My pal Shirley is once again in Texas for the winter. Here’s a look at what she’s been up to!

by Shirley Patterson

Okay, so we’ve been in Texas since the first of December and, although I promised to do so, I have not yet written a ride report. You may have heard that Texas is in a severe drought so while the December weather was not what we really wanted to see, the cool, damp, drizzly weeks were a small blessing. January, however, started out warm and dry so – yep, out came the bikes.

On January 20th the temperature hit 86 so it was just too great not to ride. This is not the first ride we had taken – nor is it one of the longest – but it is one of our favorites so thought I would take you all along. We winter in Kingsland, TX. For point of reference Kingsland is about 12 miles slightly northwest of Marble Falls or about 60 miles northwest of Austin. We left Kingsland taking Farm Road 1431 (the main highway between Marble Falls and Kingsland) west past Pat’s Bar and Fuzzy’s Corner (more later) and on to Highway 261 which is a great two-lane, curvy and fairly scenic road.

Our destination was the Fall Creek Winery at Tow (rhymes with cow). I mentioned the drought earlier so we pulled into the Llano County Park to see just how badly it had affected Buchanan Lake, one of the major lakes in the area. A couple of years ago a long paved boat ramp was put in at the park. Hopefully, the picture taken will show the devastation the drought has brought to the area. The ramp is now easily one to two miles from the water…folks who have million dollar “lakefront” homes are high and dry!

So, out of the park and on to Bluffton Store. This is at the convergence of highways 261 and 2241 and we usually stop here to gas up, get a Coke or a 50-cent ice cream cone – really! On to the winery. Fall Creek has a great tasting room where you can taste five wines for a fixed price of $5 per person. But, what we discovered last year was they also have a beautiful covered patio where you can simply take a glass or a bottle and sit and enjoy. This trip we decided to buy a bottle of our favorite blush and a box of crackers and enjoy the patio – c’mon, it was cheaper than the tasting! We met a couple of really nice guys who were also riding that day and they took this nice picture of me and Garry.

Finally decided to reverse the ride and head back for Kingsland. Now, last year we usually stopped at Pats for a drink but found that this year our favorite bartender, Jen, is now working at Fuzzy’s. Fuzzy’s is a beer bar (although they will serve set ups if you bring your own) but since Garry and I drink Rum and Southern Comfort respectively we have never gone to Fuzzy’s. Today, however, we stopped in to say hi to Jen. Giving a nod to the wine we had already drank, I just had a Diet Coke. By the time we left for the short 10 mile ride home it was 4:30 so decided to bypass the house for another 1/2 mile and stop in at Spykes BBQ for an early dinner. Spykes has the BEST BBQ in the area. For those of you who think Llano has the best – you have to give Spykes a try. After dinner it was a very short hop back to the house and a beautiful easy day on the bikes.

(Here’s the third installment of my gal pal Shirley’s series of ride reports from the Texas Hill Country, where she and hubby Garry are wintering along with her sister Nancy and BIL Chuck. Take a look at the pics, and be sure to note that she points out she’s afraid of heights… I’m here to tell you, she’s not kidding! This was quite an accomplishment!)

by Shirley P.

As mentioned in my last ride report, we had a couple of absolutely beautiful days to ride at the end of January. So after doing the Willow City Loop on the 27th we took off the next day to Enchanted Rock State Park. Once again starting from Kingsland we took 1431 to the west side of town and picked up county road 3404 and again across The Slab. As mentioned in the earlier report, 3404 is about 7 miles of two lane through the country road but easy to ride and reasonably scenic. 10 miles on Hwy. 71 at 70 miles per hour to what is by now our gas up and jump off point at the junction of 71 and 16.

We filled up the bikes and bought new batteries for the camera and took off for a fairly short run to the Enchanted Rock, this is only about 13 miles south of Llano.

We paid the $6 entry fee (per person) and parked the bikes to do what we intended to be a short hike along the lower trails. Somehow, however, once you start on a trail you see a view and think maybe we’ll just go a bit further, and then a bit further and then before you know it you are only 100 yards from the summit. By this time the trail really doesn’t exist anymore and you are simply finding the easiest path across the rock face.

