessions of 30 minutes!  Riders  will choose their group based on track  experience and comfort. Riders that are new to the track (novice level) or have somewhat limited intermediate track experience can particpate in the "Sport" group. Riders that have more track experience (fast intermediate or advanced riders) and are capable and comfortable with high-speed cornering, braking and passing can particpate in the "SuperSport" group. Classroom instruction will be provided for the "Sport" group, with "SuperSport" participation encouraged.

Sign up for "Ladies First" today: http://www.sportbiketracktime.com/July-Track-Time-Events/

Reservations for leathers rental must be made before June 24, 2011, via the Contact form on this website. All questions may also be submitted via this website. http://www.sportbiketrackgirl.com/index.php/contact/

*STT annual membership fee of $35 must be purchased to activate discount.

VaVavroom, Rebel Girls, and others are sponsors.

VaVaVroom announced its upcoming motorcycle and scooter riding jacket sweepstakes, which will be held on the company's Facebook page from May 17 - June 7, 2011. In keeping with the company's spirit of designing fashionable, functional riding apparel for women of all sizes, the contest will ask women motorcycle and scooter riders to answer the following question in 50 words or less:  

"What is your favorite feature of the new VaVaVroom 1.0 Motorcycle and Scooter Riding Jacket and why?"

VaVaVroom founder, Denise Maple, noted that VaVaVroom "wants to collect feedback from its loyal community of women riders and reward them for their valuable input."

After submitting answers on VaVaVroom’s Facebook page, contestants will automatically be entered into its weekly sweepstakes for two VaVaVroom 1.0 Riding Jackets, the company’s newest product. Since two jackets are better than one - contest winners will receive one jacket for themselves and one for a lucky friend.  In the event that a winner has already purchased the 1.0 Riding Jacket at VaVaVroomOnline.com during the sweepstakes period, they will be reimbursed for their purchase by VaVaVroom LLC. Submissions will be accepted from May 17 – June 7, 2011. In addition to the company’s Facebook page, contest entries will also be accepted by mail. Three weekly prizes will be awarded on May 25, June 1, and June 8, 2011. Winners will be chosen at random. Full contest rules can be found on VaVaVroom’s Facebook page by clicking on the Sweepstakes tab.

VaVaVroom 1.0 Riding Jacket Description

-  White vertical stripes on the left side of the black jacket offer style

-  Snap-down hood offers practicality

-  The jacket is adjustable with tightening straps at the hips and cuffs

-  Hidden elastic at the hips offers even greater versatility to fit all shapes and sizes 

-  CE - approved removable armor at shoulders and elbows and removable back pad

-  Reflective armbands and piping for safety and visibility 

-  Curved piping for a flattering look

-  Removable liner and venting for changing temperatures

-  Water-resistant Cordura shell for abrasion resistance

 -  Branded by the VaVaVroom logo

 -  Offered in sizes Small - 3XL, true American sizing

-  Jacket retails for $149.99

Women are encouraged to see and try on the new 1.0 Motorcycle and Scooter Riding Jacket at VaVaVroom dealers and upcoming events including Mods vs. Rockers on June 18, 2011 in Chicago and Rockerbox on August 6, 2011 in Milwaukee. 

VaVaVroom not only wants to give away its jacket, the company also wants to "give back". During the month of May, VaVaVroom is encouraging customers to "Shop to Save a Life". VaVaVroom will donate 10% of May, 2011 online motorcycle jacket sales to Riders for Health.  Riders for Health mobilizes health workers, providing millions of people in rural Africa with access to care. Without reliable transportation, this would not be possible.  Riders for Health is training local health workers in seven countries across Africa to operate their motorcycles safely and to carry out basic preventative maintenance. This ensures that the motorcycles will not break down and the health workers are able to efficiently and effectively do the job they were trained to do.  This jacket purchase brings Riders for Health steps closer to its vision of a world in which people do not suffer or die simply because the health care they need does not reach them.

During the month of May, VaVaVroom is encouraging customers to “Shop to Save a Life".  Literally. VaVaVroom will donate 10% of May online motorcycle jacket sales to an African focused organization called Riders For Health. The goal of this not-for- profit organization is to provide basic healthcare needs to Africans living in remote, hard to reach locations. Riders for Health has been recognized by the international business consultancy OC&C in 2005 as providing sustainable development benefits in Africa by creating a self sustaining organization. In other words, Riders For Health is the real deal - they are making tremendous, life saving differences in Africa and they are being officially recognized for doing so. 

The main idea behind Riders For Health is to train healthcare professionals (many of whom are women) to ride and maintain motorcycles to be able to reach more Africans in need of basic healthcare. One healthcare professional may be responsible for up to 20,000 people. Motorcycles are cheaper and easier to maintain than cars, not to mention they are easier to handle on many of the atrociously maintained African roads.  Immunizations for common killers in Africa such as measles and malaria are the bulk of the healthcare services provided. 

Please check out the link below to VaVaVroom’s newest product - the fashionable, versatile, and sleek new 1.0 Riding Jacket. This is your "must have" jacket of the season.  10% of all online jacket sale proceeds will be donated to Riders for Health for the month of May, 2011. VaVaVroom is proud to support such a life changing organization. For more information about Riders For Health, please see link below.

 VaVaVroom Jacket Features - Vertical stripes on the left offer style - Snap-down hood offers practicality - Adjustable with tightening straps at the hips and cuffs - Hidden elastic at the hips offers versatility to fit all shapes and sizes - CE-approved removable armor at shoulders and elbows - Removable back pad - Reflective armbands and piping for safety  - Curved piping for a slimming effect - Removable liner and venting for changing weather - Water-resistant Cordura shell for abrasion resistance - Branded by the VaVaVroom logo - Offered in sizes Small - 3XL - True American sizing.

VaVaVroom Motorcycle Jacket- $149.99

Riders For Health Website

Are you one of "those" girls?

Tell us your story.

Enter our "Those Girls" contest.  See details on our home page.

Enter October 1st - 22nd.

Vote October 23rd-November 9th. Winner will be announced November 10th.

Grand prize: over $650 in motorcycle products.

Weekly random prizes drawings through November 4th.

See VaVaVroom's Motorcycle Gear for Women, Fashionable Scooter Tees, Motorcycle Jewelry and much, much more.

Total Miles = 154

Total Miles = 353

Today, I woke up refreshed and well-rested and was on the road by 8:30. The landscape as I left Walla Walla was breathtaking. Amber waves of grain as far as the eye could see. And when the landscape was green, it was very green. The contrast between different crops was so vivid. I thought it couldn't get any better and then I reached the Idaho border and rode US Rte. 12 across Idaho... 200 miles of winding, curvy roads through national forest. I didn't encounter one stoplight or one stop sign for the entire 200 miles. The road winds along the Lochsa River. The beauty was truly awesome. My pictures do not do them justice, but here they are.

Walla Walla wheat fields with contrasting green fields.

The next town beyond Walla Walla - Yes, that's a camel!

The view along the Lochsa River in Lowell, ID.

Resting by the Lochsa River.

They really do sell cows! - Drummond, MT. Once into Montana, the speed limit increased and in Missoula, I found 90 E where I buzzed along to Butte, MT. My new motorcycle windscreen did wonders and I didn't mind the highway speed at all.

Total Miles = 258

I had planned to sleep in today, but nature called and I needed to use the facilities. I guess I'm up at 5:30 am again today. Turned out to be a good thing because Bob's BMW crew, saying goodbye to Nancy Foote and Walt Fulton of Streetmasters Motorcycle Workshop, saying goodbye to Scott and the Canadians, running to Walgreen's for Jonny, and lastly, getting gas. Whew! I finally got out of there around 11:30. I wasn't feeling all that well, so I took it easy through the windy roads of Oregon. My route was 97 N, 293 E, 218 E, 19 N, 84 E, 730 E, 12 E to Walla Walla, Washington.

It really was beautiful throughout. 293 and 218 were especially fun with some twists and turns. 84 is scenic along the Hood River. On 730, I crossed in to Washington and began to follow the Columbia River. Walla Walla is a nice tourist town with many wineries. The best hotel rate was at La Quinta. A nice place with all of the necessary amenities.

Scott from Neenah, Wi and me - We met Scott last year at the MOA rally in Johnson City, TN.

Jerry putting on my Grab On grip covers. Grip covers extend the life of your expensive grips and reduce vibration. Jerry was proud of me for getting a bunch of free stuff - a new ZTechnik windscreen, ZTechnik headlight cover, ZTechnik GPS mount (I guess I better get a GPS now), microfiber cloth, the grip covers, a book by Mary Lou Dobbs (I will interview her on Side Stand Up); and a great deal on a new Airhawk seat cover and a PIAA headlamp. I also bought new cooling sleeves from LD Comfort. They are dual purpose - cover my wrists so I don't get sunburn due to my too short sleeves on my riding jackets and you can soak them in water and feel cool on your ride.  Everything else I need like women's motorcycle gloves, clothing, women's motorcycle boots, biker patches and even ladies hair charms comes directly from VaVaVroomonline.com.

Mike with his 3rd place ribbon from the GS contest. Go Mikey!

