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Women of action

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Women of action – make your mark!

So many times we discuss women helping women, yet it is just about that, mere talk with no action.  What many of us forget is that as an individual you can change the course of things, including what inspires and motivates you, whose life you can change and how you make an impact on the world.  You may not be able to do it alone, but as a group you can make a difference.  Using this very philosophy after being an instructor for many track day companies over the years and being the go between for customers and the organization, it was time to fix what I felt was broken.  You get to see the good, bad and ugly of the rolling circus and after listening to customers and how they felt, I could understand their frustration and decided to venture off on my own.  Believing I could make a difference even though it honestly scared the living heck out of me, being fortunate enough to be in the position of my sponsorship and relationships built over those years, it was time to tackle this endeavor full force.  It has been a very quick education of how track days are run and how the passion for the sport I love is not a great business plan for financial gain.  However, I love this sport, I love every aspect, nook and cranny of it…the fact that it feeds my soul and makes me feel alive and I believe you must do what you are passionate about.

When I decided to start doing track days I was fortunate enough to speak with Doreen Walmsley, owner of Ducati Richmond, who has been an avid supporter and sponsor from the beginning.  She’s gone so far as to close her shop one of the days to come join our events.  She not only sponsors our events, but she brings her employees to join in the fun as well as customers and yes we are talking about them driving from Canada to participate.  It has been a great honor to have her on our team and attend our days.  This is a prime example of a woman owned business owner helping another and allowing growth and exposure together.   She has been paramount in our success and we are proud to have her on our team year after year.

When we asked Jason Pridmore to do event days with us (yes I’m aware he’s not a woman), the truth is I never imagined he’d agree to do anything with us.  He surprised me, not just that he believed in our mission, but he was so open minded and believed together we could make these events truly special.  When I say we are unlike any track day company, it is completely true.  CC TrackEvents/MotoVixens a woman owned track day company and the only one that I am aware of in the PNW and maybe even on the west coast.  We are also the only track company that does special events currently in the PNW (not just days called events, but events sponsors donate items for raffling off, is catered, is done on a special schedule, includes vendors, etc.  to make it truly special) and hires a guest coach who is so sought after he doesn’t have the time to do many of these events.  Jason Pridmore (only coaches our track events in the PNW) is currently the only coach on the west coast that has won multiple championships worldwide, coaches MotoAmerica racers and is the commentator for beIn Sports.  JP has been an instructor since his teens and the thousands of people he’s instructed will tell you that he is the best coach/instructor around.  To top it all off his ability to teach any level of rider is astonishing, probably why his Star Motorcycle School sells out all the time.  His list of credentials only requires a google search and you will find an extensive resume of his accomplishments (he would kill me if he knew I was writing this).  We are also the only track day company where our focus is on education and comfort level of the student above all and our low numbers offer the ability for our elite instructors to give you the most efficient use of track time and help you achieve your goals for the day.  Caroline Olsen (here’s our amazing woman) and Benny Solis , current MotoAmerica racers and JP43 training proteges, come up and help and we couldn’t have asked for two more charismatic and kind individuals to be a part of our events.  If you haven’t signed up spaces are going quickly and I know because Doreen booked quite a few for her crew already.

MotoVixens recently teamed up to sponsor Caroline Olsen (AKA Carro43 and Caroline Racing).  It is rare to meet a woman in this industry that is so composed, confident, personable, intelligent, kind, determined, driven, focused and professional and yet so young.  When she heard about JP doing events with us, she jumped on the phone to me to say she’s excited and wanted to come and help.  I’ve been fortunate to have these two women that I respect greatly and consider my friends, supporters for me as I am for them.  Needless to say when I heard of Caroline’s need for funding, when it became possible for me to help, I did it without hesitation.  To say racing is expensive is an understatement, the crew of people it takes for that machine to run smoothly is unbelievable and imagine being a racer having to try to fund this on your own, it’d be impossible.  We are one of many sponsors that help keep Caroline racing and allowing her to focus on riding.   We are incredibly proud to sponsor this young athlete and look forward to seeing her grow and succeed (bear in mind she is not in a special class, she is racing with the boys and always placing in or near the top 10), we know that Caroline will be an amazing up and coming racer.  If you ever wanted the opportunity to get on the track with her or Benny come out to our events and ride with these two amazing young riders and yes our lovable JP too!  Let’s support each other in our endeavors whatever they may be, together we can do great things and opportunities will naturally open up for all of us.  Let’s be women of action…not just words.

Let’s ride!  The season is upon us and after this lousy winter and spring, we deserve a bit of two wheeling fun in the sun.

