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Women Who Rock! Becki Bradley, President of Castle Rock Fraternal Order of Eagles

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By Stormy

I first met Becki Bradley at an Accident Scene Management Bystanders Assistance Training class a couple of years ago.  I immediately grew fond of her.  She had a sense of leadership, and what I mean is that she was great at building relationships at her table in the class, which I think is critical to being a great leader.  Each table had to do some complex tasks that pertained to what to do in a motorcycle accident situation.  I can tell she was digging deep and making tough decisions.  

A few months ago, I ran into Becki again at a Mile High Sisters social, and she told me that she is the President of the Castle Rock Fraternal Order of Eagles #3947!  How badass is that?!  Being a great women supporter, she had my attention. At the same time, she explained how her club is the home of one of seven Eagle Rider’s clubs in Colorado and how the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) is an international fraternal organization including Canada, the Philippines, and the US.  In addition to the Aerie (voting members), there is an Auxiliary portion of the club that is women-only!  A third part of the FOE is the Eagle Riders. 

She fervently told me that “in March 2019, Eagle Riders #3947 got their charter.  From the start, the Eagle Riders had two goals. To Ride and to raise funds and awareness for veteran causes!  The Fraternal Order of Eagles is a philanthropic organization that gives back to the community locally and across the US.  The motto for the Eagles is People Helping People.  They raise funds and awareness for Cancer, Diabetes, and Military families, to name a few.  On a local level, the Castle Rock Eagle Riders serve dinner twice a month, volunteer, and for the first time in 2021, put on a poker run to raise funds.”

Aside from putting their support behind rides and fundraisers, the Eagle Riders across the state of Colorado put on the Castle Rock Eagle Riders team with the Rapid City Club (FOE #3555) to put on the Annual Meet and Greet.  This year, 2021, was the third annual meet-and-greet, and riders from numerous states attended during bike week at the Black Hills Rally.

President Becki Bradley; VP, Chris Randall; Treasurer Jolene Craig; Secretary Susie Andrews; Road Captains Michael Rummel and Patrick Grogan; and Communications Director Gina Grogan – are a few in the group striving to make a difference in this local club.  In October and November, they will focus on collecting toys for their toy drive.  Toys to be delivered at the beginning of December for children in need.  In addition, they will be volunteering at the SECOR food bank and, as always, contributing time, energy, and money for veterans.

Some know me as a great women supporter.  When women empower other women, we all succeed, and this proves that! By supporting and lifting up other women, we feel more confident, start to believe in our own power, and feel more equipped to take on new challenges. 

Do You Know What a Blue Halloween Buck Means?

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Article Contributor: Nichole Zamora

It is almost that fun time of the year when kids dress up in their favorite costumes and go door to door chanting “Trick or Treat“! If you’re lucky, you will get a “Thank you” before they zoom off to the next house, giggling and checking their buckets to see what they got.

What about the kids who show up at your door and do not have a costume on? Or those that show up to your door and do not say “Trick or Treat” or “Thank You”? What do you do when kids that aren’t small kids, but still are waiting for you to drop that piece of candy in their bucket? 

It’s possible that an adult child or quiet child might have autism and be non-verbal.  If a trick or treater comes up with a blue Halloween bucket, do you know what that means?  We live in a different time, and we need to all become more aware that trick-or-treaters at your door may have different needs.

Alicia Plumber started an amazing trend in 2018 for her 20-year-old son BJ, who was autistic and non-verbal, just by a social media post:

Whether you’re out and about this Halloween or staying home to hand out sweets to well-costumed kiddos, you might spot a blue pumpkin today — whether it’s a plastic version used as a sweets-holder or carved and sitting outside someone’s home. This isn’t just a fun style choice. A blue pumpkin symbolizes autism and will be carried by trick or treaters to signal that they may have certain needs.

“This trend seems to be gaining momentum. As the general public becomes more aware of it, we think it could be a wonderful way for kids —the little ones and the bigger ones—to participate in Halloween festivities without the judgment that they sometimes face in social situations,” Wendy Fournier, president of the National Autism Association, stated in a recent Newsweek article.

For those who choose to use them, the blue buckets could provide a subtle, dignified way of alerting people that this child or young adult may not be able to make eye contact, or tolerate wearing a mask, or even say ‘thank you’, but they certainly deserve to enjoy the fun of Halloween as much as everyone else,” she added.

