Bikes, Bikes Everywhere Bikes.

Our cover story has been received warmly. My thanks to those of you who have left comments or sent email. I was a little disappointed that mention of my blog was removed from the story, but people have managed to Google me, and put the two together.



This past weekend was spend scurrying to and from St. Louis for the BMW MOA open house. The weather was iffy, but the rain held off until 3:00 and by then the majority of the crowd has already headed for home. I find it hard to believe I did not have a camera with me at last year's open house! I don't leave home with out at least my Point and Shoot! I brought the DSLR with me, with one basic lens. I am working hard at finding creative shooting opportunities. I tried to take the pics that other people were not, especially people, regular members! I made a point of stopping to talk to people who had not connected. It's not hard making small talk at a motorcycle event.

I hope you enjoy my pictures, and the liberties I took with photoshop. When I first started shooting, I was influenced by the "it must come out of the camera perfect" crowd. But I've really done a 180 on that. I think it's as important to display the best picture you can, sometimes that is right out of the camera, but mostly a little tweaking goes a long way in spucing up the presentation. I am no longer the queen of the uneven horizon, it seems everything gets rotated 2 degrees!

Pretty in Pink


Anna & her dad Russ




R1150GS


Jim & Bill


Randy & Dave (MOA Pres)


Ted & Chuck


I made this my wallpaper...sweet


R65 photoshop effort - blurred background


K11 Heading Home


See you next year!

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Back in April I received a request from a Flickr member to use one of my Alps photos in the AMA. Unfortunately I do not own that photo, the tour guide took it. The writer said he'd pass my information to the editor of the mag, who might be interested in doing a story about my travels with Lisa. 6 months later and we are on the cover.

In reality, getting on the cover has been a 10 year journey.

In 1999 my now ex husband told me I shouldn't get my motorcycle license.
In 2004 friends told me I was nuts to ride my bike across the country.
In 2007 I listened too no one's advice and planned a trip across the country with my daughter.

My first bike, my K75 1999


Telling me I can't do something is a powerful motivator. I got my license in 1999, then my bike, then a divorce. But I was not all that sure of myself. I dropped my bike a lot. I worried that maybe he was right, maybe the bike was more than I could handle...maybe I should stay home with my daughter...maybe...maybe I should start thinking for myself.

You gotta go where you wanna go,
Do what you wanna do
With whoever you wanna do it with.
Mama's & the Papa's

On the Road 2004


Fast forward to 2004, I'm making a good living, I can afford to pack my 9 year old daughter off to summer camp for 2 weeks. I turn and face the open road. I've read about people who traveled so far, but could I be one of them? It took a couple of days on the road to shake the fears and turn the corner to self confidence. I am out here, and I am doing it on my own. My well meaning friends did not know what they were talking about. The indelible lesson learned: I can accomplish anything that I set out to do, I am the only one holding myself back.

Camping 2003


Yet I still balked at taking Lisa with me. My priorities were changing. I needed to share the road with Lisa. Everyone will tell you that it can't be done. You can't ride with children, they will be bored, you can't take a month off from work, it's a dangerous world out there. But I relied on my lessons of 2004. My well meaning friends did not know what they were talking about. We were going on a road trip.

Glacier National Park 2007


What did I learn in 2007? The motorcycle is not the center of my world. My daughter is. I have so much to teach her and she is an eager learner. The motorcycle makes for a fun and interesting vehicle of learning. But sometimes we go by car, sometimes we go by foot, most importantly we go out and explore the world together and learn about each other along the way. I can not tell my daughter to be an independent thinker, I can only show her. I am convinced that it's a lesson that will take her far in life.

New Brunswick 2008


Thank you AMA for letting us spend a month representing the American Motorcyclist!

End Of Summer...Already?

September 1st, we all know it's the first day of fall, no matter what the meteorology people say. It is a beautiful time of year here in New England. Year after year we come racing into fall wondering where the summer went.

2008 was all about the price of gas. Staying closer to home or a tank away made a lot of sense.

April 25


May 24th


May 31st, this is the highest I can recall, and wouldn't you know I was filling up the car!


It was a quiet summer for us, relative to last years epic journey. Far more balanced with family and friends.

Some friends in New Brunswick


Some down the street


I think I'm passed the stage where riding is the be all and end all of my activities. I've been enjoying photography more this summer, and am noticing some pleasant improvements in my work.

Better Lighthouses


Better waterskiers


Oh, yes and better motorcycles!


Even if it's not a Beemer!


Looking back, it's been a very pleasant summer. Not challenging, not monumental, but pleasant. I hope your summer was everything you wanted it to be..