Bike Show!

Lately I've been trying to get more involved in the motorcycling world. I joined the local HOG chapter (Harley Owners Group) and hope to get more involved with the chapter by participating in some group rides and volunteering. I have also been wanting to get my bike in some local bike shows.

Last weekend I participated in the 'Old Lady's town bike show. Unfortch, it had rained earlier in the day and I was the only bike that showed up. So I got a trophy by default... not as fun.

Today was my first big show. Neighboring small town has an "Old Fashioned 4th of July" celebration. It really is small town, there are tractors, old fashioned kids games (ring toss), they had a pizza eating contest, lots of cars for the car show and a motorcycle show! So I put the HD in the show in the Sportster category. It was a good turn out (to me) there was about 30 bikes registered for the show but they said they had more in the past.

The weather was gorgeous, albeit a little warm aka 100 degrees. There was only one other bike in my class so I was going to get at least something (they award top 3) but I was hoping for first. This was my first legit show so I didn't know how the judging would go. Well they scrutinized every inch (good thing I washed and waxed her this morning) and took a good 5-10 minutes on each bike. (Still not quite sure everything they took into consideration, I bet it was hard, lots of nice bikes)

Registration was from 12-2 with awards at 3. I got over there about 12:30ish.. weather still awesome but hot! Then 3:00 rolls around and it starts to cloud up, praying for the best I was soon let down. It POURED! sheets of rain coming down, everyone scrambled for the nearest tree in hopes to keep dry. It proceeded to downpour for the next 15-20 minutes solid. Then as fast as it came it was over.

With suspense (and eagerness to get home to dry clothes) looming it was finally time for the awards. 1st Place in my category! Some bike shows will have a special category for "ladies" bikes, but this one I was up against the big boys. It may sound a little weird and vain, but it was cool seeing strangers point and stare at my bike. I'm a girl in a typically boy sport and it was a good feeling, I felt legit. As I was walking up to get my award an old biker dude hollered "Girl, that's a bad ass bike"... I like it.

The bike show was sponsored by the county ABATE club (A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education) and they got me to join too.

"ABATE is not a club, gang, Harley group, and we do not have back patches. Anyone that is interested in preserving their right to ride is welcome. And while we are a non-profit organization we are not a charity. We currently have over 12,000 members and 60 chapters throughout the state."

Source: ABATE of Illinois

Joining these two groups I really hope to meet new people and experience new things. Being more active in the motorcycling community is something that I hope will take this from being a hobby to a passion.

If you've never rode your own or been on the back, you don't understand the feeling you get from being on a bike. For me it was a challenge at first and I'm still learning. I feel really accomplished for "being a girl" and having a bike. Women in motorcycling is growing but you'd me amazed the disbelief you can see in others when they see its a girl on this bike. But if I'm having a bad day you can take the bike out and free your mind. The wind and road truly is one of the best kinds of medicine.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes about motorcycling:

"I would rather be on my motorcycle thinking about God, than in church thinking about my motorcycle"

"Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul"

"Once you get a Harley, you don't even need a relationship."

"Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly."

"Sometimes it takes a whole tankful of gas before you can think straight"

"You'll know she loves you if she offers to let you ride her bike. Don't do it and she'll love you even more."