By this time the temps had climbed to about 80 degrees and everyone was watching the smooth rocks for the possibility of sunning rattlers! Thankfully, we didn’t stumble across any. Those who know me also know that I have a fear of heights, especially when there is what I call a “blind drop”. When we turned to start back down I wasn’t sure I could take that first step as you just had to trust that once you stepped off the first rock there would be something below it. Luckily after the first step it wasn’t so bad and soon we spotted the trail signs again.

For hikers this is totally cool and you can go any number of directions and presumably end up back at the parking lot. Once back at the bikes we decided a short trip back wouldn’t be any fun so we dug out the county road map and started off into the unknown. Taking 965 out of the Park we went about 6 miles to Welgenhausen Road. (This is an easy turn-off to miss so watch for it on your right). Welgenhaus is another well kept two-lane and we went approximately 15 miles before needing to make our next decision at the junction of Keese Sagebel Road and Keese Road.

We decided to take the left branch but after only a couple of miles we decided we had made the wrong decision and turned around. Back to the junction we now took Keese Road. All said and done this was probably the wrong decision as both would have taken us to county road 2323 which was our goal. But for the sake of adventure it was definitely the right decision. Once again signs all along the way indicated loose livestock and many times this road narrowed to one lane with no shoulders and you really hoped you wouldn’t meet anyone coming the other direction. In fact, we never met anyone the entire time.

At a couple of 90 degree turns we were sure we would end at a ranch gate and have to back track but didn’t happen and after what seemed a very long time but probably wasn’t, we did indeed come to the junction of county road 2323. I have no idea how many miles we were actually on Keese Rd. but I’d estimate no more than 15 – though it seemed longer. Once on 2323, a beautiful two-lane, it is only about 30 miles back to Llano and it brings you in right at the junction of 16 and 71.

As always, we opted for the little longer ride through town and then back to 1431 junction (yep, Fuzzy’s Corner) and on back to Kingsland. Because of the choices made we again had a great hundred-mile day. After that ride we endured several of Texas’s coldest days in the past 20 years, with highs in the 20′s and 30′s – literally unheard of here. Good news, of course, is that it was short-lived and were back to Spring-time temps before long.

Keep the faith, all, riding weather will arrive!

(As promised, here is Shirley’s second ride report from the Hill Country of Texas. For awhile there she was enjoying record cold, but being Iowans did have one distinct advantage: when the pipes froze in their cottage at their Kingsland campground, her hubby Garry knew the drill and had their running water restored in a jiffy! This report on their ride through the Willow City Loop makes me yearn for the twisties!)

by Shirley P.

January 27, 2011 – We were lucky enough to get two days in a row with 70+ temps so mapped out a couple of rides.  On the 27th we took off about noon for the Willow City Loop. Starting from Kingsland we took 1431 to the west side of town and picked up county road 3404.  This is also called Slab Road for the very reason that it dips down across a low lying portion of a river with huge slabs of granite that you can walk across.  Once you cross the “slab” it is about 7 miles of country road to Hwy. 71 and then another 10 miles or so to the intersection of Hwy. 16 in Llano.  This is where we always gas up before we start the long part of the journey.

Both 71 and 16 are two lane highways with 70 mph speed limits and very few passing zones so to be honest neither are my favorite routes… but I digress!  Once you hit Hwy 16 it is approximately 18 miles to the Willow City Loop turnoff.  The turnoff is on the left and the signage is easy to miss, so if you go, be alert and on the lookout!

The loop begins with a sign that says “Loose Livestock” and they aren’t kidding. The road is curvy, sometimes truly winding, and on a couple of occasions it’s an up & down ride through granite outcroppings on one side and cactus and cedar on the other.  There were only a couple of places that we felt comfortable enough to pull over and take a few pictures.

We saw maybe three ranches or homesteads and couldn’t begin to figure out how to get to one of them!  The sign was right, no fences or pens, cattle simply roam – but we didn’t have to stop for any in the road so not a problem at least on this day.

