tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267432252024-03-26T02:36:39.103-06:00MotoFemina CastMotoFemina, a reality TV series follows three women from Santa Fe, New Mexico with no previous motorcycling experience as they enter a women’s only Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) training program. After completing MSF they are fitted with BMW riding gear and are mentored by two experienced women motorcyclist. The series follows the women through the 2006 season as they develop the skills and courage required to safely enjoy motorcycling. At season’s end one woman wins a BMW motorcycle.Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1158002720126774862006-09-11T13:12:00.000-06:002007-02-22T13:48:18.483-07:00Congratulations Jessica!!!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/jess%20in%20her%20gear%20looking%20snazzy.10.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/jess%20in%20her%20gear%20looking%20snazzy.10.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/motofemina%20girls%20at%20Pacheco%20canyon.10.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/motofemina%20girls%20at%20Pacheco%20canyon.10.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/jess%20in%20her%20gear%20looking%20snazzy.2.jpg"></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/motofemina%20girls%20at%20Pacheco%20canyon.2.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I am so happy for you Jess! Going through MotoFemina with you and Laura was a great experience and one I won't forget. I sincerely hope that all of us will stay in touch and ride together; short trips and long adventures.<br />SynthSynthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1157514407642192182006-09-05T21:44:00.000-06:002006-09-07T20:26:42.316-06:00MotoFemina Sipapu Invitation<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/sipapu.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/sipapu.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/sipapu%20map.gif"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/sipapu%20map.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Fellow Motorcyclists:<br /><br />The cast and crew of MotoFemina and the staff of <a href="http://www.Santa">Santa Fe BMW</a> invite you to the awarding of the red 2006 BMW F 650 GS motorcycle to the winning MotoFemina contestant at:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.The">The Land of Enchantment BMW Riders Bavarian Mountain Weekend Rally</a><br /><br />Location: <a href="http://www.Sipapu">Sipapu Ski Resort</a><br /><br />Time: Saturday September 9th at 4:00 p.m.<br /><br />Please forward this invitation to your motorcycling friends.<br /><br />We look forward to seeing you all ride in.<br /><br />Laura, Jessica and SynthSynthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1157054919998325012006-08-31T13:00:00.000-06:002007-01-12T21:26:14.046-07:00A Motorcycle Road Trip<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/IMG_1182.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/200/IMG_1182.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Well I survived my first motorcycle road trip. It was thrilling, exciting, and scary at times but what a great experience.<br /><br />Synthia and I met in Seattle and rented bikes from a family business in Issaquah, WA called <a href="http://www.mtsma.com/">Mountains to Sound Motorcycle Adventures</a> - about 15 miles east of Seattle. I got a 750 Honda Magna and Synth sported a Honda Shadow (1000 ccs I believe). We headed north on a country road on the east side of Lake Washington and boarded the Edmonds Ferry with little to no problems. We chatted with a few other riders and swapped some motorcycle knowledge. I'd been dreaming of riding a motorbike on a Seattle ferry for years. I lived in Seattle during graduate school and always watched motorcyclists load first and get off the ferries first. I was green with envy at the idea of exploring the beautiful Northwest on a motorcycle.<br /><br />Once off the ferry we went North toward Port Angeles to visit a fairly prolific motorcycle writer (and rider) named David Hough. David has authored various motorcycle books including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1889540536/002-3744224-3196856?v=glance&n=283155">Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well</a>. Synth and I stopped in Sequim to get gas and directions and her Shadow would not start again. There seemed to be something wrong with the starter. After a few failed attempts of trying to jump start the Shadow (picture two women in motorcycle outfits, one pushing the other down a small incline in the QFC parking lot) and a bit of frustration on the phone with the rental folks (yes, the kickstand is up) they agreed to trailer out a Triumph Trophy for Synthia and give us another day of rentals. While we waited for a bike that worked we continued on to talk to David and his wife Diana. It was a great evening, we had dinner in Sequim and mostly listened as David chatted about motorcycle stories. David, Synthia and I explored some of the rural roads in Sequim, WA. What a quaint little town. Some of the roads were literally on the water's edge. We said good-bye to David and Diana and stayed the night in Sequim after Synthia was able to get a new bike. The next morning we took off for <a href="http://www.nps.gov/archive/olym/cams/hurricane/hurricaneridgecam.htm">Hurricane Ridge</a> in Olympic National Park just outside of Port Angeles. It was a beautiful twisty ride with spectacular views of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Juan_de_Fuca">Straight of Juan de Fuca</a> and the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/olym">Olympic National Park</a>. This was my favorite part of the trip. I could feel quite a difference in the way the bike turned when I rolled on the throttle and leaned the bike through the turns. It felt so much more stable. Wow, a minor breakthrough in my riding I think.<br /><br />After the ridge we headed to a cute small town on the northeast edge of the peninsula called Port Townsend. The next ferry took us to Whidby Island then to Mukilteo. We thought we'd try to bypass the Friday afternoon rush hour traffic on I-5 and got caught in a traffic jam on some random country road north of Redmond. My clutch hand was killing by the end of the day. We got the bikes back an hour late (sorry again Brenda) and with only one minor scratch (the Pt. Townsend ferry lot pavement ate the Trophy's left signal light after Synth and I bumped saddle bags- oopsie).<br /><br />We had such beautiful weather and only a few minor problems. It was an adventure and a lot of fun. Both Synth and I had quite a few "firsts" on the trip. Can't wait for the next one! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85962225@N00">More Photos</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1154717554845368842006-08-04T09:44:00.000-06:002006-12-09T17:48:12.993-07:00Riding Away<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/6896/2821/1600/778766/car_small.jpg"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/6896/2821/320/591561/car_small.jpg" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="5" /></a>Well, like Synth, I sold my car a few days ago. It was an exercise that opened a flood gate of thoughts and memories. I thought it would be adventurous to try and get around town on only my bicycle (that and my student loans are beginning to rear their ugly heads). I commute to work about 45 minutes each way and it has worked out to just ride my bike to the bus stop and take the communter bus. Besides how to get around and navigate a bus schedule, selling my car has forced me to think about the past a bit. I thought about all the trips and interesting places the car has taken me and about all the winter storms the car faithfully helped me travel home in. I thought about my dog Teddy, for whom I mostly bought the car. I thought about struggling to make payments on the car during and after graduate school and how secure I naivley felt I was four years ago when I bought it.