Biker Fever

This morning my daughter reported, with a margin of sarcasm, a Facebook comment made by some friend of a friend of a friend. Seems a young lady who "loves riding motorcycles, thinks motorcycles are great" can't understand why there are crazy bikers on the road this morning when her dashboard tells here it's 25 degrees outside.

I said - she doesn't ride - she doesn't know. It's not crazy - it's riding fever.

All who ride know it's not crazy to wear an extra layer at 8 a.m. and endure some numbness. It's the fever that has us and it won't let us leave the bikes behind closed doors. The morning sacrifice pays HUGE dividends at 5 p.m. when the mercury has risen. Today's forecast - 65 degrees!!! And sunshine. Biker bliss.

So my husband headed out on the bike this morning and was probably the one this poor non-biker girl spied. Yeah - the eyes may water in the a.m. but the grin on the ride home is worth ever tear shed.

Before these early-in-the-year riding days distract me too much - I want to mention the Blizzard Run set for April 11th. The Northeast Ohio Chapter of the VTwin Cruisers MC organizes and hosts. Free with coffee & donuts - pull out from Western Reserve Harley Davidson in Mentor at 11:00 a.m. and ending at the Winking Lizard an hour later. ALL BIKERS WELCOME.

Where Does Your Bike Head?

Now it seems like a dream. Were we really out on the road two weeks ago? Was it really that warm and dry and pleasant? Even though the weather has temporarily corralled the bike back into the garage those few riding days in mid-March were just delicious. Not only was the open road refreshing to the mind and body but the destinations were delightful, too.

I don't know where your bike heads when you go out for an impromptu ride but ours always seems to sniff out a diner, a pub, or an ice cream stand. I'm sure others find this happens too. Unless, of course, you're reaching for 600 miles a day so you can get to your planned destination. Those trips are a different kind of beast and certainly offer their own wondrous benefits such as vistas unknown, mileage milestones, and perhaps the company of hundreds or thousands or even scads of other bikers if your journey ends at a rally like Daytona or Laconia. But here we're talking about the evening ride after work or the daytime jaunt on a sunny afternoon. Planning is totally optional and at times is downright not welcome.

On the Friday after St. Patrick's Day the sun was fine and the temps were accommodating. We left our driveway bent on a north-south loop that would take us through Burton, Hiram and beyond. We always leave the plan a little open ended so we can adjust our course to suit our stomachs, bladders or whimsy wishes. Sure enough – though originally we thought we would push out towards Hartville and visit the Country Kitchen our rumbling stomachs shortened our trip and we headed over to Garrettsville. And what do you know – we found a pub we hadn't been to before - Sean's Pub & Eatery. Decent place – unpretentious, wood interior with Irish fare anchoring the menu and cheap suds. Can you beat that? I don't think so.

Our usual custom of heading home a different way than we came took us up Rt. 168 out of Parkman back to Burton. Now's that a beautiful ride across the countryside.

I wonder where the bike will take us next.

Women on Bikes

As in a previous post - I want people to know that women are getting on motorcycles more than ever. Check out this report on CBS...

Gotta Get Me a Bike

Since Bob and I have been on the bike so early this year - my lust for my own ride has started much sooner than I thought it would. So far Craigslist has coughed up more than a handful of potentials. They say fall is the time to buy a bike but that's only if you're looking at new. The dealerships like to clear the inventory before the snow flies.

In the spring used bikes are popping up like crocuses. The dealerships are getting the trade-ins as current owners want to change things up and go for bigger, faster, newer. Private sellers are looking for some cash – perhaps for the "next bike" or because they are leaving the road. Either source works for me and I think a purchase may be in the offing.

Thing is I don't want to put a lot of money into my first bike because it just may have to kiss the asphalt a couple times as I get my riding act together. And I don't want to be nervous about protecting the bike while I'm still honing my skills on the road. BUT – it has to be fast enough to keep up with my Harley Daughter, VTX Husband and Rune Bro-in-Law as they are my road warrior companions.

