10 OCT 04
Today I have had my ST for one year and I have put on just over 24,000 (s)miles. In addition I have put about 6,000 on my other bikes. It's been a great year!
21 SEPT 04
I adore Autumn!
To celebrate the first day of Fall (tomorrow), I decided to treat myself to a new pair of earrings. So I rode the Valkyrie to the Grand Canyon to get them...
31 JUL 04 - 07 AUG 04 in Europe
When I arrived in Frankfurt, my first stop was Bike City to purchase some riding gear. I was ready for a new riding suit anyway so I figured, why not buy it in Germany, it’s better than packing all that gear over there. I picked up an ST 1300 Pan European near Frankfurt. I had already explained to the rental company that I ride an 03 ST 1300 at home but he still treated me as if I had never seen one before. He repeatedly warned me that “The Americans” like to come to Germany to drive fast. My purpose in Europe wasn't to drive fast; I can do that at home on my own ST. My purpose in traveling to Europe was to attend the WIMA (Women's International Motorcycle Association) rally in Borculo, Netherlands.
I packed my gear on the bike and headed to Maastricht where I spent the first night. It was a wonderful ride and I found that my paltry German was no match for the Euro English that is used seemingly everywhere I went. I had little trouble communicating with people in Germany or Netherlands, in English.
On Sunday morning I headed to Amsterdam to meet Alice Sexton, President of WIMA, US. Alice and I had never met before but we had spoken by phone and e-mailed each other many times. Alice was the financial reason I was in Europe, she held a drawing to send a WIMA US member to the rally which I won by default. THANK YOU, ALICE!
I arrived in Amsterdam with good directions from Alice but I missed the street that the hotel was on, twice. Then I heard someone call my name…Thank goodness Alice was walking down the street and saw me driving around. We spent the day in Amsterdam and I got to see the Anne Frank house. Amsterdam is very beautiful, I had a wonderful time.
On Monday morning we packed up our gear and I gave Alice a ride to Den Haag where she picked up a Ducati Monster. Alice, who is about 5" tall and slender, had a bag of gear bigger than herself but we managed to get everything on the bike and get going. It must have been a sight, Alice with her enormous bag strapped to her back rode pillion like a champ. Alice is no stranger to the race track and she had no trouble with the Duc. Alice is a great rider, experienced and safety conscience, the perfect mix. We rode to the rally near beautiful Borculo, Netherlands where more than 100 women on bikes were already there. That evening I took a solo ride thru the gorgeous, green countryside. It was difficult to return to the rally site but it was 9:30 pm and gloaming so I had to return.
Earlier that day Alice had introduced me to Pat and Lu, two sport bike riders from England, who were traveling to Calais, France the following day to pick up another rider, Leigh. They invited us to go along and I jumped at the chance, I had never been to France before. At first, I was worried that they would drive too slowly but my concerns were quickly dashed…
A fast and clearly accomplished rider, Lu led the ride to Calais with Pat second and me bringing up the rear. Pat is a proficient, keen motorcyclist and it was a pleasure to travel with such skilled and adept riders...Too bad I messed it up!...
After a pleasurable ride thru Holland and Belgium, we stopped for lunch in France. Back on the road, we were exiting a round-a-bout in Dunkerque when Lu smelled diesel fuel and pointed to it. Pat rode thru without incident but I did not fare so well. I hit the diesel, lost control of the bike and slid into a curb which knocked a small hole in the engine cover. I was not able to finish the trip with this bike.
Pat continued on to Calais and met Leigh on her bike, and then they returned to the accident scene. Thank goodness Pat spoke a bit of French, she talked with the Gendarmes and determined that there was a Honda dealership just a few km from there. We got the bike to the dealership then Pat and I stayed the night in Dunkerque while Lu and Leigh returned to the rally.
The following morning I was picked up in France by Lesley and her delightful son Edward in her Bouncy Castle van. Edward was just recovering from chickenpox. Even though he wasn’t feeling well, he was still a charming, well-mannered child. We got on the road and at the first stop Pat found a nail in her tire. It’s a good thing she saw it, the tire went flat right there in the parking lot! I was still hurting from the accident so I wasn’t much help but Pat and Lesley loaded the bike in Lesley’s van and we continued on. Back at the rally Pat found a place to replace her tire and she removed the wheel. I mention this because I was standing there while she removed the wheel and I was captivated. She removed that wheel like a pro! Pat was so fast and efficient at removing the wheel that I think she could do pit work at a race track.
