Martini Cartwheels

There were four of us riding in a group this morning, heading through Springfield on our way to Agawam, Mass. Mrs. Moto, the most experienced rider, was leading. A woman I had just met today, K, was second, I was third, and Blondie was the tail gunner.   Just after Mrs. Moto headed across a busy intersection, the light turned yellow. We were on a stretch of road that was loaded with "road snakes", those twisty,slippery asphalt patches. K hit the brakes to stop for the light and found herself in a nice skid. All I could think of was "Oh shit" as I saw her and her bike hit the ground directly in front of me. I move slightly to avoid running into her as I hit the brakes. It was then I saw Blondie on my left side suddenly slide a bit, hit the curb, and fall onto the island in the middle, her 500 pound bike landing on top of her knee. The "Oh Shit" was audible at this point. Mrs Moto pulled over from her spot down the road and ran toward us. A woman, who happen...

Since motorcycle season is upon us, I am re-running the second post I ever did with some slight revisions. Why I like Motorcycles Better Than Men Because a girl sitting on a bike is hotter than a girl sitting on a guy. Because even though my bike has nice pipes, I don't have to touch them. Because I can lock my bike in the garage when I am done with it for the day. Because the only rubber I am interested in is the one on my tires. Because I can ride it for hours without it getting tired.     Because none of the studs act like an ass.   Because when I outgrow it, I can trade it in for a bigger one.     Because it doesn't make any noise unless I tell it to. Because it doesn't like, need, or have a lot of gas in it. Because it's just as happy to see me in a t-shirt as it is to see me in leather.

This is one of my favorite shirts to wear while riding. Although I am always a bit anxious to wear something that conveys any sort of cockiness - I guess it is a karma thing. I am always cautious to refrain from any sort of arrogance because I believe it always comes back to kick you in the ass.I wouldn't look so confident in that shirt if I dropped my bike at a light or bumped into something while negotiating a tight turn in a parking lot. And then of course being female, I feel like I have to prove that I can ride just as well as a guy with the same level of experience. Which I am fairly certain I can, despite not having a scantily clad counter-weight on the back. Ladies - ride often, ride safe, ride with a fun shirt! Because topless just isn't the way to go at anything over 10 mph.

Notes to self: 1) Get a tripod 2) Camera should point at my face, not my bottom 3) Wind is loud 4) Neighbors think I am talking to myself when filming alone - not good

My reality last night.... My reality today....

One hundred miles in one day might not sound like much to most seasoned riders, but for me, it is a pretty big deal. I've been riding for a few years now, most of those on a permit. This spring I finally got serious, got my license, and upgraded to a bigger bike that would have a little more power for longer trips. On Saturday, I spent the whole day riding with friends and finally hit the 100 miles in one day mark. That's me in the red jacket. It matches my pretty red bike and red helmet. It's good to have a matching ensemble when you have a bad case of helmet hair - it distracts people away from your head. I first took a motorcycle class about 7 years ago. Unfortunately, that whole klutz thing clicked into high gear and I had a little mishap. Apparently when the instructor tells you to gently squeeze the front brake, she/he is not just blowing smoke. I guess I just didn't grasp that whole concept. I thought squeeze hard, stop quick. It's more like squeeze hard, ...

Because a girl sitting on a bike is hotter than a girl sitting on a guy. Because even though my bike has nice pipes, I don't have to touch them. Because I can lock my bike in the garage when I am done with it for the day. Because the only rubber I am interested in is the one on my tires. Because I can ride for hours without my bike getting tired.