Ridin'Ard (The h is silent)

I'm catching the blog up... Mid-March 2020, as the pandemic was starting, Julie (like many others) really wanted to go camping. I'd put that deposit on the KTM in September 2019, and parts for the suspension lowering were still delayed. Well, my excellent salesperson, Paris, at my favorite dealership, Bob's BMW emailed me with two very good options for light ADV bikes. So this 2015 G650GS happened:  And we set out to go camping at Elizabeth's Furnace campground which did not allow reservations but WAS VERIFIED TO BE OPEN on the website. We packed up and headed out (too late, of course) and got to the campground. The gate was closed and we figured it was because it was late, but there was another parking area with a path so we parked there. A couple of other people were there discussing whether they were going to camp or not. Today was Saturday, but one of them had called on Friday and verified that the campground was open. There was a sign, but it looked very cheesy/no...

 What a rush it was to be around all of those bad ass women. And such a unique experience to be part of a group of such women and interact with the world that way.  Alas, it was time to go home. I mean, we were completely exhausted. But of course we got our asses up at 6:30 to see off the girls for Day 214 (at the nasty motel).  We met up with my friend Andrea for breakfast in Columbus before heading to my dad's in WV, when Amy was going to brave "the road."  And we rolled out to WV. We stopped for lunch at a cute diner just across the Ohio river. The WV highways are always fun and the weather was beautiful. And Amy did great on the gravel road to my dad's.  Look who decided to show up and surprise us! We had been there for about an hour when we heard an engine. (Jaron sure is brave surprising my dad.) We had a great evening shooting the shit with my dad.  The next morning Jaron headed out on his own and Amy & I rode back together. We took the fun way h...

 Day 213 of the WRWR was visiting the AIM Expo , North America's Powersports Expo, in Columbus, OH and then going to the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) museum in Pickerington, OH.  We started the day off properly at Waffle House.  Shana, one of the WRWR USA Ambassadors, took this video on our way. You can see me on the red bike in the gray jacket and Amy on the blue bike w/ the silver luggage as the goes up and down the line. At 5:30 she is behind Amy & me, then again at 7:38, 7:54, 10:06, 10:24, and 10:39-10:45.  Women Riders Now generously sponsored our participation in Industry Day at the AIM Expo. I'd never been to (or heard of) this event before. The WRWR leaders came up with the idea that we would give prizes for products that the WRWR voted best in various categories: best safety product, best jacket, etc. Industry day was not open to the public, but after we gave the awards, the following day the public would see our framed awards at the vendor ...

We got up and packed up on time for the morning meeting and rolled out on time, something like 7am. Everyone was checking each others bikes out and talking shop as an icebreaker. There was quite a variety of makes and models in our group. We rolled out on time with several of the Day 211 ladies cheering us along.  So! We were off on our historic journey. The baton has a case with shoulder straps and a belt for a waist strap. So every time we stopped, a different person would take it. Amy & I each took a turn. It was heavy and uncomfortable, not gonna lie! We stopped often enough, but not for long. I had my camelbak on, I'd gotten it for the Canada trip and noticed that if I have sips of water pretty often, I actually drink less and don't need to stop as often as compared to feeling thirsty for over an hour and then gulping down 16 oz when I do finally get to. Here are Amy & me with the baton in its carrying case.  Getting gas as a group is something, especially in a hu...