You exit the loop on State Road 1323 and it is a short 3 or 4 miles back to 16. One of our favorite finds was the Knot On The Loop Saloon just as we turned west after exiting the loop. (Like idiots we took pics of the inside but not the outside.) This is a small bar/cafe where we ate a really good cheeseburger that was absolutely loaded with tomatoes, pickles, onions and lettuce.  One drink and we were on our way home.

The first 4 miles or so back on Hwy 16 is very up and down and sharply curved.  This is a main route into Fredericksburg and is heavily traveled.  Apparently the locals don’t pay a lot of attention to the 70 mph speed limit but really only had one jackwad in a big black truck try to run us over before things straightened out a bit. Hwy. 16 back into Llano where you can reverse the ride out or take 16 on to Hwy. 29 for another 13-14 miles and catch 1431 for the last 7 miles or so into Kingsland.  (This is the route we took because stopping at Pat’s bar for a quick one on the way home has become a nice tradition.)

On Friday the 28th we took a similar route to see and climb the Enchanted Rock at Enchanted Rock National Park – that’s coming up in a future report!

(Editor’s note: THANKS, Shirley, for a great write-up and pictures!!)

My good friend Shirley has abandoned me this winter in favor of spending four months vacationing “down south.” She has partially redeemed herself by sending in this ride report from her first month in exile Texas.

by Shirley P.

I spent most of 2010 looking forward to my retirement date of December 3rd. That date finally came and my husband Garry and I immediately headed for the small town of Kingsland, Texas to escape the cold Iowa winter. We debated for a long time whether it was worth taking multiple vehicles, specifically so we could haul the Harleys with us. With not too much debate the Harleys won.

Although the average temperature in the Texas hill country where we are staying is 64 degrees, we have seen several days in the 70′s and on December 21 – yes, the first day of winter – we hit 80 degrees. Obviously the bikes came out and we did a great ride that I have to pass along.

At the eastern edge of Kingsland where we are staying we caught ranch road 2342 and took it about 15 miles to Park Road 4 which takes you through Inks Lake State Park. This lake is fed by the Colorado River. Park Road 4 is a beautiful curvy asphalt that winds another 15 miles through the park at a slow 35 mph, which gives lots of time to gawk.

We ended up at Highway 29 and headed west back past Buchanan Dam toward Llano. Highway 29 is a wide 4-lane highway that allows you to kick the bikes back up to the speed limit. Before you reach Llano you will come to a four-way stop called Fuzzy Corner, turn left on 1431 and head back into Kingsland. Of course, once you make the turn back to Kingsland you have to stop at Pat’s Bar for a cold one before going on home!

So, the decision to bring the bikes was definitely the right one! By the way, if you travel to the Texas hill country they actually have a map of rides. Our next one will be the Willow City Loop that Garry has ridden and says is a mix of hill country curves and maybe a bit of the feel of the Rockies on a couple of blind corners. Can’t wait for the next unusually warm day!

– Editor’s note: Thanks to Shirley for this write-up! Additional fun in the area she’s writing about includes Longhorn Caverns, the Vanishing Texas River Cruise, wine tasting at Fall Creek Vineyards, climbing at Enchanted Rock, and much more. Top photo courtesy of Mike Probst, via Flickr; bottom photo courtesy of Miguel Rodriguez, via Flickr.

Corn Dog’s Note: Wanted to share this excellent article with you by Jordan Robertson, a freelance writer, long-time rider and concerned Mom. Be sure to add your thoughts about what make good “ground rules” for teens interested in riding, and a big THANK YOU to Jordan for offering her insights to Biker Chick News!

Preparing Your Teen to Ride
by Jordan Robertson

If you’re a motorcycle enthusiast, chances are your kids will be too. They’ve grown up watching you ride, maybe helping you wash it in the driveway, dreaming of the day when they’d be able to take it out for a spin themselves. As a rider, you know better than anyone the joys of zipping down the road, feeling the bike between your knees and the feeling of freedom it offers. But you also know the dangers involved, especially when the rider is uneducated and unprepared. You’ve been an experienced rider for so long now, you may have forgotten some of the basics for someone just starting out.

