I am still catching up from Sturgis and wishing the rally went onfor another week. I need more downtime… dont we all? Although Sturgisis mostly work for me, I do try and build in some fun. I just dontfeel I got enough fun this time, quite frankly. Im too busy riding toand from industry events and test riding other motorcycle and trikes tohave time to get out into the Black Hills and do some joy riding. Nextyear, I must build in more fun days. OK, enough lamenting. You can checkout my Sturgis recap here on the home page. Here are my latest blog items:
Women Riders In The News
The Rapid City Journal wrote a decent article on the growth of the womens market using quotes from my good friend, author Cris Sommer Simmons. You can read it by clicking here.
The Black Hills Weekly did an article on Athena Ransoms all-female bike build taking place during the Sturgis rally this year. Lots of good details to supplement our coverage that only teased the story. You can read the article here.
Me with Cris Sommer Simmons and Athena Ransom, photo taken during Harley-Davidsons womens event in Milwaukee last May.
Speaking of Cris and Athena….
Cris is the only American woman among 57 other motorcyclists, riding on a pre-1916 motorcycle, in her case, a 1915Harley-Davidson, across the country in the Cannonball MotorcycleEndurance Run happening September 10-26, 2010. My friend, fellow MotorMaid, and friend of the motorcycle industry, Cris is onthe home stretch of preparing her old motorcycle for the cross countryjourney that starts in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and ends in Santa Monica, Calif., two weeks later. Cris has decided to do this ride in the name of a charity and isasking people to donate to her for the Stand Up 2 Cancer charity. Youcan do so at this link. And if you want to follow Cris, you can keep up with her on her blog at http://crissommersimmonscannonball.blogspot.com.
Motorcycle builder and mechanic Athena Ransom of Vagabond Chopper Company iscoming along for the ride as Cris mechanic, so is the guy who took the entire bike apart and rebuilt it for Cris, thats Steve Huntinger. While Cris has done all she can do to prepare the aged bike, putting that many miles on it something is bound to break down or not, if Steve did his job rebuilding the bike properly. He and Athena will be right there in a chase vehicle to help should something go wrong, but Cris is confident the bike can last the 3,300 miles with no problems. Im proud to be a sponsor of Cris ride helping her defray the costs associated with this long journey. To learn more aboutthe Cannonball Run visit MotorcycleCannonball.com
AMA Unveils National Motorcyclist Voter Guide for Members What a great idea, I think! The AMA is offering its 2010 AMA Voter Guide, a comprehensive online voter guide designed to educate AMA members on how their elected officials acted upon and voted on motorcycle-relevant issues.
The 2010 AMA Voter Guide, the first national voter guide of its kind for the motorcycling community, features a fuel-gauge rating for every federal and gubernatorial candidate of the major political parties who returned an AMA questionnaire. The rating shows how closely the candidates answers correspond to the positions held by the AMA. The Voter Guide also spells out where candidates stand on motorcycling-related issues. In addition, it features a scorecard for federal incumbents seeking re-election that demonstrates how closely their voting records match the positions held by the AMA. The 2010 AMA Voter Guide is available to AMA members. To learn more about the AMA visit, AMA-Cycle.org.
More David Uhl
I just received my latest David Uhl painting, 70 amp; Counting, and hung it on the wall above my office. Its of a woman rider on a vintage motorcycle heading to the Sturgis Rally out near Devils Tower. Well, David is one busy painter and we just got word of another woman rider themed painting, Wild Mustangs.
David Uhls latest: Wild Mustangs.
Wild Mustangs depicts an early 1940s airfield,featuring a courageous female pilot jumping from oneMustang to another, acompletely different type of iron horse. Thisbreed of lady has no worriesinkick-starting her trusty 1940 Knuckleheadshortly after navigating the airways in her P-51 Mustang.
Closeup of the woman in the painting.
Orders are now being taken. Contact Greg Rhodes at Uhl Studios at 303.913.4840, or email greg@uhlstudios.com.
Girl Gear Giveaway
Shelly Reiner, owner of Girl Gear Apparel is requesting a photo of you wearing Girl Gear jacket, chaps or shirt. In return shell send you a pair or socks or a shirt. Sounds like a cool deal to me. Email her at girlgear@comcast.net.
Shelly Reiner wearing one of her jackets.
Raising Some Serious Cash
Congrats to all the riders who participated in recent rides for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The third weekend in July is traditionally one of thelargest of the Ride for Kids season, with events in Illinois, New York andMinnesota. Those rides did not disappoint combining to raise $410,956for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.The ride for Kids events are scheduled until November. Visit the group’s Web site to see if there’s a ride coming to a city near you.
Riders at a recent Ride for Kids event.
Biketoberfest Gearing Up
And start making your plans for Biketoberfest, Daytona Beach’s annual fall rally that is a more manageable version of spring’s Bike Week. It takes place October 14-17 in Daytona. Fewer people mean it’s easier to get around the sunny city, but still no shortage of vendors, demo rides, or fun. Click on the ad below my blog at the bottom of the page that will take you to exclusive access to the event’s Web site, just for Women Riders Now readers. If it’s not there, refresh the page.