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/6896/2821/1600/795666/pets_small.jpg"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/6896/2821/320/701015/pets_small.jpg" align="left" hspace="10" vspace="5"/></a>Last year I moved to Santa Fe from Seattle to start a new life. I was going through a divorce, trying to finish my master's degree and was offered a job in New Mexico. Ironically, I lost my dog in the divorce but got the car (and Daisy, the cat). I would have 1000 times over rather have kept Teddy than the car but I guess that's the way life goes sometimes. I think getting rid of the car symbolized an act of moving on and unburdening myself. Funny how something as simple as selling a car can make a person reflect. It forced me to think about things I've tried to keep way down inside me.<br /><br />Learning to ride a motorcycle and riding with the women in the MotoFemina project has been the culmination of a dream of mine. Nearly every spring for the last six years I've found myself visiting showrooms and sitting on bikes and knowing that when I finished school I would be able to save money to buy one. The freedom and independence that I've felt from motorcycling is so thematic in my life right now. My new life in Santa Fe has given me the opportunity to be really alone for the first time in my life. The friends I've made and the experiences I've had since moving to Santa Fe have become part of new memories I'm making. I feel like I'm becoming part of a community in a town that can otherwise sometimes be very solitary.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/6896/2821/1600/671458/santa_fe.jpg"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/6896/2821/320/470872/santa_fe.jpg" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="5" /></a><br /><br />Before I moved to Santa Fe I used to write and sing music a bit. For the first time since my divorce I was able to sit down and write a song the other night. It's rough for sure, but I'm just excited about the fact that I could actually put pen to paper and create something again. I can finally express feelings I've experienced the last year and a half and move on from them. I wanted to share it <a href="http://www.laurajeanrobinson.com/riding_away.mp3">here</a> with the MotoFemina folks because it has a bit to do with my experience here and with this project. To all I've crossed paths with here in Santa Fe, thanks for the advice and inspiration (and help) to create a new life for myself out here in the Southwest.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1154378569359460762006-07-31T14:18:00.000-06:002006-08-19T10:54:41.433-06:00Ride Your Own Ride<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/taos-bikes.2.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" height="120" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/taos-bikes.2.jpg" width="161" border="0" /></a><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/taos650.4.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 162px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" height="133" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/taos650.4.jpg" width="178" border="0" /></a><br />Riding through Northern New Mexico the vistas and terrain are ever-changing; from the colorful sandstone formations near Chimayo to the majestic peaks and green valleys of <a href="http://Cundiyo">Cundiyo</a> and <a href="http://Truchas">Truchas</a>.<br />Last Sunday was a perfect day for a ride from Santa Fe to Taos. The air was crisp and the skies were clear blue. Three friends and I took off up hwy 599, through the Tano Road area, to Tesuque. At the intersection to 285, we changed leads and I followed at the rear. (Two of my friends were riding on one bike so there were three bikes all together.) Traffic was not too heavy and the roads were dry. Just past Pojoque, we turned right on CR503 to Nambe. Shaded by a canopy of cottonwoods we made our way up the valley to the intersection of CR503 and CR520 to Chimayo. We decided to continue on 503 to the small town of Cundiyo. The sandstone, soon turned to pinon covered foothills making for a twisty, rolling ride. This road dips through several arroyos and after heavy rains, such as those the night before; the pavement becomes more of a dirt road. The small town of Cundiyo is quite charming; reminiscent of a small European town with narrow roads and small, charming homes. Just as we started out of town, a small grey kitty, decided to meander across the road. I slowed as he made a leisurely crossing and thought he must have a pretty good life here.<br />The road climbs out of Cundiyo and makes a rapid, steep decent to the next valley. The pavement is uneven and tight curves are thrown in for extra measure. I was now in the between the other two riders. I kept my speed down and stayed to the outside in order to avoid the traffic from the other direction. Whew! That was exciting.<br />From here we turned north on CR76 which took us up to the towns of Truchas and Trampas and Chamisal. I continued to follow in between the two bikes and kept my focus on the skills I’d learned throughout the MotoFemina project; taking an inside, outside, inside path of travel, countersteering through the curves and keeping my speed at one that I was comfortable maintaining.<br />Turning onto CR 75, it’s a short jaunt before the intersection that takes you up to Taos. So we were about ¾ of the way through our trip. As I came up on a curve, I noticed a Winnebago coming around the corner and crossing the center line by about 2 feet. I came out of the lean to avoid the Winnebago and just as you would expect, the bike took a straight line and I went straight into the guard rail, slid along the guard rail for approximately 15feet. The bike came to a stop, fell onto the guard rail and sent the front fender flying. I won’t go into how the rest of the day went but I would like to share what I learned.<br />Obviously I over reacted; coming to an upright position rather than coming out of the lean just enough to avoid being scraped but continuing to countersteer all the while.<br />Katherine (from MSF) was scheduled to come down this past weekend to train us on more advanced riding skills. Ironically those skills included stopping and braking in a curve, emergency reactions, countersteering and delayed apex to name a few. Since the bike was out of commission she was not able to train us on the road but rather went through these skills in a classroom setting. Her thoughts, her experience, and her lessons were eye-opening. After talking over the crash with Katherine, I realize I was riding above my mental skills and that going slower could possibly have prevented the crash. RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE. It’s easy to get caught up in following someone else. I did it on the race track some months back; trying to catch someone on a straight away only to have to brake before the corner because the speed was beyond my capability.<br />The TAKE HOME I got from Katherine: when you come to a turn that you can not see through, keep riding on the outside line, delaying the apex, until you can see, and then countersteer through the turn. Whenever you feel you are about to lose control in a curve, countersteer even more. As Laura said she learned from Torsten, “trust the bike”.Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1154314966712956412006-07-30T20:40:00.000-06:002006-08-03T08:26:07.803-06:00Femmoto<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/femmoto_large.gif"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/femmoto_large.png" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/lvms-aerial.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" height="150" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/lvms-aerial.jpg" width="403" border="0" /></a><br />The weekend of October 7 and 8, in Las Vegas Nevada, an organization called Femmoto is holding two events; a motorcycle demo day and the MSF Dirt Bike Course. You have the choice to register for one or both. The demo and the dirt bike course will be held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This is a great opportunity to see what types of bikes are available, how they fit, and how they handle while meeting other women who ride. And to top it all off, you can sign up for the MSF Dirt Bike Course and learn some off road riding skills that are sure to help on the street as well. You can register for these events at <a href="http://Femmoto">Femmoto</a>. It should be a fun weekend!<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/lvms-aerial.jpg"></a>Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1154121644311337632006-07-28T14:54:00.000-06:002006-08-04T08:00:06.983-06:00Lara Croft Rides a F 650 GS!<a href="http://www.motorbiker.org/motorbiker.nsf/Angelina%20Jolie%20+%20Brad%20Pitt.jpg!OpenImageResource"><img height="150" width="122" align="left" hspace="10" vspace"10" src="http://www.motorbiker.org/motorbiker.nsf/Angelina%20Jolie%20+%20Brad%20Pitt.jpg!OpenImageResource" border="0" alt="" /></a>No... not me ;) The Angelina Jolie version of Lara Croft that is. When she isn't busy doing her own stunts in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146316/">Tomb Raider</a> or collecting knives, Angelina rides the Dakar version of the F 650 GS. Oh and where is she going? <a href="http://www.thecelebrityblog.com/2005/09/angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt-on-a-bike-to-the-supermarket/">To the supermarket</a>.<a href="http://www.motorbiker.org/motorbiker.nsf/Angelina%20Jolie%20+%20Brad%20Pitt3.jpg!OpenImageResource"><img height="150" width="121" align="right" hspace="10" vspace"10" src="http://www.motorbiker.org/motorbiker.nsf/Angelina%20Jolie%20+%20Brad%20Pitt3.jpg!OpenImageResource" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Her bike looks great - she's even got the knobby tires. I looked at these pictures and kept thinking of the line in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403778/">The Long Way Round</a> where Ewan McGregor is raving about how great it is to ride a motorbike as a celebrity. "On the road with your helmet on you're just any other bloak on a motorbike." You'd never know that it was Brangelina on the motorbikes would you?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1154011459055767502006-07-27T08:35:00.000-06:002006-08-04T07:46:00.286-06:00Exploring Northern New Mexico<a href="http://www.explorenm.com/camping/Cowles/Directions/EntranceSign.jpg"><img src="http://www.explorenm.com/camping/Cowles/Directions/EntranceSign.jpg" align="left" hspace="10"/></a>I took a ride last week on the <a href="http://bmwmotorcycles.com/bikes/bike.jsp?b=f650gs">F650 GS</a> with Torsten from <a href="http://www.santafebmw.com/home.php">Santa Fe BMW</a>. We jumped on I-25 toward <a href="http://www.pecosnewmexico.com/">Pecos</a> then north on State Highway 63, following the <a href="http://www.ohwy.com/nm/p/pecosriv.htm">Pecos River</a> to <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=Cowles,+NM">Cowles</a>, NM - just northeast of Santa Fe. What a beautiful ride! Northern New Mexico never ceases to amaze me with its diversity. We encountered all kinds of riding from the interstate, through a small town and on a scenic highway to a narrow, windy recreation road near the <a href="http://www.explorenm.com/camping/Cowles/">Cowles campground</a>. <a href="http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/55703.JPG"><img src="http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/55703.JPG" align="right" vspace="10" hspace="10" height="195" width="260"/></a><br /><br />I felt so alive. I could really feel the countersteering that I've heard so much about but until now don't know that I've really understood. And yes, I know why its hard to describe. We practiced a bit in gravel and the road was a little wet once we got to the <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/">Santa Fe National Forest</a> so I got a good mix of road conditions.<br /><br />I felt that I made a few rookie mistakes, but it was good. I'm beginning to get the practice I need. If I find I feel I didn't slow down enough before I entered a corner I learn really quick what the ramifications are and correct that mistake the next time. It was a great feeling to hit the open road and was glad to have Thorsten to give me feedback. Thanks to Torsten and BMW for the opportunity to ride and explore the beautiful state of New Mexico from the seat of a motorcycle.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1153893694678099742006-07-25T20:53:00.000-06:002006-08-04T09:40:46.550-06:00Riding a Monster<a href="http://static.flickr.com/61/197862325_4c9f539f37.jpg?v=0"><img style="FLOAT: center; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/61/197862325_4c9f539f37.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Last Saturday Synth, Jessica and I met Tina at <a href="http://www.pjstriumph.com/">PJs Triumph</a> in Albuquerque. It was a memorable occasion because it was the first time we all got to ride together (<a href="http://students.washington.edu/lajdowns/motofemina.mov">see short video clip</a>). Normally we've taken turns on the <a href="http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/bikes/bike.jsp?b=f650gs">F650 GS</a>. Tina rode out first on her red <a href="http://www.ducati.com/od/ducatinorthamerica/en/bikes/model.jhtml?model=1192">Ducati Monster S2R 1000</a>, I got to ride a silver version of the S2R (pictured above), Synth rode the <a href="http://www.ducati.com/od/ducatinorthamerica/en/bikes/model.jhtml?model=1195">Ducati Multistrada</a> (matte black) and Jessica rode the <a href="http://www.triumph.co.uk/usa/3369.aspx">Triumph Bonneville </a>T100 (red and black).<br /><br />We headed east up highway 14 and traded bikes for the trip back. Four women on the rode. What a great day!<br /><br />Thanks to Jeff at PJs Triumph for letting us test drive the bikes, Tina for being the awesome mentor she is and willing to ride with us on a Saturday, and thanks to my Max (my sweety) for taking the pictures and video to mark the occasion.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1153279418251077042006-07-18T19:13:00.000-06:002006-07-19T23:08:54.056-06:00In one word...Thrilling!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/IMG_1632.2.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="synth and tina" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/IMG_1632.2.jpg" align="center" border="0" /></a><br />Synth getting tips from Tina<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/IMG_1593.1.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="jessica" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/IMG_1593.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Jessica getting ready for her ride<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/IMG_1555.1.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="laura" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/IMG_1555.