My son has been saving up and recently bought his first bike, but I won’t let him get on that bike until I’ve helped him learn how to do it the right way. Here are just a few of the things your teen will need to do in order to be a safe, responsible rider:

Take a Motorcycle Safety Course
Sure, you know everything there is to know about riding. You’ve been doing it for years. But you probably also know some shortcuts, and have your own little ways of doing things that may be a little, let’s just say, unorthodox. Before you pass those on to your teenager, insist that he learn to ride the right way, taught by an experienced instructor.

Learning anything in a structured, classroom environment brings out the student in all of us. A teenager will be more likely to listen and pay attention to the instructor than to his parent who tells him what to do every day. The goal of earning that certificate at the end, and getting that feeling of accomplishment will motivate him to learn and participate.

Besides, by completing a safety course, my son is eligible for a discount on motorcycle insurance. That alone is reason enough to attend.

Wear a Helmet
Statistics show that head and chest injuries are the most common injuries suffered in motorcycle accidents. A helmet is the easiest way to prevent severe head injuries, or even death. If you require your kid to buckle his seatbelt when he’s in the car, require him to wear a helmet on the bike. It will give you peace of mind while protecting him from motorcycle injuries.

Not all states require that helmets be worn, and I know many people who think it’s not necessary, or that it just gets in the way. But this is my kid we’re talking about, and my concern for his safety trumps any state law. Once he’s an adult, it will be up to him whether or not he wears a helmet. But for now — no helmet, no motorcycle.

Get Insurance
One of the best ways to help teenagers appreciate something they have is to make them pay for it themselves. Too often, parents buy everything for their kids, denying them the opportunity to learn the true value of their possessions. When a child has to earn and then spend their own money on something, whether it’s clothes or a vehicle, they’re much more likely to take care of it and use it responsibly.

I am requiring my son to pay for his own insurance, which is also a way to teach him about an important part of personal finances. He’ll eventually be paying for life and health insurance in addition to his vehicle insurance. I’m using this time to help him understand how it works and why it’s necessary, and to also make sure he understands how premiums can go up if he gets a ticket or is involved in an accident. The more careful and responsible he is on the road, the more money he’ll be saving, not to mention the safer he and everyone else on the road will be.

Ride Responsibly
Even after taking a motorcycle safety course, and being lectured about the dangers of irresponsible riding, your kid is still a teenager, and prone to making mistakes. There may come a time when he gets a ticket for speeding, or worse, participates in road racing or other dangerous activities on the motorcycle.

Before he rides that bike for the first time, I will have a discussion about what is and is not allowed on the motorcycle, and what I will and will not tolerate. He needs to understand there are consequences for inappropriate actions, one of which may be losing the motorcycle altogether.

Hold your teen accountable for his behavior and actions. It may seem harsh, but remember that stunt riding, or even just speeding on a busy road or in a residential area doesn’t just put your kid in danger. By doing those things, he’s also putting others in danger.

By preparing my son for the responsibility of owning and riding a motorcycle, I believe I am helping him become a more responsible person in all areas of his life. With a little trust, a lot of patience, and even more preparation, I’m hoping that someday soon we will be able to ride together.

I recently read a really neat story that touched on something  experienced by a lot of women who ride motorcycles: the reaction of our family and friends, particularly our mothers. Now I don’t know about yours, but my mother was terrified of motorcycles. She would not let my dad own one, and she was absolutely against me owning a Honda Express when I wanted one as a teen-ager. (I eventually won that battle – I have no idea how.) She did not live long enough to see me learn to ride a “real” bike, and would have been beside herself with worry had she been here.

The story I read was written by Condi Starks, a gal from South Central Kansas who’s been riding her own for just about a year. Her current bike is a 750 Honda Shadow. But, Condi’s mom used to fret openly that riding wasn’t ladylike. I asked Condi if she would mind sharing her story here, and I’m delighted that she agreed!