“1 in 160 children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASDs begin in childhood and tend to persist into adolescence and adulthood. While some people with ASD can live independently, others have severe disabilities and require life-long care and support,” the World Health Organization (WHO) reports.

Halloween’s history is for adults and children of all ages to have a night of fun, so keep the true spirit of Halloween and just give from your heart and have a variety of treats, even some available for kids that can’t have sweets.

WOMEN’S WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT

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by Laurie Montoya

The Guinness Women’s World Record second attempt was held at Bandimere Speedway on August 21st.  The goal of these women was to break the UK’s women’s record of 1132 riders, but event coordinator Susan “Miss Bubbles” Udero had another personal record she wanted to break.  Most women riders gathered in Colorado.  The Guinness world record wasn’t broken on this attempt, we believe she did create a record of most women at a biker event/ride here in Colorado.

More importantly, this world record attempt supports the Firefly Autism charity based right here in Denver.  Firefly treats children and adults with autism throughout the Front Range. Their services include clinical assessments and the development of individual treatment plans, an intensive early intervention program, a school-age program for students up to age 21, a home and community-based program, and weekly social skills groups.  Firefly serves children (as young as 18 months of age) and adults, and every program in their clinic has a 1:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Firefly’s treatment is based on leading, empirically-based interventions, primarily using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to teach functional skills.

While disappointed that they didn’t break the record, the attendees at this year’s attempt were just happy to be there in solidarity and raise money for Firefly.  Susan made sure that there were plenty of volunteers, vendors, and entertainment to make it a great day of fun.  

Janet Cook, Chief Executive Officer for Big Iron Sports and a main sponsor of the event said. “We are here to support Susan and the sisterhood of women riders.  Women are the fastest-growing demographics in the riding community, and 20% of all riders are now women.”

Rider Justice Motorcycle Lawyers

Trophies were awarded for Farthest Distance Travelled, Biggest group from Colorado, Biggest group from out of state

Extra thanks go to the key sponsors Max & Elaine (Zaidy’s Deli $15,000), Platinum Sponsor Scott O’Sullivan (RiderJustice.com), who sponsored the Bandimere Speedway parking lot, Big Iron Sports, and Janet Cook (2021 Royal Enfield Giveaway). 

Our gross revenue for our event was just over $35,000, in part to the generous sponsors. Our benefit Firefly Autism! We will do a final accounting and let our ladies know what is donated to Firefly.

There were many costs associated with an event of this caliber, but it was a resounding success, with 22 states joining Colorado. National media attention and the camaraderie and fellowship was priceless!

Hogback Twister Challenge

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By: Audrey “Stormy” Paulus

When I saw a challenge with the word “twister” in the title spreading around Facebook, I had to check it out and enter.  When it said it had to be completed in 9 hours, I wanted to do it in 8 hours.  A few of us from Cool Biker Lunch and Rides participated and had a blast!  It was a true challenge of endurance, with the combination of breathtaking scenery and endless twists and turns.  I even learned about two routes that I never knew about, Rist Canyon and Devil’s Gulch.  I felt like I was in a foreign country surrounded by green pastures and quaint little ranch homes.  It was amazing!!

I interviewed the man behind this challenge.  Graeme Wallace left his home in Scotland and moved to Colorado to pursue a life-long dream.  That was when his Hogback Distillery was established, and his goal to make Scotch-style whiskey in America began.  The name Hogback is inspired by the Dakota Hogback Ridge that runs along the entire length of the Colorado Rockies.  Traditionally, the spirit for blended Scotch whiskey is sourced from the most independent distilleries throughout Scotland. This is the model followed by Hogback, with the bulk of their blended whiskey coming from other U.S. distilleries.

Graeme expressed his passion to me, “as someone that has been riding motorcycles for over 40 years in Scotland, riding curvy roads is what motorcycling is all about for me.  Part of the reason for moving from Scotland to Colorado was to ride the mountain roads, so the first thing I did when I arrived four years ago was to buy a Harley Davidson Fatboy.  It did not take long to discover four canyons, including Clear Creek Canyon and Golden Gate Canyon.  Gradually, I explored more canyons to make a circuit.”

As Graeme toured me around his Boulder distillery, he explained how he came up with this twister challenge. “It occurred to me that others might enjoy the same roads, so I road each one in both directions to feel out which direction flowed the best.  The idea kept developing and growing until I reached the current 9 canyon route with minimal overlap and maximum enjoyment for riding curves.  The fact that the canyons cut through the Dakota Hogback Ridge and that my Hogback Distillery has the same name is a pure coincidence but an apt one.”