Jerry and Sharon with the medal and 1st place ribbon from the GS contest. They got two extra points because Sharon was wearing a VaVaVroom shirt that matched the yellow bike!

Total Miles = 0

No time to ride when you are working like a dog. Up by 6:00 a.m. to shower and ready to work the booth around 8:00. On my way to the showers, I snapped a pic of the mountain range.

 The rally site is in a beautiful place. In keeping with tradition, The Chicago Region BMW MOA Owner's Association rented a tent for club members to gather during the rally.

It is nice to have a place to catch up and get out of the sun. Our last day in the booth was busy and VaVaVroom sales were the best of any of the days.  Biker patches and women's motorcycle apparel were hot on the days list, but it was getting late and my appetite was growing.  In keeping with tradition, Fred cooked for all of the Bob's BMW booth staff. I swear they were the best tacos I've ever had!

Total Miles = 0 While the BMW MOA rally is a ton of fun, it is also exhausting! I decided to get up at 6:00 am or earlier every day to ensure a timely shower. (The lack of showers this year at the rally is frustrating!). Today reminded me how being on your feet for ten hours straight can be wearing.

.

However, we had a lot of fun working the Bob's BMW vendor booth today and we sold a lot of motorcycle gear, and women's motorcycle tees. And I do think the booth looks great! 

For dinner, I was invited to the BMW ON Magazine contributors dinner. I invited a Chicago Region BMW MOA club member, Mike. It was interesting to hear a BMW Motorrad executive speak about the future of BMW (it looks bright!).

 This is Vince Winkel, the editor of the magazine. Vince had tried to play a joke on me in front of everyone, but didn't have the right prop. The prop in question was a thong. Hmmm. I'm glad he couldn't find the prop.

After dinner, Mike and I hung out with the other Chicago club members in our gathering tent. It was nice to see our friend Scott from Neenah, Wisconsin. We met him last year and adopted him as an honorary Chicago member.

Total Miles = 45

Now, the business part of my trip begins. Today, at the BMW MOA rally in Redmond, Oregon, I will be selling VaVaVroom women's motorcycle apparel through the Bob's BMW booth. We spent the better part of the day setting all of this up. The best part of the day was receiving a new, free windscreen for my motorcycle - a ZTechnik brand - much needed. Since my motorcycle was used as the demo bike at the vendor booth, I get to keep it! That is awesome because I was going to buy one anyway! In the evening, I joined Bob Henig of Bob's BMW and Sam Henig (his son) and Fred Oppido (my fellow booth workers) for the BMW MOA Ambassador's dinner. Here is a picture of Sam and Fred.

 I also ran into my old friends, Walt Fulton and Nancy Foote, of Streetmasters Motorcycle Workshops (pictured here in their Streetmasters red!).

 After the dinner, Bob, Fred, Sam and I took a really quick ride to Smith Rock. We stopped to see "the rock" over looking a beautiful stream with hikers below and rock climbers above
.

This trip has been full of beautiful and inspiring geography.

Total Miles = 320

Days like today make days like yesterday all worth it.

 The highlight of the day was riding Hwy 26 in Oregon through a mountainous, cavernous, gorgeous (gorges!) landscape. Roads just technical enough to engage us but not tiring. I highly recommend this route to any motorcycle riders or travelers. On our first gas stop, we encountered some fellow BMW travelers (see our motorcycle helmets all lined up together?) and the inside of the gas station had a bison head hanging as well as other local game.

It also had funny signs up all over - reminding customers not to pee on the seat in the washroom, etc. We arrived in Redmond around 5:00 pm at the BMW MOA International Rally site. We found a place next to some Canadians that quickly become friends. Mike from Trenton, Ontario and Jerry and Sharon from Niagara Falls. They are a ton of fun and we enjoyed dinner with them at Coyote Ranch. A good time was had by all, ay.

Total Miles = 360

We left our lovely motel in Douglas, WY at 8:30 am in search of the World's Largest Jackalope and the world's even larger jackalope! We were lucky to see them as they are quite rare : ). We also got a quick look at the locomotive museum. On one of our gas stops, someone walked off with my coat (which was sitting on my motorcycle) and left it in the parking lot. Nothing was gone. Were they looking for a wallet? A nice lady found it and brought it inside. Luckily, I was walking by just as she was doing so. Note to self: Don't be so trusting in tourist areas! We had a beautiful ride on U.S. 20 by a lake into some elevation. Sweepers! My favorite. Alas, it started to rain and we had to be more cautious. By the time we got to Thermopolis, WY, the wind were blowing something fierce. We ducked into the Fountain of Youth Diner to assess the situation. A quick internet search alerted us to a serious storm so we decided to wait it out. Yummy food there - tater tots, brisket. Mmmmm.

Bear spray? Let's hope a situation where that would be needed never arises. Just in case, tips on how to handle a bear attack, here.

Hi! I'm Katlin, one of the current Marketing Interns at VaVaVroom and today I'm guest blogging about this year's 18th annual Ride To Work Day taking place Monday, June 21, 2010. Riding motorcycles or scooters provides economic and environmental benefits, not to mention how fun and practical they are! Ride your motorcycle or scooter on this day to demonstrate:

• The number of motorcyclists to the general public and to politicians.
• That motorcyclists are from all occupations and all walks of life.
• That motorcyclists can reduce traffic and parking congestion in large cities.
• That motorcycles are for transportation as well as recreation.
• That motorcycling is a social good.

So this year, reduce your environmental footprint, save money and fuel, and enjoy yourself, by making a point to ride your bike to work on June 21, and for the rest of the summer! For more information, click here.

Ok, I admit it. I'm crazy about the Twilight series. And doesn't Jacob look hot on that motorcycle? So, I'd like to share with you a giveaway contest on Kristi & Kim's blog. Kristi and Kim are giving away the New Moon DVD, which is being released on March 20, 2010, and other fun stuff for Twihards. Just click here and here to learn more. It's easy to enter and so much fun!

Check out Sweeps4Bloggers.com! They are offering a free Total Moto VaVaVroom tee. Just follow the link and see how you might win. Hurry! All entries must be in by February 8, 2010.

Thank you to Redneck Witch at Networking Witches for facilitating our latest give-away of a For the Love of Chrome Long Sleeve Thermal in pink! Click here for more info. Ends January 15, 2010.

Streetmasters Motorcycle Workshop is owned and run by Walt Fulton (pictured above) and Nancy Foote. Walt is a former motorcycle racer, winning three times at Daytona, and Nancy, an experienced rider in her own right, is known as the Queen of the Backroads. I had the wonderful opportunity to take their workshop today. We started our day at the Hampton Inn conference room in Lancaster, CA. Early on, Walt emphasized the need for head turns and to "look where you want to go". He stated, "If your neck isn't sore by the end of today, I'm going to be disappointed!" The course also teaches a delayed apex in a corner for street riding. The delayed apex gives you a better look into the turn before committing to it. It also helps you stay clear of the center line (and potential center lane crossers) and sets you up for the next corner. It should be noted that this is very different than how you would approach a corner on the race track. The idea of the "tipping point" was also discussed. One comment I found to be very helpful is that your tipping point (the moment you "tip" or "lean" into your turn) should happen once you can see through the turn, allowing you to make a more informed decision about how to approach it.

No fear. Today is Friday the 13th. Something bad is supposed to happen, right? Today it was all good. Last February, I entered a raffle to benefit the Women's Motorcyclist Foundation and Breast Cancer Research. In that raffle, I was the lucky winner of a free motorcycle class, but not just any class, the Streetmasters Motorcycle Workshop in sunny California. My hosts, Walt Fulton and Nancy Foote, rolled out the red carpet. Walt picked me up yesterday at John Wayne Airport. We stopped at Kawasaki Motorcycles North American HQ in Irvine, CA, and I got a tour of the facilities. My first bike was a Kawasaki Vulcan Classic, so I have a soft spot in my heart for Kawis. Today, Nancy and I met Phil (one of the track marshals at Streetmasters) at the Hill Street Cafe in La Cañada for breakfast . (Walt was kind enough to lend me his 1997 R1100RS!) It's located at the base of Angeles Crest Highway. Unfortunately, we couldn't take it, because of recent fires, it's closed... With Nancy, Queen of the Backroads, leading the way, we took 210 West to 5 North to 126 West in Santa Paula, and this where it starts to get interesting. 150 W goes to Ojai where we tooks pictures and got gas. Beautiful vistas. From there 33 North - my favorite part - as we came down the mountain - ahhh sweepers. And Nancy has mad skills, so she was the perfect person to follow (and emulate). We stopped at the ranger station, Phil and I switched bikes and I rode his Goldwing for a bit. A first for me. I liked it and could see its benefits, especially on the expressway, but I felt way more comfortable on the BMW. From there, we took 166 to the Cerro Noroestre to the Mil Potrero Highway. We had a delightful lunch at La Lena at Pine Mountain. It was startin to get cold, it was in the 30s up there (and we saw snow on the mountain tops)! So I put on my winter gloves and we made our way to Lancaster. A rough guess at our route was taking Frasier Park Road to the old highway to Gorman Post to 138 to 3 Points Road through Elizabeth Lake on Lake Hughes Road to Quartz Hill through Antelope Valley into Lancaster. It was cold when we got there! In the 40s, but it seemed colder because of the wind. Happy to get inside and warm up.