My Cute Mother
by Condi Starks

My mother is very much a Diva!  I mean in every sense of the word.  I love her to pieces but can’t help but to just stand and shake my head at her.  She loves the attention and the drama that most “Divas” feed on, that’s my mom!  She had a cow when I got my bike.  “Condi that just isn’t lady-like!”  And then when I started shooting, she literally CRIED! And I am not even exaggerating, REAL TEARS because “I feel that you are losing your femininity!” We have talked and I “educated” her on what TRUE femininity was, and as you will see, I think she is a very good student.

A little history about my mother:  She came from a level of poverty that she was always embarrassed about; my grandfather worked his butt off, but with 5 children and one of them being a “special needs” child, it required that work and dedication from my grandfather.

My mother was a pre-teen before they had an indoor toilet.  So based on the “lack of” when she was a child, she created an image of what a “Perfect world” should look like and has strived to make her world as perfect as her mental image.

She dropped out of school in the 9th grade and went to work.  Then a few years later she met my dad.  He came from a very dignified family (mom’s dad was gruff and teetered on abusive).  My dad’s family was not “rich” by any means – they were dairy farmers here in Kansas and eventually lost the farm, so money isn’t what bought them respect in the community. It was their values.  This was the “Perfect family” in my mother’s eyes and she tried to mold me into THEIR image. (I don’t do so bad really but mental image is a hard thing to live up to).

My mother has since worked her way up to being the CEO of her own corporation, owning several tax franchises, and has every right to hold her head proud in her own right.  But she still struggles with “Mental Image” of what is “Perfect”.  And ladies on bikes, shooting guns is not the mental image she has of a “Dignified Lady.” UNTIL….

I told her “Mom, when I am on my bike I am free.  And there is nothing MORE lady like than FREEDOM.  I am free to be who I am, I am free from gender barriers. I am in control of my own destiny when I am on my own bike.  I am not sitting behind someone putting my life in the hands of THEIR riding skills.  You have always taught me to be in control of my own successes and failures, when I am sitting at the controls of my own bike I am in complete control.  I have POWER, when I hit that throttle and my bike roars, it screams ‘I am WOMAN, I am FREE, I am IN CONTROL!’

“And when I pick up my gun and master the skill of shooting I am saying I have value enough to stand up for my right to be safe and secure!  There is nothing lady-like in laying there letting someone rape you, there is nothing lady-like in begging for  your life, there is nothing lady-like in being reduced to hoping someone gets to you in time.  So by learning how to shoot I am learning how to protect the lady you created in me.”

She just smiled! Now she BRAGS about my riding and my shooting.  Recently while at a family picnic with “the perfect family” one of my female cousins said “Ohhh I have wanted a bike for so many years, but how do you keep Helmet Head away?” Before I could answer, my mother answered for me.  She said “That’s why you wear Doo-Rags.”

I smiled and winked at her.  By George I think she’s got it!!!

Many thanks to Holly N. for providing me with a wonderful multi-part series covering the 2009 Estrogen Ride, and to Vicki D. for taking such great photos!  Sounds like a wonderful time, I’m sorry I missed it this year! If you were there, be sure to add your stories in the comments!

by Holly N.

The weather gods were with us again on day 4!  We woke up in Hannibal to sunny skies and a light breeze.  After loading our bikes up we headed to Quincy IL to the H-D dealership so they could take a look at Judy’s tire.  We crossed the Mississippi in Hannibal and headed north to Quincy.  Once the at the dealership, they got her bike right into the shop and checked it out.  Luckily they couldn’t find anything wrong with the valve stem or anything, cleaned the tire off and it held air fine the rest of the way home.  This also gave us a chance to do some shopping and several made purchases of H-D things they just couldn’t live without.

The H-D dealership is on the east side of Quincy so rather than cut through the city to cross back into Iowa, we headed north a little ways and crossed over at Keokuk.  We headed northwest on Hwy 218 to Donnellson where we took Hwy 2 west to Farmington.  This is a very pretty road that takes you through Shimek State Forest.  The original plan was to ride to Bloomfield, IA for lunch but as we came through Farmington, there was a little restaurant, The Bridge Cafe and Supper Club, that I had seen several times on trips but never had a chance to stop at.  So, being the leader I made the executive decision to stop for lunch there!  No one was disappointed!  We were shown to a private room and fed some of the best homecooking we’d ever had.  We highly recommend the sweet potato fries!

