Now that I'm done with grad school...

Hello, I'm back from the dead. I mean, grad school.

Now that I'm done with that two-year adventure, I can return to posting regularly again here on Two-Wheeled Tourist. Obviously, a lot has happened between then and now, and many of my long-time projects, including this one, had to fall by the wayside to ensure my success in school as well as my personal sanity in the process.

So I'll start my return to blogging with this side project. Three Women On Wheels® members from three different parts of the United States coming together in Los Angeles, CA. Thirteen hours as tourists. What could possibly happen? Enjoy.
 

The 2013 SoCal Holiday Excursion Recap: Part 6

**This is a recap of my vacation back to Southern California from 12/28/13-1/9/14.**

I had to make my last day on the motorcycle on this vacation count.

I joined my old friends at the Orange County Spirit Riders for lunch in Wilimington, near the Port of Los Angeles, at a floating restaurant known as the Chowder Barge. Their food definitely didn't disappoint. I went with fried clams and their signature clam chowder. Just tasty. I'm coming back here again sometime.

Day 15: Back to Eastlake...and the long THANK YOU LIST

**This series of posts recap my two-week trip to Billings, MT and back from July 1-16, 2013. For the entire list of my featured rides, click here.**

I took my time and left Moline around 9AM and stayed in Peoria (less than 120 miles away) for the night, the same place where I started this whirlwind 15-day tour of the United States and the Women On Wheels® International Ride-In™.

US-150 through Northern Illinois does provide quite a bit of serenity in a straight line.

There are too many people to thank and I want them to know that they're appreciated. Here are some that I could come up with witty remarks on...believe me, if you're not listed I didn't forget you! :)

Thank you to...
Pam who did everything in her power and then some to make sure my tuchus made it to Billings, MT and stayed there. Thank you for paying, at times, a disturbing amount of attention to details that were both important and necessary to the success of this event. You're the only person I know who I can send out to find a needle in haystack and return with a dozen additional needles that were also missing.

My roommate Deana for splitting the room with me and not sending me to the looney bin after catching me having a conversation/staring contest with Annagator the Alligator, one of TWO Ride-In™ Animal Ambassadors one morning. I appreciate the tube of toothpaste and two-step with Roberta during Cris' American Idol audition during the opening ceremonies. JAZZ HANDS...!!!!


Speaking of which...Bert with the DIY Wisconsin maps of Oconomowoc for Closing Ceremonies and running that registration table LIKE A BOSS. Geography rocks, and that's the best use of a bingo dauber I've seen in a long time...at least when one is not dealing with intoxicated college students.

Cris, I still wonder how you pull this stuff off. Then again, fourth time is a charm? Are you going for 5th or 6th time, because I still need some practice. :)

Patti for the donation of cherries, an apple, crackers, peanut butter, and Greek yogurt on Tuesday evening so I didn't have to order takeout at 11PM. after cleaning up the Opening Ceremonies. Those were tasty. The extra toothpaste? I didn't eat that, but it was great for cleaning my teeth.

All of the ladies that hung out with me at the merchandise table and let me play with their smartphones (and teach them a think or two) in between transactions. Hope your stuff works now. If not, you know where to find me. :)

Whoever had the integrity to return my wallet completely intact on Tuesday night, you're awesome. Besides, you couldn't do much with a single dollar, a credit card with a pretty low limit, and an ID that doesn't look at all like you anyway. Still though, that probably wasn't the motivation for your honesty, or so I'd like to think.

The California gals for bringing a little of that sunshine with them to Billings. You could've left some of that heat at home though. And all the ladies who I've had the chance to have meals with. I could go for another one of those breakfast burritos.

Carolee for reminding us that "woo-hoos" will suffice when announcing that one has won the carnival games raffle, not the recitation of the Preamble of the US Constitution. Thanks for taking away whatever composure I had left during the Closing Ceremonies. Can you do it again another year?

And Rebecca for putting up with me for 1200 miles and six states. It was an honor and a privilege to be your sweep rider. Thanks for letting me have at it on the Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Highway; I do apologize for the carbon cloud when I really opened the bike up on a straightaway. Eleanor says "excuse me." She needed to let it all out.

My friends are so freakin' awesome. :)

Day 12-14: The Long Haul, Mother Nature's Free Bike Wash, and a Return to Peoria

**This series of posts recap my two-week trip to Billings, MT and back from July 1-16, 2013. For the entire list of my featured rides, click here.**

We left Buffalo, WY a little after 5AM and powered on toward Pierre, SD with absolute minimum stops for food, stretching, and biological needs. The first stop for gas in the morning is usually the longest because of breakfast. The tchotchkes I come across in the middle of nowhere are quite amusing.

Because motorcycle?

Several of our stops for stretch/bathroom breaks were quite amusing because of their outdoor art. Like this one in Wasta, SD (mile marker 100 on I-90 eastbound).

Stopped by a teepee. Because we had to go pee pee. It's crude. It rhymed. Deal with it.

We stopped in Pierre, SD for the evening. Check-in at the Super 8 there was a bit weird because it turned out the front desk had thrown out Rebecca's hotel reservation that she did online on her phone during breakfast (which was faxed from the reservation center afterward, and seriously, how do you do fail that?) and of course, they had to put us in a 2nd floor room on the other side of the building, far from where our bikes were parked. Anyway, good, authentic Mexican food makes it all better, and Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant just happened to be next door.

Surprisingly good Mexican food in Pierre, South Dakota right next to the Super 8 we were staying at. The service here? Great. The service at the hotel? No comment. Let's just say that my co-rider was *this close* [pinching fingers really close] to dropping a biotch.

We left at 4AM the next day to get as much ground covered before the sunrise. About 35 miles into the ride, we pulled over in Reliance, SD to put on the rain gear after watching a eeringly beautiful lightning show in the distant eastern skies. We then headed right into a hefty rainstorm that blew us around for 100 miles and leaked rainwater in every possible orifice on our bodies and our bikes. After stopping in Mitchell, SD (home of The Corn Palace) for an extended break and breakfast, we continued on through the remainder of South Dakota for another couple hours and into southern Minnesota where we were able to finally shed the rain gear later that morning and let the sun naturally dry us out. It was a straight shot through Iowa and then across the Iowa-Illinois Bridge back into the Land of Lincoln.

It was another hard-riding, 700-mile day, with short stops and long distances in between fuel tanks. Considering we were both on top-end touring bikes, getting through the straightaways was comfortable but quite boring since we didn't have any radio communication between the two of us. So waving and intermittent rounds of hand puppets and rear-view mirror Rock, Paper, Scissors had to do. Perhaps I'll get a CB radio installed on my bike when I grow up, or find more friends to ride with full-time.

We parted ways after a night stay in Moline, IL in the Quad Cities area, about 120 miles from Peoria, my second-to-last destination before heading back to Cleveland. Rebecca rode into the night for the long haul to Pennsylvania and then eventually back to Massachusetts. And if I had to mention one additional thing I learned from this very spirited trip, a well-timed bottle of Corona Light is a good thing after riding hours. Until next time!

When one rides a Honda Goldwing, bugs are never an issue. Eleanor, however, eats them up like cookies and likes to share them with me. Thanks for the adventure, Rebecca!

Day 11: Beartooth Pass, Chief Joseph Highway, and (Re)Conquering US-16

**This series of posts recap my two-week trip to Billings, MT and back from July 1-16, 2013. For the entire list of my featured rides, click here.**

Stick a fork in me, I'm done.

Pretty much wiped after the last few days of running with my hair on fire (for a good cause, might I add) I slept in a bit and took my time leaving the hotel, saying goodbye to the friends and fellow riders who didn't leave at the crack of dawn to return home. That actually worked out quite well because, frankly, I didn't have much of a plan in place on my return route back. My strategy was more of the "keep heading east until Ohio shows up." Not a bad plan, but it wouldn't have been as fun as tagging along with my friend Rebecca for a few miles. Okay, fine...more like 1200 miles.

It turns out that she needed to return home to Massachusetts by Tuesday for work and was heading in the same direction as me. She also likes scenic roads and was cool with splitting costs on a hotel room for the night, so it was very much a win-win situation for both of us.

We headed out of Billings around 11AM and headed to the Beartooth Highway with the plan to connect to the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. As soon as we made it out of civilization, that's when the fun really started.

That's a different Columbus, but eastbound is the general direction I'm heading.

Day 7: The last stretch to Billings...

**This series of posts recap my two-week trip to Billings, MT and back from July 1-16, 2013. For the entire list of my featured rides, click here.**

I returned to Minot after my visit to the International Peace Garden and spent one more night at my friend's house. The next morning, I was off to finish the last 500 miles of my ride to Billings, MT. It was pretty uneventful doing the flat slabs of US-2 and I-90 for most of the way. The increase of the speed limit from 65MPH to 80MPH was a bit of a help, though. Despite all that, I had to stop more frequently than usual out of sheer boredom. Wide open skies are quite beautiful, but the straight line for several hours can be a severe turn-off, especially after being on the road for nearly a week.

Yep...just keep following the signs.

Travelling solo is a double-edged sword. The benefit of doing this includes making your own schedule, stopping whenever you want/feel, and not having to ask for permission to take detours to absurd places. Alternatively, it can get boring when the view doesn't change and it does get to the point that the drone of PSY's "Gangnam Style" on loop for the umpteenth time from the GPS can't even keep you from dozing off. It doesn't make you any weaker of a motorcycle rider if you decide to pull over for a break. Curb your hubris and think about your body's need for rest and a stretch. All the experienced and safety-conscious riders do.

Thankfully, I did get to ride most of the way back to Ohio with a dear friend (you'll get to hear more about her later in this series).

I don't think I'll follow that sign.

I did try some tasty, locally made ice cream by Wilcoxson's that I snacked on at that Conoco gas station (I still have my clothes on at this point).

This is a visual reminder to eat ice cream and ride safely, just not at the same time.

Long story short, I survived the entire way to my final destination. Man, this state is huge. See you at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center in the next post for some WOW action.

Day 6: Give the International Peace Garden a chance. It's worth it.

**This series of posts recap my two-week trip to Billings, MT and back from July 1-16, 2013. For the entire list of my featured rides, click here.**

The International Peace Garden is one of the most extensive tributes to the peaceful relations between United States and Canada, two countries who share the longest undefended border in the world. I learned about this place from a fellow rider friend who had traveled there more than 20 years ago. Out of curiosity, I had to make this a part of my journey to Billings. It was so worth the detour.

For reference, Minot, ND is just a short, 100 mile ride from the Canadian border. The town of Dunseith is the "gateway to the garden" and has its own special sights (which you'll see at the end of this post).

Imagine this for 100 miles. Nothing but open skies and flat straightaways. Beautiful during the day but can be eerie at night.

The entrance to the garden is pretty obvious. Note the small white sign that says "Leaving the USA" at the bottom right corner. That'll play a role in why I had to prove my American citizenship leaving that place. Fortunately, I always bring my passport, because being out in these parts, you never know when you'll accidentally end up in Canada.

My Farewell to Pamela McCarty-Kroll (2/9/1945-4/7/2013)

One of the trade-offs of having so many mature friends in the motorcycle community is the time when I have to say goodbye, be it to illness or sudden tragedies. In the case of my friend Pam, a dear friend and a colleague at Women On Wheels®, it's especially painful because of the relationship that we forged in the time that we served on the Board of Trustees together. Below is my eulogy and farewell to a riding buddy that taught me so much about appreciating the open road.

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Good afternoon, everyone. And hello, Pam.

For those who don't know me, my name is Christine Malazarte and I currently serve as the Vice President of Women On Wheels® (WOW for short), the motorcycle organization that Pam was a part of since 2004. Before I joined her on the WOW Board of Trustees on which Pam served from 2010-2012, I knew of Pam just like anyone else would know her at a WOW International Ride-In™ (our organization's annual gathering); she was the one walking around with the wide-brimmed Tilley hat and a smile on her face.