Big thanks to Kevin and Tom (pictured here) for a great ride today. We started at Flying Saucer in Humboldt Park for breakfast. Great fresh food. Then we set out to ride to Union Pier, Michigan. From Chicago, we took 94 east past Gary, Indiana to 20 east to 12 east through New Buffalo, MI to the Red Arrow Highway. Had a very nice lunch at the Whistlestop. Again, a place with great, fresh food. We were told by the folks in Whistlestop to find the signs for the circle tours. I think they are meant for bicyclists, but we loved them too. The day was gorgeous and the trees were in full color. There are quite a few wineries in the area and we rode past many grapefields. I had never been to that area before, but I know I will be back soon!

While at the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference this past July, I joined the Motor Maids, the first women's motorcycle riding organization in America. On Saturday, I met with fellow Motor Maid, Betty Craft Hartman. We enjoyed a nice lunch at the diner at Kegel's Harley-Davidson in Rockford. The diner is open daily for breakfast and lunch. Betty has been riding since the 1970's. When her son bought a bike, she helped him fix it up and decided that she should be able to ride it if she was fixing it. The rest is history. I am excited to be a part of such a legendary group of riding women!

Although it was a damp, cold day, many scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts came out for the 2009 ACEtoberfest at Ace Motorcycle & Scooter in Chicago. The day included vendors, food (brats of course), beer (the good stuff), and a bike show. And I was hanging out with a winner that day. Chris from Criminal Customs took home two prizes! One for best American bike and one for the best custom. Congratulations Chris! Don't miss this event next year.

My friend and riding buddy, Sandra, and I embarked on our third annual trek to the BMW MOA Rally. This year the rally was in Johnson City, TN. Here is a travel journal of our trip.

July 13, 2009

402 miles in IL, IN, KY

I left my place in Chicago at 10:00 AM and headed over to Sandra’s to put air in my tires and to pick her up. We left there around 10:45. Took the Skyway to 65 South in Indiana, then off to Kokomo, IN to have lunch with Tom Lowdermilk, the host of Side Stand Up. Tom treated us to pork tenderloin sandwiches and cheese burgers at the local pub. (Thanks, Tom!). Here is a picture of Tom and me after the feast.

Tom gave us a great route towards the KY dams and around Lexington. We hit the best route (229 South) at night. It would have been so fun in the daytime. We probably started looking for camping too late and there was no where to stay on the last stretch, so we rode until midnight until we found an Econo Lodge in Georgetown, KY. For $50/night, it was actually a pretty decent room. Other than a moth in Sandra’s bed, it was clean. Finally to bed at 1:00 AM.

July 14, 2009 312 Miles in KY,VA, TN

The next morning we planned our route – mainly 460 – 11 to 66 to 25 East to 58/421 to 181 South to 23/26 to Gray, TN for the BMW MOA Rally. Great riding especially on 11 and 66 in Kentucky. We arrived at the rally around 6:30 PM, found one Chicago Region BMW MOA member, - Skip and chatted with him a while. We then found Hank and Cindy, also CR BMW members, who led us to the Chicago Region tent and camping area (shown here).

We set up camp and finished that just in time to call in to my segment on Side Stand Up. Tom and I interviewed Sandra on her experiences with track days. I think she inspired a few listeners to try it! We finished that up just in time to join Hand and Cindy for dinner at Alta Cucina in Johnson City, TN. Great meal! Fresh food. Highly recommend it. When we got back it was late and to bed by midnight.

7/15/09 139 Miles in TN and VA

Got up at 6:30 AM to shower and eat. With a little caffeine I made it over to help Bob Henig and his crew set up the vendor booth for Bob's BMW. Sandra offered to help me get the VaVaVroom – wear set up and that made it go a lot faster. Bob was nice enough to bring in lunch. I think the VaVaVroom display looked pretty damn good. Check out a picture here.

After we finished there, we stopped at a gas station and saw Vince Winkel, the editor of BMW Owners News. Here is a silly picture of Vince and me.

We then took of on a short ride. Little did we know how much fun we would have. From Gray we took 23/26 NW to 81 North to Route 19 to 80 East through Hayter’s Gap (pronounced Highters). It was beautiful with lush green trees and fields, winding roads and then it got real interesting. Amazing switchbacks and sharp curves. It was so intense, I loved it. It was like a mini Tail of the Dragon. We barely saw any cars and no other motorcycles. We stopped at the Hayter’s Gap library to the washroom. Karen Poston, the librarian (and a talented musician and singer, was super nice (picture here). She asked us to sign the guest book, gave us a bookmark and recommended a restaurant for dinner. We found her restaurant – Harvest Table in Meadowsview, owned by Barbara Kingsolver and Steven Hopp, who has written many books on good eating. The food is all organic and really it was an amazing meal. Sandra and I shared the Black Bean and 3 cheese Quesadilla and Shrimp Sausage Jambalaya – yum. Attached to the restaurant is the Meadowview Farmer’s Guild – a quaint general store with locally made candies, honey, scarves, quilted bags and more. Really a great place.

It began to sprinkle as we were leaving so we got moving and jumped on 81 to 23/26 back to Gray. The ride wasn’t bad at all. We were happy to share our route with our friends at the camping area. Many new people arrived and it is becoming quite the gathering. See here how it looked with all of the tents. And this is before it got crowded! July 16, 2009 2 miles in TN

Ah, the joys of camping. Difficult to fall asleep last night, even with earplugs and Tylenol PM. When it started raining though I found it easier – drowning out the people talking (or maybe the raining drove them inside) and someone snoring nearby. Up at 6:00 AM to shower and get ready for a busy day. Long lines by 7:00 for the men’s showers – ha but not for the women – for once we don’t have to wait.

Working at Bob’s BMW was fun this morning and we sold a lot. I gave a seminar on Women’s Motorcycle Apparel at 1:00 PM, similar to the one I gave last year. The room was full and we had great participation. You can find an article with the content of the presentation here. On the way out of the seminar, I ran into Paul Loconti – who I met last year at our hotel in Gillette. See the Gillette, Wyoming blog for more about Paul. I visited my friends at LD Comfort in the afternoon and then went to say hi to Nate Kern, my motorcycle racer friend, at the BMW demo booth. Here is a picture of Nate introducing the new S1000RR. Sandra and I were invited to the BMW On Magazine contributors dinner. Good food, nice people. They gave us a case of beer as a parting gift so we took it over to the CR- BMW MOA tent for the climb. After a short stay in the beer tent, we called it a night. It’s been hot – hearing it will cool off tomorrow.

July 17, 2009

0 miles in TN

Cold shower at 7:30 AM – but at least I didn’t have to wait in line. Coffee and donuts in the CR BMW tent and then off to a busy morning at Bob’s BMW booth. I was excited to find the Belice BMW riding jacket and pants significantly reduced at Blue Moon Cycle’s booth. $350 for both - what a deal! I will have to get the jacket altered but it still worth it. I'm sure I saved at least 40%. Sandra, Jonny and I tried to see Nate Kern’s presentation on his successful racing career, but there was standing room only by the time we got there. No room except for in the hallways. I went back to Bob’s booth and it was still busy. (Yay!)

Afterwards, I found Nate Kern and took him, Tallie Shelton (Director of Sales for the Johnson City Convention and Visitors Bureau) and Jim Doyle (Nate's pit manager) to the CR BMW BBQ. Many of the club members have heard about Nate so it was nice to introduce him. On the way to get funnelcake. I received a call from Dee Jones. another friend we met last year at Gillette. He had decided to come to the rally. It was really great catching up with him and hearing his crazy stories. Then Jim Doyle came along again and then Nate and Tallie in a side car. The rest of the night was spent in the CR BMW tent talking about riding and ghost stories! Jonny's story was the best.

July 18, 2009 80 miles in TN, NC

“Slept in” until 7:00 AM. Cold shower and breakfast. Worked at Bob’s BMW booth for an hour. Then I ducked out to take a short ride with a group from CR BMW. From Gray, TN, we rode 25 East to 107 South at the TN/NC border 109 turns into 395. The group continued on 226 North I turned back right before that to get back to work Bob’s booth. After shutting down the booth, we went over to see the presentation of the awards and raffle prizes – great prizes by the way! Bob bought The Bob’s – BMW Road Crew dinner (Thanks, Bob!) and we relaxed outside Fred’s airstream trailers. The picture here is the entire crew - Henry, Fred, Mike, Denise, Sam and Bob. When they headed back to their hotel, Sandra and I made our way back to the tents. What a nice surprise to see a great fireworks show. It lasted a long time. Then with our new friend, Scott from Neenah, WI, we made our last trek to the beer tent. Not much sleep again – getting to bed at midnight plan to get up at 6:00 AM to pack up and leave.

