Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Be the first to comment ‘Rallies’, ‘Road Trips’ and it’s human nature to want to belong to a group of like-minded individuals. You see many such groups in the world of motorcycling. In 1985, when I started riding, there weren’t many female groups, and most of the male-dominated groups did not allow women to belong. Computers, social media and even cell phones weren’t prevalent, so most groups were in local communities.

I was a tomboy at heart, so hanging out with the guys was never difficult for me, but I longed for opportunities to ride with other women and enjoy the camaraderie. I read every article I found about women who rode their own motorcycles. My first opportunity came in the early ’90s when my local Harley-Davidson Dealership in Central Wisconsin started a new Harley Owners Group (HOG) chapter. I knew that there were a couple of other women in my community who rode, but I had only seen one of them out riding.

 

The dealership asked me to be the Ladies of Harley representative. I agreed and, together with Lynda Lepak, we were the first Ladies of Harley reps for Central Wisconsin HOG. I thought this meant that we were going to have women’s rides, but it soon became apparent that our group, which was mostly men, just wanted a women’s auxiliary to bring food to events and help coordinate them.

Regardless of what the guys thought we were all about, Lynda and I were able to get a women-only ride scheduled. I’ll never forget the thrill of riding with four other women to the Dyracuse Hill Climbs. All five of us took to the highway, and cars that passed us would slow down, their windows would drop and cameras would come out. Thumbs-up were prevalent, and our smiles were plastered on our faces for days. As we pulled into the Hill Climbs, the stares were obvious, but I had to chuckle when I saw the men in our group waiting for us.

They were not used to being excluded! Since then, I’ve watched many female rider groups pop up all over the country. Some are local, some have a cause, some are women’s support groups: Motor Maids, Women in the Wind, Women on Wheels, Asphalt Angels, Iron Angels, Chrome Divas, Stilettos on Steel, even the International Sewing Club!

In 2000, I co-founded a group called Women in Motion after attending the 2nd American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Women & Motorcycling Conference in Westerville, OH. The AMA recognized that with so many more women getting their own motorcycles, a conference to celebrate that fact would empower women – and they were right.

 

 

 

Today, the Women in Motion Road Guardians assist police by escorting female-oriented group rides whenever possible. In 2009, the AMA had their 5th Women & Motorcycling Conference in Keystone, Colorado. I’d recently purchased my first brand-new motorcycle, a 2008 Harley-Davidson Street Glide, and I looked forward to every ride knowing that I now had a reliable touring bike. As I was planning the route home, it occurred to me that this would be a perfect opportunity to do an Iron Butt ride.

 

In order to become a member of the Iron Butt Association, a person has to ride over 1,000 miles in less than 24 hours. Your route has to be submitted ahead of time, with the starting and end points verified, and all time-stamped gas stop receipts sent in to verify the route. It was on that ride home from the Women’s Conference that I was again inspired by the many amazing women I met, and I began to contemplate how fortunate we women are. There is no other place in this world where women are so free – free to make choices, free to ride a motorcycle of our choice and free to wear whatever apparel we choose.

I suddenly felt a rush of gratefulness. What makes the USA so different from other places?

 

 

It occurred to me that I may have taken for granted the sacrifice of our military that preserves the freedom that we enjoy. While I was making my choices and enjoying my freedom, others were leaving their families and jobs to protect our way of life. Some had given the ultimate sacrifice for that freedom. How could I give back? It was then that I realized that I needed to serve those who had served me. I would look in the eyes of every veteran I met and thank them.

 

Once I returned home, I called a woman I met at the conference, Diva Amy. She suggested that we take a cross-country ride. “Right on!” I thought. As we continued to explore this idea, the concept for the Diamond Posse was formed. Cat Hammes, the “one-legged blonde” who lost her leg in a motorcycle crash yet had the courage to keep riding; Eldonna Fernandez, an Air Force master sergeant known as the Pink Biker Chic; and Bobbie Carlson, from a company called Cape Fox that trains military motorcycle riders, joined in for the ride.

We would start in San Antonio, Texas, at the Center for the Intrepid, and end in Green Bay, Wisconsin, joining a welcome-home celebration for Vietnam vets. We planned the route around Veterans Administration hospitals, where we would stop to visit veterans, and each evening we would have a meet and greet to raise money for the Fallen Heroes Fund. At the end of our journey, we donated $10,000.00 to the Fallen Heroes.

For a video that was taken while we were on the Diamond Posse Ride:

 

 

For more information about the Diamond Posse, go to www.diamondposse.us or contact Vicki@diamondposse.us.

Regardless of your passion, I encourage you to find a group of like-minded people and enjoy the camaraderie of other independent, self-reliant women. Whether you are just joining the world of motorcycling or have been here for a while, we all have something to offer each other.

Larger gatherings like the Steel Horse Sisterhood, the AMA’s Women & Motorcycling Conference or Biker Belles in Sturgis offer us a chance to meet women from all over the USA. Of course, a group closer to home will give you someone to ride with on a more frequent basis. Do you ride with a group? We would love to know more about you!

 

Reprinted with permission from Allstate Rider News.