Races at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway

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track-mapI sat down to write about the September 10th track day, but after watching Caroline Olsen and Benny Solis race on Sunday, I felt compelled to write about my trip first.  Chuckwalla Valley Raceway is about 3.5 hours southeast from Santa Clarita, CA where I am presently residing, off the 10 Fwy by Palm Desert and Joshua Tree National Park.  To say it was hot would be an understatement (I mean huge), it was scorching (the high was 110 degrees that day), so the thought of riding and racing in triple digit weather did not sound in the least bit appealing.  The track is 2.68 miles with 17 turns and the entire track can be seen from the bleachers by the hot pits.   I arrived to see Jason Pridmore (Star Motorcycle School www.starmotorcycle.com) coaching this duo at their pit.  The series is Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA – www.cvmaracing.com) and it was their first round of races of the season, they don’t start until late when the weather is more manageable and ride through the winter and spring, I can totally understand why now.

img_7119Upon my arrival I was met with smiles and hugs from everyone as they were getting ready for the first race of the day which Benny and Caroline were both entered in.  Benny Sr. (Benny’s Dad) is Benny’s pit crew, always there encouraging and handling the bikes in the pits and the board at hot pit while Marco (the one in the background) does data acquisition.  Caroline was racing Benny’s backup bike and to watch the two of them talking was heartwarming, they are each other’s support system, encouraging each other all long the way.  The first race ended with Benny taking first and Caroline, second which ended up being the way it went all day for the races they were both entered in together.  However, on the one race with just Caroline, to see her do her thing was nothing less than pure art.  She is so smooth and determined and to just imagine what those guys felt as she took the lead with an amazing start, I could only imagine it as deflating.  I did watch them try to catch her, but it didn’t take long for her to break away.  What’s even more impressive is that she wasn’t on her own bike, a slight disadvantage, but she rode it like she had be on it for years.  And Benny, he’s amazing, lightning quick and so in control, in fact he won every race with a significant gap to those placing second.  Not to mention his amazing hair even after the helmet came off (see picture below)!

Pre ride talk

Pre ride talk

I got a chance to speak with both Benny and Caroline between races in the trailer and for two 20 somethings they are wise, focused, disciplined and kind.  In particular, Caroline and I got a chance to speak in private about our industry, this gal is a fireball, you have to be in a male dominated industry, as well as thick skinned and strong willed.  Listening to her I had nothing but admiration for her dedication, overcoming adversity and becoming one of the fastest, if not fastest girl in the US today.  Being in the age of social media, you can become easily mislead, people posting about how fast they are or in cases of the female variety using their feminine wiles to get them noticed (not that there is anything wrong with that, but what are you saying, I’m fast or I’m hot).  True talent doesn’t require talk or pictures, the proof is in performance.  These two not only deliver, but they do it with a humble nature.  To me it says a lot about the way they have been raised.  I am looking forward to seeing these two rise to the top and what makes it extra special is knowing them and how deserving they are of it.

Jason is the consummate coach, making sure they are hydrated, talking to them immediately before they race and right when they get back in the pits.  He’s timing, watching every corner, pass, supporting and cheering them on from the pit wall.  You can tell he loves what he does, but above all he cares deeply about them and wants the absolute best for them.  There is a mutual respect and a lot of ribbing, I had a great deal of fun watching everyone have their turns with each other.  David Kolb, who drove up a handful of bikes from California for our two day event, was also racing on Sunday and JP was there at the wall for his races encouraging him all along the way.  With this group you aren’t just friends, you are family and that’s what this sport is all about.

img_7130img_7132We are currently ironing out dates with JP and his crew to join us again next year and we hope you will take this opportunity to join in and learn from an amazing coach and his talented riders, otherwise you will have to wait for the following year.  The information and techniques you will learn will open your eyes and watching everyone have these moments of clarity made putting these event days on worth it.

Looking forward to next season, now get out there and ride!

Track Days

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I went to support my friend Cory Osburn on his last day to receive his endorsement card for successfully completing and passing his 3 day course with WMST.  He had three great instructors, Chris, John and Ed, who welcomed me to stay and watch, cheer and proudly watch him pass this course.  Upon completion of the testing, Chris stated something to the graduated class that seems like common sense, but many people don’t do it.  Not only get seat time, but get coached properly, seek out more classes and instruction, build upon what you just learned.  I can’t stress enough the importance of doing that, you just learned something, now go out and practice, practice a lot, if you don’t it will be forgotten.  Practice with a plan and set a goal for yourself every time, it can be small like going up and down your street to get comfortable with your bike, then head out of your neighborhood, then tackle the freeway.  Some people read to gain knowledge others do better by doing and attending classes, it’s up to you, but make sure you check in time to time with someone who can actually help you assess if you are improving or creating bad habits.  Bad habits are hard to break and when they become second nature your tendency is to revert to them since the new concepts are harder to implement as they require more focus and concentration.