July 19, 2009 339 Miles in TN, KY, IN

Up at 6:00 Am but slow going – wet tents and disorganization delayed departure. Here is a picture of the Chicago gang (plus Scott from Wisconsin). With the help of Dan Trampel; Jonny, Sandra and I decided on a route – which was 23 North through Kingsport, TN. I was leading and missed a turn. Luckily, I figured it out, in time and we didn’t have to back track too much. With the help of Jonny’s GPS, we found the road we were looking for – Rte 15 through Kentucky. It was a nice pretty route. Jonny needed to get home tonight, so he left us to take Rte 75 from 64 W North while Sandra and I proceeded along 64 West – stopped at a rest area and saw fellow club member, Sue Daniels, and met some other BMW riders. We checked our directions and found a quick way to 421 North. This was the best road fo the day. Beautiful farmland, sweeping curves.

A nice woman at a gas station in New Castle, KY, gave us directions to get around the 421 detour and get to our final destination for the evening Madison, IN. A cute resort town on the Ohio River. Lots of B&B’s and Antique shops. Too tired to camp. We found a Comfort Inn and ordered Domino’s pizza! Hot showers!

July 20, 209 381 Miles in IN, IL

Wonderful to sleep in a bed! And an actual 8 hours too. Up at 6:30 AM, packing and complimentary breakfast at the Comfort Inn. On the road around 8:45. How did that take us so long? Well I guess we spent some time planning our route. Which was 56 West to Salem, 135 North to Morgantown. Once again many thanks to Dan Trampel for the suggested toute. 135 was a great road – who knew Indiana has such great roads? Lot of curvy roads, through open fields and wooded areas. The ride was really amazing for all but one part, I think I ran over a turtle and hit a bird. I saw the turtle and either I got target fixation (or turtle fixation) or he jumped out in front of me, I think we all know what happened. Sandra says she saw a bird hit my bike but I didn’t see it and I couldn’t find a splat. Well hopefully they are both ok. I felt SUPER bad (and not like the movie). Maybe I just scared the turtle and nicked him a bit. Moving on to better thoughts. Food. We had lunched at Kathy’s Café in Morgantown. Great fresh food. The hot ham and cheese sandwich had ham shaved from the bone, fresh backed chewy pie and coffee is only a dime if you buy food. Our waitress was a delight. From there we took 252 West to 44 West briefly to 39 North through Clayton and Danville, IN. 236 West through Roachdale 231 North, 234 West. More great roads. Lots of cornfields, open fields in little valleys, more curvy roads, and wooded areas. After we rode through Georgetown and Cayaga, IN we're not 100% sure which roads we took to get over to Rte. 49 in Illinois. We thought we could figure out how to ride by some state parks on county roads (that weren’t marked on the map). Well we did with the help from a nice man from Illiana Seed. We did find a couple gravel roads down the way but over all it was nice to fly along the country roads. We picked up 39 North somewhere west of Catlin and flew by the cornfields and farmhouses until we reached Kankakee. Stopping for gas and McDonald's for dinner. Sandra walked into the men’s room and couldn’t figure out why there urinals in there. She walked out and checked the door, looked up to see the manager watching her come out. No – she didn’t get kicked out. He laughed and said he was watching to make no one else went in. After our healthy dinner of cheeseburgers and fries we took 57 North to 94 East to the city. Home by 8:00 PM.

Really a great trip, amazing riding, got to know some club members better, connected with old friends, good for business. And confirmed that those who wander are not always lost (but sometimes they are).

“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world,” Susan B. Anthony once said. She wasn’t talking about motorcycles but I believe that quote rings true for women today that ride them. The freedom I feel on my motorbike is like no other experience. That is one of the reasons I am thrilled to be the female correspondent to Side Stand Up, “the world’s only motorcycle radio road show”, where I have the opportunity to share my love of motorcycles with other like-minded individuals. What was once considered a man’s world is quickly changing. Every time we ladies break a barrier, I get pretty excited. When I started riding seven years ago, there were few resources out there for me and other lady riders. A lot has changed since then. I hope that my participation in the show will help inform and entertain not only women, but show more men that we are an important part of the riding community. Side Stand Up streams live from their website SideStandUp.com every Tuesday from 8:00 – 10:00 PM EST. Many of us listeners and guests of the show log into the chat room during the program, where a lively conversation ensues around the topics of the evening. Riders and enthusiasts of all makes and models are welcome. Side Stand Up was created and is hosted by Tom Lowdermilk, a serious rider with a laid back attitude and sharp sense of humor. Tom started the show in September 2007 after returning from an adventurous motorcycle trip through 40 US states and parts of Canada – 42,656 miles in 178 days. He is writing a book called Side Stand Up about the trip he calls “BFE N BAK” (as found on his license plate). Many people that he met along the way are featured guests on the show. My segments focusing on the ladies airs every second Tuesday of the month. My first two shows focused on resources for women riders and CTEK battery chargers – the smartest battery chargers in the market. During my segments, I will cover other helpful products in the industry (both equipment and riding gear) and women-focused events like the 2009 AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference. I will also highlight motorcycle businesses that are run by women and helpful for the female motorcyclist. My introduction to the show was by Nate Kern, who has made a name for himself racing for BMW. Nate is a regular guest on Side Stand Up, updating listeners on the world of motorcycle racing. The highlight of 2008 was when Nate clinched the ASRA Thunderbike championship. I admire Nate’s tenacity on the track and his friendly nature off the track. If you ever see Nate at a race, say “hello”. He appreciates his fans greatly. Other regular guests and correspondents include folks that are experts in motorcycle history, the law (from a police officer’s point of view), dual-sport riding, new motorcycle models coming on the market, medicine and health issues while riding, and motorcycle authors and bloggers. Please join us on SideStandUp.com every Tuesday from 8:00 to 10:00 PM EST for a show that is fun for all riders. And don’t worry, if you miss an episode you can download past episodes from the Side Stand Up archive

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Parked Motorcycle Syndrome. Yes, I’ve found another outlet. Last week, I returned from a ski trip in Winter Park, Colorado. Believe it or not, it was warmer at the top of the mountain than in Chicago (my home town). We had three beautiful days of skiing. Sunny and moderate temperatures. I would have taken more snow, but I’m really not complaining.

Seeing that I mostly skied, ate and slept, there were two highlights of the trip. The first highlight was dinner at the Ranch House Restaurant at Devil’s Thumb Ranch. They serve only fresh, organic fare prepared from scratch. This is one of the best meals I’ve had in a long while. Compliments of the chef, we each started with potato leek soup and fried oysters. I had the tilefish with mashed potatoes. For dessert, I shared the most amazing bread pudding with my friend and college roommate, Teri. Here is a picture of her skiing for the first time in many years. The second highlight was having Bob Barnes, the Director of Winter Park’s Ski and Ride Program, as my ski instructor. Arlyne (who I took my Basic Rider MSF class with) and I took an all day group lesson learning to ski moguls in the annual Mary Jane Bump Jamboree. We felt blessed to have Bob as our instructor. (See Arlyne and I smiling ear to ear with him in this pic?) Ski Magazine calls Bob the “mogul master” and “bump guru”. I understand why. I learned so much from him in one day. As an example, I had an “a-ha” moment when Bob had us do a simple exercise. I realized immediately that my right turns are way more dominant than my left – the source of many a problems on the slopes. Hey once you identify a problem, you can start to fix it. Do you know what makes Bob even cooler? He races motocross for Elite Motorsports in Loveland, Colorado and founded the High Altitude Sportriders Club and track. In his age category (50+), he often places. I imagine he is somewhat of a legend in the Colorado Rockies…

PMS-Part 1 Living in the Midwest is enough to drive a biker woman crazy. If it’s not too cold to ride, there’s too much ice and snow on the roads. What’s a biker chick to do? Maybe I have the cure for your winter blues. Is there an International Motorcycle Show in your area coming soon? Are you of the female persuasion and would you like to get into the show at a discount or for free? For your International Motorcycle Show discount, click here to receive ½ price admission on Fridays (Ladies Night!) for the 2009 shows listed below. Jan. 16 - 18 in New York, NY; Jan. 30 - Feb. 1 in Cleveland, OH; Feb. 6 - 8 in Chicago, IL; Feb. 13 - 15 in Minneapolis, MN; Feb. 20 - 22 in Greenville, SC Or, do you want to get in free for all three days? To do so, you could volunteer at the Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation booth for a four hour shift. To sign up, please e-mail Sue Slate at wfginsue@aol.com. I will be working the Women's Motorcyclist Foundation booth on Friday night at the Chicago show. Please stop by and say hello if you are there. I will also likely be working the Chicago Region BMW Owner’s Association booth and maybe even helping my friends out at Open Road Radio like at did last year for their all woman bike build. I’m pictured here with the custom bike and my buddy, Gina Woods, from ORR. The IMS show is great and although you can’t ride the bikes there, you can try them out for size, shop for new gear and accessories, and talk motorcycles all weekend long.

For a dear biker friend who shall remain nameless, we have celebrated her birthday with a pole party for the last two years. Last year, it was at the Five Star Bar in Chicago. They have a private room with a pole in the back. The experienced gals showed us all how it is done and most of us gave the pole a try. I brought my neighbor to the party who did not know the theme beforehand. After an hour or so at the party, he leaned over and whispered to me “This party is way better than I thought it would be.” To the left is a picture of Birthday Girl giving me my first pole lesson. As you can see by the picture to the right, Birthday Girl is much more talented than me. This year, Birthday Girl had a pole installed in her home. Now, that is dedication to the sport.

