Send me Iowa biker events

I feel like I’m waking up from a long slumber. Not only was I away from the blog for two months, but my mind was completely away from motorcycles for that same period while I searched for, landed and started a new job. (Then we throw some holidays in there too, and well perhaps I was just a bit ovewhelmed for a short time.)

When I finally did check in on the blog, I ended up reading through all of our 2009 Sturgis adventures – and found myself really longing for the whole motorcycle “thing” to come back . On  Saturday, hubby, daughter and I went up to Big Barn HD for the annual Zero Run and Chili Feed (the ride itself was cancelled but the chili was AWESOME as usual!) and I realized that the big motorcycle swap meet is coming up in a few weeks, the next local HOG chapter meeting is next week, and really, Spring is n0t TOO far away. Suddenly it feels like bikes are front-and-center again.

All this is to say that I’m “in the mood,” hoping for an early start to the riding season, and I’m compiling my list of Iowa bike rallies and events. If you know of an event you’d like me to include, either leave a comment or drop me an email. I do have to point out that I can’t list every individual “bike night” around the state, but if you know of one (location and dates) within 60 miles or so of Des Moines, you can send me the info and I’ll try to include as many as I can.  I’ll post the list soon.

Meanwhile, we got our 2010 J&P Catalog in the mail recently so it’s time to do some shopping!

Remembering warmer days

Temperatures here are in the single digits and below zero, and the state’s covered with about 20 inches of snow. It must be time to reminisce a little about some favorite rides from 2009.

Iowa Veterans’ Cemetery Ride – this one included a beautiful Iowa day, an un-planned detour, and a worthy destination. It was just Steve and I for this October jaunt.

When I bought my 1200 Sportster in July, we took a nice ride to the south to test her out. Especially nice day because we were joined by Wade, Coyote and Howard.

Of course the trip to Sturgis was the highlight of the year, and two of those days made my favorites list: the second day on the ride out to South Dakota, simply because of the amazing sidetrip through Badlands National Park; and, the day we went to Sundance, Wyoming and ultimately got caught in the rain. It wasn’t all good riding, but it has become one of my favorite days to recollect!

The Lincoln Highway Bridge ride – not too far away, but a fun day with good road food and an interesting historic site.

How about you? Add a story about your best riding day from the past year in the comments!

MoCo news: Sweetening the pot

Yes yes, I know, not every rider longs for a Harley. But for those who do, HD is sweetening the pot this month (yes, the month of January) with a special offer for owners of other brands. Just take your competing brand bike in for a trade, and they’ll give you an extra $500 over your trade-in. (Roads covered in ice? Here’s a tip – you can probably ask your dealer if they’ll pick up your trade-in.) Here’s the link for complete info on the HD website.

And, if you think you might want to own an HD but don’t know which model is for you, check out this new “build your bike” app on the MoCo’s Facebook page that will help you figure it all out.  Hey if nothing else it’s a way to kill a few minutes while you’re waiting for the snow to melt.

Finally, just a quick plug for one of the things I like best about the Harley brand – the community of riders. Once you do get that dream bike, be sure to join your local Harley Owners Group (HOG) chapter. You’ll find an instant family of fellow riders eager to lead (or follow) you down the road.

Good tips for ride leaders

Jay’s got a strong list of tips for road captains over at Road Captain USA, and, although I’m not a sanctioned road captain I’ve led a lot of rides so thought I’d make some additions here instead of whole-posting in his comments section. (Jay, hope you don’t mind the link!)

Most notably, two things:

First, there’s another reason to park away from the front door of the convenience store – when you get a little farther away from the entrance, you likely have more room for all the bikes in the group. You then have a better chance of getting parked in some kind of group or even loose formation for making an organized exit.

Second, I disagree that the group leader should “ride their own ride.”  The group leader has to ride within their own skillset and comfort zone, for sure. But part of being the leader is keeping track of the rest of the group. and that’s not possible if you just focus on your own ride.  That’s not to say the leader shouldn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the ride. But it’s important to know what’s going on with the rest of the group. I think the key is really just to find the middle ground.

Beyond these, here are a couple “tips” of my own – well, not really tips, just things I try to do when leading a group that I think make it more enjoyable.

1. I don’t abandon people just because we’ve reached the destination. I know it’s “policy” in some sanctioned riding groups that the ride ends the moment you arrive, and certainly in larger groups that’s because people want to be free to head home as meets their needs. For the kind of small-group rides I’m usually leading, it just feels like common courtesy to lead the ride home too.

2. I try to pick destinations that have food and something interesting to see. Of course, the day is mostly about the ride itself. But it’s nice to have something to explore, if even for a short time, to give everyone a break. As for the food – the logic of that just goes without saying.

If you find yourself leading rides, what are your tips? If you tend to follow, what do good leaders do that make the ride more enjoyable?