Riding is an amazing sport and for those of us who love it, we understand it is a never-ending process.   You will never be able to fully appreciate what your bike is actually capable of, it is an incredible piece of machinery that you will get to know and love like your best friend (only it won’t drive you nuts). Some days you’ll feel like one with it and other days it’ll seem like a complete stranger to you, that’s completely normal but remember that the bike is the constant, it’s you that is inconsistent so if you are having an off day just be aware and adjust your riding accordingly.   I still feel a great deal of anticipation and adrenaline every time I climb on to one of my bikes (each one rides so differently) yet somehow once I’m there, everything quiets down and fades away. Riding for me feeds my soul, quiets my mind, centers me and reminds me why I do what I do.  Find a group or a friend(s) and get out there. Skills are tools that need to remain sharp so the more you practice technique the more comfortable you’ll start to feel in no time.  Don’t let those tools and skills get dull and never be complacent about your riding.  Things happen and they happen quick.

Track days are great for practicing,  it is a controlled environment, controlled conditions and depending on which track organization you choose to signup with, can either be a great experience or one you may never attend again. For those new to track days look for providers who limit riders per session it will be a more relaxed environment for you to practice and learn instead of a stressful experience as you get buzzed or end up in a pile up in the corners. If you are more experienced you make those decisions of signing up knowing there is a chance of a lot of traffic. Make informed decisions based on your skill level. I’ve instructed at several organizations and I’ve seen tears, frustration and outright anger because of traffic on the track, just do your homework and make sure you get the most out of your day. With less riders there is more time to work on your technique and you spend less time figuring out how to negotiate your way out of traffic.  Makes sense right?  Nothing is worse than being super excited to ride and then encounter a misfortune in your first or even second session, it ruins your entire day.  It can be due to individuals who can’t hold a line, someone clearly in the wrong level, a mechanical issue, lack of focus, too many people on track, etc.  As an instructor through the years for track organizations, I’ve seen some pretty interesting things and knew that there had to be a better, safer way to put a track day on.  If you haven’t had a chance to attend, sign up, we provide the perfect environment to learn, have fun, not feel self conscious or intimidated and our biggest joy is seeing you happy at the end of the day and smiling ear to ear.  Our last day is on September 10 at The Ridge Motorsports Park and it is limited to 30 riders in each session. There are control riders and instructors there at your disposal and the classroom is free to everyone who wants to attend.  Don’t forget to bring anything you might want to sell, barter or trade with other riders…you never know what someone might have that you absolutely can’t do without!  (OK That’s the fashionista in me)  Signup at www.motovixens.com/ccevents

Looking forward to seeing you out there!

 

Who is Caroline Olsen?

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In our continuing and now final installment of “Getting to know” is Caroline Olsen. Let me start off with Caroline is so down to earth and bubbly you wouldn’t know she is this fierce and badass competitor in a sport dominated by testosterone. One thing that strikes me about the truly talented and dedicated individuals in this sport is that those that have accomplished so much are the most humble and kind individuals I’ve met, which in my opinion is surprising. It reminds me of what I’ve always told my sons, if you work hard, practice and give your 100% you needn’t speak of your accomplishments, they speak for you. Caroline is indeed one of these individuals and with her coach and friend, Jason Pridmore by her side we will be seeing a lot of this incredible woman racer in the future. Hailing from Sande, Norway Caroline rides for Team Hammer contending in the 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Supersport 600 Championship competing under the M4 LOXY Suzuki Banner.  

carolineracing2CC: For many new to riding, they might not know who you are can you give us some background and a summary of your accomplishments? 

CO: I’m the typical Norwegian chick. I was into handball and horse riding when I was younger. During the winter I would go skiing or snowboarding with my friends and when we were lucky enough to have a couple of good & warm summer days you would find me surrounded by family at my grandfathers cabin by the ocean. Nothing in my life indicated that I could potentially be a future roadracer, but I have always loved speed and adrenaline.

CC:  When did you get into riding and why?

CO: When I turned 16 I was old enough to get my 125cc motorcycle drivers license. I didn’t have any previous experience with motorcycles before then and I guess you could say that I kind of fell into this sport by accident. I got my license mainly to get back and forth to the stable quicker, but I was reckless and stupid. I got in trouble for speeding and I ended up crashing a lot. The last time I crashed was with my little brother on the back on our way to school, not cool! We were ok, but my mum was furious. She said that I could not ride any more motorcycles before I learned how, and that’s when she thought she sent me to a traffic course, but it was actually a license course for roadracing. That was in 2008 and I’ve been in love with the sport ever since!

CC: What do you feel is your greatest moment or accomplishment while you were racing and why?