A few of the participants had some great stories to share about their experience:

Steve Wilcox

“I mostly ride alone to ride at my own pace, but I’ve been itching to branch out and ride with others on some local motorcycle events.  Luckily, I came across the Hogback Twister Challenge on the web and decided to sign up to meet other local riders and to ride not just a few but all of the canyons in the front range of the Rocky Mountains between Fort Collins and Evergreen.

With all events, you start the day on your own and end it on your own, but the in-between is all about riding with others.  Arriving at 6 a.m. at the Hogback Distillery parking lot with 30 plus motorcycles with their lights on in the late dawn is a wonderful feeling.  I’m not the only crazy one!  It’s great to see all these other riders coming out to challenge themselves with 350 miles of twists and turns.

I have ridden most of these canyons as part of my quiver of local rides but never gave it a thought to ride ALL of them in one day.  That seemed insane!

The first two canyons I rode alone.  Then three Harley riders caught me in Lyons, and I decided to tag along for the ride.  And what a ride it was!  It was great to ride with a group of very experienced riders and looked out for each other.  They had no idea who I was, but they paved the way for a great ride together!  I hung on for a few more canyons and then decided to ride on my own again for a while.

My 2020 Harley Street Glide Special threw some engine codes at Meeker on the Peak to Peak Highway.  I decided to continue on the route, which went close to a Harley dealership to stop by and see if it was anything serious.  The codes resulted from some temporary glitch, and I cleared the codes and resumed the Twister Challenge at the bottom of Lookout Mountain, where I joined up with a group of adventure riders.  Traffic was now an issue.  My left thumb started to cramp from all of the clutching throughout the day in the canyons – much more than any average long-distance road trip.  I got through Evergreen, and then the rest of the ride was doable since the traffic was less and the roads were freer of cages.

It was a great feeling when other bikers in the challenge were coming towards you, and you acknowledged them with the motorcycle greeting.  Although separated by our motorcycles on the road together, we were experiencing the great ride of the Hogback Twister Challenge.”

Becky Bradley

“Sometime in July, I saw an event that intrigued me!!  A twister challenge?  I love the twisties and often go out of my way to incorporate some into my route when I get a chance to ride – just to ride.  I wasn’t sure who was going and the 300-bike limit lit a fire under my butt.  I signed up.  I may have psyched myself out a few times, awaiting August 7th, but I have ridden more than one canyon in a day ride before this.  I was going to complete the ride regardless.  There was a 14-hour time limit on this 350-mile challenge.  More than enough, I thought to myself.  I decided to take an early wave to ensure I had plenty of time.  As luck would have it, I knew a few people planning to ride, and I could team up with a friend.  That always makes the ride a little more fun, in my opinion.  Our wave was at 6:05 a.m. We turned on our Rever apps to track our ride and time as we left the parking lot.  In my mind, the challenge was: to complete the ride unscathed and in the best time possible.  

The morning light was just starting to brighten when we left the Hogback Distillery with 8 other bikes.  We hit the first canyon before we had time to get warm in the safety gear we had donned.  At first, the bikes were pretty grouped up, and we caught the last of the 6 a.m. wave, but soon small groups of bikes were traveling at their own pace, and my riding companion and I were just two bikes taking the twisties with ease and enjoying the ride.  Lefthand, St Vrain, Big Thompson, Rist, Coal Creek, Bear Creek, Clear Creek, Golden Gate, and Boulder Canyons.  The option to stop was not one we took, as we both wanted to see what time it would take for us to complete this ride.  We stopped once for gas when we doubled back through Estes Park to just stand up and take off our helmets at the top of Lookout Mountain.  We did make it back to the Hogback Distillery in 8 hours and 33 minutes – including both stops.  Eight hours and six minutes was our riding time.  Not too bad if I do say so myself.  The Hogback Distillery put on a good event with BBQ, music, and whiskey at the end of the ride, making this a destination worthy of the ride itself.  Next year I plan to ride it again.  I may slow down and observe the scenery a little more.  Maybe even stop for lunch somewhere.”