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Me... having fun dusting off the bike?<br /><br />I took some time to reflect on the weekend and wondered how I would describe the feelings of accomplishing the challenges that were thrown at us. Knowing that I can pick the GS up if I were to drop it (knocking on wood) and riding the bike safely on gravel and dirt roads thrills me. With those two nuggets of knowledge I feel such freedom.<br /><br />When we arrived at <a href="http://www.santafebmw.com/home.php">Santa Fe BMW</a> for our mechanical challenge on Saturday I was a bit nervous. Word on the street was that there was an ad in the paper inviting people to come watch. The idea that there might be a few spectators added to my already budding nervousness. Jess and I were smart enough to let Synth go first. She seemed to have studied the technique and didn't have any problem getting the bike up. I followed using the same technique. I remember a moment of panic when I first tugged on the bike... it didn't move! All these things started racing through my head. I hadn' t made a plan B if following Synthia's lead didn't work out. What if I couldn't pick up the bike? As I started to panic, I pushed back on the bike at the same time that I was trying to lift and it slowly started to come up. Phew! Congrats to Jess who also didn't seem to have a problem lifting the bike and won the prize (have you seen her guns? - pictured above - no wonder).<br /><br />The dirt! Well I have to admit I was feeling pretty confident about the dirt challenge - until I drove my car up the road. Whoa. I've ridden mountain bikes a bit and remember riding my cousins little fat tire motorcycle on gravel roads when I was young but wasn't sure if I was ready to maneuver the bike through what I had just driven up. I was glad the mentors were going to coach us through it. I remember feeling a bit of trepidation coming down the steeper part of the road. I took Tina and Patti's advice and kept the bike in first gear on the steep part. I also only used my back brake. I kept telling myself "it's okay if it fish-tails a little bit - that's perfectly normal" but luckily I didn't have to stop fast enough to make the bike do that. Going up hill almost seemed more technical in some ways. I had a good time standing up on the pegs and practicing using my weight to make the bike more stable. It felt adventurous.<br /><br />Thanks to Tina and Patti (and Mike and Horst) for their guidance and patience riding with and mentoring us. I really do feel very lucky to be a part of this project and have a built-in knowledge base and support group. Your coaching and advice helped us all to progress faster than we thought possible. I can't wait to ride with all of you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1153206929680096532006-07-17T23:25:00.000-06:002006-07-24T13:01:25.776-06:00How many MotoFemina women does it take.....<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/motofemina%20women%20inclu%20tina%20and%20patti.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/motofemina%20women%20inclu%20tina%20and%20patti.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />... to lift the F650GS? One! Each of us successfully met the challenge by righting the downed bike. Jess was able to get it up in record speed and for that she won the book "Long Way Around". Way to go Jess! Charlie Boorman and Ewan McGregor are now living on her coffee table, lucky woman.<br />On Sunday, we experienced our last riding challenge with our mentors, riding on different road surfaces. We started our ride several miles up Pacheco Canyon road (a dirt road), we descended into Tesuque valley and turned around at the market. We each stopped at the market to pick up different items for a picnic which we would have later that day as a way to say "thank you" to Tina and Patti.<br />Before our ride, as with every ride, Tina and Patti imparted some key techniques. This day, the techniques centered around riding on the dirt; standing on the pegs when the road gets rough, shifting our weight forward on the uphill (without putting a "death grip on the handlebars") and shifting our weight back on the downhill. The tips they have shared each step along the way have made a huge difference in how fast and how well we've done and today was no different.<br />I thought riding on the dirt was something I would have to do not something I would look forward to or seek out but I was wrong. Dirt is FUN! The experience reinforced how versatile the F 650 GS is and how enjoyable this bike is going to be.<br />Now that we have graduated from our mentored rides to going solo, I want to send a sincere and heartfelt thank you to Patti and Tina. You two have helped me overcome fear, develop safe riding habits and been encouraging every step of the way. Thank you!<br />Next on the agenda- taking Ducatis out for a test ride - Wahoo!Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1152915052067909942006-07-14T15:59:00.000-06:002006-07-17T22:42:08.790-06:00Let's play a game!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.splise.com/"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.splise.com/images/splise_beta.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Let's play a game! Try to guess the top ten motorcycle brands of any of these categories. Post your guesses as a comment...don't cheat and look first.<br /><ul><li>Most popular</li><li>Most buzz (I'm guessing media and other types of hype)<br /></li><li>Most awards</li></ul>Not exactly sure how this data is collected but I had a fun time looking at the brand comparisons of motorcycles at <a href="http://www.splise.com/Motorcycles/category_398.html?">www.splise.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1151799004219886042006-07-01T17:26:00.000-06:002006-07-18T12:05:00.440-06:00The Making of a Motorcyclist<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/red650.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/200/red650.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/IMG_1125.0.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/200/IMG_1125.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">Last Saturday was the first mechanical challenge for Jessica, Laura, and me.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">Not having taken a test in… well, let’s just say it’s been awhile, I was nervous not only to be tested but to also have cameras filming the entire experience. Boy was I relieved when the challenge turned out to be more of an education than a test. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">There were still questions, even bonus questions, but Mark Beyer, our “test administer”, was very helpful; guiding us to the answer in one of the two MOMs (motorcycle operating manuals) and sharing with us the importance of each step. He is a wealth of knowledge and his experience is evident. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">Also last Saturday, Katherine and Ashley rode down from Taos to teach us skills from the MSF experienced rider’s course. One of the skills we practiced involved shifting our weight to the inside of a curve. The rider is then leaned more so than the bike which in turn allows for greater traction and helps prevent the foot peg or side stand from dragging. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">The last event of the weekend came on Sunday. The MotoFemina cast, crew, and mentors (Tina and Patti) met in <a href="http://www.city-data.com/city/Chupadero-New-Mexico.html">Chupadero</a> to ride and shoot an episode. Chupadero is a gorgeous valley just northeast of Santa Fe with rolling hills and large cottonwood trees. We rode first with both mentors and then solo. The ride consisted of turning and stopping on dirt, using the engine brake to slow on the descents, as well as putting into practice shifting our weight to the inside in the curves. When it came to riding solo, I was jazzed! It was both liberating and exhilarating! I not only wanted to wave at other riders but everyone who went by! Finally we were able to go out on our own, see how it felt and what we could accomplish. I’ve got the bug to ride! I get it; I get what every rider’s enthusiasm stems from and why they get that sparkle in their eyes.</span><br /><br />Check out the videos from the weekend: (Jess is first -yellow/gray suit, Laura is second-all black, and I'm third in blue and silver). <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sUx-hVO2vQ">video of our riding</a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">One of the last steps, for me, in preparing for a new bike was selling my <a href="http://www.subaru.com/shop/colors.jsp?year=2006&model=IMPREZA&trim=WRX_SPORT_WAGON">WRX</a>, my really fun toy. That car was a blast to drive! However, after considerable contemplation, I finally made the decision to sell it, making room for the beautiful, new BMW F650GS (the new toy). The new bike (yet to be named) will occupy a prestigious spot; just in front of the road and mountain bikes and next to the downhill and x-country skis and the snow shoes. For the time being, I will just have to imagine the bike in the space once occupied by the Subaru. I will also go on imagining rides. Often I awake thinking how I'd love to jump on the bike and ride into work; enjoying the early morning quiet and crisp air, while on weekends I think of what roads and places I’d like to explore.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;"><br />The making of a Motorcyclist continues…. </span>Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1151474298063397622006-06-27T22:03:00.000-06:002006-06-28T13:45:20.846-06:00A Motorcycle Evening<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/Baja__06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/Baja__06.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I spent the evening with my neighbor Eileen (pictured above) and a group of motorcycle enthusiasts. When I pulled up to the driveway at her friend LP's house and saw a <a href="http://www.ktmusa.com/frameset.asp">950 KTM</a> (I think the Adventure), a <a href="http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/bikes/bike.jsp?b=hp2">BMW HP Enduro</a>, a <a href="http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/bikes/bike.jsp?b=r1200gs">BMW 1200 GS</a> and a <a href="http://www.transalp.org/">Honda Transalp</a> I knew the conversation was going to be good.<br /><br />Eileen took the <a href="http://www.msf-usa.org/">MSF</a> class last year and has been riding all around the Southwest since. She bought a Transalp last summer and has already logged over 5000 miles on it. This past winter she took the Transalp and rode down to Baja with LP. She moved to Santa Fe from Moab not long ago and has a dream to start a women's dirt bike and off road motorcycle camp based in Moab. Everything about Eileen's life seems adventurous. With just one glance in her garage you'd know she suffers from wonder lust. Bikes, a sea kayak, plenty of skis, a motorcycle and trailer, everything that keeps her bag packed and on a new trip each weekend.<br /><br />The evening with Eileen and some of her friends was centered around motorcycles. LP is a violin player for the <a href="http://www.santafeopera.org/">Santa Fe Opera</a> his friend Mark, a bass player for the Opera, Chuck an Engineer (who owns the same Transalp that Eileen rides) and Dan whose garage full of bikes is famous all had interesting stories of riding and experiences with motor bikes. I got lots of great advice on different types of bikes (mostly dual sport). Dan turned me on to the <a href="http://www.advrider.com/forums/">Adventure Rider Motorcycle Forum</a>. Tons of great photos by real riders. Get's me really jazzed to take a trip. One trip that sounded adventurous was the <a href="http://www.transamtrail.com/">Trans-Am Trail</a>. My favorite part of the forum is reading about people's different adventures in the US and around the world. Perhaps a great place to plan a trip with the help of others.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1150955536258464522006-06-21T22:52:00.000-06:002006-06-28T17:54:31.566-06:00Mini Mechanical ChallengeI wondered what I would do with my evenings after I graduated with my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Library_and_Information_Science">MLIS</a> a couple weeks ago.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/IMG_0205.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/200/IMG_0205.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />One of my co-workers gave me a graduation present so I spent the evening assembling it.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/IMG_0208.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/200/IMG_0208.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />With a few stickers I customized it.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/IMG_0215.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/200/IMG_0215.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Tonight the MagnaCycle... Saturday the Mechanical Challenge.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1150951740311081852006-06-21T22:46:00.000-06:002006-06-22T19:03:32.780-06:00Final Logo Set<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/MotoFeminaBike.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/400/MotoFeminaBike.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/MotoFeminaBanner.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/400/MotoFeminaBanner.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/MotoFeminaMFsmall.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/200/MotoFeminaMFsmall.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Hey all here is the final set of logos - the top one is new. What do you think?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1150303828862269802006-06-14T10:43:00.000-06:002006-06-15T10:45:19.096-06:00The Dream and the Reality<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/Bike.1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/Bike.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/Clothing.1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/Clothing.1.jpg" border="0" /></a> Wow, I thought June 4th would never get here. After getting a posse together, all I could think about was how I would go about introducing them that day. I was relieved to find out that most of the day would be spent having a good time working with the cast, the crew and with the hair and make-up professionals, Angela and Chaunda. The day sounded more like an adventure. The BMW shop was transformed into a Biker Babe’s Beauty Salon, with bike magazines alongside Glamour mags, melding the feminine with the masculine. Angela and Chaunda helped us become the MotoFemina women; women with a desire to ride but with a more feminine flair.<br />We also received some great women’s specific BMW gear. Courtney and Greg did a great job with the sizing and ordering, the fit was great! I really like the Light-n-Easy suit, along with the gloves, boots, and well-ventilated Arai helmet (the most important part, in my book). <br />At the end of the day, the posses arrived. Shana was there in her infamous pink leathers, Troy with a persistent grin on his face because he loves to ride, and Greg with the experience I only dream of and all of whom are on a mission to help me win the bike. My posse has been so supportive and they helped make the shot more relaxed and comfortable.