Is what we do really so shocking?

[Delaware.Dave]

My wife and I are leaving tomorrow morning for a trip from Delaware to Chicago, then through New York State, about 2000 miles. We've been up and down the East coast several times.

Our friends are acting like we're planning a trip to the moon.

[Paul_F]

Last year we asked a cop in southern California for some directions. He inquired and was astounded that neither the ST1300 nor my R1100 had experienced no mechanical difficulties on our cross country/continent trip.

Once had a gas station attendant in Springfield, Mass, ask if I had bought the bike in the US and was taking it home to Canada. When I told him, no, that I had simply ridden the bike to Boston and was returning home, he left the counter and came out to examine my "old K". He just couldn't believe that anyone could actually ride from Canada to the U.S. and back again on a motorbike.

Have had lots of friendly and inquisitive folks throughout Canada and the U.S. stop to ask me questions about my travels and the bike when they see my plate. Often they tell of having given up riding many years ago and regret having never gotten back.

What we take for granted as normal, so many are astounded by our riding adventures. Me, I marvel at those who travel down to the tip of South America or through Africa. Now those riders are real adventurers!

[HONDARIDER]

That's funny. I'd have zero reservations about riding anywhere in Canada or the US at a moment's notice, but I admit that I have some fear about riding into South America. I read all these travelogues about folks riding from Alaska to the southern tip of South America and I'm completely jealous, but I succumb to the same fear that keeps most people within 100 miles of their homes. I suppose I'm not much better. I think it's the language barrier that intimidates me most. That and the apparent lawlessness that I see on the news. If the news about Mexico is as sensationalized as everything else that I see, my misgivings are probably without basis. I did spend 6 years working in Juarez and nothing bad ever happened despite assurances from US television that the drug cartels, crooked federales, and bandidos were going to shake me down and then do very bad things to me. Turns out that I made some great friends and had experiences far outside my New England background.

[Walking Eagle]

If we didn't live venturously, plucking the wild goat by the beard, and trembling over precipices, we should never be depressed, I've no doubt; but already should be faded, fatalistic and aged.

-Virginia Woolf, -A Writer's Diary-

Too bad that Virginia didn't just grab a handful of throttle, versus filling her pockets with big rocks and sinking to the bottom of the river. Surely there's a lesson here, somewhere?

Walking Eagle

[flymymbz]

I get that a lot from my co-workers.

You ride your motorcycle 150 miles one way for breakfast???? GASP!

You rode to work today? Its raining, OMG!!!

And some of them are beyond shocked that I took a 5000+ mile trip on a 250cc Honda Rebel.

I feel so sorry for these folks.

[flymymbz]

Which makes me wonder, are there still such timid women?

Yup. I used to belong to a women's motorcycle forum, and a bunch of them wanted to go on a week long trip. As the plans for the trip evolved, I would have to say that about 3/4 of the interested women changed their minds when they found out that spouses were not invited.

Seems that these women were too afraid to leave the neighborhood without their spouse. What if my bike breaks down? What if I run out of gas? What if something happens?

arrrgghghhh! If I had to depend on my spouse to go with me, I would never get out of the driveway. Sell the bikes, ladies, and go back in the house because your embarrassing me. lol.

[HONDARIDER]

LOL. My wife is pretty adventurous, but lacks the navigation skills required to find the mall. If she were to head out on a weeklong trip, we'd never see her again. I suppose that wouldn't stop her though so I guess I worry about it more than her. She routinely drives the 180 miles to her mother's house with nothing more than exit numbers on a post it note...no map...no route numbers...no towns...no clue. She just knows to get on I-90...go to exit 11A and get on another road...then exit 7 onto another...exit 12 onto yet another...and finally exit 7 into her mother's town. She has no clue if she's driving east, west, north, or south. She doesn't know where she is on a map, what towns she's passing, virtually nothing. Just 11a...7...12...7. I asked her what she'll do if she ever get off at the wrong exit and onto the wrong road...she says she'll figure it out. I guess she's actually more adventurous than I am. I'd never leave home if I didn't know for certain that I could find my way back.

[AKsuited]

LOL. My wife is pretty adventurous, but lacks the navigation skills required to find the mall. If she were to head out on a weeklong trip, we'd never see her again. I suppose that wouldn't stop her though so I guess I worry about it more than her. She routinely drives the 180 miles to her mother's house with nothing more than exit numbers on a post it note...no map...no route numbers...no towns...no clue. She just knows to get on I-90...go to exit 11A and get on another road...then exit 7 onto another...exit 12 onto yet another...and finally exit 7 into her mother's town. She has no clue if she's driving east, west, north, or south. She doesn't know where she is on a map, what towns she's passing, virtually nothing. Just 11a...7...12...7. I asked her what she'll do if she ever get off at the wrong exit and onto the wrong road...she says she'll figure it out. I guess she's actually more adventurous than I am. I'd never leave home if I didn't know for certain that I could find my way back.

Lol. That's why I bought my wife a Garmin. I have read that men navigate by landmarks. I forget what they said about women and navigating.

Harry

[HONDARIDER]

The one time she used the GPS, she got lost and now she doesn't trust it. She just sticks to her post-it note or the expectation that a kindly cop or other public servant will always happily escort her to her desired destination. We call that the "pretty girl in a convertible solution". She's had surprisingly good luck with that.

[Bullett]

Which makes me wonder, are there still such timid women?

I'm always amazed when I speak to people who have never been outside of their hometown. In Salt Lake City, I have talked to people who have never been up on the several canyons near town. I'm thankful to have the opportunity to live a different lifestyle.

[NewEnglander]

The one time she used the GPS, she got lost and now she doesn't trust it. She just sticks to her post-it note or the expectation that a kindly cop or other public servant will always happily escort her to her desired destination. We call that the "pretty girl in a convertible solution". She's had surprisingly good luck with that.

Or does the post-it note stick to her? I'm one of those who still uses a paper map when I travel outside of my locale.

When I drop my bike I do the "damsel in distress" thing and then gush with "oh, you're my hero!" when someone (male) rushes over to help. Hmmm, won't work too well if I'm alone, will it?

Louise

[NewEnglander]

I'm always amazed when I speak to people who have never been outside of their hometown. In Salt Lake City, I have talked to people who have never been up on the several canyons near town. I'm thankful to have the opportunity to live a different lifestyle.

I heard somewhere, once upon a time, that most people don't ever during their life go any farther than 30 miles away from where they live. I can't imagine being that tied to just one area........!

[JanesRT]

[QUOTE=NewEnglander;812082]When I first posed the question for this thread: "Is what we do really so shocking?" I meant the "we" to be the women who ride. I did not phrase the question in a manner to convey that. My fault. "Shocking" may have been the wrong word but in the context of the question being about us women riders maybe it was right. But, the answers coming from both men and women have been educational to me - I had no idea that men got the same sorts of questions. So, I guess we are all collectively a little bit nuts in the non-riding population's thinking to be willing, and wanting!, to travel by motorcycle and see, feel and smell the world in all it's glory (yes, even the smell of the manure in the spring when the farmers spread the fertilizer). So, I guess I shouldn't be so surprised when I have conversations with non-riders and have them express such surprise at this addictive activity of mine/ours.

vroom, vroom,

Louise=QUOTE]

Hi Louise, Women riders know what you are talking about. Even though men can get some of those questions, they will never get them from another (male) motorcyclist as we women do. Real questions from men riders "Why do you ride? Do you ride your bike on long trips or on the back of your husbands? Women are thinking they can do anything, aren't they? ". I know we are unique and I hope we encourage other women. I also don't judge other women, everyone has their own thing. We are just rabid motorcyclists! And finally, it's not encouraging to read men's posts on (giggle, giggle) women's navigation skills on the WOMEN'S forum. Really, dudes?

[James.A]

When I first posed the question for this thread: "Is what we do really so shocking?" I meant the "we" to be the women who ride. I did not phrase the question in a manner to convey that. My fault. "Shocking" may have been the wrong word but in the context of the question being about us women riders maybe it was right. But, the answers coming from both men and women have been educational to me - I had no idea that men got the same sorts of questions. So, I guess we are all collectively a little bit nuts in the non-riding population's thinking to be willing, and wanting!, to travel by motorcycle and see, feel and smell the world in all it's glory (yes, even the smell of the manure in the spring when the farmers spread the fertilizer). So, I guess I shouldn't be so surprised when I have conversations with non-riders and have them express such surprise at this addictive activity of mine/ours.

vroom, vroom,

Louise

As a man, I don't normally read the "Women of the MOA" section. However, your "is what we do..." header, captured my interest.

When we are out there,... doing what we do,... the gender of the rider has no significant bearing until some observer makes it so.

You could be me, and I could be you. I guess that makes us equal.

[flymymbz]

LOL. My wife is pretty adventurous, but lacks the navigation skills required to find the mall. If she were to head out on a weeklong trip, we'd never see her again. I suppose that wouldn't stop her though so I guess I worry about it more than her. She routinely drives the 180 miles to her mother's house with nothing more than exit numbers on a post it note...no map...no route numbers...no towns...no clue. She just knows to get on I-90...go to exit 11A and get on another road...then exit 7 onto another...exit 12 onto yet another...and finally exit 7 into her mother's town. She has no clue if she's driving east, west, north, or south. She doesn't know where she is on a map, what towns she's passing, virtually nothing. Just 11a...7...12...7. I asked her what she'll do if she ever get off at the wrong exit and onto the wrong road...she says she'll figure it out. I guess she's actually more adventurous than I am. I'd never leave home if I didn't know for certain that I could find my way back.

LOL. I am a 911 dispatcher and regularly take 911 calls from folks like your wife. Nothing against your wife, but I still cannot grasp how folks can get through life without knowing where they are. Its one of the most frustrating things for me: "911, what is the location of your emergency?" "I'm on the highway". "Which one?" "I don't know, the one that goes by the river." "Which river?" "I don't know."