CO: I started racing in Norway back in 2008. In 2009 I won the Rookie 600 cup and in 2011 I won the Norwegian Superstock 600 Championship. I placed 2nd in the Swedish championship in 2012 and got a 3rd place in the Nordic championship that same year. I got the chance to come and race in the US in 2013, so I packed my things & sold most of my stuff to follow my dream of becoming a professional roadracer. I’ve lived a great life with so many good memories already, but my greatest accomplishment has to be when I won the finale race of the Norwegian championship back in 2011 and secured the gold medal with only a couple of points margin to the runner up. What a great day!

CC:  What challenges do you face as a woman racer?

CO: I’ve had my fair share of challenges. It’s hard to find people & teams that believe in me like they would believe in any other male racer. I’ve experienced sabotage on my bike causing me to crash and I’ve seen male racers take stupid risks trying to pass me just because they have too much of a ego to have a girl beat them. With that said, there is a “woman improvement” movement out there and girls like Danica Patrick’s in Nascar, Marit Strømøy in F1 boat and Elena Myers in MotoAmerica have most defiantly made it easier for girls to come up through male dominated sports to make a name for themselves.

carolineracing3CC: Do you have any pre-riding routines and/or superstitions?  For example, Aaron Yates used to wear the same socks until he crashed, do you have a list of things you do on and off your bike?

CO: No I don’t, but maybe I should find something? Whatever I can do to go faster, I’ll do it!

CC:  Who do you admire, consider a hero or a mentor?  

CO: I’m so lucky to have a lot of great people around me, but I owe everything to Jason Pridmore. He helped me get a ride here in the US back in 2013 even though he didn’t know me. He opened up his home and has been a great coach and mentor ever since. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for him.

CC: What is something about you that people might not know?

CO: I crashed 28 times my first year of racing.

CC: What is your favorite bike of all time you’ve ever ridden? (Who is your current sponsor?)

CO: I fell in love with the Suzuki gsx-r 600 I was riding back in Norway last season. The bike was amazing!

CC: Why do you feel rider education is so important?

CO: It’s all about safety. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re a street rider or a professional roadracer. When you’re on a motorcycle you’re exposed, and it’s all about minimizing the risks. My whole life with motorcycles started because I was reckless. I wasn’t only a danger to myself but to people around me. That’s why it’s important for me to share my experience, tell my story and make motorcycle racers aware of the dangers out there so they don’t make the same mistakes I did and only hope of being one of the lucky ones.

CC:  What are your hobbies away from riding?

CO: I love horses, being outdoors and spending time with my family. Norway is an amazing country and If/when I get more time I want to see more of what this country has to offer.

CC:  What keeps you grounded and focused?

CO: My family. Racing is my life and passion, but It’s important to know that there is more to life as well. I’m not sure I could be over here in America chasing my dreams if It wasn’t for the support from my family. I’ve worked so hard for my accomplishments and to get where I am today, I don’t ever want to take this life for granted.

CC:  What do you want to do after racing?

CO: I could see myself staying in this sport when my career is over. I’ve learned so much from working with my sponsors, marketing, logistics & media, and I believe that my experience one day might be helpful to others. I’m not sure where I would be if I had never discovered racing though, I can’t picture myself with a better life then the one I’m living right now.

http://www.motoamerica.com/women-motoamerica-caroline-olsen-team-loxy-m4-suzuki

Getting to know Jason Pridmore

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Ijppic1n our continuing “get to know” series, I wanted to do a blog on JP.  I have never met JP face to face, but have spent many hours on the phone speaking to this amazing and kind man, which strikes me as surprising and refreshing since I’m around type-A men who are usually ego driven (excluding Troy of course).  JP is not like that, he’s genuine, self-deprecating, humorous and kind.  Not at all what I expected from such an accomplished individual as himself.  He doesn’t want to talk about motorcycles, he wants to talk about life, how you are, how he can help, …he is a very giving individual.  I wanted to ask him some serious questions and some fun ones too and there was a question I had asked him at the end of our Q & A that he answered with such humor, which I can’t print, that reminds you of what you already know…he’s awesome!

CC:  For many new to riding, they might not know of you, can you give us some background and a summary of your accomplishments? (JP is very humble, he doesn’t like to list his accomplishments or talk about them)

JP: I’ve been riding since I was 2yrs old. I was lucky enough to be born into a racing world, my father Reg is a 3 time AMA Superbike Champion. Been very fortunate to win a number of AMA races along with countless podiums and 2 AMA National Championships. Also, I have won 2 FIM World Endurance Championships including winning at the Le Mans 24hr in 2014. Up until last year I was the only American to ever stand on an FIM World Supersport podium and was also very fortunate to race in World Superbike. I’ve raced all over the world, I have been a very lucky guy.

CC:  What do you feel is your greatest moment or accomplishment while you were racing and now post racing?

JP: Wow, honestly there have been so many great memories. Winning my first AMA National at Brainerd, Minnesota was amazing. Most don’t know that I won the Imola 200 in Italy. Winning Championships are always pretty defining and I was fortunate to scoop up some of those all over the world.

