How long have you been riding?
I started riding the summer of 1994 with the MSF beginner course, in LA. Then I bought my first motorcycle, a lovely purple, orange, pink, and white Suzuki GS500e. I didn’t ride a whole lot in LA, until I moved to Wisconsin. Kind of ironic, I think.
Current motorcycle?
I currently ride a 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 GT LRH. Her name is Toni.
Why do you ride?
I ride for the sheer pleasure. I like to tour. I have seen a great deal of this beautiful, grand country. I visit friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen in 20 years. I go to National Parks. I love the American Southwest. But also the Blue Ridge and the north. There is so much to see. Next year I will see the Northeast on my motorcycle. Everywhere I go, I meet people. Everyone everywhere is friendly!
Who or what was your biggest influence in motorcycling?
I had two major influences. I spent more than half of my career working in automotive and motorcycle safety. Practically everyone I knew was a rider. I was around them all the time. When I finished school, I was more than ready to join them.
The other was Tom Berry, without a doubt. When I moved to WI from CA, I had ridden very little, really. Then I started riding with him and he taught me a lot. I learned about safety, touring, motorcycles, packing, route planning, scanning, and so much more. We rode all over together, to rallies and museums and National Parks. We rode together for 12 years. We rode to Pinkerington, OH for Malcolm Smith’s induction into the AMA Hall of Fame. (Another strong influence.) That’s him on my Triumph Legend.
Tom introduced me to Aerostich. Soon after I got to WI, we rode to Duluth and I chose my Roadcrafter. That was in 1999. I wore that exclusively until I moved to TX in 2014. That’s when I bought my R3, much better in this heat. We attended two Very Boring Rally’s, the 20th and the 25th. (I’m sorry to have missed the 40th. Duluth is not en route from Texas to Oregon.) I thank Tom from inside my helmet often.
What has been your experience as a female rider?
I don’t really think of myself as a female rider, just a rider. I go where I want and stop when I want. I make all my own trip plans. The only thing I don’t do is work on my bikes. I take them to the trained mechanics. I find that people are friendly pretty much everywhere. People are helpful. I have never had any bad experiences with people when I’m riding.
What advice would you give to women riders?
To use Nike’s great catchphrase, just do it. Get trained. Get good gear. Practice. Practice. Get more training. Find a trusted mechanic. Make sure your bike is in tip-top condition before every outing. Pick something you want to see. Go ride. When you get there, talk to people. Join groups of other riders sitting around after the day’s ride. Sit at the bar when you go eat. Know where you are going to stop and make sure there is somewhere to eat that you can safely walk to. Also, I find organized tours to be wonderful. They do all the work and I just ride. Very fun.
What Aerostich gear do you wear and why did you choose it?
I have a hi-viz one-piece Roadcrafter R3. I might not have bought this second one if Aerostich had not gotten women’s patterns. But it has worked out wonderfully. When I was ordering it, I contemplated colors. But I had been preaching conspicuity to anyone who would listen, so I decided to put my money where my mouth was. It works. I feel quite safe in Roadcrafter. And it is convenient, except for going to the bathroom. Small trade-off.
Aerostich-related or Aerostich-specific stories?
One of my Aerostich highlights was being included on the cover of the Spring 2017 catalog. It was my first big solo tour after moving to Texas. The photo was taken at the top of the Sandra Crest. I kept the catalog. It is kind of like a trophy!
What is the best motorcycle advice or tip you’ve received?
That’s kind of funny. Of course, look up, where you want to go. That is always in my head. But most recently, I was talking to the head instructor at the BMW Performance Center and telling him that coming to a stop, I sometimes feel unsteady. He told me not to touch the ground until I am stopped. No paddling. That has helped me tremendously with my stopping performance and my confidence. So simple, yet so helpful.
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