After lunch, we stopped in Keosauqua for gas.  This proved to be quite a time as only one gas station in town had high octane gas, and only one pump for it!  So we lined up on both sides of the pump and passed the nozzle back & forth.  Of course, it didn’t offer pay at the pump so we’d have shut it off, turn it on and then go inside to pay!  Quite a sight!  At some point, Kathy B. turned on her music and we were all dancing in the parking area of the station.  I’m sure the locals loved us!

As we continued north, in Eldon we stopped at the American Gothic house.  This is the original house that Grant Wood used in his famous American Gothic painting.  They have a nice visitors center and the actual house is there to walk around.  It was fun to see and several gals had no idea it was in Iowa!

Eldon proved to be our last stop (except for a brief stop on an entrance ramp) so we said our goodbyes, more hugs & kisses and promises to go on next year’s ride.  We made it through with no mishaps and no dropped bikes!  It’s always bittersweet to end a good weekend with friends – so glad we have 2010 to look forward to!

Many thanks to Holly N. for providing me with a wonderful multi-part series covering the 2009 Estrogen Ride, and to Vicki D. for taking such great photos!  Sounds like a wonderful time, I’m sorry I missed it this year! If you were there, be sure to add your stories in the comments!

by Holly N.

Sunday morning, Corky & Jeannie had to head home so after more hugs (we sure do that a lot!) they were on their way back north. The rest of us were heading south about 43 miles to Clarksville MO. This little town has some very cute art galleries and shops plus a lock-and-dam system on the river.

Getting out of Hannibal proved to be more of a challenge than we had expected.  After stopping for gas, we promptly got split into two group when we got seperated at a red light.  Lee’s group headed north out of town (Clarksville is SOUTH) and the rest of us headed east toward the river looking for Lee’s group.  Never did find them but more on that later!  My group (I wasn’t leading this time!) ended up circling around town and back to the same gas station we had stopped at earlier!  Judy gets bold and asks a guy in his car at the gas station where Highway 79 is.  After trying to explain it and realizing that we just weren’t getting it, he says “Just follow me”.  So here are seven gals in pink hoodies following this guy’s maroon Nova back to downtown Hannibal and he got us pointed in the right direction.  In our defense, I will say that Highway 79 is NOT marked in downtown Hannibal….but if you’re ever looking for it, it is Third Street.

Once we found the road it proved to be a gorgeous ride through windy curves and gently rolling hills.  Lovely ride!  We still hadn’t seen the other girls so when we got to Louisiana MO, we stopped at a gas station to try to get ahold of them.  Now, here’s where our pink attire comes in handy.  I got to talking to another group of bikers at the gas station and asked them if they had seen another group of gals in pink hoodies.  Sure, they said, they were pulling out just as we pulled in!  So, Lee and her group had somehow gotten ahead of us (probably when we circled back in Hannibal!) and were already in Clarksville.  Such a relief to know where the whole group was again!  Louisiana to Clarksville is only about 7 miles so we were reunited in no time!

We spent some time shopping the stores in Clarksville and then road a little south out of town to Clarksville Station for lunch.  Again, a wonderful place with gorgeous gardens, a covered patio and chairs that reclined!  We enjoyed the breeze on the patio and, once again, wonderful food!  The owner (Natalie) came over and visited with us about the restaurant and her plants.  It was a great way to spend a beautiful afternoon!

Coming up next: The End, again!

Many thanks to Holly N. for providing me with a wonderful multi-part series covering the 2009 Estrogen Ride, and to Vicki D. for taking such great photos!  Sounds like a wonderful time, I’m sorry I missed it this year! If you were there, be sure to add your stories in the comments!

by Holly N.

