The Making of the Biker B!tch Crew

Allow me to introduce you to some of the coolest chicks you will ever meet.

Image2013 Biker B!tch Crew

Some of these girls I have known for years while others only for a short time, but what I can tell you about this particular group is that we share a unique and special bond that only female bikers can truly understand.

Let me take you through the making of this pretty fantastic group.

Background

Fall 2004 I bought my first Harley.

Summer 2005 I started riding with a crew I had only met a couple of times (including my now bestie, Sara).  They welcomed me with open arms, and I am eternally thankful for that being a new rider at the time.  Sara and I quickly became close friends.   She is one sassy lady with the kindest, most caring heart.  Sara and I have been by each others side through some pretty major life events and I am forever thankful for her friendship.

Summer of 2006 Sara and I officially formed the Biker B!tch Crew…. or Duo I guess we should have called it at the time.

Even with just the two of us, we knew we were on to something pretty great. 🙂

ImageSara and I: Summer 2006

Each year we started to recruit a few more girls to our Crew.

There is something pretty darn awesome about being a woman in control of your own bike.

Sara’s sister, Liz, joined us next.  Liz cracks me up with her sense of humor and say it like it is personality.   You know where you stand with these two sisters and I love that about the both of them.  Good people.  Good hearts.

ImageSara, Me, Liz

Then came Tammy; Sara and Liz’s step-sister.  Tammy actually bought my Harley-Davidson Sportster which was fun for me to see it passed on to another kick ass chick!  Loads of fun the four of us gals had that summer, let me tell you.

Soon after Tammy joined us, my friend Heidi came aboard.  Heidi and I met in 2006 when we both started working for the same company.  We bonded and survived that nightmare of a job, quickly became great friends and a few years later I had the privilege of helping her search for her first Harley.

And, this is where the years get a little blurry and I have no photos.

Sad affair, but we won’t dwell.  The best is yet to come!

Fast forward to 2010.

ImageHeidi, Sara, Tammy, Jordan and Liz

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The photos above were taken at Heron Bay in Louisville, NE.  Fun little dive bar on the river.  Highly recommend for a summer pit stop.  Don’t expect fanciness.  It is definitely a dive.

ImageLiz, Sara, me, Heidi, Tammy Chrome Lounge, Omaha, NE

Bottoms Up, Ladies!

2011 Biker Bitch Ride we added my girl, Tyree.  Tyree and I met in ’07, a year after I moved to Omaha, and she quickly became one of my closest friends and confidants.   We have some pretty wild things in common that helped us bond in just a few short weeks.  Tyree didn’t have a Harley when I first met her, but she invested a few years after.  I also had the privilege of joining Tyree while she made her first Harley purchase!  So much fun.

I can’t help feeling like a proud momma when my friends purchase new bikes!

In true B Ride fashion, it rained the day of our 2011 ride.  It always seems to rain on us, but usually passes through pretty quickly.

NOT. THAT. YEAR.

Seriously….

We were poured on.  But, we didn’t let it damper our spirits.  Nor were we going to be called fair weather riders, so off we went!

2011 biker bitch

Me, Tyree, Liz, Heidi and Sara

Shiddle-E Dee – Clarinda, IA

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ImageEssex, IA.  We started a tradition of chalking the tables in 2011.  😉

2012 we added CB, Lara and Kayla to our crew.

CB is an old friend/step-mother figure of Sara and Liz and is such a caring and kind woman.

Kayla is one of my very best friends since our High School Days.  She and I were often up to no good, but we have some of the best memories together and I am forever thankful that we have remained besties in our adult years.  The shenanigans just don’t stop, especially since her husband and mine are inseparable.  They honestly should just move in together and Kayla and I could just pay them a visit every now and then. 🙂

Lara is one of Kayla’s close friends and is an absolute ball of fun.  I love this woman’s humor, compassion and zest for life.

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ImageNever truer words.