Post racing is easy. Helping people realize their riding goals, working with military and mentoring kids. All those make me keep going everyday.

CC:  What do you consider as your defining moment and why?

JP: Not sure I can think of one. I do know this, nothing beats pulling into the winners circle and seeing your team, family and friends overwhelmed with your success. I had some moments racing that I only wish I could relive one more time.

CC:  Do you have any pre-riding routines and/or superstitions?  For example, Aaron Yates used to wear the same socks until he crashed, do you have a list of things you do on and off your bike?

JP: This is a funny one. I never went to sleep the nights of race weekends on my back with my arms folded across my chest. Always creeped me out, I am sure you can figure out why.

CC:  What is your favorite post victory riding memory? 

JP: Having my mom (Who doesn’t love this guy?) at the races anytime I won was so rad. Taking Richard Stanboli for a victory lap after winning the Formula Extreme Championship, that guy was amazing to work with.

CC:  Who do you admire, consider a hero or a mentor? 

JP: My dad for sure, couldn’t have ever got where I did without him. Ken Greene is someone not many know but I look up to and admire to this day, incredible rider and mentor to me.

CC:  What is something about you that people don’t know?

JP: As much as I travel, I am a homebody. I would do almost anything to just chill in my house and enjoy my time at home. Also, I was the first guy to win an AMA National on the GSXR 1000 which was at Sears Point in 2001 in the bikes very first race. Good trivia question for people. I qualified for the US Amateur Golf Championship and 2 US Mid Amateur Golf Championships. Guess that’s 3 things, haha.

CC:  Other than your current sponsor, what is your favorite bike of all time you’ve ever ridden? (JP is currently sponsored by Kawasaki)

JP: Ridden so many bikes but the bike I won my Championship with Richard Stanboli on in 2002 was incredible. Can’t say it was the funnest at times because it was straight violent but it made me a better rider. 2002 GSXR 1000. Also, my very last race was the Le Mans 24hr for factory BMW, bike was amazing and made me wish I was 20yrs younger so I could keep racing.

CC: You run Star Motorcycle School, why do you feel rider education is so important?

JP: Bikes these days are incredible. I see too many people that have plateaued with their riding and have stopped their advancement. Being able to break down the fundamentals again will make people think about what they are doing again and make them better and safer riders. I know what almost every rider out there wants, to get faster!!! Let’s take the time to learn every technical aspect of riding so we aren’t riding off into a dark room. Too much seat of the pants riding out there, I wanna fix that.

CC:  You’re a golf addict, can you tell us what got you started?  Who you admire most as a golfer?

JP: I miss racing a lot. But there comes a time when you have to realize you have to move on as an athlete. I never accomplished everything I wanted to as a racer but it wasn’t because of lack of effort. Golf now is something that allows me to keep my competitive juices going. It’s such a hard sport and I get so much satisfaction playing well.

I recently played 54 holes of golf with Rickie Fowler and was a fan before we teed it up. Now I have huge admiration for him. Besides being top 5 in the world, the guy is just pure class.

CC:  Do you feel golfing helps your riding?  Why?

JP: No doubt golf has helped my riding and riding has helped my golf. Both sports you can really only control what you do, can’t control anyone else. Golf has taught me patience even though I don’t exude that trait very well sometimes.

My thanks to Jason taking his time out of his busy schedule to participate in this Q & A. He travels nonstop coaching and announcing, most of the time I had conversations with him while he was driving to yet another airport. He’s a trooper though and the consummate professional, he actually felt guilty that he was late in getting his answers back to me, yep that is the type of guy he is.

Jason Pridmore will be at the Ridge MotorSports Park June 27-28 for a special two day event. There are 3 groups that rotate throughout the day. Group 1 and 2 are track only groups, Group 3 is the special session with Jason Pridmore in the Classroom and on track. Group 1 and 2 are open to all makes and models of bikes and both men and women. Group 3 on the 27th is dedicated to women and the 28th to men. We have confirmed Caroline Olsen will be joining us as well as Corey Alexander. This is an event you won’t want to miss, there has never been this much talent on the track at one time in the PNW.  Save yourself time by signing up online and reserving your spot for this special event.  Look forward to seeing you out there for this amazing event and opportunity to meet and learn from some of the most talented riders this track has ever seen in one place at one time!

Who is RedSpade?

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RedspadepicWith the upcoming event on June 27-28 I thought it would be fun to interview a few people who are special guests so you could get to know them more personally. For our first installment, RedSpade, aka Anna Rigby, will be our subject. Jason Pridmore, our guest speaker and coach for the upcoming event, made the introduction and it only took a few minutes of speaking to Anna before I realized that JP associates himself with people very much like him. Anna is very sweet, centered and humble, which I find so refreshing in this sea of narcissism and social media. Let’s get to know Anna who will be RedSpade for the purposes of this blog. I want to thank Jason and Peter Bacon, Marketing Manager for Dainese, North America for supporting us and our mission to educate riders by providing events where riders can learn from the best coaches out there today. Anna and her husband, Steve will be at the Ridge on both dates, please don’t hesitate to come and say “hi”!