I recently received a call from my cousin's wife, Kris. She had just taken the MSF class (in the pouring rain) and received her motorcycle license. Every time she got on her new motorcycle she was scared and nervous that she would do something stupid. Kris pleaded "Would you please come out and ride with me?" I remember what it's like to be brand new. I said "sure thing". I set out from Chicago to Earlville, IL, a small town 75 miles west of the city. I had always planned to ride out that way. My dad is from another small town in the area called Waterman. I have fond memories of Waterman and smiled as I passed by the library (pictured here) that my grandmother took my sister and me to many times. I then took a little ride by my grandparents old house. Memories. I wish I had brought my camera! The porch was gone and there was new siding on half of the house. Half the house? What? New gray siding was installed on the two sides of the house that face the road. The old green siding (that I remember vividly) was on the other two sides of the house, peeling and falling off. Well, I suppose times are tough, so that's all they could do for now. When I arrived in Earlville, Kris was happy to see me. It didn't take long before she suggested we hit the road. She kissed her husband (my cousin, Jerry) goodbye. "I love you" she said dramatically, as if she may never return. We rode to her brother's home and back. She had a little trouble pulling out of his incline driveway. She killed it a few times, but finally got it going. I confessed later that I knew she needed the practice on that driveway, so I purposely stopped to give her some practice. My trip out to ride with Kris was a double-bonus. Not only did I get to ride and see her and Jerry, but I also got to see my other cousins - who are awesome. I was thrilled to hear the fantastic news that Megan and Matt are expecting. Here is a picture of the happy couple. Kris and I went out for one more ride. She felt brave so we rode on Highway 30 for a bit. When we pulled back in her driveway, she was smiling and that made the trip more than worth it. She now has more confidence and is proud of herself for pushing her boundaries. Next time, maybe she'll pass that truck on Highway 30. Way to go, Kris!

This post represents my journal during my last big motorcycle trip out west with my friends, Sandra, Ingrid and Christy.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Got up at 4:40 AM to leave my place to pick up Sandra by 5:45. Alas, a storm delayed our departure by an hour. We got to Belvidere Oasis around 8:00. Christy couldn’t find her wallet until Sandra told her to check her pockets. Ingrid called and said she had ran out of gas one mile east of the Oasis. Luckily, Christy’s friend, Harry, was there to see us off. He and Christy bought a gas can and gas and jumped in Harry’s car and gassed up Ingrid’s bike up. After Harry took pictures, including one of Ingrid by the Doghouse in the Oasis, we were on I-90 about 9:30. We super-slabbed it the whole way (I-90). Crossing over the Mississippi from Wisconsin to Minnesota was beautiful. Shortly after that, the wind kicked in something fierce. I learned that my BMW R1200GS doesn’t handle the wind as well as some other bikes. I was fighting it for a long while in South Dakota and the wind really decreased our gas mileage. Mine especially. I went from 44 MPG to 30 MPG! We had to stop every 120-150 miles because of me! We got to a very nice campground in Mitchell, SD around 8:00 PM. We rode 650 miles today! My longest ride ever in the same day. Amazingly I wasn’t completely exhausted. We set up camp at a KOA Campground, ordered pizza, charged our various electric devices and poor Sandra had to reprogram our routes in the GPS when she couldn’t retrieve her original file. She had worked so hard on it! Finally we went to bed around 11:30. Side note: If you ever have the chance to stay at the KOA Campground in Mitchell the owners are very accommodating and make everyone feel welcome. We certainly appreciated it. Here is a picture of our campsite.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Everyone was up by 7:15, I was the last. We headed into the town of Mitchell to see the Corn Palace. In my mind, I pictured it be made of 100% corn - I was quite disappointed to find that it wasn't. What was more interesting were the novelty t-shirts we saw in the window. This one is so ridiculous, I had to share it. We had breakfast at Betty’s Diner in Mitchell, gassed up and headed out around 11:30 AM. We saw some nice Amish people from Fort Wayne, Indiana in Mitchell and saw them again at our next gas stop. The good-naturedly accused us of following them, but I think they were really following us.

Outside of the Badlands we stopped again and talked to some bikers (on bicycles!) who were doing a two-month bike tour from Seattle to Washington D.C. The group of 40 bikers raised $250,000 for the American Lung Association. Patty Harms, one of the biker filled us in on the details. You can donate to this cause by going to Patty’s link on the American Lung Association website.

The ride through the Badlands was winding and beautiful. At our only stop, a sign warned us to "watch for snakes". We also drove by Mt. Rushmore, stopped briefly to take a picture of it (and some goats) and continued where the trees got thicker and roads more winding. We camped at Hill City Mt. Rushmore KOA. Nice facility with two restaurants, horse rides, heated bathrooms and shower rooms, but our camp site was bumpy, rocky, and muddy. 346 miles ridden today!

Monday, July 14, 2008

235 miles today! “Quality not quantity,” as Ingrid said. I awoke from a somewhat restful sleep at 6:30 AM and I say somewhat because I was sleeping on slight slant and every time I changed positions I slipped slightly down the hill. Also, my sleeping bag wouldn’t zip. I found my butt hanging out in the cold a few times in the night. After a nice breakfast at the campground, we headed out around 10:00 AM. First ride was in Custer State Park through the Needles and the Wildlife Loop. OMG- So cool! Great twisties and tunnels that took you through the rocks. The Wildlife Loop had burros, turkeys, antelopes (did you know there are more antelope in the state of Wyoming than people? Okay, we were still in South Dakota but it’s still a good fact, right?) At the end of the Wildlife Loop we were stopped by a long line of cars. Buffalo were all over the place, crossing the road so that cars could not proceed. One buffalo was growling (or moaning) not far from us. We were getting a little nervous because we were not protected like the cars and we’d heard that buffalo can be mean! We were about to turn back when we saw a huge state park truck making its way down the road through the buffalo. Christy said “Quick, let’s follow the truck to get through.” All worked out fine, but Ingrid will attest to the fact that a buffalo was coming right my way and I had to swerve a bit to miss it. We rode back to the Mt. Rushmore area and had a very good lunch a German restaurant called Oma’s. Too bad the service was slow and our waitress was a bit ditzy. A young, sweet, naïve, ditzy girl. We were using the water pitcher to refill our CamelBak’s and asked for a refill at least three times. On the last request, our waitress said under breath “Holy crud, you must be thirsty.” For lunch, I had braunsweiger- yum. I used to eat it a lot as a kid. Why did I ever stop?

We then road northwest through Lead, South Dakota and into Spearfish Canyon. It was beautiful in the higher elevation. The roads were long and swooping. When we crossed in to Wyoming, Ingrid and I raised our fists in jubilation. We stopped in a town of 11 called Aladdin (the sign says 15, but apparently 4 residents moved to assisted living in the last year or so). It had a rather old fashioned gas pump and a quaint General Store. The only bathrooms were two outhouses out back. Here is a picture of Sandra trying one out. We were told by the shop owner that one family owns the entire town which consists of 30 acres.

After shopping and refueling, we made our way to Devil’s Tower KOA campground. We had a wonderful, grassy campsite with a full view of Devil’s Tower. Ingrid started a fire, bought beer and the party started. Okay we had beer and various snacks (crackers, cheese curds, Doritos, ice cream and lunch meat) because no restaurants were open within 30 miles. Near the main building, the campground played Close Encounters of the Third Kind as Devil’s Tower is the site of the alien landing in the movie. Devil’s Tower is also a sacred place for many Native American Indians. We were so grateful for our best riding day yet through exciting and beautiful roads and now our campsite at the foot of Devil’s Tower. This was our view! Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Waking up with a view of Devil’s Tower was really neat. We were still on a high from our great riding day and the view was spectacular. After breakfast we hit the road around 10:00 and headed west and north and arrived quickly got into Montana. Riding across Montana is beautiful yet slightly monotonous. The cool thing is that we went for stretches where we didn’t see another vehicle for miles. You can see how big and colorful the bugs are from my windshield here.

We stopped in Billings to pick up some things at a drugstore. Just 65 more miles and we were in Red Lodge, Montana. As we rode into the Red Lodge area, we could see the mountains in the distance. We started to get excited, because we knew we would be riding in them the next day. We stayed at yet another KOA campground in Red Lodge. We set up camp, ordered pizza and made friends with our neighbors, many planning to go to the BMW rally as well. Ingrid and I took a trip into town for beer. Ingrid started a campfire. We talked to Dee Jones, a fellow BMW rider for a while. He offered to show us some great rides in North Carolina. We may just have to take him up on his offer. We roasted marshmallows that night after having talked about doing it for days.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Early this morning we were greeted by “Doc”, one of our Harley, tattooed-covered neighbors. He approached us at 8:00 AM with a Budweiser can in his hand. We had a nice, slow chat before heading to breakfast. We dressed warmly for the ride to Bear Tooth Pass and got on the road about 9:00. We could see from afar that there was still snow at the top of the mountains. As we climbed higher (highest elevation around 11,000 ft.), we knew it would be one breathtaking sight after another. Not far up the mountain I encountered a small deer and two fawns. So cute, and luckily I saw them in plenty of time to slow down. The overlook area has a nice walk that jets out over the valley. We saw Dee Jones there and he claimed he was going to take some video of us and then pass us (well I know for sure he passed us!) Frozen Lake, beautiful purple and yellow flowers, and snow covered landscapes. Beauty everywhere, and the ride was challenging and exhilarating. We stopped at the Top of the World gift shop (all of us pictured there below, along with our friend Biker Chick) and bought some stickers and pins to prove we had been there. The ride down was just as enjoyable with it’s sweeping curves and beautiful sights.