The day of our 2012 Ride a few of the gals were just meeting each other for the first time.  I was the only one that knew all of them, a couple of the others knew all but maybe one or two and then there were a couple other gals that didn’t know but only one.   By an hour or two into the day it was as if we had known each other for years.

This is the kind of friendship that can’t be explained.  I can say it until I am blue in the face, but there really is something about bonding over two wheels.  We share the danger, the excitement, the adrenaline and the enhanced sense of caution.  We look out for one another, we never leave someone behind, we encourage, poke fun and genuinely care for each other.

But don’t let all that fool ya…. We are often up to no good. 🙂

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ImageBottom Right – Clockwise – Kayla, Me, CB, Sara, Lara, Heidi, Liz and Tyree

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No shame in saying it how it is…. 😉

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For the record, it did rain that day.  Why would you think any different?

2013- 8th Annual B!tch Ride

Our largest group yet!  We added three new ones this year!

Regeana- Tyree and I met her at the Holstein’s 2013 All Women’s Run about a month prior to the Bitch Run.   She showed up to the run by herself in hopes of meeting a few other ladies to ride with.   We started chatting her up at the first bar stop and we have shared the open road with her ever since.  Regeana has two kids and a husband overseas.  She is a rockstar of a woman.

Ashley – a friend of my husband’s who I reached out to and invited her on the B!tch Run spur of the moment.   Remember that talk about building fast friendships on 2 wheels?  Ashley didn’t know a single one of us until this day.  I was even just meeting her for the first time!  So glad she stepped out of her comfort zone and joined us.  She is an absolute sweetheart and we all loved her from the get-go.

And Katina, didn’t know anyone but me (she grew up with my husband), but the gals literally took her under their wings within minutes.  Katina is such a quiet, sweet soul with a sneaky side to her (um, she just up and moved to Colorado for goodness sakes).   Thankful Katina was able to join our rowdy bunch and didn’t run away thinking we were all too crazy.

I am blessed to know such strong, kick ass, beautiful, fun loving women that I can call dear friends.

ImageHeidi, Regeana, Me, Kayla, Sara, Katina, Tyree, Liz, Ashley, Lara

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Our first stop on the 8th Annual B!tch Ride landed us in Macedonia, IA for lunch.  Our second stop (above) landed us in Griswold.  And this is where we remained for longer than anticipated due to…… you’ve got it…

Rain.

That’s ok though.  We had more then enough fun while stranded.

ImageOur attempt at recreating our 2012 hand in pocket photo.

Can we say, FAIL?

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Stop 3- Red Oak, IA

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Stop 4 and 5 – Essex, IA (chalk table) and Imogene, IA for none other then Little Beer Shots.

So. Good.

       So. Lethal.

                You’ve been warned.

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Case In Point – You may end up in a kiddie pool….

ImageTyree and Yours Truly

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And that my friends, is the History of the Biker B!tch Crew.

Awesome Girlfriends, Crazy Shenanigans, Lots of Laughs, Forever Memories.


			

Turkey Trot, Hawkeyes Win, A Bet and our Harley Holiday’s

The Weekend in Review

Thursday

Turkey Trot- hosted by the Council Bluffs YMCA.  Thursday morning offered us a high of 28 degrees, and the run took place alongside the Missouri River, including a crossing of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.  Needless to say it was cold!   My girl, Jessica, ran it with me. 

ImageEven though the wind was in our face, it was still a really neat experience to run across the bridge.  The Bob Kerry Bridge runs across the Missouri River, allowing people to be in Nebraska and Iowa at the same time (what a touristy thing to say).

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The rest of Thanksgiving Day was spent attending three family dinners.  And, sadly, I didn’t take but ONE picture.  Just one!  I guess I was soaking in all the family time.

Dinner 1: Grandpa Goecker’s. 

ImageClint and my Gr’pa shootin’ the shit.

 

Dinner Two:  My mom’s.  My uncle and aunt were in town so we swung by to chat with everyone for a few hours before heading to…

Dinner Three: Clint’s mom’s.  Dinner, cocktails and family time for another few hours.