Color, handlebars, pipes, those are secondary and changeable. The motor is the thing that's gotta be right from the get go. Last fall I was looking at a 2002 Honda Shadow Aero 1100. It rumbled like a HD and it's the classic cruiser style that I love. Yellow and black like the Steelers - since I'm an NBA freak that doesn't bother me. But I just wasn't ready to commit. However that bike is still on my mind.

Just found out that it's still available. The search could be easier than I thought.

First Ride of 2010

My husband and I were on the bike last night for the first ride of 2010. Other bikers had certainly gone out before us but with our work schedules and many evening meetings we had missed the good riding days that had snuck in so early this year. Finally on St. Patrick's Day we donned our chaps, jackets, boots and helmets and fired up the bike which was raring to go due to a trickle charge feeding it all through those wintery days of garage hibernation.
As we rolled up Moffet Avenue the sun was low but willing to oblige us and then - we were riding.

Riding. Glorious indescribable irreplaceable glee – RIDING – at last!

Heading down South Street/Rt. 44 we figured we had about a half hour before daylight ebbed. That's just a morsel of biking. Not really a ride - just a spin of the wheels. But boy did it feel good. I wanted to throw my arms up like a kid on a roller coaster but instead squeezed the love of my life to let him know I appreciated the moment and him. Bob waited a bit to really open it up – and good thing he did as our devoted local police were tucked up a drive just a ways down the road. Once we were past Best Preserve and into a faster speed zone, the new pipes got to announce our acceleration and we flew away from our daily duties. It was so sweet to empty my mind and let the wind and world rush past.

Blessed relief. We're back on the bike.

Now if only my fat face fit inside my helmet a bit better. Gotta work on that. But later – for now we just ride.

A Tad Irish

I figure I'm about 12% Irish. One of my great grandmothers was from that homeland and on another branch of my multicultural family tree a great great grandpa left those green hills to come to America in the early 1800's with his Irish wife and children – one being my great grandpa. Is my 12% scientific? No – but it does allow me some level of Irish dignity when St. Patty's Day comes around and the rest of my ancestral tribes must move to the back seat. As soon as those bagpipes start to play, the tears come to my eyes as my sliver of Irish soul wells up with pride.

Now what does that have to do with biking? Well the way I see it – all motorcyclists share a common culture just like all the Irish sons and daughters, Bohemian generations or Italians or Vietnamese or whatever. Though we can't trace our family trees with intertwining branches we can hail each other on the open road and recognize our alliance. We can join others on a poker run or memorial ride and we are kin. What is it about motorcycling that creates such family feelings and bond of brotherhood?

For one thing – bikers are a minority. Sticking together creates that strength in numbers feeling. Heaven knows we need it what with those in bigger vehicles and overzealous legislators against us. We need each other. And maybe the ease of identification – two wheels is the obvious mutual trait handed down for generations – seals the bonds quickly. What is clear is bikers defend each other, remember their fallen, curse the cagers in unison and promote the adoption of any who take on the life of biking. I'm glad to be part of that family.

And - Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!

Bikers are back in NEO!

As the snow recedes the bikes appear.

We're back. It's bonus riding time in March!! On a quick round trip between Chardon and Mentor yesterday I saw nine bikes! On March 11^th in Northeast Ohio!! Most were riding double. Most had on helmets, too. It sure is good to hear pipes rumbling so early in the year.

Studies show that if a person knows a biker they are more aware of motorcyclists on the road. They are also more courteous and provide safer distances for bikes. In that light I'm letting everyone I know that I ride. If all riders announced they spend time on two wheels to all their relatives, friends, co-workers and acquaintances (their neighbors already know J) wouldn't that mean just about everyone in the world would know a rider? I'm thinking that "7 people away from knowing everybody" theory works in our favor.

As we head out - whether yesterday or in a few weeks - let's be careful to watch for those certain car drivers on curves that want some of our lane, too. Beware of those who turn into or across our lane WAY too close And let's get the word out via social websites, email, water cooler conversations and blogs that the bikers are back and we are them. Watch out.