Which reminds me...[put on Tilley hat]. Much better.

Our friendship started as a matter of convenience. In motorcycle speak, we were next door neighbors via I-70, she in Pittsburgh and me in Columbus, OH. So we would ride home together after the quarterly Board meetings; we opted for land travel when the weather cooperated. We had made this trek from Lincoln back East across I-80/I-70 several times together (over 900 miles one way), and I have more memories about our strangely awesome mishaps than I have time to tell. She was one of my favorite riding buddies and a great companion with whom I trusted my life with.

In those thousands of miles and the times that we were roommates during our Board of Trustees meetings in Lincoln, NE, I can't count the hours that we sat down and talked about everything and nothing . Somewhere along the ride home, in between an iced tea and a steakburger at Steak and Shake in a random town in Indiana (at least it was random to me), Pam would explain how these unassuming towns off the beaten path were her testing gauntlets for many an aspiring professional truck driver and how she'd "get those boys into shape" for the long haul. And somewhere in between, she'd brag about how awesome her grandkids are, some of the things her sons accomplished while serving our country in the military, and her extended family who she always found time to visit. When I was on the road with her, I was never lost; Pam knew this country's interstate and highway system like the back of her hand. Thanks to her, I will never think of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana the same way again. For Pam, the world, the open road, was her playground. She has even greater places to play now.

If I had to list a few things that I learned from spending time with her, these would be my top three, along with a few stories that go with them.

1. If you were the target of Pam's teasing, you were all right with her.

Although she was a loyal Steelers fan, she followed the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins and a particular "Sid the Kid" closely. When she found out I was an ice hockey goalie, she and several other members of the Three River Riders Chapter met me in Pittsburgh to watch me play against a local team. I then proceeded to embarrass myself in front of them by letting a slow puck shot from 80 ft. away trickle under my stick, in between my legs, and into the net. We still won, but the goal was so ridiculous that she continued to tease me about that for a number of Board meetings afterwards. She'd often remind me many times after that to "keep my stick down like both of my wheels on the road." I'll remember to do that.

2. Challenges can be overcome with a lot of persistence, bravery, and a sense of humor.

In one of our journeys together out of Lincoln, we were met with the tail end of a heavy storm pattern with 45 MPH crosswinds and torrential downpours that made our 900-mile trek one of the most difficult rides that we had ever faced together. Leaning into the wind for hours on end was exhausting and there were times when we had thought of quitting. But that wouldn't happen; riding with a two-time finisher of the Four Corners Ride, a ride that required one to travel to all four corners of the contiguous United States in 21 days or less, I knew I had an experienced guide and mentor to get me through the most brutal conditions. We'd be huffing and puffing (and laughing) at every gas stop, and she still had to ask me if "the right side of my tires still had tread on them for riding sideways against the wind for so long." When things got crazy, her cool and calm demeanor on the road was a comforting sight when Mother Nature put up a fight.

3. Even the smallest moments can become an adventure.

In our last Ride-In™ together in Greenville, SC, we started conversing about things we had never been able to do, a "bucket list" kind of talk. Aside from mentioning her dream of riding to Alaska, she told me that she had never experienced being a passenger on her own motorcycle. So on a whim, she handed me the keys to her Goldwing trike and I took her down the street, her in the passenger's seat, so she could get her first taste of a Jimmy John's sub. She was grinning from ear to ear after that trip and quipped, "Now I know how my grandkid feels when I take him for a ride."

But lastly, I will always remember Pam's generosity, concern for others, and her willingness to help however she could. She loved everyone and made sure you knew it. One of my favorite moments was at that Ride-In™ in Greenville. When she caught wind that one of our British WOW members who had flown in to attend our event had never received a membership pin, Pam came up to me holding the Leatherman multi-tool she always carried with her, took her WOW membership pin off her own jacket, and asked me to help her prepare it to give it to that member. When other WOW members commented on how nice that was, she brushed it off saying, "It's much harder for her to get a new pin from Lincoln than I can."