 

Friday

Hawkeye vs. Husker Game

ImageWe are Hawkeye Supporters in this house!  I don’t call myself a fan, because I don’t follow every last thing the Hawkeye Football Team does, however I always root for the Black and Gold. 

 

ImageHow fun is my Grateful Hawkeye shirt? (and my ridiculous selfie)

 

It was a great game and awesome to see the Hawkeyes take the WIN!

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We had some friends attend the game in Lincoln, so they came up to our house afterwards to celebrate with a few beers.

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I said a few…. ahem….

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A few years ago, Tyree and Clint made a bet on the Husker/Hawkeye Game.  Huskers won, which meant Clint lost and therefore had to wear Tyree’s Husker Shirt for the night.

ImageSexy.

 

Well, paybacks are a B!tch, and apparently this bet is long standing.  Doesn’t Tyree look adorable in this Hawkeye shirt??

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Shenanigans. 

 

Saturday

It started to look like Christmas in the Pirtle household!  I spent the entire day decorating while watching CSI reruns.  It was a PERFECT day.

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My entire tree is Harley Davidson theme. 

Did you expect anything else?  I mean, really.

🙂

 

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I hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well!

Cheers to a great Sunday!

 

Beating the Soon-to-Be Winter Blues

Winter is getting ready to show her ugly face here in Nebraska soon.

As in tomorrow, soon. BLAH!!!

Knowing my window of opportunity to ride was quickly closing, I text my girl Tyree yesterday at 3pm and we were on our bikes and in the wind by exactly 4:45pm.

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Impromptu ride…. And soooo worth it. Totally needed that open crisp air in my face. We rode for a while and then made a pit stop at The Rusty Nail for some dinner and a cocktail.

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I chose a mushroom Swiss burger and Tyree had the burrito plate. Warm, delicious and filling. Vodka and sugar free redbull also made its way onto our tabs. Wonder how that happened…

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Perfect little evening if you ask me.

This AM I woke up and whipped up an oatmeal pancake. First time making something like this and I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. I think I will continue to tweak ingredients as I go, but for the first one, I was impressed.

Oatmeal Pancake

1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup egg whites
2 Tbsp. PB2
1 Tbsp. Plain Greek yogurt
1 packet of Stevia

Mix, spread on heated griddle, lightly brown each side, soak in syrup, enjoy!

This recipe was 264 calories, 35 grams carbohydrates, 24 grams protein.

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I have a full day at work today. Hello meetings!!

After work I teach TurboKick at the Y from 4:30-5:15 and then it’s off to In This Moment concert at Sokol with my girl, Tyree!!

Eek!!!

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Have a Great Day, all!!

Why I Ride

 

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Freedom, self-determination, choice, inspiration, therapy, camaraderie, dad, LOVE, empowerment.
 
 

Freedom from my thoughts and worries. Nothing is more freeing than the feeling of the wind against my face, an open road and the sound of a Harley.

 

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Self-determination focus, strength of mind, control
 
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Choice Freedom of choice.  The choice to take the risk of riding two wheels. A risk that empowers me every time I roll that throttle.
 
 
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InspirationTo be inspired.  Riding clears the cobwebs and allows for new ideas and sense of purpose.  To inspire others.  Giving women a reason to go out there and do it for themselves.

 

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TherapyNo therapist can give you the kind of peace, serenity or clarity that comes with riding through the countryside, down tree lined roads, over rolling hills and riding into a sunset.
 
 
 
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CamaraderieNothing is better than a biker community. You find some of your best and longest lasting friendships among bikers.  They are Family.
 
 
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DadHarley Davidson was/is/and always will be my connection to my dad and is the one bond that will never be broken. Dad: Live to Ride~Ride to Live
 
 
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LOVE–  For love.  Love of riding.  Love of life.  Loving Me.  Love for us.
 
 
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Empowerment With freedom, clarity, focus and determination comes empowerment.  Two wheels and a few miles is sometimes all we need.
 
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