Saturday morning the weather gods blessed us again with clear skies.  Unfortunately, Alicia had to say farewell and head back to Des Moines for a meeting…we were all sad to see her go but glad she got to enjoy a little of the trip!  L&M also has bins of towels to clean your bike off with so we all polished our chrome and gave the bikes a little sponge bath.  Lee had handed out our ride shirts before we left Des Moines and we donned them for our ride Saturday into Hannibal, MO.  Throughout the trip, our bright pink shirts and hoodies turned more than a few heads!  We loaded up our bikes, posed for group pictures (that, of course, included “Upstate”), got hugs from Lois and waved goodbye to the L&M.  We headed south on the Illinois side of the Mississippi following the Great River Road.

We made our first stop of the day in Port Byron, IL at a restaurant called “It’s On the River”.  As the name says, it is located right on the banks of the Mississippi with a wonderful deck we promptly took over.  Given that they really were not expecting such a large group, the proprietor and waitress did a fantastic job getting us all served.  The owner came out and visited with us and then gave us all tank tops with the restaurant’s logo on them and just asked that we take a picture and send to him so he could put it up on the wall!  The food was wonderful and of course, we took this opportunity to get to know each other better, take more pictures and enjoy the lazy river.

Once again, we hit the Great River Road and even though I didn’t plan to, we went straight through the middle of Moline IL.  When will I learn to read a map!  This was the first chance that we realized the hot pink shirts come in real handy when your group gets split up.  Very easy to spot!  Being the leader it is very heartstopping when you look in your mirror thinking you have 14 bikes behind you and you only see three!  We didn’t actually lose anyone but we did get seperated a few times!  The road through Moline twists & turns and with stoplights, traffic, etc., it was hard to keep track of everyone.  At one point, some of us had turned around to go back and at the next stop light found the rest of the group on the other side of the road going the opposite way!  This was also when I pulled up beside an older man in his car, tapped on his window to ask directions and thought I was going to have to administer CPR!  I thought for sure he’d hear me pull up but guess my bike isn’t as loud as I thought it was!

Just south of Moline is the tiny little town of New Boston IL.  Now, when you get to the junction of Hwy 92 and 17, if you turn west instead of east, you come to New Boston….and the highway ends in the river!  Not believing the sign, I had to check it out myself (by this time, the group is already manuvering their turn-around without me telling them to!)  But Illinoisians are friendly people and a couple riding around town in their golf cart were glad to give us directions to get us out of town and back on the road.  After circling through New Boston one last time (why not!) we got back on track and rode down to Nauvoo IL  where we made a stop at the historical center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We got there about 20 minutes before closing time so didn’t actually tour the facilities (although the bathrooms are nice!) but did stroll through the beautiful, peaceful gardens that are adjacent to the building.  These were lovely and we were all amazed at the variety of plants and shrubs and how well kept the garden was.

At this point, we had our first mechanical problem of the trip.  Judy B. noticed that her rear tire was low.  So Judy, Kris, Kathy, Jen & Lee headed to the convenience store in town to put some air in it.  We all meant them there and Judy’s tire did have a slow leak so we decided to split into two groups.  That way, they could stop frequently to check the tire pressure and the rest of us would haul ass to Hannibal.  It was after 5:00 in the evening when we left Nauvoo and we still had some miles to cover that day.

We crossed back over to the Iowa side of the river at Keokuk and promptly crossed the Missouri border.  Missouri is a helmet state so we had to do an emergency stop by the side of the road and get our helmets on before we got busted by The Man! The main group of us made it into Hannibal without further incident and, once again, I hadn’t gotten directions to the hotel (minor detail!) and had to call for directions.  We stayed at the Super 8 on Hwy 61.  Your typical chain motel but Karen working the desk that night was very nice and accommodating.

When Judy and her four “road angels” arrived, boy did they have a story to share!  During one of their tire check stops, Lee noticed that Jen’s headlight wasn’t working.  They found an Auto Zone and bought a replacement bulb. Headlight still didn’t work. Being mechanically minded, they realized that there must be a bad fuse. Out come the leatherman tools, allen wrenches, Jen unloads her bike, they pop the seat off and start testing fuses.  About this time, a man walks out of Auto Zone, takes one look at them and says “I think I’m in love!  You girls know more than I do!”  By this time, the two Auto Zone workers are basically being errand boys for our intrepid girls, running back into the store to get a fuse, electrical tape and whatever else they might have needed!  Jen likened it to a NASCAR pit crew at work!  Yes, they are bad-ass biker bitches!