Because of the accident I no longer had a bike to ride but the rest of the rally was a lot of fun. We talked, we partied, we danced, and we had a great time at the rally. Regretfully, I worried so much about my own situation that I ruined a bit of the trip. I was so distressed about securing a return flight and getting back to Frankfurt to make the flight that I didn’t allow myself to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery and pleasant people around me. When I go to future rallies I will definitely make a better time of it.
One thing that really stood out for me during this trip was a long discussion I had with two of the Swedish WIMA members about safety gear. It was an interesting conversation. I was already safety conscience and wear gear most of the time but they taught me even more. I have to give credit to Lu as well; we started a conversation about safety gear while we were waiting at the side of the road after my little “get-off”. Insurance companies in Europe have a different view of safety gear than companies in the US. In essence, you have a right not to wear safety gear but, if you have an accident and suffer injuries that could have been prevented by wearing gear, the insurance companies are not obliged to cover the cost of treating those injuries. I wonder if that is in the future for US companies.
Despite the mishap I had a nice time in Europe and a wonderful time at the WIMA rally. I plan to go to future rallies and I hope that the acquaintances I made in Borculo will become lifelong friendships.
16 JUL 04
Pete and I are traveling together now, I on my ST 1300 and he is in his GMC Denali...I suppose if ya won't go by bike, the Denali is the way to go. But don't forget to gas up...Pete ran out of gas about 40 miles east of Cloudcroft. I went to Cloudcroft and got a gallon of gas but, knowing that isn't enough to get him to the gas station, I left immediately to get more gas once he got started. Pete ran out again in 15 miles. When I got to Cloudcroft this time, I purchased another gas can a took back 2 gallons. That was enough to get him to the gas station. At the end of the day (home), Pete logged about 580 miles and for me, just over 700.
15 JUL 04
I was a short ride today but here I am in Carlsbad, NM from San Angelo, TX. Pete has arrived with our dog Brandy. What a loyal traveling companion she is.
14 JUL 04
It's confirmed, I don't need to stay in Austin for the other classes and they are cheaper to take online so I have decided to head out tonight. My husband and I have decided to meet-up in Carlsbad, New Mexico tomorrow. I rode San Angelo for the night.
13 JUL 04
Here I am in Round Rock, Texas for classes at Dell. During class I found out that I don't need to remain here for the other two classes so I will probably leave tomorrow after class. Today after class I took a 70 mile scoot around Austin. I had no idea that the area around here is so lush, green and beautiful.
12 JUL 04
I was an easy ride today, as far as mileage goes, from San Angelo to Round Rock, Texas. Texas hill country is wonderful. The ride was so beautiful that it almost made me forget about the 96 degrees and 90% humidity.
11 JUL 04
I started out at dawn this morning from Eagar, AZ. I took some beautiful back roads such as the 180 and 82 in New Mexico. I arrived in San Angelo, TX after a therapeutic but tiring 750 miles. The humidity is rough on me but I am having a great time anyway.
10 JUL 04
I got tires on my STeed and decided to start out a little early. At 7:00 pm I left for Eagar, AZ. What a great nighttime ride, I love the smell of pine trees. I'm glad I got a jump on my trip.
09 JUL 04
I leave on Sunday for Austin, Texas. I'll be there for 6 days at the Dell facility. I hope I am riding STeed but I need tires, if I don't get them today, I will take the ZRX 1200.
08 JUN 04
My sister and I took a little trip to the Grand Canyon and back today, she rode my Valkyrie and I rode my ST 1300. She did a great job, it is hard to believe that she has only had her license less than a month. 370 miles is a common day-trip for me, but quite a feat for a beginner.
04 JUN 04
My sister and I went out on her first long ride today, 270 miles thru Roosevelt Lake, Globe, Show Low and back to Payson. She did a great job on the Valkyrie, her riding skills have improved beautifully.
24 MAY 04
We drove home from Rock Springs today because the weather forecast was quite dismal. I hope we can make it to Yellowstone and Glacier next year...We'll see!