For a catchy way to share biker awareness with others go to this THINK BIKER video. It's from the THINK! Campaign produced by the U.K's Department of Transport. Love it! You can also find THINK BIKER on Facebook.

Let's spread the word – cause we're ridin' on a road near you.

The Making of a Motorcycle Mama

I saw them in Cleveland the fall of 2008 – a blonde, a brunette and a redhead flying west on Rt. 90. Single file and long hair streaming, the three women were comfortable not only in their own skin but on their own bikes. A freeze frame of feminine freedom locked into my memory bank.

Pride rose up through my middle. Women on their own bikes going where they wanted to go. Riding pillion is a true joy but I wanted to be like them – in control. So I signed up for the motorcycle safety course at Lakeland set for mid-July. My class would meet on two consecutive Sundays starting at 7:30 in the morning and hopefully end before the July sun consumed us.

The heat was physically overwhelming on that asphalt lot. I was sure I was going to melt right off the little Rebel 250 that was doing its best to support me. I did fall once but I did not drive off into the woods or weeds fringing the parking lot as did some classmates. My hands ached from nonstop death grips on the clutch and throttle. The bulky toes of my bike boots wouldn't fit under the tiny shift lever and I couldn't feel the brake pedal at all. I despaired. How could I possibly succeed at this class let alone ever zoom on my own down a curving country road. It would be easier to just quit. Maybe sign up for an early spring or fall class where at least the temperature wasn't an additional obstacle.

Our class was a few members lighter the second Sunday but I was there. No one died or even fainted. We finished with varying degrees of confidence and skill. I remember commanding myself to pass that last skills test, the combination of all tasks learned, and gritting my teeth while swiping at the sweat getting into my eyes. Lo and behold – I was the only one in my class to get a PERFECT score. HAH! Who da guessed? I was so shocked when the instructor announced it that my response is not printable here.

So – in the summer of 2009 I got my motorcycle license just days after turning 48. Too cool. I was ecstatic. Practicing on my husband's cruiser through the fall last year has made me more confident and now I'm hungry for my own bike.

In May of last year The Motorcycle Industry Council reported female ownership of motorcycles increased from 9.6 percent in 2003 up to 12.3 percent in 2008. If you want to talk big numbers, here's some - women accounted for 23 percent, or 5.7 million, of the 25 million Americans who rode a motorcycle in 2008. Not bad. But here's my question – since women make up more than half of the population why are we such a minority when it comes to riding?

I acknowledge that there are some very valid reasons which I may cover here in future posts. Right now I'd just like to get those who can to do some thinking.

Calling all women who don't ride – since March is Women's History Month why not make some new exhilarating personal history? While there are plenty of avenues to do just that please consider taking hold of the handlebars of a motorcycle. Don't know where to start? There are a myriad of resources to help us – websites, guidebooks, reports, etc. – covering good bike choices, safety, equipment and much more. But I'll tell you right now – you've got to want to –really want to. Passion for the task carries you through the tough spots and the burden of responsibility when riding.

Harley Davidson does it right by offering "Garage Parties" at local dealerships where women can meet to talk about gear, best bikes and other matters interesting to current or potential female riders. Our very own local Western Reserve Harley Davidson is hosting one on March 25, 2010. Visit Garage Party for more info and then call Patti at WRHD, 440-974-6900, to sign up. I plan to be there.

As for pride in my ride I think it may take me some time to find the right bike – or for the right bike to find me. But I'm enjoying the journey to that moment when my hands are on the handlebars and my not-so-long hair is flopping out from under my full face helmet. More on that as we go along – together through this blog.

Wrong Boots

The boots I'm wearing are all wrong. No hooks and laces. No heavy lug sole. And what's with this fleece lining? Snow boots. Phooey. I long for bike boots.

Cabin fever holds extra agonies for us motorcyclists. It's been at least three months too long since my husband Bob and I have been on two wheels. Two on two. That's how we ride.