We then turned on to the Chief Joseph highway. Another amazing ride, with more sweeping turns and red rocks in the distance. After stopping in Cody for directions, we all met up in Greybull for fuel and rest. We split up into group of two again and rode Highway 14 through more amazing scenery, going up in elevation again to 9,000 feet. The highlight was coming upon a sheep crossing and hearing so many of them bleeting. We weren’t afraid of them like we were of the buffalo! We met up again with the rest of the group, where apparently there have been a lot of people pumping and gas and not paying- so goes the explanation- for why we had to prepay. Our last 120 miles were back on I-90 where we took the lonely trail to Gillette. Only one vehicle passed us the while time although we did pass quite a few. We surveyed the rally grounds and found the Chicago Region BMW Owners Association tent at the BMW Motorcycle Owners Rally 2008 . Then off to find our Best Western hotel about 3 miles away. I wonder how it will feel to sleep in a real bed again as I sit here and write while I am waiting for my laundry to dry. I’ve never seen my riding gear so covered in bugs. I suppose it will look like this again when I returFree Hotmail n home. Why are there so many yellow blotches on everything? Yuck! We have had lovely weather so far. Some 90 degree days, but on the bike it is quite manageable, especially if I soak my LD Comfort shirt in cold water before putting it on under my jacket. “Oh laundry please dry soon, so I can go to bed.” I am tired from riding 385 glorious miles today. While I waited for my laundry I talked with a guy named Paul Laconti. Paul is from New York and he just started riding in April. He has already logged 6,000 miles in order to get ready for this trip out to the rally. He is a musician and a teacher. He rides a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail. He has traveled the world as a musician. He plays piano and drums, has played with Luther Vandross, Cindy Lauper, and Silver Connection. Silver Connection had the hit “Fly Robin Fly” in the late 70’s. (I like that song!) He had a near miss on the highway this trip when a log came loose from a lumber truck. It just missed him! It’s a great day to be alive. I enjoyed talking with him. You can see Paul’s near miss and other riding footage at his website: Gallery.mac.com/placonti

Thursday, July 17, 2008

30 miles tops today. Since I was up late doing laundry last night, I slept in until almost 8:00 AM, then showered and got organized. Sandra and I started to get on our bikes around 10:00 when a random guy in flip flops came up to us in the parking lot and asked us for a ride to the rally. I didn’t have my passenger seat on the bike, so I was not a very good option. When Sandra hesitated, he stated that he races for BMW, so Sandra asked to see some ID. Things seemed on the up and up, so she said okay! Here is a picture of them before we took off.

When we arrived in the parking lot, we ran into Dee Jones again, who knew our new friend from the Red Lodge campground. Turns out Random Guy is Nate Kern pro racer for BMW in Super Bike AMA, ASTRA, Super Sport-T series and many others. Dee has been one of Nate’s supporters for a while but the two had never met. By the way, if you would like to support Nate, you can join this group to learn more about BMW racing and an amazingly focused and talented racer: http://www.bmwsr.org/. Those two made plans for lunch and Sandra and I followed Nate to the BMW demo tent. He gave us signed racing photos and set up an after-hours demo for us. We agreed to meet back there at 5:00. Here is a picture of me with Dee and Nate.

Sandra and I ran off to register for the rally, eat and shop. There are always so many great vendors. We did end up buying Sokz motorcycles riding socks. I tested the socks on the way home and I like them! They are comfortable. We chatted with many of our Chicago Region MOA buddies. Caught up with Christy and Ingrid too. I gave a seminar on women’s motorcycle riding apparel that afternoon. Many new and old friends showed up to show their support including my three riding buddies, Paul from the laundry room, Nate Kern, and Chicago Region MDA members David Adler and Roger Gunderson. You can see the highlights of my seminar here. Our Demo ride was nice and easy. I rode the F800S and Sandra the R1200R. Neither of us will run out and buy the bikes but it’s interesting to see the differences of different bikes. We hooked back up with our Chicago Region friends and Nate and his BMW crew for dinner at a Mexican Restaurant in Gillette called Las Margaritas. Thumbs up on my Carne Asada Burrito Loco.

At dinner, we had the pleasure to hear some of Nates’s racing stories and get to know Matt from BMW. It looked like rain (actually like a major storm) so we quickly paid and got back to the hotel. This time Nate rode Sandra on the back of her bike. I guess she figure she could trust him on her bike now. I think he kind of knows how to ride. Early to bed tonight. Many seminars to attend and shopping to do tomorrow.

Friday, July 18, 2008

10 miles tops today. Up and out much earlier today. The first seminar of the day for Sandra and I was at 8:45 AM called “Motorcycle Safety and Design Feature” given by Jack DelPizzo, the BMW Field Service Engineer for the Midwestern region. Nate Kern helped out with his insights throughout the presentation. The three main topics were ABS (Anti-lock Brake Systems), ASC (Automatic Stability Control), and ESA (Electrical Suspension Adjustment). I had a good understanding of ABS and ASC already because I have those features on my 2007 R1200GS. The ESA discussion talked about how pre-load and dampening adjustments can be made on certain BMWs with an easy click. For example, as you move from super-slab riding to mountains or city driving. After the talk, Jack was nice enough to tell me what he thinks is wrong with my fuel gauge (probably need a new fuel sensor). I am guessing (hoping) it will be covered by the warranty. Afterwards, Nate bought us all smoothies and Sandra and I started to shop a bit. But just a bit because we then went to Nate’s seminars on BMW racing. He gave some great tips on leaning into the corners. Brief summary, going into the turn you should lead with your forehead and shoulders. Do not twist your spine. Keep it straight. Even if you tilt your head to one side, your bike should turn. The average head probably weighs 9 pounds. That can make a difference in your turn. He also said that a passenger should just tilt their head to the side of the turn and keep everything else still to be the best passenger. Nate also shared his experiences on how he got started in racing- he was such a natural his friends told him to try it! In his first amateur race at Daytona, he won all eight races and got bumped up to pro at his next race, which was at Virginia International Raceway where he won two races.

Next, more shopping! Sandra had the guys at Ohlins adjusted her suspension setting on her shocks and they were nice enough to show her how to set them up for bags on or off the bike. They did a nice job and she could feel the difference in her ride.

I visited my friends at LD Comfort, Mario and Jane. I think I helped them sell some new product to the guys standing at their booth. I told Mario that I wanted to carry his product for him because I believe in it. But, I do want to try one more brand, just to make sure LD Comfort is the best, so I bought a pair of Bodz riding shorts, made in Italy, made by the makers of Sokz. I will them out on out longest riding day going back, Sunday. (Post note: I did try out the Bodz. They do a good job, but I although they make a better fashion statement, the LD Comfort shorts and shirt edge the Bodz for its advanced cooling technology).

I then went to the “Riding Your GS off pavement” seminar. I realized that if I’m going to learn to ride off-road, I have to take an actual riding class. I am more of hands on learner. So, I left early and went to the ladies BMW apparel seminar. We got a full description of the ladies wear and got to see and try on samples of most of the lines available in unisex (ie. men’s), and ladies cuts. I’ve identified a couple of lines for jackets that might work for me because they come in long sizes or cuts (Streetguard 2 and Santiago). I’d really like to find a good all-weather or 3 season, two-piece riding suit that I can learn from for my own product development. Jack DelPizzo was at the seminar so I chatted with him some more. He suggested that I go up to BMW Motorcycles of Milwaukee and talk to Eric about getting fitted right for apparel. He said that they have a good selection and Eric know how to fit people – men and women.

Next, off to the Chicago Region tent for a cookout, generously donated by Steve Jeffries, Cary Caldwell, and Roger Gunderson. I met Bill from Glendale Heights, who Christy met at the rally, and invited him to the cookout. She may have recruited a new member. 35 members attended the cookout, pretty good for an event so far away from home. I would have loved to stay longer. I was having so much fun, but we saw a storm coming in so us four gals fled for our bikes to get back to our hotel. The 5 ½ miles back to the hotel was wicked windy! The pending storm may have missed the hotel, but word was a nasty storm was coming through. There was a bad storm that came through around midnight the night before and it was supposed to be of similar strength. Time will tell if it hits us. I am glad again to be in a hotel tonight.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

336 miles today. After packing up, gassing up, and checking tire pressure, Sandra and I got to the rally a little after 9:00 AM and attended the “Women Who Ride” seminar. It featured many inspiring women and their riding stories, including a woman who broke her neck two years ago and was told by her doctor that she would never ride again. Well, she is riding and not letting anything stop her. You go girl!