The road ahead

From time to time I like to stop and make note about the traffic levels on this site. A couple of interesting notes from the 2009 traffic logs:

The site averaged just over 20,300 visitors per month in 2009.

I almost (but not quite!) broke the 25,000 mark in monthly visits with 24,795 in August!

The number of visitors in each month in 2009 was higher than the number of visitors in the corresponding months in 2008, so, it was another record year for traffic despite some pretty big gaps in posting frequency.

It’s always interesting, too, to discover what search terms people are using when they find this site – generally my traffic report shows that most people are searching for pictures when they click through. And that’s okay with me – I’m sure the ones looking for “sexy biker chick pics” are disappointed, but at least their eyes get opened to the fact that real women actually ride motorcycles instead of just posing on them.

All that said, the one stat I’m resolving to really pay attention to in 2010 is this:

• There are currently 172 people who subscribe to site updates, either through an RSS reader or via email. (I’m sure that number is higher for many other “biker chick” blogs, and that’s okay too.)

Those people – you! – are the ones who are really interested to know when something new has been added. You’re the ones who actually read my posts and create the community that surrounds this blog.

My goals for this site have always been simple: to express and share the joy of riding, and to encourage other women to ride their own. Hopefully, for at least 172 of you, I’m doing just that.

Happy 2010!

I’m still here – are you??

Well how’s THAT for falling off the face of the earth?? I swear I didn’t mean to, and I am planning to re-start, jump-start, or whatever to get things going again. I have lots to share, lots to write about, and lots of great links to send your way – and hopefully, time to post everything while our Iowa roads and landscape are covered in snow!

I’d like to take a moment to thank the gals who sent me concerned emails, asking if everything was okay – it sure is, and I’m touched that you wrote and asked the question!

And, I also wanted to send well-wishes to my blogging friend and kindred-spirit-in-riding, Steph (aka Iowa Harley Girl) – I hope she’s feeling better and will be ready to ride this spring!

Finally, here’s wishing each of you a happy and healthy New Year!

What every rider should know about protective eyewear

Special thanks to Andrea M. for this helpful article about protective eyewear for bikers! Andrea is an avid biker chick who lives in Arkansas and loves riding the rural scenic roads there. “I believe every rider should ride safe and ride for fun,” she says. She works for www.gogglesandglasses.com.

by Andrea M.

Eye protection is very important for motorcycle riders.  You never know when another vehicle will throw a rock, or a bug flies into your face. Windshields block some debris, but do not fully protect your eyes. In many states, it is a law that all motorcycle riders must wear protective eyewear. This article will provide information for selecting the best protective eyewear for you.

There are many types of protective eyewear made for motorcycle riders. These include goggles, glasses, and convertible glasses. Convertible glasses come with a strap to wear like a goggle, or arms to wear like glasses. Some riding glasses have an attached strap to both arms to prevent slipping. Padding attached to the frame of a goggle or glasses protects the face from severe impacts and provides a wind resistant seal. This wind resistant seal helps keep dirt and wind out of your eyes, and is great for sensitive eyes or those that wear contact lenses.

Always check to make sure the lens is made of polycarbonate shatter resistant material. Some sunglasses are made of acrylic material and will crack or break very easily. UV protection is important for blocking out harmful rays of the sun. I recommend UV 400 protection because it is the highest available. Polarized lenses are great for blocking glare and make objects look crisp and clear. The downfall of polarized lenses is that it makes oil slicks and wet spots harder to see. Lenses come in a variety of colors and there are “kits” for goggles and glasses available that have different colored lenses that can be switched out. Smoke or Amber tinted lenses are great for bright sunny days. Yellow, clear, and blue tinted lenses are great for night driving or very cloudy and hazy days.

Almost every motorcycle rider who wears protective eyewear has experienced a problem with glasses fogging up. Several anti-fog compounds are packaged and marketed for this purpose.  They cost quite a bit, some work great but others are a total failure.  Virtually all of them have one common component that makes them work: glycerin. Glycerin is a high-percentage ingredient in hand soap. Some soap brands/types tend to be better than others are.  Neutrogena has about the highest glycerin content of any soap.  It is a bit softer than most soap, but rubbing your finger on it, then smearing it on your eyewear works fine.  I take a chunk of it and put it in a clear, plastic 35mm film can.  Ivory soap and `Pure Pleasure’ glycerin soap work very well also. To apply cut off a piece of hand soap, smear it on your previously cleaned eyeglasses, then, using a clean, cotton cloth, rub the streaked soap all over the lenses to where it’s not visible any more.  Works fine, lasts a long time and works better in my opinion than any of the stuff you pay a buck or more per half-ounce for.

In my opinion, there is no #1 best option for protective eyewear. It is a matter of personal preference. One must find the pair that works best for them. I have several different pairs that I wear for different riding conditions. The most important thing is to be safe and enjoy the ride.

Estrogen Ride 2009, Day Four

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!

Estrogen Ride 2009, Day Three

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!

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