<br />Saturday the 13th, we were finally on the bike! The new F 650 GS!!! Katherine and Ashley helped us refresh our skills from the MSF course and got us back into a bit of a comfort zone. It also gave us time to become familiar with the bigger bike. I have to admit, I went home wondering if I was really able to ride a bike out in traffic and how in the world does anybody go out right after an MSF course and ride down Cerrillos road or St. Francis drive. Yikes!<br />By Sunday, I was anxious to get out on the road with Tina and Patti (our riding mentors). I was hopeful the training from Saturday and the MSF course (back in May) would all come back to me. How exciting it was to be out riding!!! It was reassuring to have Patti and Tina along, especially for that first experience. They gave me a great sense of confidence and a bit of security knowing they would be there to help if need be.<br />I’m jazzed to be able to get on a bike and ride! I am also looking forward with great enthusiasm, mixed with a bit of trepidation, to get more time on the bike and more experience under my belt.<br />Yippee!Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1150169003197556242006-06-12T20:10:00.000-06:002006-06-15T16:13:39.136-06:00And...Action!<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/Hair.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/chaunda.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;"src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/katherine.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/patty.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/tina.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br /><br />The last couple weeks have been busy for the MotoFemina cast and crew. We invaded the shop at Santa Fe BMW on a Sunday morning and were transformed into MotoFemina. Thanks to Angela and Chaunda who both helped us play with the theme of being feminine along with serious motorcycle riders. We also learned a bit about the women's specific line of riding gear BMW offers - it was like Christmas morning when we realized the big pile of boxes were ours. We each got a full BMW riding outfit - I got the <a href="http://www.bmw-riders-gear.com/Index.asp">InoTex2 suit</a>, boots, gloves and a beautiful (and expensive) Arai helmet (<a href="http://www.araiamericas.com/Product_Tour.html">Astral-X</a>).<br /><br />After much anticipation, we finally got to ride the <a href="http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/bikes/bike.jsp?b=f650gs" target="_blank">F650 GS</a>. What a great bike! Katherine and her husband Ashley were a good teaching tag-team and eased us into our first day on the bike. The 650 felt quite a bit different than the small bikes we rode in the MSF course. After a bit of practice handling the bike in a parking lot, it wasn't long before we were ready to hit the open road. On Sunday, with Patty in front and Tina behind, we explored the roads of Santa Fe and got a bit more experience on the bike. Tina showed up with her new <a href="http://www.ducati.com/bikes/my2006/ducatiModel.jhtml?family=monster&modelName=MS2R1000-06" target="_blank">Ducati Monster</a> (just one day old) and Patty shared some of the tips and tricks she's learned from her <a href="http://www.motoring.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=230537&fSectionId=904&fSetId=381" target="_blank">BMW 650 CS</a>. Dealing with traffic, the sites and sounds, and the bike was what I had been waiting for. I stalled it a couple times at a few stop signs but I just kept telling myself "okay Laura, you know where the clutch and starter button are, if it stalls, just start it back up and go." A little self help pep talk going on under the helmet.<br /><br />Pictures: 1) Taking over the shop 2) Chaunda shows us the finer points of makeup application 3)Getting a few last minute tips from Katherine. 4) Patty in the lead. 5) Tina showing off her hot new bike.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1149644530430016452006-06-06T18:21:00.000-06:002006-12-04T07:42:41.863-07:00Hi, from your mentor, TinaHello,<br /><br />Congratulations on passing the MSF course!<br /><br />I want to introduce myself and tell you all a little about how I got started motorcycling.<br /><br />I grew up in Wisconsin, moved to South Carolina, and then to New Mexico. I've been here since 1996 but didn't start riding until 2002. My husband and I were watching a show on motorcycles and decided to give it a try.<br /><br />We took the MSF course and bought little 250cc bikes. I remember the bikes seemed huge to us. In less than a year I moved up to a 1450cc HD Deuce. It was a big jump. I would get sick to my stomach when I was getting ready to take it out for a ride, but I had to do it.<br /><br />We went a many rides in New Mexico and surrounding states over the next few years. It was fun to see myself improving. During this time I started to read motorcycle magazines, to get ideas for rides, read safety articles, and to improve my skills. I read something that made a lot of sense to me. The author stated that dirt biking can improve street skills. The reason I bought into this was because frequently during our trips we would run into areas of road construction. It's almost unavoidable in the summer months. The gravel or dirt that we had to ride through would really scare me. So I bought a dirt bike and took the MSF dirt bike class. I really, really enjoy going off road. It is intimidating but it's worth it. The bottom line is that dirt biking does help with street riding skills. The other day while commuting to work, I decided to stop quick because the light turned yellow. My back wheel skidded because I didn't not use enough front brake. The rear end was wiggling around but it really didn't bother me because when you dirt bike that is all the bike does. It's very loose underneath you.<br /><br />The dirt biking got me interested in the BMW 650GS. I wanted to get off the asphalt and onto some unimproved roads. There are miles and miles of dirt or gravel roads in New Mexico and the surrounding states. I choose the 650 because it didn't look like all the other enduros. It's cool. I always get compliments on it. I took a two day class with Jimmy Lewis (editor of dirt bike magazine) and his wife. The class was geared toward learning how to handle bigger dual purpose bikes in the dirt. It was an excellent class that provided all kinds of challenges. If any of you are interested, now or in the future, in learning more about the class, I'll be glad to fill you in.<br /><br />My next endeavor was sportbikes. Again, reading the magazines, I read that track days can really help improve cornering skills. It can also provide a "safe" place to test the limits of your bike. This sounded fun. I bought a Kawasaki ZZR 600. I never rode anything quite like it. It was very quick and handled quite differently than my Harley. I could take corners and do it well. I took it to the track and gained confidence in cornering. It was scary but fun.<br /><br />When BMW introduced the K1200R, I was ready to try it. It's very fast and very smooth. It has the zip and handling of a sport bike but without the discomfort. It's in my garage!<br /><br />That's my history in a nutshell. <br /><br />I look forward to meeting each of you this Saturday, June 10th. Our first ride will be Sunday June 11th. <br />If you have any questions or comments, please contact me.<br /><br />TinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1149094478722650832006-05-31T10:47:00.000-06:002006-06-07T21:41:27.016-06:00MotoFemina Logos<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/MotoFemina.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/MotoFemina.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/MotoFemina_mf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/MotoFemina_mf.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/MotoFemina_bike.0.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/MotoFemina_bike.0.png" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Hey All,<br /><br />These are the logos created for the project. Give us some feedback. Let us know what you think, which is your favorite and where you envision it plastered next.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1148976774611071792006-05-30T01:20:00.000-06:002006-06-02T12:14:15.573-06:00A Real Life Batgirl<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/batlib.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 200px;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/batlib.jpg" border="0" /></a>Did you know <a href="http://www.naughtykitty.org/librarian.html">Batgirl was a librarian</a>... and rode a motorcycle (named the Batgirlcycle?! - try saying that three times fast)? You've got to check out this 8 minute promotional video (<a href="http://www.tvobscurities.com/v1/batgirl.ram">high</a> <a href="http://www.tvobscurities.com/v1/batgirl-lo.ram">low</a>) that was created to introduce the character of Batgirl to ABC executives in the late sixties. The idea was to convince executives to add Batgirl as a character in the series in an attempt to pull in young female viewers. She was on for the last season of Batman.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/shirl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: right; width: 200px;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/320/shirl.jpg" border="0" /></a>I've been busy talking to other librarian motorcyclists and came across Shirl (short for Shirley) Kennedy - the <a href="http://uncagedlibrarian.blogspot.com/">Uncaged Librarian</a>. Shirl is a librarian and motorcycle enthusiast. She authored the new book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0790613166/ref=ase_shirlkennedys-20/103-9470518-7698232?v=glance&s=books">The Savvy Guide to Motorcycles</a>. I just got back from a road trip (caged in a car) so I haven't been able to get a copy of her book but she got a great <a href="http://www.wtsp.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=27568">feature</a> on a news station in her home state (which Shirl points out uses every librarian cliche possible) and in the <a href="http://www.sptimes.com/2004/11/24/Neighborhoodtimes/Getting_there.shtml">newspaper</a>. In an email response to the MotoFemina project Shirl writes "Every woman who makes up her mind to learn to ride a bike brings joy to my heart. " She posted a <a href="http://uncagedlibrarian.blogspot.com/2006/05/motofemina-cast-motofemina-video.html">short blog</a> about MotoFemina on her Uncaged Librarian blog. She's also got some great moto photos over at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/webdoyenne/sets/388102/">Flickr</a>.<br /><br />In the news feature Shirl says "You can't learn to ride a motorcycle from a book. You can't. But there's things in there I wish people had told me." I'll see if I can get a copy of her book and let ya'll know what I think.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1148969005585815732006-05-29T23:20:00.000-06:002006-05-30T00:03:25.596-06:004 racers, 8 techs, 24 hours<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/le_mans1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/le_mans1.jpg" border="0" /></a> Growing up in <a href="http://Marin">Marin County, California</a>, the hills and roads motocyclists dream of were within 10 minutes of Greg Petrovic's backyard. It was only natural that he would find himself winding down and up and around these roads on his own bike, becoming very familiar with the distant reaches of the hills and valleys. <a href="http://Highway">Highway 1</a>, ranking high on the list, drew Greg and a multitude of others to spend weekends threading through the twists and turns and scenic roadway along the coast.<br />The race tracks of California soon became the new playground for Greg. Becoming familiar with the different tracks (Sears, a tight track requiring different settings for suspension than say Willow Springs), Greg raced while also becoming an excellent bike mechanic. Having raced both sprint and endurance races, Greg found the <a href="http://www.robertstech.com/24-hour.htm">24 hour endurance races</a> more exciting and interesting. (Endurance racing, as one web site defined it, is a combination of speed, stamina and careful planning in order to gain as many laps as possible within the time frame of the race. Some endurance races start with a sprint across the track to the bikes. During the race there will be rider changes, re-fuelling stops, tire changes or possibly even total rebuilds.)<br /><br /> Greg made the decision to form a team and he and his brother became part of the pit crew. With the help of John Ulrich (editor of Road Racing World and Motorcycle Technology magazine), the team had bikes to ride as John supplied them with the previous year’s race bikes. The team began racing in the 400cc class; focusing on skill, technique, bike set-up, and strategy before graduating to 600cc level. However, once the team progressed to the 1100cc category, the skill level changed significantly and the previous group of racers found themselves out of their league.<br />A new team, sponsored by Suzuki, was formed. There were 4 racers and a pit crew of 8; 3 people to work on the front wheel, 3 on the rear, and 2 for the rest of the bike. The bikes they raced were Suzuki 7-11s: 750 frames with 1100 engines. The races were run as part of the San Francisco Int’l Endurance Sprints. Each racer took 1’15” turns on the track until the 24 hours was over.<br /><br />After a racing career spanning from 1982 to 2000, Greg found that sponsors were becoming harder to come by and decided to retire from the sport. He moved to Santa Fe and is now the Parts Advisor at BMW. His current collection of bikes include: a Suzuki 650 V-STROM, Yamaha GTS 1000, and a Suzuki GSXR 1100 (no BMWs in his collection, yet).<br /><br />A few other facts about Greg; he’s married to Angelica, he speaks fluent French and has ridden his motorcycle across Europe on, at least, two occasions.<br /><br />With the help of Greg, Troy, and Shana, I can’t help but improve my skills on the track and on the street!<br />Thanks Greg, for being part of my posse and, in advance, for helping me become a better rider/racer.Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1148342220811209602006-05-22T17:13:00.000-06:002006-05-30T17:15:24.486-06:00AMA Superbike and Moto GP (the latest)<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/445900_89458.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/445900_89458.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/ncfg14k6un_1148255537.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/320/ncfg14k6un_1148255537.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />There were both <a href="http://www.amasuperbike.com/">AMA Superbike</a> and <a href="http://MotoGP.com">MotoGP</a> races this past weekend. Marco Melandri (top), racing for Honda, won his second GP race of the season at the Le Mans circuit in France. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) came in second and is third overall. Vallentino Rossi, who is a 6 time world MotoGP champion, has had a rough year due to problems with the bike. He has had one win this season and is currently 43 points behind. He believes he still has a shot at the championship and so do I. If he can come up from 11th spot on the grid to end in 4th place (GP of Turkey), he's definitely got the skill and ability to win overall, it just depends on the bike.<br />Ben Spies (bottom) raced into AMA Superbike history with his 6th consecutive win. The AMA race was held at Inferion Speedway in Sonoma, California. Until Spies came along, Mat Mladin was unchallenged in AMA Superbike races. Spies is now giving Mladin a run for his money.Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1147839679146222142006-05-16T20:31:00.000-06:002006-05-23T16:43:05.663-06:00Racing on a Dollar<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/SZ05%20080.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/200/SZ05%20080.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/SZ05%20018.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/200/SZ05%20018.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/1600/SZ05%20059.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6299/2826/200/SZ05%20059.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Back in April, out at <a href="Sandia">Sandia Motor Speedway</a>, I met Shana Runck. It was her pink leathers that caught my eye. "Who is she?" I asked Yolanda. "Shana" she replied. "The pink leathers were a wedding gift from her husband, Troy". As it turns out, Troy is the New Rider Director at SMRI and he and Shana head the <a href="SMRI">SMRI Race License School</a>.<br />I met up with Troy and Shana last Friday night at Gardunos, in Albuquerque. It was an opportunity to learn more about the two of them and also give them some background on <a href="MotoFemina">MotoFemina</a> and my "posse".<br /><br />Troy grew up on a farm in Colorado where, at the age of 9, he learned to ride and race motocross bikes. Shana grew up in Albuquerque and went to college in Colorado. In need of transportation to and from school, she took the MSF course and found a Suzuki Enduro bike to ride. It was when Shana met Troy that she was introduced to racing.<br /><br />Troy interjects with a Ben Affleck, up-to-something grin that even though he was responsible for introducing Shana to racing, he's still "in" with her mom. He supported her mom's wishes of a traditional wedding though their friends thought the track was a great idea!<br /><br />Years later, Troy would end up in Panama on a business trip. It was on this trip that he stumbled upon a televised broadcast of the MotoGP race and the likes of Kevin Schwantz. He was hooked and decided to try road racing, in particular drag racing. He won the 1999 <a href="ET">ET Drag Racing</a> event and after that decided to move into grand prix racing. In the meantime, Shana was not happy with her racing experience. In any other sport she had participated she had always done well and now she was slow and not advancing as quickly as she had hoped. After sitting on the sidelines, becoming bored as a spectator, she came to the conclusion she would rather race. Determined to improve, she set upon developing her skills and, in the process, her speed. Troy and Shana raced for several years with <a href="http://www.mra-racing.org/">MRA</a> in Colorado and also drove down for race weekends in Albuquerque.<br /><br />Eventually they moved to Albuquerque, to be closer to Shana's family. Soon after moving, Shana and Troy joined SMRI and became involved in teaching the new riders. The motivation they have for teaching is based not only on the desire to develop new riders' skills but also to ensure the safety of other racers on the track.<br /><br />Shana holds a degree in education and is the Education Coordinator for <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Head%20Start">Head Start</a> . Based on her experience and knowledge of the classroom, Troy asked her to develop the curriculum for the race school. Together they teach based on the style called "active teaching"; first talk then do.<br /><br />Troy not only brings 8 years of racing experience to the school but also skills and knowledge obtained from his experience at the <a href="Keith">Keith Code </a>school of racing.<br /><br />Something that Troy and Shana imparted to me is a concept they discovered in the book "<a href="http://www.blogger.com/A%20Twist%20of%20The%20Wrist">A Twist of The Wrist</a>", written by Keith Code. The concept is that of riding based on the percentages of a dollar. For example, when you first start riding, equal percentages of the dollar are divided between different parts of the bike; the clutch, the gearshift, the indicator lights, the brakes, et cetera. As you become more familiar with where the controls are, the distribution of your dollar changes toward braking and shifting and less on the location of the controls . Eventually your dollar is spent more on your surroundings and your margin of safety and less on the bike.<br /><br />Shana and Troy, thanks for offering to be a part of my MotoFemina posse and the project as a whole! I am excited to be learning with the two of you. <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span>Synthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00547122891912886979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26743225.post-1147759450556803572006-05-15T23:30:00.000-06:002006-05-30T22:55:23.230-06:00Looking Forward<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/1600/laurabwsmall.1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6896/2821/200/laurabwsmall.jpg" border="0" /></a>I talked to my mom on the phone the other night and told her that I was going to be learning to ride a motor bike all summer as part of the MotoFemina video series. She followed up my exciting news with the customary concerns a parent is supposed to impart on their child when they find out they'll be doing something that involves risk. I explained to her what MotoFemina was all about; I'd get to ride with and be mentored by some very experienced riders all summer, I'd learn and practice mechanical skills, and I'd always have lots of great protective gear on. I think after raising nine kids (I'm number eight) she's learned not to spend too much energy worrying about things that are not in her control.<br /><br />I learned from a friend the other day that May is <a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/McycleSafetyplanner2006/pages/index.htm">National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month</a>. That's funny because I'm suddenly so aware of motorcycles on the road. I told Katherine, one of our MSF coaches, that I thought every licensed driver should participate in some sort of motorcycle saftey class. Is there any more real way of making people aware of motorcycles than putting them on one?<br /><br />Though I suppose it is possible to take the physical awareness of motorcycles too far. As I was driving my van pool the other day (my first time as an alternate driver) I noticed that I was doing a double take at each motorcycle and motorcyclist that passed me - perhaps glancing longer than was safe while operating a van full of people.<br /><br />Some interesting facts from the <a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov">nhsta.dot.gov</a> website for <a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/McycleSafetyplanner2006/pages/index.htm">National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month</a>:<br /><ul><li>In the last 10 years, motorcycle fatalities have increased nearly 250 percent in the 40-and-older age group, and more than 350 percent in the 50-and-older age group.</li><li>More than 50 percent of fatal motorcycle crashes involve a motorcycle and another vehicle. </li><li>Helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to<br />motorcyclists.</li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4