Saturday night was pretty low key with a “parking lot” party on the patio at the Super 8 with everyone turning in rather early after our long road trip that day.

Day three coming up next!

Many thanks to Holly N. for providing me with a wonderful multi-part series covering the 2009 Estrogen Ride, and to Vicki D. for taking such great photos!  Sounds like a wonderful time, I’m sorry I missed it this year! If you were there, be sure to add your stories in the comments!

by Holly N.

What could  be better than hitting the open road with a group of gals for a four day wind-in-your-face weekend on your motorcycle?  That’s exactly what happened one weekend in early September as 15 of us hit the open road “looking for adventure”!  For some of us, this was our fourth Estrogen Ride…for some, the first (but definitely not their last!)  For the entire weekend, we couldn’t have ask for better weather!  Four gorgeous days of sunshine and light breezes.

We met at Big Barn Harley Davidson in Des Moines on Friday morning and after hugs, kisses and pictures, took off for our evening’s destination – Savannah IL – home of Poopy’s.  Before leaving DM, we decided to have our lunch break at Scooter’s in Anamosa.  So off we go heading northeastish on Hwy 330.  I was leading the group again this year (my 2nd year of planning the trip) and even though I had the route marked on the map, we had a few wrong turns and turn arounds!  The worst being a 40 mile round trip “scenic detour” that landed us in LaPorte City, IA.  Nice little town…not exactly on our route but now we can at least say we’ve been there!  We also discovered it would be nice if they put the “Pavement Ends” signs right as you turn onto that road…instead of several miles down the road!

After several gas, potty and “what the heck” stops, we finally made it to Anamosa at about 3 that afternoon (normally, this is a two hour trip!) and enjoyed a wonderful late lunch/early dinner at Scooter’s.  Great food & wonderful service for roa- weary women!  We also found out at lunch that Vicki D had never ridden farther than Marshalltown, IA!  Boy, was she going to be broken in by the end of the trip!

After lunch we continued east and pretty much a straight shot to the Iowa border, crossing the Mississippi River at Sabula, IA (the only Iowa town that is actually an island) and then south a few miles to Savanna IL.  We had reservations at the L&M Motel in Savanna and as we pulled into town, I realized I had forgotten one small detail – directions to the motel!  Well, I figured since it was kind of an older motel, it must be right on the main road through town and for once that day, I guessed correctly!

It’s a unanimous consensus among the group that we would highly recommend the L&M Motel to anyone!  We were greeted by Lois & Gary and coolers of refreshing beverages and wine from local wineries. We were able to take a break and visit among ourselves and with other guests while we were checking in.  Another cool thing about the L&M is they have “theme” rooms.  My roomie, Lee, and I got the Harley room!  You need to check out their website at www.l-mmotel.com for the full effect.

After freshening up in our rooms a bit, we decided to head to Poopy’s.  Now, here’s another perk of the L&M – they offer free shuttle service to Poopy’s or Iron Horse Saloon!  So we piled in the van & pickup truck (along with the two dogs, Goldie & Max) and hit Poopy’s for more refreshing beverages, some appetizers, good band and, of course, a little shopping!  When we were all ready to go home, Gary & Lois (and the dogs!) came and got us and even made a stop at a convenience store for a few “I forgot to bring” items that were needed.

When we got back to the hotel, there was a campfire in the firepit and several of us hung out there visiting with some other guests and relaxing.  We met one gentleman that was bicycling from his home in Albany, NY (upstate NY) to Minneapolis.  We didn’t get his name that night but he will forever be known by our group as “Upstate”!  There were also three other bikers from the Carlisle and Newton area and it was a blast listening to their banter.  They evidently have ridden together a lot and had many funny anecdotes to share with us.

Day Two, coming up next!