23 MAY 04
We had breakfast at Yellowstone and were dismayed to learn that because of heavy snowfall the night before, motorcycles were not being admitted. We thought about going around but the weather report is not good. So we are in Rock Springs for the night. We will probably just head home tomorrow.
22 MAY 04
AM - The weather report is not good for Glacier, so we have decided to go straight to Yellowstone and skip northern Montana.
We are staying at Yellowstone Valley in tonight. I came across the 14 which, unfortunately, had a lot of construction. The delays were numerous and I was tired of gravel and rocks being spit at me by other vehicles. At one point however, I came to a construction zone and the flagger came up to me (I was about 10 vehicles back) and asked me to go to the front so he could tell me about the road. I thought that was odd but, of course, I went up to the beginning of the line and they just flagged me thru first. I was elated, I feel for the other people that had been waiting but I didn't hold anybody up and I was relieved not to have any vehicles in front of me, Such Luck!
21 MAY 04
I spent all day today riding the Black Hills. I saw Bison, Mountain Goats, Burros, Prairie Dogs, Pronghorn Sheep and awesome roads everywhere. I stopped in at Crazy Horse and rode by Mount Rushmore, then I decided to go up to Spearfish. Alt 14 is an awesome road not to be missed by any twisty enthusiasts. The traffic was light and the weather was great...until...I came back south to the 85, where I rode into a heavy hail storm. It wasn't so bad, it only lasted about 12 miles then it was pleasant weather once again.
20 MAY 04
We arrived in Custer, SD today. I took a detour thru Nebraska because I had never been to that state before. It was an easy ride today, uneventful and, of course, pleasurable.
19 MAY 04
Today's destination...Estes Park. Pete planed to go around the mountains, taking 160 and 285 and I planned to go over, taking 50. When I got to Silverton however, I found out that the pass was closed. I stopped and spoke to a state trooper who was quite huffy...until he realized that I was not at all unhappy about returning to Durango to go the other way. When roads are good in one direction, they are often good in the other sirection as well. The road from Durango to Silverton is awesome albeit too short! I contacted Pete who decided to have breakfast and wait for me in Pagosa Springs. In Estes Park we saw a couple of large Wapiti and when I parked to get a photo, I was within 10 feet of the majestic creatures...
18 MAY 04
We are in Durango, CO at a KOA 12 miles North of the city. The ride was, as usual, quite pleasurable. Our cabin is right next to the river, the temperature is perfect and there is no one else around...heaven at the end of the day!
16 MAY 04
Tuesday is the day, I am headed out for a tour around some northern states. As usual I am excited about the trip to say the least. Pete, my husband doesn't ride so he is going in his GMC Sierra Denali. He packs all of our stuff and we head out. His truck has a tonneau so it is easy and roomy to lock our stuff in the back. On the bike I take one night of supplies in case we get separated for a longer than usual period. Pete and I don't always take the same roads each day, or ride/drive at the same pace, so we just pick a place to meet at the end of each day.
Janis, my sister, passed her MC course today and is eligible for her license.
I entered a drawing to go to Borculo Netherlands in August for the WIMA convention... and I won...by default! ;-) The winner couldn't go and I was runner-up. I hope to spend a little extra time there, rent a bike and tour Europe.
23 APR 04
After years of riding and resisting farkles, I have decided to take the plunge. I am installing a GPS, an XM radio and other farkle goodies on STeed. More on that progress later.
I purchased an 03 Kawasaki ZXR today to use as an around-town bike. I have been eyeing this bike for several years and now I bought one. For honest and straightforward sales see Ronnie at Cramer's Phoenix International Motorsports.
20 APR 04
I rode to Ash Fork, AZ to have lunch with my father. While in Ash Fork I met Kate and Philip, two Brits (they live near Bristol, England, I think) touring around North America on their F650GS and 1100GS respectively. They started in Nova Scotia last October and were headed to the Pacific, then up to coast to Canada. They are thinking of touring central America next...Cheers Kate and Philip!
18 APR 04
I am planning a trip for the end of May. I am headed to a few states that I have never been to before. I will go to the Black Hills of SD, ND, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming.