Harley Davidson

June 27, 2016

June 2016 Wrap-Up

Final two weekends of June in review starring:

Harley’s, Beers, Best Buds and the Hubs.

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Two weekends ago I parked the Jeep on a Thursday night and didn’t get back in it until the following Monday morning.   I miss those days like summers past.  Teaching + Summers Off = no 4 wheels unless I had to.  Life now doesn’t give me that luxury anymore, so when I get the opportunity, I take full advantage!

Friday, June 17th

Jeans Day Friday’s is my favorite day of the work week.  These have only been implemented in the last year and when it did, my Harley and I sent a Thank You note to our President.

No, I am definitely not kidding.

This was big time, kids.  BIG TIME!

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An invite to Testicle Festival in South Bend, NE with a group of friends had us on the road for a fun little Friday.

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An evening of cold beers and fried testicles?  How could you say no to that?  😉  After a handful of hours, four of the five couples in attendance decided to ride down to Louisville to Heron Bay, my fave little bar on the river.  Unfortunately some bike issues had Tracey and I sidelined while we waited for the boys to work their magic a few miles back.   The neighborhood dogs didn’t much appreciate our presence, however, the neighbors were eager to help out a few damsels in distress.  Even offered a beer while we waited.  Thanks small town Nebraska.

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Soon after we were rolling on home to a sweet lightening show and a few sprinkles.  A most perfect and serene Friday night ride.  Some of the best!

❤

Saturday, June 18th

Each year Tyree and I head out on a Thelma and Louise day, without the lunatic ending.  The last few years we’ve used it as a not-so-dry run to the annual B!tch run.  I like to test out my map, check the roads, notify the bar owners of the date and use that day as my chance to make any necessary adjustments, which works out perfect.  Our day began at 10am and we were off!

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Slightly overcast in the morning but after a few of these ridiculous shots of hell, recommended by a bar patron, we were nice and warmed up.

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Many miles, new friends and laughter later, our photos always turn into nonsense.

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Certainly nothing to do with these…

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Now the question is, were these our shots of schnapps and crown … or something more yummy and a new location?

We don’t shot and tell.

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A perfectly magnificent Thelma and Louise day and have the 11th Annual B!tch Run nailed down.  Check Check to another lovely June summer day.

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Sunday, June 19th – Father’s Day

Due to an unfortunate last minute Fathers Day plan cancellation courtesy of an illness,  I found myself flying solo Father’s Day morning.

Which was a-ok with me!

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I set out mid-morning for some solo riding, of which are most often my favorite rides.  I started riding 12 years ago and when I wasn’t on a poker run (which seemed to be every single weekend back in the day), I rode on my own during the weekdays.   I’d set out in a direction and go, just me and my Sporty.   I was in a deep transition period both physically and mentally while I was closing out my life in Clarinda and making the plans for a clean slate in Omaha.  It’s those solo rides that always put everything into perspective and truly helped define who I was.  I still love those solo rides and heading out on Father’s Day Sunday was like a breath of fresh air.  I rode all the backroads leading out of NE into IA for a few hours and then soon found myself in Clarinda, crashing Clint’s fathers day plans with his dad, Kyle and the rest of the fam bam.   Ok, so I didn’t crash it, I was always welcome, but I had planned to be elsewhere, so I like to say I crashed it. 🙂

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They had just gotten in from riding the horses around the acreage when I rolled in.   How cute is this pic of Clint and Kyle?   They are alike in so many ways.

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A few hours of shooting the shit, beers and dinner on the breezeway was a perfect ending to what started out as a botched Sunday.

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And then it was time to roll!

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For my two-wheeled riders, you know how much gravel sucks.   But, I’ll do it.  Just give me time.

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Tuesday, June 21st.

Justin Bieber – Lincoln, NE.

Brooke had some extra tickets.

Jessica asked, “wanna go?”

I said, “You bet!”

Belieber?  Nope.   Life experiences?  Yep.

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Bieber was a total douche on stage, lacked enthusiasm in the worst way imaginable, rarely interacted with the audience and was so self-righteous he paused to take at least 6 water breaks during the concert and made a complete spectacle of it by pausing all music, standing center stage, spotlight on him.

While he chugged a water bottle.

Really, Biebs?  REALLY?

Get over yo’self.

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Friday, June 24th 

Date night with my hubby and my first glance at his newest bulletin board!  Walkup Woods is coming along, folks!

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Saturday, June 25th

A day of riding through Southwest Iowa with Tina, dodging rain drops and rain clouds.

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A few hours spent with Troy, Sara and their two girls in the late afternoon before heading back to Omaha for dinner with Clint, his mom and Gaylen rounded out Saturday and as for Sunday, an early afternoon INSANITY class followed by some pool and sun time with Claire and Briton.  I might have gotten schooled on Shopkins too. 🙂

 

Basically,

Summer needs to NEVER end. 

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Cheers!

 

November 17, 2015

Solitude

The last two weekends have allowed me to get on my bike and get in some solid open road miles, just me and my girl.

I cherish those rides

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When I bought my first bike I was fresh out of college having just graduated with my undergrad.  It was a gift to myself after obtaining my Big Girl job and a few paychecks.

Riding on my own was what I did.   I had a few folks to ride with those first months and I greatly appreciated the backup while I gained my riding wings.  A year into my riding career I met my bestest Biker B!tch Sara and embraced the new riding friends I gained.  But that group of riding friends lived in a neighboring town, so it was always me and my Sporty making our way to them.  And then finding our way back home at night.

It was those first few years when I learned to appreciate the solitude.

It’s also when I learned a lot about myself.

I love riding with my husband.  I love riding with my girlfriends.  I love riding with groups of people, small and large.  I wouldn’t trade those days and rides for anything, ever.

But, when given the chance to ride by myself…

 I go.

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The solitude of riding on your own opens up your senses.  It clears the mind of the all the uncertainties.  It brings a sense of empowerment and breathes life back into the body and mind.

Fear of riding alone?  Absolutely not.  You are talking to the girl who is known to intentionally wait until night fall to ride the 90 miles back to Omaha from Clarinda.

Riding alone forces a person to really understand their surroundings and be in tune with every last sound, light and movement that’s out there.

It’s intoxicating.

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I have a few rules for my solo days:

  1. Full tank of gas.
  2. Layers of gear in case of inclement weather.
  3. Cell phone charged.
  4. Decide a direction but never a destination.
  5. Take the road less traveled, even if it means it leads to a dead end.  That dead end?  It tells a story.

 

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This most recent Sunday sent me out West.  I rode out for about 50 miles before winding my way back home.   The air was brisk.  My full leathers warm.  I set out in sunshine and 55 degree weather.  I returned with an overcast sky and very cold wind.  The kind of wind that had me riding sideways at times.

It was a low 100 miles of everything I needed and wanted.

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I encourage people to get out there.  Explore the world on your own.   Find out who you are, not who you are with others.  Find out what the open road has to tell you.   You will find a piece of yourself out there that you never knew existed.    Think of it as personal development.

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I found a few quotes that seemed to describe the importance of solidarity and I combined them to fit what it was I was hoping to express, so I’ll leave you with this:

Many people suffer from the fear of finding oneself alone, and so they don’t find themselves at all. Solitude gives birth to the original in us, to the beauty of who we really are.

 

Cheers, friends. ❤

 

 

November 7, 2014

10 Year Harley-versary

This fall marked 10 years since I bought my first Harley-Davidson.

10 Years

Harley-Davidson has been in my blood since I was little.   The loyalty to Harley bloomed early on, thanks to my dad.

Live To Ride

Ride To Live

Those words signed every letter written between my dad and I.   Harley-Davidson was the only connecting piece for a period of time.

In some ways, it still is.

Harley’s; the lifestyle, the dream, the freedom.  It goes much deeper for me.  It isn’t about being a woman and “hearing me roar”.   It isn’t about making a statement.

Harley-Davidson is me.

Harley-Davidson is us.

I made a promise to myself that I would buy my first Harley as soon as I graduated with my Bachelors degree.   And I held to that promise.

October, 2004, my first beautiful blue baby came into my world.

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And my world forever changed.

In that first year of riding, I met some INCREDIBLE people.  Several of these folks remain a very large part of my life to this day, one even a best friend.  My Best Biker B!tch. ❤

I learned a lot about myself that first Harley year.   That open road… I’m telling ya.

It does magical things.

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I also learned that I looked like a dude with short hair and a do-rag.  Buying my first Harley also meant it was time to grow back out the hair.

I kept my Sporty until 2008, when I traded her in for a bigger, meaner, faster bike.  Why?  Because my Sporty was becoming uncomfortable.   And, because my boyfriend, now husband, had bought a new Chopper and I was immensely jealous of the newness and the attention his bike got.  I wanted a head turner too, darnit.

Enter Harley #2: The Rocker C.

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She was a beauty.   She was fun to ride in the city.  And she got a lot of head turns with her “floating” back fender.  People were intrigued.  This was a new venture for Harley-Davidson.  It was a risk.   They were following the Chopper trend and attempted to make one of their own.

Just look at the big back tire.   Be still my heart.

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I loved riding that thing.  It was fun riding around the city.  It hugged the corners on the back roads.  It had some get-up-and-go.   People asked me a lot of questions.

And then we went to Sturgis.

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And Clint proposed.

This has nothing to do with the Rocker C itself, but, I can’t start a post about my love of Harley-Davidson and not include this incredibly precious and important moment in my life.

Clint and I bonded over bikes.  Our friendship began thanks to the two-wheeled lifestyle.  He and I never would have established a relationship, or even met for that matter, if it hadn’t been for two-wheels.   Remember when I said my love of Harley goes so much deeper?

Well, it just keeps getting deeper.

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Let’s go back to that Rocker now.    After Sturgis?

I HATED it.

Dude.   That ride sucked.  That seat sucked.  That suspension could take a hike.

I was SO OVER IT.

Sorry, baby #2, but you’ve gots-ta-go!

Time to make room for my beautiful, sexy, old-school Baby #3.

My Softail Deluxe.

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swoon.

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I am in love with Baby #3.  She and I are going to have a long relationship.

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I mean, she married me off, after-all.

I love my two-wheeled babies.  I love the life it has given me.  I love the people I’ve met.  I love everything that is Harley-Davidson.

It isn’t the brand to me.

It IS me.

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Cheers!

September 12, 2014

Women of Harley: Lora J.

Harleys & Heels | Biker Bitch Feature #4 | Lora J.

 

Meet: Lora J.

 

Lora J
1. How long have you been riding?

I grew up on mini bikes, but I was always just a little scared of riding back then.  When I was 18, my husband would let me give him rides on his dirt bike.  On Mother’s Day, seven years ago, I got my first bike and have been riding my own ever since.

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Lora’s First Bike

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2. What do you currently ride?

Harley Davidson Heritage Softail

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3. How many bikes have you owned and why did you choose your current model?

I have owned two bikes.  My first one was an 1100 V Star.   I have since purchased my Heritage Softail, which I got for a screaming great deal.   I kept my V Star for my 16 year old son who has now been riding a few years.

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Lora’s son on her V Star


4. Does your bike have a name?

I haven’t gotten around to my new bike.  Any ideas?


5. Tell us the story behind why/when you decided to ride your own bike.

I love riding my own bike and I feel more safe when I am in charge.   I actually had my first street bike before my husband got his.  I have always felt free riding my own bike. Riding is like Prozac.  It relieves a lot a stress.

Riding is something I had wanted to do for a long time, but I waited until my kids were old enough to watch themselves.  Kids first, riding second.

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Lora with some of her riding sisters.

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6. Do you have a biker who is your inspiration?

All women riders are my inspiration.  I have found that women tend to ride safer then men, and women always form a bond, no matter the age difference.

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7. What are some of you favorite things about the biker lifestyle?

The freedom.

Meeting new people.

Motorcycles are always a great ice breaker.   There is always a story.

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8. Give us one of your favorite two-wheeled stories.

My favorite two wheeled story was my first women’s trip with about 20 ladies.  The oldest was 66 and the youngest 32. We rode to Wisconsin, got rained on and ended up drying our clothes out at a Casey’s along the way.   We rolled into the Dells in matching shirts and people everywhere wanted to take our pictures with them.   It was my first time to go on a trip on my bike with only women.

Our trip was full of adventure.  We had a couple ladies wreck, we lost stuff along the highway, people left their blinkers on (apparently this makes a few ladies really bitchy).  For the record, it wasn’t my blinker, but it was a lesson!  I now always make sure my blinkers are off and I learned how to ride in formation.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience.

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9. What advice would you give other females who are thinking about riding their own?

My advice would be:

  1. If you lay your bike down get back on.  
  2. Don’t buy a brand new bike to begin with get a nice used one.
  3. Ride alone on less populated back roads so you can get in uninterrupted practice.
  4. Never let your bike get dusty.

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Lora and DeAnn


10.  There are many “Biker Codes” out there. If you had a favorite what would it be? Or, if you were to add your own code, what would you say?

Always ride like a lady.  Keep it classy, girls.

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11. Final words?

Ride every chance you can, you never know when it might be your last.

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Cheers!

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Keep up-to-date on all Biker Bitch Features:

#1: Ashley H.

#2: Jen M.

#3: Chris Y.

 

You might also be interested in:

The 9th Annual B!tch Ride

The Making of the Biker B!tch Crew

 

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