CC:  I first took notice of you when JP mentioned you and asked me to check out your Instagram under RedSpade.  What inspired that name?

RS: I wanted to come up with something unique, memorable and symbolic. The name “spade” comes from the Italian word “spade” or “sword” which often represents logical and rational thought cutting through uncertainty and falsehood. The spade is also usually the most powerful suite in a deck of cards and a sign of luck. I assigned the color red to it to make it one of a kind and unique. At the time I had fiery red hair so the color was symbolically a representation of a part of me. Later on for our logo the spade took on a shape of red and white rumble strips which specifically correlates to our company [RedSpade Racing].

CC:  I love it when company names carries a deep personal meaning, it reminds you why you do what you do and it shows in every decision you make, person you touch and keeps you driven.

CC:  I love the pictures you post how’d you get started in documenting your journey?

RS: I fell in love with the machines and the atmosphere of track life—which is really where I was officially exposed to motorcycles. After shooting a few local WERA races I realized that I was in love with the way guys piloted these machines and I really wanted to ride one myself (at the time I was only a passenger with my husband). Since my feed already consisted of motorcycle photography it was a natural progression that I started documenting my journey from my first MFS class onward.

CC:  You are the ambassador for Dainese/AGV, can you tell us how you got involved?

RS: Funny story actually—I’ve always been a fan of Dainese and their products. They always seemed to be the best quality and had the best designs. But when my husband crashed twice on the street and walked away safe and sound in his Dainese leathers I was sold. In general I posted a LOT about safety and proper motorcycle gear. 4 years ago when I started riding there weren’t as many gear choices for women as there are now. I remember reaching out to Dainese begging them to create something more for women and that many sizes weren’t readily available in the US. It wasn’t until 2 years ago that Dainese reached out to me and asked me to come on board as one of their brand ambassadors. They had told me they were watching me on social media for some time and simply liked how I represented the motorcycle community and the sport. I was floored, to be honest I still can’t believe I get to work with a company I believe in so much.

CC:  I still believe the choices are slim.  However Dainese was the first street gear I bought, loved and continued to add to because of how flattering it is for women.  In fact, my very first race suit was Dainese and it’s been crashed over and over and it’s scuffed up but it’s still in one piece!  It’s not as beautiful as it was, but I use that suit now as a rain day suit or loaner suit for gals who want to two up at track days.  I still think we need more choices with color and designs, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Wearing a small boot size, Dainese is the only boot manufacturer I can wear.   I wear a Dainese 6 (36), they fit amazing and while you can’t get the top of the line race protection, you can get pretty damn close with their boots.  I am sure there will be changes with the increase of women riders and their demand for better looking and fitting gear, ladies will make that known for sure!

CC:  When did you get introduced to riding?  What enticed you to ride?

RS: I guess that goes back to your previous question about me shooting photography. Racing was sparked my interest to ride really. I was super impressed with guys dragging their knee and getting low to the ground—that was like absolute black magic to me. At the time I was absolutely terrified and never thought I would get to experience it myself, but I dreamed of it. It wasn’t until I met a female racer that encouraged me to go take the MFS course and see if it was for me. Until then I hadn’t seen any females ride like that and I honestly didn’t even know it was possible. She single handedly convinced me to take the riding course and jump-started my journey.

CC:  That’s why I want women to see other women ride, not everyone started at a young age, many of us started much later.  We are all different, from our goals to our knowledge and understanding of riding, I want them to understand that persistence, practice and perseverance go a long way in helping them get confident and building their skill set.  We need to help encourage other gals and give them the tools they need to succeed at their goals.    

CC:  Who sparked your interest to ride and why?

RS: My husband Steve definitely was the key person to spark my interest. All the men in his family ride or rode at one point or another. Steve also rode dirt bikes and trails when I met him so there was always a history of two wheels with him. As a matter of fact, our first date was a story in itself—we ended up crashing and my right leg got all rashed up pretty bad. But that was over 16 years ago and who would have thought that 12 years later I would finally build up the courage to learn to ride myself.

CC:  It’s exciting to see an increase in women riders, what words of encouragement would you give them?

RS: This is still very much a male driven sport whether you’re just a casual street rider or aspiring track addict. Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t as fast, as skilled or as talented as others. Riding is a very personal skill that you develop on your own and within your physical and mental abilities. I learned this the hard way 2 years into my riding. I was so blinded by trying to be a better rider that I was beating myself up and struggling, I had lost the joy of riding because I was getting ahead of myself. All my riding friends and family had been riding for years and were quite skilled, I was and still am the slowest—I took this very personally. I had to re-evaluate what I wanted out of riding at that point and find my center again. Everything will come in due time as long as you keep working towards your goals, but don’t let your goals overwhelm and control you.