Edward Collins

“It was dark as we turned our two Road Glides into the staging area at the Hogback Distillery in Boulder.  We were preceded by a woman riding a Ducati sports bike.  This exemplified the range of riders and machines gathered to accept the Hogback Challenge.  The times, the turns (1,300+) melted away effortlessly as our navigator negotiated every intersection, every route perfectly laid out.  It seemed we had only left the starting line moments before when we crossed the finish line.  We now have stories to tell, friends made, friends met, and memories shared.  It all made for a great day.  I am looking forward to participating in this challenge next year, although I would like to suggest that the route be run in an exact sequential order, and if there is any variance from the route, the rider should be disqualified.”

Kristi Strother

“This challenge wasn’t a challenge to me, but just a fun day riding the canyons.  We were in no hurry and even took an hour for lunch.  If I do this challenge next year, I will make this a challenge and earn my prizes and certificate.”

Shirley Kuuipo Soares 

“The Hogback Twister Challenge was exactly that, a challenge.  It challenged my endurance, riding skills, and facing my fear of heights while experiencing Colorado’s beauty.  It was an amazing ride with my group smiling every time we took a break and talked about what we saw through a canyon or over the lookouts.  The Hogback Twister has is now a great addition to our yearly riding must-dos.”

Tony Doukas

“If I didn’t follow the couple riding in my 6 a.m. group, I would have been lost because the Rever app was making me turn at roads that didn’t even exist on the map.  We had a great time riding the curves at fast speeds.  At the finish line, someone had asked me ‘what was my favorite canyon’.  I couldn’t answer because to me, it’s not so much about the road or the challenge from Point A to Point B, but it’s the people you ride with is what was important.”

Cheryl Lynn & Kui Bean

“The Hogback Twister Challenge was an awesome experience!  It was fun, interesting, and of course, challenging.  It was an unknown territory for us that turned out to be invaluable.  At first, we didn’t think anything about doing it.  We’ve never ridden the mountains or been on any long distance runs.  Coming from Hawaii, the longest we rode was twice around Oahu.  Not the same!  We started just talking about it then all of a sudden, we began our journey to the Hogback!  We made new friends, got some dinner whiskey and a cool shirt; we went to places that we will definitely head to again, and most importantly, learned a little bit more about each other.  The Hogback gave us the confidence to push past our limits and grab hold of more challenges.” 

From talking to some of the participants, each came away with something different from this challenge.  Some discovered that their stronger than they thought they were, some found that friends watch each others’ backs, and some felt they are a piece of something more significant than they could ever be alone.  I often wondered how many people can go through the same thing or see the same thing, and yet the experiences are different as night and day.  That is pretty awesome.  

I am sure some learned quite a few things from this challenge and are already planning on what not to do for next year’s Hogback Twister Challenge.  I know I am.

By Stormy

World Record Attempt…Most Women in a Bike Meet – August 21st!

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On August 21st at Bandimere Speedway Morrison, we will attempt to break the UK Women’s World Record setter of 1,132 for the most women in a bike meet. This year we will have the honor of being escorted and traffic controlled for us by the Lakewood Police Department. A big shout of and thank you to the Lakewood Police Department! Are they ready for us?

Susan Udero, Director of Operations, also a Biker Comedian and producer of comedy shows, enjoys the combination of organizing a world record and making people laugh. It is when she is the happiest and feels it’s the most rewarding feeling.

Susan feels it is going to happen in 2021! Women have grown tenfold in numbers in the biker community.

We are also taking record #2 for the most women bikers in a ride. In 2019 we obtained a record in Colorado for the most women bikers on a ride, 465. 2020 was postponed due to the pandemic, so in 2021 here we come loud & Proud!

Photo by KyLee Productions

Everyone is encouraged to come to the outskirts of Bandimere Speedway on the day of the event and show us USA ladies your support. There is plenty of parking to witness the most incredible high of biker chicks rolling in hundreds for the 2021 World record. Sisters will be rolling in from NY, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Arkansas, Utah, Las Vegas, Arizona, NM, Texas, Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, North Dakota are rolling in like a rumble of thunder. Come on ladies, let’s show the UK how we do it!

Big Shout out to our Host Sponsor: Zaidys Deli,

Platinum Sponsor – Attorney Scott O Sullivan, Rider Justice

Platinum Sponsor – Big Iron Sports:

• Mile High Harley-Davidson (Aurora)

• Mile High Harley-Davidson (Parker)

• Grand Prix Motorsports (Littleton)

• Triumph BMW motorcycles (Lakewood)

Our benefit is for Firefly Autism www.fireflyautism.org. Firefly transforms the lives of children and families living with Autism. We help them develop the skills necessary to give them a brighter future. At Firefly, we are helping the children discover the world and helping the world discover them. As stated by Jesse Ogas Director of Firefly Autism.