That was Pam - kind, crafty, funny, adventurous, and giving. But to me, she was simply my friend.

To Pam's family and her husband, Ralph, and on behalf of the WOW Board of Trustees and a grateful organization who is here with us in spirit, thank you for sharing your wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother with all of us. I am thankful for the opportunity to have grown up with her as a rider, as a person, and as a representative of Women On Wheels®.

Until we all meet again, as Pam would say often (and end her e-mails with), keep it safe. Thank you.

Cleveland IMS and the WCM: Part 2

Continuing on with the new motorcycle tour from the Cleveland International Motorcycle Show, I ride a sped-up Ferris wheel. So here's the view from up there. Whee!

After that, it was a quick scoot over to Triumph for a few of their newer bikes. I have to say, they all look nice in blue.

2013 Triumph Tiger Explorer: I have a feeling that an adventure bike might be in my future, especially after playing around with the Explorer's smaller cousin, the Tiger 800. This bike is a potential contender. I would like to ride this back-to-back with a Yamaha Super Tenere to see where they both stand.

This display unit is loaded with several options including auxiliary driving lights, engine case guards, and a skid plate. 

Closeup of the front cockpit. No frills but a nice, straight handlebar for attaching those extra accessories.

With headlights like these, there is no excuse why someone couldn't see you on the road. Extra points for the aluminum protective housings on the auxiliary lights.

The other piece of eye candy parked next to the Tiger Explorer was the all-new 2013 Triumph Trophy SE. Although the name is a familiar one to many a Triumph fan, this new take on a sport touring bike is definitely a head-turner. With the large, wind-deflecting fairing, spacious saddlebags, electronic cruise control, and audio system, and a 1215cc triple-cylinder engine, this bike sprints ahead of the competition as a formidable alternative to the BMW R1200RT. I'd like to test ride this, but I might make Eleanor jealous!

And lastly, here is me and Cris doing some research on the proper seating position of a carousel horse. Who says that you can't fun on "official" business? This isn't the first time we've done strange things...remember that time in St. Louis?

Cleveland IMS and the WCM: Part 1

Last weekend, I had the rare opportunity to join the inaugural organizing committee of the Women's Coalition of Motorcyclists. This coalition is made up of several women representing multiple female and co-ed motorcycling clubs and organizations. Along with my Women On Wheels® president, Cris Baldwin, we spent most of the weekend assembling the framework for what we hope to be a unifying group that will promote women and motorcycling in all aspects of the sport. I hope to share a bit more about this organization in a future blog post as we solidify the structure of this long-term project.

With that being said, one of our assignments was to head to the International Motorcycle Show at the I-X Center in Cleveland to scout possible leads and sponsors for our cause. After perusing the floor and realizing that majority of the booths were mostly the typical "leather and spikes" stands that you'd see at any floor, I turned my attention to the motorcycles. So here are some of the interesting finds that will make their way to the dealership floor, if they haven't already.

2013 BMW C650 GT: BMW's first foray into the maxi-scooter category still possesses many of the amenities of its larger tourers. Engine is designed by Kymco in a surprising partnership. Also available in a C600 version.

Heading to Monroe, LA with WOW (beads not included)

Until the snow thaws and I have time again, I'm trading the two wheels for a set of wings. Next stop this week is Monroe, LA, the site of the 2014 28th Women On Wheels® International Ride-In for a "workcation" with my fellow members of the WOW Board of Trustees. Along with some quick sightseeing, we'll be sitting down and working on quite a bit of organization-related businesses, as it has been for me for the last two years.

This will be my first foray into the Bayou State, and with Monroe being in the northern portion of the state I won't be anywhere near the craziness of New Orleans. So no, I will not expose my chest area to get beads. Besides, Fat Tuesday's not for another month anyway.

Pics coming soon, but while you wait, here's the brief introduction I made for the next-to-upcoming Ride-In in July 2014. Curious about this group of women I work and ride with? Visit the website at http://www.womenonwheels.org