Now it's the doldrums of late winter and bikers across the Snow Belt are aching for the turn of seasons. While snow blowers still roar, we dream of rumbling pipes wistful for the road. Winds may still be whipping up drifts but we long for the rush of heading down our favorite byway.

In Northeast Ohio the riding season lasts maybe six months and includes lots of rain days. Sometimes November gives us bonus time. Giddy stuff, I say – as if we've gotten away with stealing treasure from the goblin king.

Now we face the dullest of days before riding season truly begins again hopefully by mid-April. How do we pass the time? My husband and I are hoping the following actions will actually shoo out the snow and raise the ambient temperature so we can get on the road. Please offer your own suggestions, too – we may have a long wait ahead of us.

· Bob is going out to the garage and folding back the blanket to polish our steel steed. Some of his favorite products are the line from Mothers.

· I'm getting out the maps to plan some 2010 escapes and escapades. I might use Google Maps where I can save routes and share some favorites with my brother in law and daughter. There's a few other riders in my clan.

· Before we really head out we'll review safety practices – like how to handle those turns where the snow plows have left a swathe of dirt and gravel! It never hurts to refresh the skills. The Ohio Dept of Public Safety offers a lot of information for bikers at http://www.motorcycle.ohio.gov/. They have a link for the skills courses held at Lakeland Community College every spring through fall.

· We're thinking of contributing to the economic recovery by shopping the local stores and online catalogs for some new gear or bike products. Check out some of the latest and greatest motorcycle products of 2009 at webBikeWorld.com.

Y'know – I think I'm going to get those riding boots out and wear 'em. They'll look just fine with my winter coat and I'll feel like I'm that much closer to being back on the road. And they say the temps are looking up next week. Maybe we can even sneak in a quick spin around town for a taste of what's to come - days and days of cruising.

A Bloggin' Biker is Born

Biker. Bureaucrat. Board member. Buxom broad. I am complex and every year I get to know me better. Now you'll get to know me better because I've just become a blogger, too.

My blog is about biking – the kind of biking that includes a motor and pipes. Yes – motorcycling.

These posts won't come from the "pen" of any pretentious bloke. It's just me – Les Bednar. Am I a biker chick? Very doubtful – but I'll let you be the judge. All I can tell you is there's no better place than out on the road with a motorcycle underneath you.

I'll be covering lots of topics like road trips with good diners, special bike events, cager criticism, etc. Your input will also contribute to our conversation here - so I hope you post a comment but please – no slammin' any kind of bike or any identified person.

Posts may be time sensitive due to event dates or important news so visit often. Some posts shall surely become gloriously popular, shared, reread, blogged about in their own right. Well – maybe. For now – here's a snapshot of me – the new blogger:

• I am Leslie Lynn Bednar from Chardon, Ohio – currently on Chardon City Council, working for United Way Services of Geauga County and sitting on a few committees and boards.
• Born July 18 in a year long ago (and part of public record if you need to know), raised in Streetsboro, educated by life and an Associate of Science degree from Lakeland Community College (BTW – LCC is a great school – and the site of motorcycle classes!).
• I'm mostly brunette, blue-eyed, stubborn, opinionated, kind, irksome, overweight - yet my honey says I still look hot in chaps. Sweet delusion man.
• My family is made of four adult children, two of which love significant others, one grandson, a dog and a cat.
• I like to go fast, think fast, talk fast, and watch fast NBA players.
• I appreciate change, collaboration, new ideas and best practices.
• I esteem order, respect, honesty, duty and those who fulfill their duty.
• I believe in looking cashiers in the eye and meaning it when I say "how are you?"
• I'm devoted to truthfulness, fairness, contributing to society and caring about others.
• I cannot stand micromanagers, braggarts, egotists, ignorant a$$e$ or power mongers.
• I ride behind Bob Bednar – my husband, and we're celebrating 30 years of marriage this June.
• Our ride is a 2004 Honda VTX 1300 Retro. Black. It's your classic cruiser and the new pipes crack!

Bob has been a biker all his driving days. And me? Well - excluding my minibike adventures back in 1974 - I was set free about two years ago.

And I'm never going back.