Journal Adventures

Bill's Old Bike Barn Museum

2009-07-25T21:09:00.030-04:00

We were off again today for another interesting ride. Temperatures were a little on the hot and humid side but its much better than cold and rain. There were 19 of us - Motor Maids and friends of Motor Maids. We met at Rt 61 & I-81 and headed out on some scenic back roads.

One of the towns we passed through was Centralia. Centralia is a ghost town in Columbia County, PA. Its population has dwindled from over 1,000 residents in 1981 to 12 in 2005, and 9 in 2007 as a result of a mine fire burning beneath the borough since 1962. It is not known for certain how the fire was ignited. One theory is that in 1962, Borough Council hired 5 members of the volunteer fire company to cleanup the town landfill located in an abandoned strip mine pit next to the cemetery. This had been done prior to Memorial Day in previous years when the landfill was in a different location. As they had done in the past, the firefighters set the dump on fire and let it burn for a time. Unlike in previous years, the fire was not extinguished. The fire remained burning underground and spread through a hole in a rock pit to the abandoned coal mines. Attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful and it continued to burn throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Adverse health effects were reported by several people due to the byproducts of the fire, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and lack of healthy oxygen levels. Only one home remains in Centralia although most of the buildings have been demolished by humans or nature. At a casual glance, the area now appears to be a field with many paved streets running through it.

We stopped for lunch at Quaker, Steak & Lube. It always seems the Motor Maids "ride to eat"! But, that's okay because it gives us time to relax and socialize.

Then on to Bill's Bike Barn Museum in Bloomsburg. What a neat place of vintage motorcycles, extraordinary military vehicles, antique carousel horses and many, many more historic items. "The Streets of Yesteryear" includes a World's Fair memorabilia collection, as well as a bar from the 1939 World's Fair held in New York.

St. Mary Cyclefest

2009-07-19T17:45:00.008-04:00

Nancy, Bill (Nancy's friend) and I took part in the St. Mary Cyclefest, sponsored by Brian's HD, on Sunday, July 19th. The even benefited advanced cancer care at St. Mary Medical Center. Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is a breakthrough in the treatment of otherwise inoperable tumors and the Medical Center's area of greatest need this year. This was the 3rd year for the event and each year gets bigger - 400 motorcyclists took part in the 65 mile ride through Bucks County. The ride started at Brian's HD and ended at Core Creek Park in Langhorne. We enjoyed a delicious BBQ lunch of pulled pork, pulled chicken, spare ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs, salad, watermelon, potato chips, soda AND desserts (the chocolate did not hold up very well), as well as live entertainment, a silent auction, Chinese auction, vendors and a live raffle drawing for a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle or $7, 000 in cash - I would take the $$. There was also a photographer who took your picture at the end of the ride ... all included!

We did have a few women - and men - ask about the Motor Maids and gave out the information. Hopefully, we can pull some more ladies from the Bucks County area. Maddie & Marcie work at St. Mary's and are looking for ladies to ride! We told them the Motor Maids are just what they are looking for!

It was a beautiful day for a great ride that benefited an even greater cause.

Heading Home

2009-07-10T22:23:00.003-04:00

It's nice to get away - even nicer to come home!

We were all packed and ready to go by 5:00 a.m. - Connie, Deb, Helen, Lisa, Maryellen, Nancy and myself. The "Motor Maid Security" guy told us to watch out for moose - they are on the move in the mornings! It was a very chilly start - 54 degs - but turned out to be a nice warm day - not too hot. We rode for 100 miles and then stopped for breakfast, especially coffee/tea to warm up. We all rode together until Rte. I-495 when Connie, Helen & Maryellen turned off for I-290 and Deb, Lisa, Nancy & myself continued on to I-90. We stopped every 100 miles for gas and to stretch our legs. Our last stop for lunch and gas was at the beginning of the Garden State Parkway. When we were ready to leave, we said our good-byes because we would be dropping off after that. Deb & Lisa took the exit for I-78 and Nancy & I continued to the PA Turnpike. Nancy got off at Phila and I continued on to Norristown. We all arrived home between 5:15 - 5:45 p.m. For me, it was 475 miles in 12 1/2 hrs. That's the first time in many years I rode that many miles in one day! I was a little sore but not too tired - until about 8:00 when I could just about keep my eyes open. I will definitely be getting a new bike seat before I go to Coty!!!!

Total miles for the whole trip - 1,187 ... not to shabby for an "old broad"!

Closing Day

2009-07-09T21:08:00.005-04:00

Finally, the sun came out!

The business meeting was held from 9:00 - 12:00. The meeting went rather smooth with all the issues, except for one, being voted on with little discussion. As usual, the biggest issue was whether a helmet should be mandatory for the parade. A lot of women are for individual choice, but it came down to an insurance issue. The majority voted for helmets in the parade.

Two districts had put in a bid to host the 2011 convention - Grand Rapids, MI and Shreveport, LA. A vote was taken and we go to Grand Rapids, MI in 2011. Shreveport lost because of the heat! At the 2010 convention, our district is planning on submitting a bid to host the 2012 convention in the Finger Lakes Region of NY. We think our competition will be Florida.

After the meeting, Kerry led a ride to Portland Head Light which is located in Cape Elizabeth's Fort Williams Park outside of Portland. The lighthouse was commissioned by George Washington and is said to be the most photographed place in Maine. Originally, we planned to be back by 4pm but we were late getting started, some wanted to eat and then needed to get gas, thus, the late start. On the ride to the lighthouse, we encountered some construction delays and on the way back, a detour. So, we didn't get back until 5:15.

Happy hour was 5:00-6:00 and the banquet started at 6:00pm. Boy, did I do a quick change into my uniform. The banquet was nice and the food was pretty good. After all the formalities, the "banner" was handed over to the Wyoming ladies - 2010 Convention in Coty, Wyoming!

After the banquet, it was time to pack up and load the bike. We were leaving for home at 5:00 a.m.

Motor Maids on Parade

2009-07-09T13:32:00.002-04:00

"A parade of Motor Maid bikers winds its way down Lisbon St. in Lewiston. More than 270 women, from as far away as California and Canada, were in town for the 69th annual convention. The all-female motorcycle group is known for its uniform of blue shirt, white vest and gloves. It was the largest convention in the group's history."

This picture and caption appeared in the Sun Journal today.

Convention Day 2

2009-07-08T13:56:00.011-04:00

Another day of rain ... no leisure riding today!

The Dot Robinson Road Ride started at 8:00 a.m. - rain or shine. This ride is a timed run and takes entirely too much thinking while riding. I did ride the run, once, at the 2006 convention in Kingston, Ontario - my first convention - and it did not end well. Again, it was raining and my first instinct was not to do the ride but I did it anyway. Unfortunately, I had a slight mishap and the bike and I went sliding down a back road in Kingston. As the bike and I went down, all I kept saying was "... not now, not here!" Thank goodness for the wet road because the damage/injury were minimal. The windshield was scraped and the mirror broke; my left leg was badly bruised ... what beautiful colors! A local dealer picked up the bike and trailered it back to the shop where they were able to replace the mirrors. I was one lucky lady ... and my Guardian Angels were with me!

Next on the day's event was a 12:30 BBQ at L-A Harley. No one wanted to ride bikes over in the rain so we called a cab - of course, we weren't the only ones with that idea. The Motor Maids kept the cab company busy that day.

It finally stopped raining and at 5:45 the group photo was taken outside in the parking lot. After the picture was taken, it was time to line up for the parade which was scheduled for 6:30. Of course, by the time the parade started, the rain started. Since we are fair weather riders, we decided not to ride the parade - plus it was getting cold.

We were all in the mood for lobster, so we walked over to Chick-a-Dees restaurant for dinner. The restaurant was recommended by the cab driver - what better reference than a local! Nancy and John were the only ones to tackle a whole lobster. Sorry, I can't eat something that is looking at me! It was worth the walk, the lobster was delicious. By the time we were finished, the restaurant had a long waiting line - all Motor Maids.

Welcome

2009-07-07T20:41:00.006-04:00

Now the rains come! Today was a slower day - no riding with rain & cold.

The convention officially started today with the welcome meeting from 9:00 - 11:30. Guest speakers were Lewiston Mayor, Larry Gilbert and Auburn Mayor, John Jenkins. Lewiston and Auburn are twin cities. Both men were very interesting speakers but Jenkins was definitely the entertainer. We found out later he is a motivational speaker!

Golden Life members were recognized at the meeting. Golden Life have been members for over 50 years - some over 60 years. The lady in the picture on the far left in the yellow top is the daughter of Dot Robinson, Motor Maid founder.

At 2:00, we had a district meeting. Diane went over some upcoming changes and discussions that will take place at the Business Meeting on Thursday. Some of the issues will be voted on at that time. Further discussion was held regarding our district putting in a bid to host the 2012 convention in NY. A vote was taken and 14 out of 19 voted in favor of putting in the bid at next years convention.

After the district meeting, I went to the Checkers Meeting to hear what it was all about. Checkers are used for the Dot Robinson Timed Road Ride tomorrow. After listening to what has to be done - down to seconds - I decided against it, especially since rain is forecasted.

At 7:00 p.m. there was a Motor Maids social at FastBreaks, a local biker bar. Due to the rain, shuttles ran every 15 minutes from the hotel to the bar. Helen and I went over but decided not to stay - it was packed! We went back to the hotel on the next shuttle and had dinner in the dining room. I went back to my room and relaxed.

Riding Lewiston

2009-07-06T19:20:00.002-04:00

Convention registration starts at 5:00 so we have a free day to see a little of Maine. We met at 7:30 for breakfast. The hotel has a breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet - not too bad.

Another beautiful day for a ride. Lois led a ride up Rte 1 heading for a restaurant that a friend from home recommended as a must go to eat. We stopped in a little town of Damariscotta which was like going back in time. They had a Rexel Drug Store with a 1948 soda fountain. The town's "old boys" were sitting around eating and Nancy decided to join them! While we were talking to the lady in the gift shop, she told us about another restaurant to go to - Shaw's Wharf in Waldoboro.

So we headed out to Shaw's. The only downside to Shaw's was the parking lot - it was a hill and not very easy to park motorcycles. It was either a very hard lean or no lean but we managed with each others help. Shaw's was off the beatin' path, nothing great to look at, but great food - just like the places Billy took me to in Florida. No waitress service - self service. We ate out on the top deck and watched the fishermen load their boat with lobster traps and head out to "go fishin' ". While we were sitting there, Maryellen and I commented on the fact there were no sea gulls ... just saw one pigeon! After lunch we continued on Rte. 32 into Augusta and on into Lewiston. Of course, we had to stop at a grocery store to buy water, sodas, snacks, wine, etc., before we went back to the hotel.

We were back in time for registration but first Maryellen, Helen & I went to the bar for a nice cold beer - I had a lobster ale on tap which was pretty good. Later that evening I had dinner with Teresa and Kevin and Brenda (one of the 4 corners ladies) came to join us. I then went and joined Diane, Dave & Justine. That is the fun part of convention, socializing with old and new friends.

Arriving in Lewiston

2009-07-05T18:04:00.003-04:00

We had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and were on the road to by 10:00 a.m. We only had 190 miles to Lewiston so we had a relaxing ride and enjoyed another beautiful day - couldn't ask for better weather. While waiting to go through a toll booth, Deb was talking to another motorcyclist who suggested we get off I-95, because of construction and deep grooves in the roadway, and take the coastal route. We picked up Rte. 1 in Kittery, ME, right in the middle of the outlets - thank goodness no one had any room on the bikes to go shopping! Anyone who knows me, knows shopping is not my favorite passtime! Traveling on Rte. 1, I saw a sign for Rte. 1A and decided to take that up the coastline. The road took us through York Beach on the 4th of July weekend - big mistake! It was beautiful, with a lighthouse out on the point, but it was bumper-to-bumper traffic with people trying to park and no place for us to go. The bikes were starting to overheat - I should say the "Harley's" were overheating. My Suzuki and Nancy's Yamaha did very good. When we went through the town, I made a wrong turn and we went back around the town a second time! We finally got back on Rte. 1.

It was getting time to take a break for lunch and shed some clothes since the temps were rising. We stopped for lunch at Mike's Clam House and, again, had seafood - I had a clam platter which was delicious.

Back on the road again and the last stop was the Ramada Inn, Lewiston, ME. We pulled into the hotel around 5:30 -- 488 miles from home. What a ride! After checking in and getting settled, It was great meeting up and greeting old friends from past conventions.

Dinner was definitely not seafood! Helen and I called Papa Johns for take out, had sandwiches delivered and sat around my room drinking Jamison's. Lois called and came over to join us. By the time they left, it was 11:00 and I was ready for bed.

Leaving for Convention

2009-07-04T13:52:00.021-04:00

I left home at 6:00 a.m. First stop was to meet-up with Nancy at the Woodrow Wilson Service Area on the NJ Turnpike at 7:00 a.m. and then on to the next meet-up with Deb and Lisa at milepost 153 service area on the Garden State Parkway at 8:00 a.m. Everyone was on-time ... a great start! Deb's boyfriend, Den and his brother, were following in a pickup truck with a trailer because Den was picking up a sidecar in Sturbridge. We stopped at the last service area on the parkway for gas and some breakfast.

It was a beautiful day for riding - sunny and not too hot - and no traffic considering it was July 4th. The ride was uneventful for Nancy and I but I'm sure Deb, Lisa and Den will be getting a nasty letter from the Parkway authority when they get home! Nancy and I have EZ Pass but the others did not. We arranged that we would go through EZ Pass and pull over if there was a safe place or we would continue slowly and they would catch up. The best made plans do go astray ... For some reason, Deb, Lisa & Den all followed us through the EZ Pass Express - go figure!! Den was concerned as to what would happen. We told him they probably took a picture of their license plates and, if so, they would all get a letter to pay the toll and a fine. Unfortunately, the trailer was not Den's - hopefully, he gives his friend a "heads up"!

We had planned to spend the night in Sturbridge, MA. To our surprise, we had arrived at the hotel around 1:00 p.m. - much earlier then we planned. After checking-in and unloading the bikes, we headed to Piccadilly's for lunch ... the first of many seafood meals!

After a relaxing lunch, I left the ladies and went to St. Anne Shrine for 4:00 p.m. Mass. It was a beautiful shrine set on a hill. This made it a little difficult maneuvering the motorcycle around trying to park. Just as I found a safe place to park (after 3 tries), 3 tour buses arrived with lots and lots of senior citizens. Mass was held in an outdoor pavilion which gave the whole experience a very serene feeling. I did not realize how much there was to the shrine until after I got back to the hotel and was looking at the brochure. Now, I wished I had walked around the grounds more.

We had gotten advanced tickets for the Old Sturbridge Village fireworks. That evening we went to the village and walked around, ate junk food and watched the fireworks. Rather than go down to the meadows and watch the fireworks, we found a good viewing spot at the top of the hill. We watched them moving people from the hill below us but we thought we would still be able to watch from our "perch". A staff member did come and tell us the show would be blocked by some trees but we figured they would be shooting them high enough to go over the trees - wrong - they were going off behind the tree ... like they said they would! After about 15 minutes and being bitten by gnats, we decided to start walking back to the parking lot and see if we could see the fireworks from there. We were able to find a perfect spot between some trees with the moon in the middle and watch the fireworks. It was really neat. My camera has a shutter delay so the timing was off trying to get pictures of the fireworks - I always got the ending! We continued to the parking lot, along with quite a few other people, so we could get a jump on the traffic leaving the village. Just as we got to the end of the driveway, the finale went off and we had a front row seat ... spectacular!

What an enjoyable way to end a beautiful day and a great ride on the 4th of July. We got back to the hotel around 10:30 and called it a night!

Four Corner Ride

2009-06-28T22:12:00.009-04:00

Three Motor Maids from Montana are riding the "4 Coroners" - Cindy, Brenda and Ester (Cindy's daughter). The Four Corners is sanctioned by the AMA and the rules are simple. You have 21 days to ride your motorcycle to these four corner cities of the United States; San Ysidro, CA; Blaine, WA; Madawaska, ME; and Key West, FL. That's a lot of riding in 21 days!

The ladies left VA in the morning with a stop in Hershey before heading to Wilkes-Barre for the night. Lois, Maureen, Deb - and their husbands - and myself met up with them at Chocolate World. We had lunch in the Gimme-a-Break Kit Kat Cafe and enjoyed listening to their adventures on their journey - what great stories and memories! The stop at Hershey was to be a surprise for Brenda who is the chocolate lover ... she loved it.

We said our good-byes and they were on their way to meet Diane in Hazelton and she rode with them to Wilkes-Barre and joined them for dinner at the Ruth's Chris Steak House.

BBQ at Ronnie's

2009-06-07T20:36:00.003-04:00

After working the registration table at the Friends of the Forgotten Road Ride in Norristown, Lois and I headed out to meet Russ and then ride to Middletown, NY for the NJ/NY BBQ. Now that I'm "semi-retired" It is really great being able to attend the different district functions.

We were a little late arriving to the BBQ but most of the people were still there. As always, it is nice seeing these ladies and catching up on more of Gloria's stories. It was especially nice seeing Tonie H. ... the last time we visited her in rehab after heart surgery. She sure is one tough lady! It was nice meeting some new ladies.

Ronnie and Vince had invited us to spend the night. I volunteered to sleep on the sofa and had a visitor a few times during the night - one of the dogs! She would come over a smell around my face, nudge my hand to pet her, and then put her had down on my chest. The next morning we enjoyed coffee on the deck and visited with Ronnie's mother Harriet.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten my camera and have no pictures to post. It was a great weekend.

Ice Cream ride with KSU

2009-05-31T13:03:00.016-04:00

There seems to be one thing all motorcycle groups have in common - they ride to eat! I started riding with Kickstands Up last summer and especially enjoy the rides Ramona organizes. Her rides meet within a 10 mile radius from home. Another nice thing about this group is they limit the number of riders - max of 12 bikes per ride. As with any other riding group, they are a very diverse group ... all ages - and I'm not the only one with gray hair!

Ten riders met at Panera Bread in Trooper at 10:00 a.m. with kickstands up at 10:15. The ride was over 4 hours of some incredible back roads covering approximately 150 miles with tons of great curves and turns. The highlight of the ride was the destination for ice cream lovers! This ice cream place had 24 flavors of soft serve ice cream plus good diner-like food for those not interested in ice cream. Yes, there were 3 gentlemen who did not have ice cream! Of course, I couldn't pass up black cherry ice cream.

On this ride, I met an old Blue Comet acquaintance - Don. He remembered Bill and I and filled me in on the "new" Blue comets. It seems to be a very difference club since we were members. I guess it can't be too bad, he's still a member!

After the ice cream, I left the group and headed back so I could stop at Jerry and Billy's since I was coming down Rt. 29. Jerry & Anita were busy in the backyard trying to beat the overhead storm clouds. Billy & Bonnie were relaxing in the motor home with Colleen, RC, Rachel and Scott. We got my bike in the garage just in time ... the storm clouds turned to rain so I waited out the rain with them. Billy gave me the information I would need to work at the Friends of the Forgotten Road Ride registration table next Sunday. He is in charge of the registration but will not be there. They were going to Lake Tahoe to support Rachel on her "Century Ride Around Lake Tahoe" to raise money for L&L Society.

Chestertown, MD

2009-05-24T12:08:00.021-04:00

On May 24th, the Maryland Motor Maids had a scheduled event to ride to the Chestertown Tea Party Festival. Nancy and I had made plans to meet Cheryl and Kelly at Baker’s Restaurant on Rte. 213 in Elkton, and ride into the Chestertown.

The day started out uneventful. I met Nancy at our usual meeting place off I-95 and we were on the road by 8:50 as planned. It was a beautiful day for riding - some late day isolated thunderstorms were predicted but never came. Surprising enough, there was very little traffic considering it was Memorial Day weekend. We were ahead of our scheduled meeting time … but that didn’t last.

We were traveling about 45 mph along Rte. 40 in the left lane when low and behold a bouncing black object appears on the road in front of me. My first thought was a tire – wrong. It was Nancy’s run away side bag! Both myself and the car behind us missed the bag. We were able to safely pull over and do some back tracking – one on foot, one on the motorcycle. Nancy found the bag tucked in the high grass on the side of the road. Unfortunately, there was one tragedy - the “biscotti” never survived the fall! All that was left were thousands of crumbs in the bag … mixed with some “emergency quarters”! After we bungeed the damaged bag on my bike and, for peace of mind, bungeed the surviving bag on Nancy’s bike, we continued on our way.

All four of us arrived at Baker’s at the same time and continued the ride into Chestertown. Chestertown is located on the banks of the Chester River. The town offers a blend of history, arts and shopping. The Tea Party festivities were held at the park on the river along with vendors, crafts, and all day events.

Cheryl and Kelly had given Nancy a bag of Maryland "token" goodies - crab flavored chips, bay seasoning and some chocolate cookies (I forget the name) - because she is always sharing goodies from the Dining Car; i.e. above referenced biscotti!!!! Nancy was able to find room in her one remaining side bag to transport the goodies back home - which they did make in one piece!

After a short walk through the town, we stopped at the Imperial Hotel for lunch. That was the first time I had “Crab Cake Eggs Benedict” which was delicious. After lunch and another short walk through the town, we decided to head for home to be in front of the thunderstorms – just in case!

We had a great day with great friends.

Spaghetti Dinner and Poker Run

2009-05-09T09:41:00.022-04:00

Our annual spaghetti dinner and poker run was held at the Lebanon Valley MC Club and was a great success, considering the weather does not always cooperate. This is the only fund raiser our district holds and there is a lot of time, work and effort goes into making it a success.

Paperwork is filed with the AMA and District 6 and listed in the AMA National magazine and the District 6 events booklet. Raffle prizes are requested from local businesses both motorcycle and non-motorcycle related. The raffle prizes have been a very lucrative part of our fundraiser. As for the poker run itself, the day of the event, someone must lay out the route and mark it with "lime". The lime marks indicate turns: 1 - right turn; 2 - left turn; 3 - slow down; line across road - pull over. Last year was quite interesting when a policeman stopped Helen, Patsy, and Sue and asked what the white powder was that they were dumping on the road. Luckily, he understood and no citations were given out. So, if you come across "white powder marks" on the side of the road, follow them - guaranteed to be a nice ride through country roads!

The highlight of the day is always the delicious spaghetti and meatballs prepared by Mary Ellen - and served by anyone available for kitchen duty - as well as the wonderful desserts from Nancy's "The Dining Car Restaurant & Bakery" in Philadelphia.

There were a total of 72 entries for the poker run, 16 of them were Motor Maids. The MM "Best Hand Award" went to Lois Hendershot. Activity points given for the top three MM hands went to: 1st - Lois Hendershot; 2nd - Pat DeSpirito; 3rd - Teresa Forcia.

"Corrected" awards were given to Sue Goff and Pat DeSpirito. There were a couple "award glitches" from the Wellsboro Banquet that were corrected.

And then the clean-up begins. While Helen and I completed the paperwork to be sent back to the AMA, other ladies were working at putting the clubhouse back to its original condition. It was a lot of work but a fun successful event!

Ringing Rocks

2009-04-26T20:43:00.000-04:00

This riding season started with a ride to the Ringing Rocks in Bucks County with Kick Stands Up.

The ringing rocks are a field of boulders that when you strike them with a hammer, they sound as if they are metal and hollow and ring with a sound similar to a metal pipe being struck. Besides the strange ringing of the stones, there are other mysteries surrounding this park. One odd thing about the park is that most boulder fields are the result of an avalanche from a mountainside collapsing. This boulder field is towards the top of the hill, not the bottom. That means it didn't result from a rock slide. There is also no evidence to suggest that these were dropped here by a glacier as glaciers were not thought to have come this far south. How did this boulder field get to be like this? No one seemed to know the answer. Oh well, guess I'll google that question!

After the rocks, we rode along the Delaware River and the group stopped at Dilly's for hot dogs. It turned out to be a nice day of riding.

Awards Dinner and Banquet

2009-03-14T20:25:00.018-04:00

PAWNY Motor Maids held their first annual Awards Dinner and Banquet at the Penn Wells Lodge, Wellsboro, PA, Saturday, March 14, 2009. Twenty-three members and guests attended which was a nice representation for the first banquet.

We received special edition mugs along with some "bonus bucks". Dinner was a delicious buffet which had prime rib, crab legs, and much more. A memorial tribute to Mary Abraham's was held with pictures and memories and a moment of silence. Mary was killed in the Flight 3407 Buffalo plane crash in February 12th.

Sammie Wisner, former District Director, was honored with a certificate and the members presented Diane, our present District Director, with a certificate and gift.

Service Award winner was Lois Hendershot and the Safety Award winner was Cathy Decker. Both recipients were chosen by members that participated in the online survey sent to all district members. Top mileage awards went to Sue Goff (13,469), Beth Snyder (9,179) and Liane Horton (8,285). Top bonus points awards went to Helen Conrad (480), Lois Hendershot (395) and me (355). Lois and Liane were not at the banquet.

Following awards, a bonus bucks auction based on the points contest took place with Gary as auctioneer and Den as his runner. Once the competition for prizes began, there was no stopping this group of competitive ladies. The largest ticket item going for something like 250 bonus bucks was a bottle of Canadian Windsor - go figure! As for the Motor Maid uniform, Sue was the high bidder but at times it was somewhat fierce between her and I. I was bidding on it for Rachel.

We had a great time and like most MM get-togethers, the fun didn't end with the banquet. Many of us continued the party in Viki's room where she so thoughtfully brought along a travel blender so we could enjoy margaritas to go! We packed the room and had a lot of laughs telling MM stories and reliving memories.

Sunday morning we met for breakfast at the Wellsboro diner. All agreed that we looked forward to returning next year for a bigger and better PAWNY 2010 Banquet.

Heading Home

2009-03-07T21:28:00.009-05:00

We had a really early start today - we were up and moving by 6:15. Billy & Bonnie were checking out of the Islander Hotel around 6:00 and were at the campground around 7:00. By the time they arrived, we had all our suitcases and bags outside ready to be loaded in the Suburban. Then the work began ...

Billy unhitched the motorcycle trailer and headed over to the storage lot to hitch up the boat trailer and move it out to the road in order to hook it up to the motor home. While he was doing that, we helped Bonnie to start closing up the motor home.

Rachel helped Billy drain the "black" water. For those not familiar with campers, the "black" water is from the toilet! Needless to say, Rachel had a very difficult time helping with that chore! While they were doing that, I was loading the Suburban.

The motor home was then pulled off the site and the motorcycles were loaded and tied down. We then headed out to the road where the boat was hitched to the motor home; and our little caravan was ready to roll.

We stopped at Cracker Barrel for breakfast and were on the road by 11:00 a.m. for the LONG ride home. Rachel and I drove straight through but Billy and Bonnie stopped for the night - they had their bed with them! We did encounter one accident around midnight but other than that, the drive was uneventful. The last hour or two of the trip was the hardest.

We arrived at Rachel's around 2:30 a.m. and unload the Suburban and loaded my car. I left and headed for home around 3:15. I unloaded the car, left everything in the dining room and headed up to bed - the grandfather clock was chiming 5:00 ... the time changed!!

My first trip to Bike Week came to an end. I had a great time - thanks Billy & Bonnie!

Day Seven

2009-03-07T20:11:00.021-05:00

This morning we met Billy & Bonnie at Teddy’s in Edgewater for breakfast. There was a bad accident on I-4 with an overturn tractor & trailer at the off ramp to Rte 44. Of course, we were on Rte. 44 and the traffic was a little backed up.

After breakfast we rode to Loveland Grove to get oranges and orange juice. Went back to the hotel to drop off the oranges & juice and set up the trailer. This way, Billy will be able to load the bike and tie it down after riding today.

We then ventured off to the Gold Wing Road Riders vendor area near the New Smyrna airport to check out the Trikes and I bought a pink baseball cap – yep, me in a baseball cap and Billy on a Honda! Will wonders never cease? Next stop, Sunshine Park in South Daytona. Billy was checking out the California Sidecar which is the Harley Trike … now, that’s Billy! There I bought an Air Rider Memory Gel Seat … wow, what a difference it makes! Do you think this is a sign of age ... nah! Then, off to Beach Street in Daytona to do some last minute shopping since we did more riding than shopping this week, which was definitely fine with me! Those who know me, know I do not like shopping!!!

After Beach Street we went to Shady Oak for a very relaxing and unhealthy (but good) dinner. Shady Oak is a “dive” on the St. John’s River. While sitting on the deck eating all fried food – shrimp, catfish, mushrooms, poppers, french fries and hush puppies – we actually saw a manatee swimming up the river. I guess that was one of the ones chased off with the "vibrations" from the motorcycles.

We left Billy & Bonnie around 5 o’clock for our last ride down Rte 44 to Rte 17 to Rte 40 back to the campground. This time we made it back in time to watch the sunset from the deck instead of on the road. While watching the sunset, we made a new friend – a white crane - who stayed right with us … probably thought we had food.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and it was time for us to start packing – after Rachel got “unstuck” from the doorway! She was carrying the suitcase from the garage when she got stuck in the doorway – guess the extra 30 lbs of food caught up to her.

Day Six

2009-03-05T22:17:00.009-05:00

Rachel and I were able to sleep in this morning since we were meeting Billy & Bonnie at O'Brien's Cafe - two miles from the campground!

Rachel wanted to ride to an area that they have not already covered over the last couple years. So, we rode in the opposite direction from Bike Week activities and headed for the Gulf Coast. We followed Rte. 40 west until it came to a "dead end" - at a boat ramp on the Withlacoochee Bay in Yankeetown. There were some people fishing and, believe it or not, they were from Allentown! Billy was the only one who put his feet in the Gulf of Mexico. It was a beautiful ride through horse country. We passed some pretty nice horse farms, riding stables, etc.

On the way back, we took Rte 44 which took us around Lake Griffin State Park and back into New Smyrna Beach. We stopped for dinner again at The Garlic in New Smyrna. Since Billy's motorcycle was behind Rae's and my bike, we "tortured" him by making him wait while Rae and I put on all our riding gear for the cool ride back to the motor home. We arrived home at 7:45 - just in time to get a quick shower and watch Survivor.

What a great day we had! We rode 275 miles and the temperature was 78 deg. As of today, we did over 1,000 miles of riding this week! One day left : (

Day Five

2009-03-04T21:00:00.015-05:00

Another chilly start but it really didn't feel bad ... 40 deg. After breakfast, we rode Rte A1A - a scenic ride up the coastline to St. Augustine, the Old City. We visited the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, the seat of the oldest Catholic parish in the nation.

We walked down St. George Street. There were more than 50 houses and craft shops on this pedestrians-only lane, along with the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse. Of course we had to stop in the ice cream store and have some Olde Tyme Homemade Ice Cream!

We left St. Augustine and stopped for dinner at High Tides, a neat seafood place on Flagler Beach. After dinner, we went to Destination Daytona ... a lot of T-shirts, vendors, etc.

We said good-bye to Billy & Bonnie around 6:30 and got back to the campground around 7:15. Again, the temperatures dropped rapidly when the sun went down. Another great riding day. Total miles today - 200.

Day Four

2009-03-03T21:50:00.013-05:00

Today, we were able to sleep in a little and have a later start. We were on the road by 9:00 and the temperature was a little better - 43 deg. We met Billy & Bonnie at Teddy's in Edgewater for breakfast and were on the road by 11:30.

We rode Rte. 1 South. The first stop was at the Haulover Canal which was also a Manatee viewing area - no Manatees were to be found. One Texas visitor to the area stated there were no Manatees because of all the "vibration" from the motorcycles! I guess he did not realize he was visiting Florida during Bike Week.

We continued on thru the Intracostal Waterway to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. This was a 15 mile "packed gravel" road through the refuge. We did get lucky and saw an alligator sunbathing.

From there, we rode to the Canaveral Seashore National Park. There we could see the shuttle on the launch pad for the March 10th launch.

We stopped for dinner in DeLand at a little "mom & pop" Italian restaurant.

We were back at the campground by 6:30. Temperatures did get up to 58 but when the sun goes down, the temperatures really drop fast. Today, we rode about 175 miles.

Day Three

2009-03-02T21:03:00.005-05:00

When we left this morning at 8:00 a.m., the temperature was 38 deg - that was cold! I had three layers of clothes on and my jacket with the liner. When I went to put on my helmet, I couldn't bend my arms; Rachel tried to turn and look at me, and she couldn't - too many clothes. Of course, a fit of laughing followed.

We met Billy & Bonnie at the Sunshine Cafe in Ormond Beach for breakfast. After breakfast, we rode over to Daytona Beach to walk along Main Street before the crowds - I'm not good in crowds! I did buy a pair of heavier riding gloves since I only brought lightweight gloves with me. Bill suggested I bring my heavier gloves but I said I wouldn't need them ... yeh, right!

We left Daytona and took a beautiful scenic ride up through Flagler and into Ocala National Park. We stopped in Deland for dinner at Chilis. Of course, when we were leaving, I tried to put on the new heavier gloves and could not get them up over the jacket sleeves. After she stopped laughing, Rachel helped me get the gloves on.

The temperatures do drop rapidly when the sun goes down. We were back at the motor home by 7:00 p.m., and had rode 220 miles. A great ride!

Day Two

2009-03-01T20:44:00.005-05:00

Today was a relaxing day because the weather was not fully cooperating. A windy storm came through about 10:30 and was over by 3:00. Not exactly great riding weather.

Billy and Bonnie picked us up in the Suburban (thank heaven for the Suburban) around 8:30. We had breakfast at O'Brien's Cafe. After a great breakfast, we went to 10:30 Mass at a little country chapel, St Hubert of the Forest Mission. One of the ladies in the choir was playing an old time instrument - washtub with a stick & a string - they sounded pretty good!

After Mass we went to their hotel - Islander Beach in New Smyrna. It is a really nice hotel right on the beach. Since the weather was very iffy, we decided not to ride and stay in and play cards. They taught me how to play "Hand and Foot". Billy and I were partners and we won - good thing because Billy is not a very good loser! It is really a fun game. This could be a new game to play at Reen and Al's. I just hope I can remember how to play when we get there.

We went to J.B. 's Fish Camp & Restaurant for dinner. This was a little "hole in the wall" local restaurant with great food. After dinner we went back to the hotel and played another game of Hand and Foot which we had to stop so they could get us back to the campground before it got too late.

Plans for tomorrow are to leave around 8:00 a.m., meet Billy & Bonnie at the Sunshine Cafe for breakfast and do some riding along the A1A to St. Augustine. It will be quite chilly when we leave but will be warming up and sunny.

First Day of Bike Week

2009-02-28T22:08:00.010-05:00

After a delicious breakfast Rachel cooked for us, Billy and Bonnie packed up to move over to their timeshare in New Smyrna Beach. Billy loaded his bike in the trailer and Rachel and I followed on our motorcycles. New Smyrna is approximately 50 miles from the campground. Since they were not able to check in until 4:00 o'clock, we all rode over to Deland for Bike Day and walked around there. We met up with Lois and Russ Hendershot. We left them and had lunch at Firehouse Subs. For dessert, we had some very expensive homemade ice cream - $5 - which I didn't think was all that great. We shared the ice cream!

We left Deland and headed over to Daytona Beach. Daytona was just as crowded as Deland, if not worse. We rode down Main Street which is where all the action is. It was mobbed, both on the sidewalk and in the street. There was no way I could walk in that crowd. It was hot and crowded and, at one point, my motorcycle started to overheat and stall. We decided to leave and go back later in the week in the morning before it gets too hot.

About 4:30, we decided to call it a day so Billy and Bonnie could go back, check-in and get settled. Rachel and I got back to the campground around 5:30.

Temperature was 80 and we rode about 150 miles. Tomorrow, the weather is not going to be too good. There is a storm coming through and should be gone by the afternoon.

2009 Bike Week

2009-02-27T20:28:00.007-05:00

I arrived at Rachel's around 3:00. Rachel wasn't home from work so I did some last minute preparations for the trip - my nails! Dante and Maggie did not make it easy for me to get much done because they wanted to play and go in and out of the house. Around 4:00, I was going to go over to G-E but thought I might pass Rachel on the way home, so I decided not to. She did get home around 4:30 and had to pack! We did get everything done and packed - ahead of schedule! Around 6:45, Roger came over to double check that everything was hooked up and the bike was tied down. Everything was good and we were on the road by 7:30 p.m. for our 17 hour drive to Florida.

The ride was uneventful - long but uneventful. We had no traffic, smooth sailing all the way. The only stops we made were for gas and potty stop! Rachel did all the driving except for 2 hours when I drove. She does not make a good "passenger"! I dozed about 2 hours on and off.

Around 10:00 a.m, we stopped at a Cracker Barrel in Florida for breakfast. We felt much better since that was the first real food we had since we left. We just snacked all night!

We arrived at Parramore's Campground at 12:00 noon - 16 1/2 hrs. later! Billy and Bonnie were really happy to see us and, I'm sure, very relieved. Parramore's is located in Astor in the Lake George State Forrest. It is a really nice campground.

After we settled in, Billy, Rachel & I took a ride on Billy's boat on the St. John River over to Lake George. We went looking for the 12 ft. alligator Billy saw when he was fishing. Of course, it was no where to be found.

We decided not to do any riding today since we had been up all night. So, we went to dinner - in the Suburban - to "The Garlic" restaurant in New Smyrna Beach. The atmosphere and food was great. It was a garage convert to an Italian restaurant - really neat.

When we got back, we just relaxed and were in bed by 9:00 p.m. Boy, did that bed feel good.

2009-02-26T13:13:00.003-05:00

Hallelujah! I'm out of the office until March 10th. Now it's all about rest, relaxation and RIDING. I am so looking forward to the time relaxing in the "motor home" at the campground. It is just so peaceful sitting around the campfire drinking a glass of wine. The only time I get to camp is when I go with Reen and Al once a year. We sit around the campfire drinking wine/beer and making "s'mores". Now, that's an experience - especially trying not to drop the chocolate or marshmallow in the campfire! I would love to retire, buy a camper and leave it parked at a campground - but Bill does not enjoy that lifestyle. He does not find it relaxing.

Anyway, I'm going to pack my car now and head up to Rachel's. I'm ready to roll - "on the road again" ... !

2009-02-25T21:17:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm all packed and ready to go and I am definitely taking to many clothes - I do that all the time. The weather should be warm for the weekend but will be getting cooler during the week. Not that I'm anxious or anything, but I plan to work a half day tomorrow and be at Rachel's around 3:00. She will be working to 5:00 but I'm sure she'll be home before that! I'll get my stuff loaded in the Suburban, check the motorcycle in the trailer. Hopefully, the battery did not die and it starts! The motorcycle has been there since the end of October.
We should be on the road around 9:00 p.m. - right after Survivor - and at the campground around 2:00 p.m. on Friday ... "God willing and the creek don't rise". Daytona Beach here we come!

Getting Ready

2009-02-21T20:38:00.002-05:00

I'm leaving for Bike Week on Thursday night. Rachel and I plan to leave around 10:00 p.m. and drive straight through to Astor, Florida. We will be trailering my motorcycle with Billy's Suburban. Towing is a new experience for both of us and I'm sure we will be fine - our Guardian Angel will be riding with us.

We will be meeting up with Billy and Bonnie who are already there. They went down February 1st with the motor home and Billy and Rachel's motorcycles. On Saturday, they will leave to go to their timeshare at New Smyrna Beach, and Rachel and I will stay in the motor home.

I spent today trying to figure out what clothes to take. The difficult part is its cold here and I'm trying to pick warmer clothes. I HATE PACKING! I know I'm taking too many "just in case" clothes.

Mary Abraham

2009-02-16T10:28:00.005-05:00

This has been a very difficult weekend for me. On Friday, I had gotten word that a Motor Maid friend - Mary Abraham - was aboard Continental Flight 3407 that crashed into the home in Buffalo.

I had the pleasure of spending some time getting to know Mary at the 2008 Motor Maid Convention in Indianna. Mary was a Red Ribbon - her first convention. She was a very vibrant, outgoing and funny person. Her enthusiasm for motorcycling and the Motor Maids was very evident. Even though I only spent the week with her, she made you feel like you knew her forever.

Rest in Peace, Mary.

Motorcycle Show - New York

2009-01-19T19:44:00.010-05:00

Sunday, January 18th, we went to the International Motorcycle Show at the Jacob Jarvits Convention Center in NY. At this event, the Motor Maids, along with other women's groups, were volunteers to help Sue Slate cover the Womens Motorcycling Foundation booth.

We took the 7:33 a.m train from the Trenton station and arrived at New York's Penn Station before 9 a.m. and took a cab to the convention center. This was less hassle then trying to drive and park in NY. In addition, it was snowing! Plus, this was my first experience traveling by train. Good thing Nancy knew where she was going and what she was doing!

Nancy and I spent our time at the "Women Ride!" information booth, along with "Suicide" and "Sniper" from Blaque Pearls MC in Harlem. It was very interesting talking about the different cultures and different issues they deal with in their areas and how they try to work with other clubs to keep problems to a minimum and promote women motorcyclists. One of the things Suicide found interesting was that we did not have "nicknames" and she felt we should have them. So, she is going to come up with nicknames for Nancy and I and send them to us. This should be interesting!

Pictured from left Nancy, (background) Sue, Suicide and Sniper.

Motorcycle Show - Washington, DC

2009-01-11T18:07:00.011-05:00

The Motor Maids were Show Ambassadors for the International Motorcycle Show held in Washington, DC this weekend. Nancy and I drove down to help at the show today. We left our meeting spot on McDade Blvd at 6:00 a.m. and arrived at the convention center by 8:00. We had no traffic and the weather was fine considering it was a little icy when we left our respective homes at 5:00 a.m. Next weekend we do it all over again in NY.

I worked at the "post card booth" with Patsy and Joe while Nancy worked inside the show at the Woman's Motorcycling booth. Post cards are mailed out each year and when they bring the card in, they get a free calendar. I was surprised at how many people said they collect these calendars and wanted to be sure they were on the mailing list for next year. Besides handing out calendars, we had to open all the entries people filled out for a chance to win a Suzuki scooter and/or a Suzuki motorcycle. I'm sure your chances of winning either are as good as winning the lottery. Just to be on the safe side, I filled out one ... you never know!

Since this is the motorcycle of my choice, it was nice seeing the Suzuki Boulevard well represented at the show. When I bought my Boulevard in 2006 the color was Gunmetal. Now, they seem to be in all colors - even two-tone "orange and black". Sound familiar? As a matter of fact, the "orange and black" vendor was next to the Boulevard.

And then, they have the cross between a motorcycle and '57 Chevy. The best of both worlds!

Visit with Billy & Corinne

2009-01-05T21:10:00.001-05:00

Bill and I went to Billy and Corinne's for dinner on Sunday. The beginning of December, they moved to another house which is about a mile away from their other place. The other house was very, very small. They were there almost two years and could never have anyone over because there was just no room! This house has more room.

It was nice seeing Joseph and Becca but we did miss seeing Brittny. Boy, have they grown up AND sprouted up. Joseph is taller than me and Becca is almost as tall as me. They are typical teenagers and spent most of the time in their rooms and did not have much to say! Except when the game was on - Joseph was right there! EAGLES WON!! Unfortunately, Brittny was not there...we haven't seen her in quite awhile. She doesn't come down to her Dad's much. She is now living in Annville with Judy and is in the process of changing schools.

They are now down to two dogs - Dougal and Hurley - and two birds. Unfortunately, Jake and the rabbit have gone to better pastures in the sky. Billy still has the parrot and they acquired the second bird - a cockatoo - from Corinne's dad who could no longer keep it. The dogs are like two kids chasing each other and fighting over toys and treats! For some reason, Hurley found it necessary to keep jumping up on me and knocking me over while I was trying to watch the Eagles! I guess he wasn't happy because I wasn't paying any attention to him. If the dogs aren't running around, the parrot is flying around and you never know where it will land.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T19:16:00.000-05:00

The last night of 2008 was a bitter cold and windy night. It would not have taken much for me to just stay home and watch TV - but I didn't! Bill and Billy were playing at the TK Club; and Nate and Amanda had their New Year's Eve party which turned out very nice. This year, Bob and Carol were there as well as David and Nancy and Jerry and Anita. It was great to spend some time with Bob and Carol. Bob is doing pretty good - he is in between treatments. Nate set up the "Rock Band" on Wii and it was a lot of fun watching them "perform". Unfortunately, Jarod wasn't there but boy, if he was, he would have "blown them all away"! I left around 11:15 to head to the TK Club to ring in the New Year with Bill. Corinne and the kids arrived about 11:58 ... just in the nick of time. After Bill and I had our "annual" New Year dance, I headed home. My sister called to wish me a Happy New Year!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-28T21:34:00.000-05:00

We left home on Tuesday at 3:30 a.m. for a 6:00 a.m. flight and boy was it cold - 13 degrees! We took off on time and had a smooth flight - and a beautiful sunrise. We arrived at DFW on time, picked up the rental car and were at Reen and Al's before 10:30 a.m. Bob and Nancy were not so lucky. Their flight on Monday morning from Newark was canceled - mechanical problems - and they did not arrive until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday ... they were still smiling! We went out for a Mexican dinner and margaritas.

Maureen received a very uniqui gift from one of her "Bee" friends. It was a glass block that had a string of lights inside. They made a small hole on the side and fed the lights in. The ribbon and bow was the finishing touch.

Reen and Al usually have an open house on Christmas Eve but decided not to have one this year. That was a good choice considering both sets of parents arrived on Tuesday and that is when we would normally put up the tree. This year, the plan was to put up the tree on Christmas Eve. When I woke up the next day - Christmas Eve - my head felt like it was a big balloon, my nose a running faucet and my eyes were itchy and watery...allergies ... and it got worse as the day went on!!! That evening, I did make it to 4:00 Mass and was able to do my share of decorating the tree - can't say the same about Nancy and Bill! While Bob, Reen and I were putting up the tree, Nancy and Bill were talking in the kitchen while Al was cooking! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do my share of drinking and eating - and that is not like me! I did manage to stay up a lot longer than I thought I could; and boy that bed really felt good when I finally got in it!

Christmas morning I felt much better. What a difference 48 hrs can make - the head was open and the nose was just a drip. Santa did stop and leave gifts under the tree. Alan got a "major award" Christmas ornament - the lamp leg from A Christmas Story - crate and all; and Reen got Longaberger ornaments. Alan made the "Mom's" beautiful wooden oil lamps. Reen made the "Dad's" a "quilt" for Bob (who made it known that he only had one quilt) and a matching pillowcase for Bill's quilt. I must add that Bob's quilt was a 6"x 6" one in a "big" box.

As usual, we had a great dinner. Reen made the antipasta and Al made the rest ... fresh ham shank roast that he marinated overnight - delicious. For dessert, we had apple pie - with homemade ice cream - and cheese cake. Again, we all ate too much! After dinner, Bill and I took a walk down to the pond. Christmas night, we played mexican train dominoes for about 3 hours- I won!

Friday we packed in the morning and had a relaxing day. Reen, Nancy and I played dominoes - Al played for the first 6 rounds. After checking the flight status online (on time), Bill and I left for the airport at 3:45 for a 6:35 flight. By the time we got through the security check, our flight was delayed an hour to 7:30 - then it was delayed again to 8:00. We finally took off at 8:35 and arrived in Philly at 12:30 and at home by 1:15. All in all, it was a good flight!

The Golden Years

2008-12-08T21:54:00.000-05:00

I guess you can say I finally entered the "Golden Years" - I applied for social security benefits today! It's so hard to believe that I am at that point in my life which had always seemed to be so far away and, now, its here. When I was younger, people in their 60s seemed old but not any more! Except for a few aches and pains, I don't feel any different. To me, age is just a number.
Checks won't start coming until April and I still plan on working part time. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday sound like good days to work! 2009 will be an interesting year ...

No Leftovers

2008-11-29T19:20:00.000-05:00

Today was NLO at Lebanon MC Club from 12:00 - 4:00. Those in attendance were: Diane, Helen, Maryellen, Sue, Patsy, Deb, Janine, Connie, Pam, Wendy, Lois, Nancy, Maureen + Andy. New members: Justine, Marg and Debbie + AJ, and one prospective member whose name I forgot! Lunch was pizza and dessert. This year, Nancy went all out with a "helmet" cake and peanut butter cup cakes! They were delicious. Again, we played "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader", MM Trivia and Dirty Santa. We had our planning meeting and have a full riding calendar for 2009. Plans were made for the 1st Annual Banquet in Wellsboro in February - which we all will be attending on 4-wheels.

The Beginning

2008-11-24T11:12:00.000-05:00

This is my first attempt at a blog and, hopefully, it will help me keep better track of my daily/weekly events. I tried writing in a journal but that didn't last too long. Being on the computer daily, I hope it will enable me to be more current. Plus, I need to keep track of my Motor Maid functions so, at the end of the year, they will all be recorded in one place.