Guest Speaker, CEO Janet Cook of Big Iron, she is also a Rider! Janet is all about empowering women and making things happen in 4 stores in the Denver area! Big Iron sponsored our 2021 Royal Enfield Giveaway. 1st thousand ladies registered will be in the giveaway.

Guest Grand Marshall Elaine Appel, Jill Coulas/ Biker Life national writer of bikers’ stories nationally. Special Guest Joycelyn Cavender. Please join us!

Would you please register at MissBubblesProductions.com? Be part of two great USA World records, straight from Colorado!  If you have any questions reach out at MissBubblesProduction.com

Signed, Women’s World Ride Record. Go USA

International Female Ride Day raises money for local charities

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The first Saturday in May (May 1st this year) was a day for the record books.  Drivers could see over 200 badass female motorcyclists roaring through Denver this past weekend.   A girl from the Littleton area who had walked over with her mother to see what all the rumble of bikes was about said, “They look like superheroes.”

What’s cooler than cool helmets, ponytails, sunglasses, leather jackets, Harley-Davidsons and 200+ badass women crushing stereotypes as they soar through the streets of Denver on motorcycles? Yeah, I hear crickets too. Nothing is cooler.

The event was scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. in the parking lot of Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson in Littleton, but women riders and volunteers were so excited for this event that they started showing up at 7:30 a.m.  All morning as the number’s increased, you could see how happy the women riders were to have a day of their own, a day to empower one another, to see girlfriends and to forget about this past year.  It felt so great to be outside and to feel normal again, said Cathy, a new rider to Denver.

Photos by Stevie G. Photography

Audrey Paulas, co-founder of the event scheduled an amazing ride for the women, but her volunteers and team leaders executed the ride perfectly and safely.  When the women returned to Rocky Mountain for the afternoon activities, everyone commented that it was just a great ride!

Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson hosted this year’s event and was chosen because Kathy Yevoli for over 40 years, has owned the Harley dealership and inspires women riders to go for your dreams and enjoy the ride.  Women riding groups and club as well as women biker related businesses are growing in our motorcycle community every year.

“Being a female rider in 2021 is awesome, but there is still some prejudice and stereotypes towards women bikers and a lot of improvements which need to take place in the industry,” Laurie Montoya, who co-hosted this event, has experienced those types of challenges herself, but continued to say to herself during those low times, you might not want to deal with me now, but years down the road, you will know who I am.”

Photos by Stevie G. Photography

“These kinds of events are a perfect moment for us to make a statement and show that women riders are more than ever-present on the road.”

Montoya also said she is excited to “see a bunch of women from different worlds and different day jobs come together on a very special day.”

International Female Ride Day has been around 15 years, but this is just the 1st one of this size to come to Denver, and an event that Audrey, Kathy and Laurie said we will make it bigger and better next year!

Marina Yevoli, who oversees marketing for Rocky Mountain, said they would be happy to make it an annual event after seeing the success this year. 

If there is something we need in 2021, it’s a reason to celebrate.  This ride raised over $4,000.00 with the proceeds being split between the Jefferson County Food Bank and #2wheels4meals that feeds 1st responders and injured riders.

A special thank you to all of our sponsors who donated to this event, so we had no expenses and 100% of what was raised was distributed.  Our  event was sponsored by Rider Justice, Rocky Mountain Harley Davidson, Colorado Rider News, and Cool Biker Lunch and Rides.

See you ladies next year and remember…..JUST RIDE!

International Female Ride Day Event Scheduled For May 1st

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Audrey Paulas is the co-founder of Cool Biker Lunch & Rides, and avid rider and writer for Colorado Rider News

Let’s get together and celebrate this globally synchronized “JUST RIDE!”© day, for women created by Vicki Gray to bring awareness to the “cultural, social and active lifestyles of women who ride and enjoy motorcycling.” 

Colorado Rider News and Cool Biker Lunch & Rides invite all women riders to join them on Saturday, May 1st @ 9 a.m. at Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson in Littleton.  There will be a 100-mile scenic ride!  Kickstands up at 10 a.m.  After the ride, the celebrations will begin at Rocky Mountain HD where women vendors, music, and great games and prizes will be available for everyone.