CC:  Couldn’t have said it better.  We are all competitive by nature, but this is very individual, treat it as such, once you start comparing yourself with others you lose sight of your goal.  We tell everyone to ride within your abilities and comfort zone, but that can be hard to do when you want so badly to be up front with the fast guys.  It’s not about only being fast, it’s about being fast safely and within your own mental and physical abilities.  We are all very different, stop comparing.

CC:  What do you currently ride?  What is your dream bike?

RS: right now I have 2 bikes—both 2008 cbr600rr. one is pretty much stock for street and the other is a race bike I bought from a  track coach—It’s loaded with goodies that makes my street bike jealous 😛

I’m not sure I have a dream bike really. I’m very practical which is why I own Hondas (they take a mean beating and still keep on going!) I would have to saw that for a practical bike I would love to own a new 636 Kawi—I really enjoyed it when I rode at the Start School and the electronics made it so easy to handle compared to my Honda. If I could have a money pit of a bike I’d definitely go for a looker like the Panigale!

CC:  OK, I have to confess I bought my dream bike, I love it and it’s only been on the track a few times (figured my luck would eventually run out there).  It’s the 848 EVO, I bought it the last year it was made knowing it was now or never.  It’s my go to street bike, twins are so much fun to ride on the street and when it looks equally beautiful, what could be better?  Italians know how to make things sexy and that bike is just that!

CC:  Do you ride on the track and on the street, which do enjoy more?

RS: I still ride both street and track, but I most definitely love the track to death. I feel safer and excited when I ride the track, at the same time it’s my meditation and truly the only time I feel alive. As for the street I tend to stick to country roads and mountains. I still struggle with tight curvy roads so I get a bit stressed out—I definitely don’t like riding around cars. I didn’t have this feeling when I started riding, the more track I do the more street unnerves me. There’s just too much that can go wrong and it’s all out of my hands.

CC:  What challenges as women do you feel we face as motorcyclists?

RS: To be honest I’ve always felt that riding a motorcycle was one of those things that either sex could do pretty damn well.  I gotta admit though that I get a mixed bag of responses from men when I pull my helmet off and I can’t always tell if they’re genuinely bewildered, intimidated or being condescending lol. Apparently even though I know so many ladies that ride, we’re still rather rare. I think we are still seen as feeble and weak which is a bit frustrating, although I understand that physically I will never be as strong as my husband or have the stamina. However I get to encounter some commentary on social media that is always making me question if certain people are still living in the 50s lol! I suppose this is true for any sport or profession these days though.

CC:  What do you feel about gear and safety?

RS: I definitely have a strong stance of motorcycle safety in general. I try to keep my opinions to myself these days but since you ask 😉 Nothing about riding a motorcycle is safe. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it, but it means that you should value your life, the life of your friends and family, and do everything in your power to ensure your safety. Basically I would like people to be mindful and responsible for themselves. I cringe when I see girls in leggings and sneakers on their bikes. I hear it all the time “I know what I’m doing, I know I can get hurt and I’ll deal with it when it happens.” Wrong. You won’t be the only one dealing with it—your family and friends will be the ones taking care of you. I look at it this way, if I can minimize my time in the hospital when I eventually crash, then why not? Accidents happen and it’s inevitable. Maybe I’m so adamant about this because of all the terrible accidents I’ve seen in the last 4 years of my riding—I ride mainly in the mountains and accidents there are extremely unforgiving. Many if them would have been much worse or fatal if there was no gear involved. And some of them were exceptionally tragic because the people involved weren’t geared up. Gear isn’t a save all, but in the end I just don’t want to have any “what ifs” or regrets.

CC:  I agree completely.  Ignorance is not bliss in this case.  My stance is if you choose to not gear up, you clearly haven’t crashed bad enough to think you are lucky to just walk away with minor bruises and scrapes.  Anybody that has crashed knows and won’t risk it.  You don’t necessarily need to be the one to make the mistake, but you are the one that will live with the repercussions.  It blows my mind people don’t ride with gloves, our instinct is to put our hands down to break a fall, why would you make that choice?

CC:  What’s your favorite motorcycle quote?

RS: Well that would have to be Marco Simoncelli’s “You live more for 5 minutes going fast on a bike than other people do in all of their life.” This speaks to me on a very personal level bc if it wasn’t for riding a motorcycle I wouldn’t be here in life and having so many wonderful experiences and meeting so many great people. I used to be extremely introverted and shy; riding helped me overcome many of my fears and taught me to believe in myself. Where I would normally say I can’t now I believe I can and am no longer afraid of failing and trying again 🙂

CC:  Great Quote!  Motorcycling is a wonderful community to be a part of, I have met the most interesting people and it has enriched my life greatly as well.  Thank you so much for taking the time and letting us get to know you better.  I look forward to meeting you in person at the June 27- 28 event!