After the seminar, I ate some ice cream and caught up on phone calls and email (CDW and BMWMOA were nice enough to provide laptops and WIFI for all rally goers to use). I said goodbye to the BMW crew- Nate, Matt, Gary and others. I am going to try to go to one of Nate’s upcoming races- possibly the one at Barber in two weeks.

I hung out at the Chicago Region tent until the four of us were ready to go. Here is a picture of Christy with the tent. She organized and ordered the tent for the club. We took off around 12:30 or 1:00 PM. First stop, Aladdin, about 80 miles away. Ingrid wanted to pick up a t-shirt for her daughter and we gladly returned to General Store. We met a few guys coming from the rally. They were riding around before heading back to Idaho. The rest of the day was uneventful when we landed in Mitchell, SD, found a hotel – Kelly’s Inn and Suites – very new and nice. Had dinner at Culver’s (hmm, butter burgers) and hit the sack.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Since Kelly’s Inn and Suites was nice enough to provide a breakfast, we ate there and took off around 7:15. I led the first leg and we found ourselves riding through cold, wet, fog for much of South Dakota. We stopped after 125 miles or so when Sandra discovered that her GPS had fallen from the bike. “I’m so sorry, Sandra!”

Christy led the next leg through South Dakota and into Minnesota. Next Ingrid led us into Iowa. Christy’s tire pressure was low, so we stopped for an air and gas. Sandra noticed that my headlight was out, so I flipped on the high beam and kept going. Sandra led us out of Iowa through Cedar Rapids over the Mississippi in Davenport and into Illinois. At our last stop (pictured here), the DeKalb Oasis, we said our goodbyes, snapped a few last pictures and we all headed home. I arrived home around 7:30 PM very tired but happy to discover that my neighbor, Sean, had bought a new H-D Softail Custom. Nice looking bike, Yay! I have a new riding buddy. 672 Miles today.

My miles were 3,094 for the whole trip....

9 days, 7 states and too many smiles to count!

Although the weather has been cool in Chicago, I still manage to get out there on my motorbike most weekends. My Gerbing's heated jacket liner helps a lot, so does my UnWind thermal long underwear. I just purchased an UnWind thermal top and I should get a chance this week to try it out. My next purchase, in anticipation of fall, will be Gerbing's heated liner pants. I just hope they are long enough for my 34 inch inseam! It looks like they only come in men's sizes. Okay, so I hope there is room for my butt too! I think I can try them on at the closest Gerbing's dealer, Motoworks in Chicago.

On Saturday, May 10, 2008, after a nice breakfast in Elmhurst, IL, I headed out past Rockford, IL to the Rock River with my friends, Sandra, Ingrid, and Christy. Christy did a great job leading us on routes along the river and into Sterling, IL for a healthy lunch at the Organic Bite Deli & Cafe. You can see from our picture that we left satisfied. After racing after Christy for a bit, we felt we had earned a stop at DQ before heading home. We had a full day, leaving home at 7:30 am and returning at 7:30 pm - very tired.

You may have heard about the fiasco that was supposed to be a super fun time, Austin's Ironhorse Roundup in Grayslake, Illinois this past weekend. If you didn't hear how the Grayslake mayor shut down the event at the 11th hour, you can find many stories from the past week in the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald. Here is a link to one of them: Grayslake police chief stands by motorcycle show cancellation. If you read the story, you'll see that many people lost a lot of money due to this late notice cancellation and many feel that discrimination against bikers had more to do with it than anything. I am one of those people. I was supposed to share a booth with my friends at Racer Cafe. My company, VaVaVroom-Motorcycle Clothing and Gear for Her, was all set to hawk its wares and have a great time. Vince Neil was supposed to perform to a crowd of over 40,000 people. So how did this all go to hell in handbasket? It is rumored that two biker gangs were supposed to "rumble". Okay, they don't call it that anymore but you get my drift. Chances are they would not have caused a problem. For at least the past two years, the Super Cycle Show has had heavy police presence due to suspected gang activity. As far as I know, there hasn't been an issue. If given the opportunity, Mark Khayat, owner of Austin's, would have provided adequate security to assure a smooth event. Stay tuned on this one folks. I think some lawsuits will be hitting the courts soon. Now how did I turn this lemon into lemonade? Well, I hooked up via motorcycle with my good friend Stevie. I met him and his buddies for a nice day of riding. In the picture here, we have Alex, Tim, Tom and Jorge in the front row and Stevie and I in the back. After a leisurely breakfast, we headed over to Zylstra's Harley-Davidson in St. Charles, Illinois where they were having a pig roast to raise money for the Green Ribbon Rally which will be held on June 7, 2008 and will raise money for University of Illinois Medical Center. I was interviewed by Gina Woods of Open Road Radio and told the listeners about awesome Mother's Day presents that they can find at http://www.vavavroomonline.com/. I'm going to be a guest on the show again on Mother's Day this weekend. The Open Road Radio show airs every Sunday at 11:00 am on the Nines (92.5, 92.7 and 99.9) in the Chicago area. After filling ourselves with pork, we stopped by to visit our friends at Racer Cafe in St. Charles, Illinois. Rob was manning the ship himself since Eric was working off a hangover from his time at a wedding reception the night before. We then headed up to Grayslake with the grand plan of harassing the folks of Grayslake for canceling our big event. With the Lake County Fairground (the intended location of the Roundup) completely empty, except for the hoards of police at each entrance, we ended up where we began our day - at a McDonald's. Big talkers we are! Except for a minor row between Stevie and Tim, it was a thoroughly enjoyable day. I went to bed with a smile on my face at the sheer joy of a great ride with friends.

Thankfully, a motorcycle ride is a more common occurrence these days. Saturday was windy, but warm enough. Where did my travels take me? First, to Fox Valley Cycles in Aurora to have Throttlemeister cruise control installed on my BMW R1200GS. The folks at Fox Valley Cycles are super nice and Mark took care of me in no time. I also talked to Chell about their upcoming open house on May 17, 2008. My company, VaVaVroom - Motorcycle Clothing and Gear for Her, will be there to show everyone all of our available styles. Chell also gave me some feedback on a riding jacket that I am working on. I've received excellent feedback so far from my customers. I've attached a picture of the first protoype. There is a lot of reflective piping on it, so it looks like there are a lot of white lines on the jacket. That is just from the flash. The reflective piping is black. The only real white stripe is the double, vertical stripe on the front. My biggest concern with the jacket is figuring out how to secure the hood so it does not become a drag from the wind while riding. Other features of the jacket include removable armor, an inside pocket, two zip pockets in the front, and adjustable waist and cuffs. In this picture below you can see the hood and the VaVaVroom patches.

From Fox Valley Cycles, I rode to the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet to watch some friends participate in a track day. It was inspiring and I can't wait for my first one in June! We had friends at all levels (novice, intermediate, and advanced) and they all did fantastic. Rob and Eric from Racer Cafe in St. Charles really know what they are doing. They get all of the bikes ready and hauled them out there for Patrick, Ingrid and Sandra, in addition to their own!

From Joliet, I headed to Chicago to check out the Evil Kitty trunk show at Vicious Cycle on Clark St (north of Belmont). Not biker-wear, but trendy, fun, good quality stuff at a reasonable price. I met Lidia, the Evil Kitty designer, and Rhianna, the owner of Vicious Cycle. Both helped me pick out a fab dress and a cute hoodie. I almost didn't get the hoodie until I saw the purple leopard print E on the back (with horns). Too cute to pass up!

With all of this riding and shopping, I was famished, so I ducked into Shiroi Hana just south of Vicious Cycle for a quick dragon roll. Yummmmm. Happily full, I hopped on the BMW and headed home. By the time I got there, I was wiped out, but satisfied with this ride called life....

This blog represents my daily travel journal entries from a motorcycle trip that I took from Chicago to Washington DC. Total Miles: 1,722 Tuesday, October 7, 2008 377 Miles Well, I wasn’t sure if I was going to leave for the trip today but I am happy to say I did. I woke up yesterday with a horrible stomach flu. I didn’t feel great when I woke up at 5:30 AM but started to feel better gradually as the day went on. I finally got to Sandra’s around 10:30 AM and we were off about 15 minutes or so later for a rather uneventful day. We took I-94E to I-80W through Indiana to Ohio. By the time we got to the KOA campground in Streetsboro, Ohio (just outside of Cleveland), it was dark. We lit a fire (it took a while but we finally got it). You can see Sandra here enjoying the fire we worked so hard to start. We used our headlights to set up camp (bad idea, Sandra’s battery went dead). By the time we get started, answered a few emails it was almost 11. No dinner just a few snacks, we’ll survive. Wednesday, October 8, 2008 305 Miles I woke up at 7 AM feeling pretty good and refreshed. I slept fairly well, considering I was sleeping in a tent – on the ground – in October. As Sandra and I were packing up, it started to drizzle so we started moving faster. Sandra successfully jumped her bike (luckily I had jumper cables). I was starting to feel light headed (probably from not eating much over the last two days) so we went straight to Denny’s for breakfast. (I'm going over our route in the picture here). The waitress was nice and let us spread our wet gear all over the place. I think we left Denny’s at 10:30 or 11:00 AM. As we exited the toll way, the troll in the toll booth gave me a nasty look for my wet money and toll ticket. Luckily I couldn’t hear what she was yapping about. Biddy. From I-80 we traveled north on Route 7 and made our way over to U.S.–6 East in Pennsylvania. It was a slow ride, so when we stopped in Warren, PA (3 hours later) we decided to ditch our plan to ride across PA on Rte. 6. Oh – Did I mention it never stopped raining and our water proof gloves, socks and boots failed us miserably? That never happened before. Was it the colder weather? Was the rain so incessant that it found a way to seep in? We couldn’t figure it out. Our plan to ditch Rte. 6 was a good one. Instead we took Rte. 666 (it wasn’t as evil as it sounds) to 948 south/east through the Allegheny National Forest – best ride of the day- to 219 South to 153 South/East back to I-80. Side note – the Harley map says that Route 6 in PA is an epic ride – more like an epic pain in the ass (at least the part we rode). We were relieved to hit I-80 at last to makeup sometime but – buzz kill – 6 miles of road construction. We ended our ride at the Comfort Inn (quite nice and a good rate) in Mill Hale, PA. No camping tonight. After riding in the rain all day, we were ready for hot showers, clean laundry and warm beds. Biker chick was ready too.