For more information on the ride please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/829203054294139

Pre-registration is 20.00 per rider and includes an event t-shirt.  Registration is $25.00 the day of the event, so we encourage everyone to register early.

All funds raised will go to COVID relief (local food banks and #2wheels4meals) to help our community.  Our community is still suffering as this pandemic is declining, these food banks are dedicated to ensuring everyone has the food they need during this period of financial hardship.

Mark your calendar and don’t miss this unforgettable women’s empowerment gathering!  Spread the word to your lady biker friends that it’s time for all of the women to get connected, reach out, and lift up each other. 

“IFRD provides a platform for women motorcycle riders to bond with other women, to meet and find like-minded women who ride and develop friendships with which to enjoy and advance motorcycling!” – Vicki Gray, Founder

IFRD has deemed the first Saturday in May each year the most important day of the year for a women’s ride to highlight the following:

  • Highlight the number of women who ride.
  • Encourage other women to take up the activity.
  • Raise awareness about women’s equality in motorsports; and lastly
  • Celebrate women’s advancement in motorsports and powersports.

Sponsored by Rider Justice, Rocky Mountain Harley Davidson, Colorado Rider News, and Cool Biker Lunch and Rides

We want to thank all of the sponsors who invested so much time & energy to hosting this event for women riders

International Female Ride Day Now: Sat., August 22, 2020

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By Diana Rowe

Ladies, no question, 2020 rolled in like a pissed off Mama Bear. Yet what remains for women is still our passion for riding.  Did you know that nearly 20 percent of motorcycle owners are women who bring the girl power to nearly 1 in 5 motorcycle owners? Hey I’m looking at you Team Gen X and Y as your age group is the fastest growing motorcycle owners, at 22 and 26 percent respectively. (Source statistics: https://www.WomenRidersNow.com/) But the super cool part is that that passion for wind therapy has not age or gender restrictions!

One of my most precious memories in gearing up and setting off with my BFFs for motorcycle riding adventures. I challenge the ladies to make 2020 the year for female riders. Call your girls and let’s get out there and ride together. If you’ve never ridden on International Female Ride Day, save the date to meet up with your girlfriends to ride on the rescheduled date of Saturday, August 22! This celebration of women motorcyclists is now in its 14th year, and it’s happening in your home town.  

What IS International Female Ride Day (IFRD)?

Launched in 2007, this annual international one-day event was created for women motorcyclists by women motorcyclists and this year, it celebrates its 14th anniversary this year. 

Vicki Gray, Founder of IFRD, said it best, “IFRD, created for change; to advance motorcycling for women.” All brands participate and all forms of motorcycling participate: road, track, dirt, three-wheelers, side-cars, and scooters.  JUST RIDE!

All over the world, now in six continents and over 120 countries, women fire up their motorcycles for a globally synchronized ride on IFRD each year (usually) on the first Saturday in May. Due to COVID-19 concerns in 2020, the annual ride was rescheduled to Saturday, August 22. But the mantra remains the same, calling women to “JUST RIDE!”

Who celebrates and empowers this Movement? 

The group behind IFRD is MOTORESS, an online community of women motorcyclist enthusiasts based in Canada. This group wanted to bring greater awareness to women and motorcycling by designating one day each year for all female motorcycle riders to get out and ride. Their grassroots efforts have paid off as IFRD has grown to be the worldwide phenomenon it is today with hundreds of thousands of women getting the message to take out their motorcycles on that one day and ride.

In addition, Polaris, the global leader in powersports, recently partnered with International Female Ride Day® (IFRD), the globally synchronized ride day celebrating women riders and their passion for powersports.

On Saturday, August 22, in communities all over the U.S. and the world, women riders are organizing their own group of riders to spend the day on their motorcycles together. Riders who don’t have a group to ride with or simply want to ride alone, just getting out on your motorcycle, scooter, or trike on that day is good enough. If you feel like sharing your day with others, take a photo and post it on social media with the hashtag #ifrd. 

Tips to JUST RIDE on IFRD

Ride to work. Call your girlfriends and arrange a meet up! Ride to a local motorcycle dealership and go shopping. Take a ride in your neighborhood. Just ride into the mountains. Ride to your local motorcycle restaurant and bar for lunch. JUST RIDE!

In addition to Colorado Rider News, there are several ways to find a group in your area of you’re not aware of one yet:

Visit MOTORESS for details on events.

