I get lots of comments on my vest and leathers; some seem to think I’m wearing them as a fashion statement; others think it’s ‘cute’. Yes, when I first started riding, I bought all kinds of patches, because I liked them all and the way they looked on my vest.  I’ve gradually removed patches that weren’t “personal” to me and now everything I have tells something about me.

It’s  like my Facebook wall, or a scrapbook. The patches and pins I wear each have a story. For example, the patch I wear on my back is this one:

Bikers and riders who belong to an MC, RC or MM wear their club patch on their back, usually with nothing else, especially if they have to earn the patch.  Because Randy and I aren’t affiliated with any club, we wear this patch to show honor and respect to our military.  (We do belong to the Patriot Guard, but it’s not considered a club.)

Along the bottom back of our vests, we wear patches that tell about significant events.  I’ve got a patch from the Tail of the Dragon (where I learned to trust myself in curves, as well as trusting God to take care of me in all situations), the Apalachicola  Escort (we were part of a mile’s worth of bikes riding to escort the moving wall through parts of Florida, while thousands of people stood along side the road to salute the Viet Nam veterans who rode with us), and the 2009 Thunder Beach Spring Rally.

The front of my vest has pins that have special meaning to me.  On my right side, under my name patch are ten little metal heart charms, one for each of my grandchildren: Hunter, Dylan,  Chloe, Khloe, Layney, Destiny, Nevaeh, Reid, Talan and Esme.

On the left side, under my PGR patch, are mission pins.  Some missions were funerals for military or emergency first responders; others were welcome-home missions.

Some patches are for specific people- Bill “Snap” Lines was a great friend to everyone in the PGR; when he was killed in a traffic accident, some of his friends had a special patch made up.

And finally, I have some that are funny, but tell a little about me;  for example this one:

I always enjoyed watching “I Dream of Jeannie” when I was young; no matter how much she tried to help, she ended up causing trouble more times than not. I kinda feel like that most days.

Of course, these are only some of my pins and patches; you’ll just have to check out the rest of them the next time you see me. If you have other friends who ride, check out their vest as well.  Every one is individual, so you’ll probably learn something.

And as for the question of leather chaps and jacket – I do enjoy the look and feel of the leather, but  I wear my leathers for the same reason I wear a seatbelt – safety.  If I go down, they offer another layer of protection between the road’s surface and me.

See you on the road!

I love riding my bike,  even when it’s raining.  Of course, I don’t ride when I can’t see where I’m going or what I’m doing, but just a regular rain can feel very nice. Sorta like playing in the rain when you were a kid.

So anyway, last Saturday I had to ride into Troy to meet my brother with the saxophone. It felt nice outside, not too hot, with a good breeze, so I took the bike. About two miles from where 29 crosses 231, I saw it was going to rain on me pretty quick. By the time I got to 231, it was raining pretty hard, so I rode down onto 231 then immediately pulled off at the gas station; I called Lee and told him where I was and we met there.  After we got through talking, I loaded up to head back home. By the time I got onto the overpass again, it had started raining again – that little stinging rain. I was all tensed up,  like I was afraid someone was going to hit me.

Then all of a sudden, I heard a voice in my head saying, “Didn’t I tell you I’d take care of you on this bike?”   Of course, I knew He had  so I relaxed, and then I shouted! Not exactly a Dukes of Hazzard moment, but close enough for me.  I shouted and sang for most of the way home.

So when Brother Price asked us last night if we’d ever felt like shouting when we felt like the devil was after us, I  could honestly say yes! and I’m here to tell you, it’s a good feeling to be able to do that.

May is women riders month at Harley Davidson dealerships- some women like my friend, Regina, ride as passenger on someone else’s bike; and some are like me – I ride my own bike.

Either way, we’re a special breed- for so long, motorcycles were considered a man’s domain, and women were only another decoration. For some inspiration on early women riders, and how they’ve cleared the way for us, check the Harley site linked above- great stories from yesterday and today.

I’m glad we’ve come so far- whether sitting in the queen’s chair or the driver’s seat, we’re more in control of who we are… go for it, girl!

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