Thursday, October 9, 2008 230 Miles I woke up this morning to find a text from Nate Kern. Found out that he had crashed in South Africa and had 6 broken ribs and a collapsed lung. He flew home today. I was expecting to see him on Saturday at Morton’s BMW in Fredericksburg, VA. I guess he won’t be there but more importantly I was worried about him. Poor guy had to fly back from South Africa by himself in that state. The doctors there were amazed that he recovered enough that he could fly back so soon. Keeping him in my prayers for a quick recovery. We left our hotel around 9:00 and made our way to US–15 South. It was a beautiful day, quite a contrast from the day before. The ride along US–15 followed the Susquehanna River for quite a while. We rode through Harrisburg – snapped a quick picture of the capitol building and rode on to Gettysburg. I had been to Gettysburg when I was in 7th grade and was excited to see it again. We were given great advice by a nice woman at the Gettysburg Tour Center on US–30/Lincoln Highway. We had a quick lunch and went to the Gettysburg Cemetery. We were too lazy to walk over to the other part of the cemetery so we hopped a stone wall and went to the site where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg address (a picture of Sandra jumping the wall here). We then walked across the street to one of the Gettysburg battlegrounds. We didn’t want to leave this beautiful place, but we wanted to get to the DC area before rush hour. Sandra and I parted ways in Fredericks, Maryland. She continued on 15 to see her sister in Leesburg, VA, I took 270 South to 495 South to George Washington Pkwy – nice ride (even as traffic began to thicken) to my friends' home in Arlington, VA. My friends, Bageshri and Dilip, have two children, Shalin and Saeli, who are super cute and entertaining. Between talking about the recent presidential debates and chasing the kids, we caught up and gladly retired early. Friday, October 10, 2008 0 miles I got up early-ish (6:30), so I could leave with Bageshri at 7:30 and get a ride to the Metro. When I emerged from the subway in DC, it was a quiet, beautiful morning. I checked in with the guard at the Supreme Court to see if it was in session. Nope. Not until Monday. I wandered somewhat aimlessly yet somewhat calculated – past the capitol building, came across some kind of hippy-like happening. It was too early to go into the Botanic Garden and by this time I was getting hungry, but couldn’t find any type of breakfast or coffee places except for a ramshackle stand, so I settled for a Dreamsicle for breakfast there. Wandering further, I strolled through the sculpture garden of the Hirshhorn Museum and a lovely garden behind the Smithsonian Castle. I enjoyed some tea at the Castle and headed over to the American History Museum – to be shut out again – it’s closed for renovations. Of course, if I had done any pre-planning, I would have known that. I made my way to the Washington monument to have a good, close look at it. As I was departing, I came across another “happening” that looked like a Native-American drum ceremony for women. Next I attempted to visit Ford’s Theater. Strike 3, it too was closed for renovations. But I did venture into the house where Lincoln died across the street. And then success - finally a museum open - The National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum (both located in the same building). I found the staff there to be knowledgeable and helpful. There were a few notable aspects. First, I enjoyed a comparative exhibit of Georgia O’Keefe paintings and Ansel Adams photographs. At first I didn’t see how they compared at all but was interested to find that their art often took them to the same scenes and places. There were also great comparisons of close-up nature photos. I also found the Hall of Presidents to be entertaining and interesting. Finally the courtyard in the building is peaceful and full of light. I took to wandering again and found myself in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. I sat on a bench around the pool, read my book and looked up to see a rainbow in the fountain. That seemed like a great way to end my day in Washington, DC. After getting slightly disoriented in the Metro underground, I found Bagesheri and we went to the Iwo Jima Memorial and Netherlands Carillon near Arlington Cemetery. After dinner Bageshri, Dilip, Shalin, Saeli and I went to see the new 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. It is a thoughtful remembrance of those that perished both in the Pentagon and those on the airplane. As we watched planes overhead, it made me realize how close Reagan National airport is to the Pentagon. The children, inspired by the overhead planes, asked to view the planes landing and taking off from Reagan National in the nearby park. It seemed that planes were only a few stories above us as they took off. The children squealed with delight and I enjoyed it as well – keeping my squealing to a minimum. We were all tired from a full day and headed home. Saturday, October 11, 2008 104 Miles The plan today was to meet Sandra at Morton’s BMW in Fredericksburg, VA at 11:00. Morton's BMW was having their annual Oktoberfest. (And she would have been on time if her sister’s cat hadn’t peed on her bed). I had a pleasant ride from Arlington to Fredericksburg. There were a few particularly bright spots on I-95 and US 1-Jefferson Davis Hwy. When I arrived at Morton’s BMW I immediately met some nice, interesting people including Gordon from http://www.yourdoormat.com/ (they make custom doormats). Morton’s had great food and great deals. Not that I needed them, but I bought two really nice BMW tees for $10 each plus a Nate Kern 2008 ASRA Thunderbike Championship shirt. I met the owners of the dealership – Jeff and Hannah plus their daughter Christine. I can see why they are so successful. They are the nicest people you’ll ever meet. They run a dealership that has fantastic selection of bikes, parts and apparel, plus really great customer service. Later in the day I was happy to see Nate arrive with his two dogs (pictured left) and a friend. (Thanks to Jim Doyle for the heads up the night before that Nate would actually make the event.) He is still hurting from his crash, but doing amazingly well considering he was seriously injured just over a week ago. His appearance at the event was a complete surprise to the folks at BMW – and they were ecstatic to see him. After arriving back at Bageshri’s that evening we went to the Arlington Draft House to see the movie, Mamma Mia. It is a great place to see that movie, as it serves food and drink at your table. The movie itself was much better than I anticipated and really fun to watch. Sunday, October 12, 2008 706 Miles Bageshri was nice enough to get up early and make Indian tea and scones before I left at 7:30 this morning. Sandra and I met up at an exit off of I -70 in Maryland. The Harley map didn't note that the exit we chose to meet at was only a one way exit, so found each other at the next one. I was so happy to find Sandra's bike there (and her of course) that I took a picture of it. We decided to super-slab it and see if we could get the ride done in one day. Taking I-70 and I -76 (Pennsylvania turnpike) was absolutely beautiful with colors at peak in some areas. The farms scattered along the way added to its charm. As always, we met some nice people along the way. A woman rider working as a cashier at a service plaza, a couple with Joe Satriani shirts on (he’s a rider too), Forest who owns a motorcycle part distribution company, and a deaf man that stopped to thank us for letting him follow us for miles on I-80. Our trip took us from Virginia through DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and back to sweet home Chicago, IL. We got home around 8:00 that night tired and happy to have made the trip and happy to be home.

Just tried out the UnWind Thermal Pants that are on the VaVaVroom website. This time in skis in Winter Park, Colorado. It was very windy and cold today up-top and I did not feel a thing on my bottom half! Now if it would just warm up enough to get out on the bike for a bit. From February 8-10, I will be making the rounds at the International Motorcycle Show in Rosemont, Illinois. I'll be helping out at the Open Road Radio booth and the Chicago Region BMW Owners Group area as well. I am looking forward to seeing what's new in the two-wheeled world.

Thank you to Redneck Witch at Networking Witches for facilitating our latest give-away of a For the Love of Chrome Long Sleeve Thermal in pink! Click here for more info. Ends January 15, 2010.

I had to test out some new products, so I thought I better get on the bike before the storm hits. I went out on the bike on Friday. It was 34 degrees F. The coldest I ever rode in. With my Gerbings heated liner, heated grips and windproof long underwear (and other layers of course!), it wasn't too bad. I've decided to add the windproof long undies to my site. Just working out details with the manufacturer. They really worked! I also found out that my bike shows a little snowflake on the screen if you ride in less than 37 degree temperature. It's like saying "hey dummy, it's cold out here. What are you doing?". I usually keep my bike out through December. I'm hoping for a few more rides this month if the weather gods cooperate!