Check out, LIKE and follow the official Facebook page for IFRD for more info and for sharing photos.

Visit WomenRidersNow.com and their extensive list of Women’s Motorcycling Clubs and connect with one in your area.

Call your local motorcycle dealership and ask the folks if they know of any groups of women riding on that day.

To learn more about this special day and how to get involved, visit the IFRD page on Motoress.com. You’ll also find a link to buy t-shirts and other IFRD merchandise.

Windsisters of Colorado

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By Stormy

If you live in the Denver area and ride a motorcycle, there are just a handful of women groups to join and meet other like-minded riders that share the same passion for motorcycles.  Three ladies, Sparkle, Khaos, and Xeva started Windsisters of Colorado with the desire to create a positive, warm, and welcoming group of both lady riders and honey huggers. Sparkle emphasized, “Having tried previously to be a part of a formal ladies riding group helped me see that there were not enough networking platforms in Colorado for ladies to connect.”   They originally started with a handful of lady riders and have been blessed over the last four years, as it has grown to almost 400 followers!

Finding Windsisters  

Windsisters was whispered in other ladies’ groups and soon on social media because of the fun quarterly socials and rides they were hosting and posting.  That is how I discovered Windsisters. I know Khaos pretty well for we went on a spectacular motorcycle road trip to Seattle and down the Pacific Coast back to Colorado several years ago.  She hosted a social at the Glenn Bar, and I met some awesome lady riders. It’s cool to learn that there are women riders out there from all walks of life and to hear their story on how they got into riding.  What I like about Windsisters is that they open their arms to anyone regardless of what they ride, of all makes and models of two and three-wheel motorcycles and all ability levels.

Positive Female Presence

Sparkle boasted about the Windsisters of Colorado Facebook social group page.  She continued, “This allows ladies to share experiences in the wind, tips on maintenance or riding gear and allows members to share meet-up opportunities. The goal of the group is to encourage a strong POSITIVE  female presence in the Colorado riding community.”

Although started in the Denver metro, Windsisters has now spanned across Colorado.  They encourage ladies to share events to help others know what is going on in their areas.  

Sparkle articulated, “TOGETHER we can create a beautiful environment promoting lady riders.  We are thankful for the people who have helped create the group that we have, as it takes each person to show up, be engaged, and be open to new friendships for it to continue to grow.”

Connect

They are always looking for ladies to partner and host a meetup in their area.  Their next social event will be January 18, 2020 Holiday After-Party.

If you or any lady friends you know are interested in joining, please request to join Windsisters of Colorado on Facebook. 

Women’s World Record Attempt 2019

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On Saturday, August 24th at 10 a.m. at a Harley dealership in the city of Frederick, CO, women bikers attempted to set a world record of having the most women riding their own with no passengers in one parade ride.  This ride took place in the countryside of over 50 miles. I was fortunate to be able to work behind the scenes and see this event come to fruition. I oversaw organizing the road captains. It was a great feeling to volunteer for this wonderful cause as well as the attempt for a world record.

“In Colorado, women bikers are growing like a weed,” said Susan Udero, organizer of Colorado Women’s World Record Ride. “There are 88,000 bikers registered (in Colorado). How many are women? (The DMV) said 4,000 or 5,000.”

Susan says the world record is held by the United Kingdom, where more than 1,100 riders showed up.  Although it was a great event and the women riders had a fantastic time, they were not able to set the record.  The number of women riders were only 465, but they weren’t discouraged, because they were also riding for a wonderful cause, Firefly Autism.  The event raised $25K for children with autism because of these benevolent ladies.

“All the proceeds from this incredible event come directly to Firefly Autism,” said Jesse Ogas, Executive Director of Firefly Autism.

Firefly Autism is based in Denver and provides support to children and families who are impacted by autism.

“We work with children from 18 months to 21 years of age, who are impacted with autism,” Ogas said.  He continues and says that the money raised from this world record attempt event will go to scholarship families who might not be able to pay their deductibles, who might not be able to pay their premiums.  Ogas boasts, “These women are having a huge impact for the children and families at Firefly Autism.”

After the parade ride, a lot of fun activities were going on at High Country.  Angry Steve Band was performing on stage, trophies were given out for various categories, and guest speakers Momma D, Helen Tornquist, Rhonda Brown, and Kimberly Chavez spoke on their experiences at this Colorado world-record attempt. 

Susan Udero says that her and her volunteers will try again next year and are already planning and organizing.