Hello from Honda HQ in Torrance, CA! The Rebel gets it’s 500 mile service, and I get a tour.
Visiting Honda HQ
Ladies Only Dirt N Dip Camping Trip
What do you get when you put a bunch of motorcycling women in the woods and add dirt and mini bikes, BBQ, a hammer, a creek and lots of booze? Lots of smiles, laughter, bruises and even some blood. This was the first annual Dirt N Dip ladies only ride and camping trip, brought to you by See See Motorcycles. Blasting around on the lil red rocket minibike, late night skinny dipping, singing outlaw country under the stars and so much more…
The above photo is only of the remaining troopers who were there later in the day on Sunday- I was not one of them (more on that later). There were at least 30 girls there, twelve rode in and the rest carpooled to bring extra crap like booze, beds, and dogs!
Firstly, check out the quicky photopost I did the day after the camping trip– ladies getting ready and rolling out to the meeting spot.
Emily and Tori George gave us all the run down on the map and routes before the convoys headed out to battle the Rose Parade traffic and get the heck out of dodge.
Emily and Tori are some of the coolest chicks you’ll ever meet, and definitely the raddest set of sisters I’ve ever known. They love and live motorcycles, and beyond that they care very much about supporting and building a great community around them. They are both integral parts of the inner workings at See See Motorcycles & Coffee.
(Photo above by Lanakila MacNaughton)
After the pre-flight checks and meeting we all headed out for the Thriftway in Banks, OR (the meet spot before heading to Jordan Creek and camp).
(Photos above by Lanakila MacNaughton)
Because of raging traffic from the Rose Festival and Parade, many of us split off from the convoy and went our own ways which meant we were all slowly arriving over the course of about an hour.
Not trying to brag, but I was only third to roll up (right behind the lovely Nean from MotoFactory… jerk.) Traffic and I don’t mesh well, so I don’t sit in it.
My dog (left) shared her water and spot in the shade of my car with Toby. It was a very warm day, way too hot for pups to be standing on the asphalt.
While waiting, us ladies had watermelon (no I didn’t share with Akila despite her begging) and some cracked some brews to combat the hot sun.
After bikes rolled up, many of us were eager to get out and set up camp.
Michelle and Jenny headed out on their Harleys- I told them I’d be following and soon enough we had a convoy.
The last few miles of road to Jordan Creek was gravel and dirt with many small bridges.
We arrived at the camp spot around 3:30p, a little later than many of us had hoped for.
Michelle (left, above) and Jenny (right) just after rolling into camp. Stormie Ray (below, front) basks in the glorious outdoor air.
Ladies went to inspect the river spot and sun bathing opportunities… amusingly labeled “Whores Bath”. Gotta love women with a sense of humor.
Our location at Jordan Creek was unfortunately already in shade by then, so camp set up commenced.
Shortly after unloading and tent set up, bikes were moved to their final parking spots and the party began.
Time to ride the mini bike! Dubbed by I don’t know who, “the little red rocket” we all had a turn. Lauren got a shot of me coming around the bend, downhill wearing no gear. This is my “PLEASE DON’T CRASH HOLY SHIT SO MUCH FUN” face. Comments about wearing gear are not welcome nor necessary this time around guys, thanks.
Emily (below) illustrates the “you can’t help but smile” effect of this little bad boy.
Stormie Ray (below) also illustrates the “PLEASE DON’T CRASH HOLY SHIT SO MUCH FUN” face.
Now for Jenny’s version of the same expression… gettin’ slideways!
Casey (below) completely dwarfs the already tiny bike with her very tall and slender lovelyness. As Erica said, “She’s like a gentle gorilla on that thing!”
Romantice two-up rides around the loop were taken, dogs bounding along nearby.
Vroom!
(Above) Eleanor got a shot of me showing Erin the play in the throttle and (below) photographing Jenny while holding my beer.
The little red rocket even got it’s front wheel off the ground before being shiny side down for a moment.
It was all good, just a slightly overzealous and sticky throttle…
Babes busted out their bigger bikes, too… Yamaha day!
Lana tried out Michelle’s dirt bike and had some fun.
Being that we’re both photographers I told her to wait 60 seconds and drive across the bridge over the creek, then went bounding down into the woods to get in place for this photo:
Emily waves hello!
Here’s an interesting detail, the lovely lady on the right (below) is Stephanie Atkinson from California, I featured her three separate times a couple years ago!
You were probably wondering about my hammer comment earlier, weren’t you? Well, these bad ass ladies busted out nails, a hammer, and two logs and announced that we were playing a game, “HAMMERSCHLAGEN!” This is a game laced with both brilliance and idiocy. When you win, it’s glorious. When you fail, it’s often painful… and you get drunk.
The idea behind the game is to drive the nails all the way into the stump- everyone’s but your own.
Once your nail is down, so are you.
Each person locates their nail at the beginning of the game so you know which one NOT to hit. Then the hammer is passed around. You flip the hammer in the air and catch it by the handle, swinging directly with no aim at the log.
If you hit a nail (not your own), good job. If you miss, you have to do a jig and take a drink. PS, you always have to be holding your drink. Sometimes, as the night goes on, that proves more messy as you can see with Miss Tori below.
Here’s a good one Lauren got of me totally NAILING IT later in the night. (Pun intended. Also, I probably missed.)
Sometimes you caught it wrong, and sometimes you bled. I did this to myself twice throughout the night, not bad for a first time Hammerschlaggener.
(Below, left to right) Myself, Stormie Ray, Jada Noriyuki, Nean Kiskela, and Heather who’s last name I sadly don’t know.
The rest of the night was filled some good old fashioned camping goodness. BBQ, campfire, smores…
Shotgunning beer…
Some booty…
…hanging out on the bridge under the stars singing outlaw country with megababes….
Pointless nudity… (Lauren made me do it.)
Oh and skinny dipping.
Much fun was had and I finally crawled into bed around 2:30a- passed out in a flash snuggling up to my dog. However at about 6a woke up with some hellacious nausea and had to go try to sleep in my car. After feeling like I had food poisoning for a couple hours I dragged all my shit out of the tent, packed up and left. The lovely ladies who remained had more fun dirt biking and sun bathing on Sunday.
I can’t wait for next year, this was an amazingly fun time filled with some of the coolest women I’ve met. Biggest thanks to Tori, Emily, and Lana for putting this on.
Go check out all the photos on flickr or MotoLady facebook, you don’t know what you’re missing if you don’t…
Thanks to Lauren Smith and Eleanor Stray (IG: or_stray) for photos scattered throughout mine above!
☣
Posted on June 17, 2013 in Blog, Events, MotoLadies by Alicia Mariah Elfving