Investing in yourself

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minimotogirlI wish someone had introduced me to motorcycles at this age, taken away all the mystery and fear associated with it and given me the ability to concentrate on strategy.  What a wonderful gift that would’ve been, but since this is real life and my parents were deathly afraid of my brother riding motorcycles, that meant an absolute no for me.  There is an inherent fear of motorcycles and the danger associated with them, when you get into a discussion with non-riders you find yourself almost defending why you ride, I had people go so far as to say I’m a terrible mother for wanting to put myself at risk.  It’s interesting that people have such strong opinions about riding.  For me and I believe for many of us that ride, it is our place of zen, somewhere where you can reconnect with yourself, have fun, feel the outside world whizzing by your face and through your body, it is completely visceral and centering.

minimotoboysSure riding is inherently dangerous, however just like any other sport, the more you practice and are coached, the more knowledgeable and more confident you become.  It is an investment in yourself.  As riders we invest in gear, exhausts, aftermarket stuff, but we don’t invest in us and the knowledge we need to possess to continue riding for a lifetime.  All that bling doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t ride it or are deathly afraid of it.  Better to save your money, learn to ride skillfully and then bling out your dream bike.  Let’s be honest, you will lay your bike down, you may lay it down a lot to start.  It will hurt like hell if you have put on all the bells and whistles and it gets totaled.  It may even keep you from continuing this amazing sport, so save your money for pimping out your bike in a savings account as a reward and invest in improving your skills.  If you don’t think you have anything to learn, try a class and find out, I believe you will be surprised.

jason-bioI’ve had the opportunity to travel and attend track schools, but I know for many this isn’t in their budget.  I always wished they would come up to our area and put these schools on, but to this day only one currently does and with a hefty price tag.  I started doing events to bring top level coaches and riders to our local track and give people the opportunity to experience the level of instruction that makes the difference.  I believe that to be the best you need to learn from the best in the business.  You may never reach their level, but you can always strive to be better every time, implement skills everyday and improve your riding every time you throw a leg over.  It is a fraction of the cost of traveling to a track school and for many this will be their first time on the track so we try to make this as accommodating and comfortable as we can so you can have an amazing day of learning.  Last year we had Ken Hill instructing and this year we have Jason Pridmore of Star Motorcycle School (currently commentating for beIn sports and MotoGP) for our two day event.  On June 27th there will be three sessions: Group 1 and 2 are co-ed and open to everyone in limited numbers and Group 3 is the special session with JP in the classroom and then on traccclogo72k (please see the event schedule for more details).  Group 3 for the 27th is a women’s session (which JP will love me for) so that we can provide an environment for gals who want to learn at their pace, no matter what level you are.  On June 28th, Group 1 and 2 are co-ed and limited numbers and the special session is for men.  Last year after putting on the event, I was approached by men asking if I would do one especially for them as well…you asked, I delivered.  Click on the CC Track Events on the home page for more information and to signup.  Spaces are limited so sign up and reserve your spot today.  If you have groups of people 5-10, please contact me directly at caroltcarpenter@motovixens.com.

We will have giveaways and this year we have Dunlop Tires (a set to give away each day), KFG has donated a few setups, Cycle gear is donating gift certificates and the list is growing each day.  There will also be demos available from dealerships (to be announced soon), JP will be doing two ups (get in line boys and girls, I get the first dance :D) as well as other world class riders he’s bringing to help you get the most out of your experience. JP will have a q & a during lunchtime open to everyone and then he and his boys will be riding as we spectate in the corners.   The catering will be done by Viet NomNom food truck and lunch will be provided for participants.  Snacks and water will be available, please bring anything you may need if you have dietary restrictions.  Also, don’t forget to bring fuel for your bike, sunscreen and warmer clothing for the morning and cooler gear for later.

Women’s Event and Track Day

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Rickdiculous-3For those who are savvy to track days, just skim to the section that applies to you, for those who are virgins to track days…let’s get you comfortable with the concept.  Track days typically are structured with three 20 minute sessions per hour distinguished by groups, a level 1 (novice), level 2 (intermediate) and level 3 (expert) or something of that nature to clarify which group you will ride in.  Most track days will limit their sessions to 40 people per session not including their marshals and instructors.  Marshals are individuals who ride the track to police traffic and help those riders who require assistance or go to a corner to help deal with a crash.  Instructors are assigned to students and are specifically there to help those individuals.  Instructors and Marshals wear different color vests (depending on the track day company) and are there for the customer’s safety.  If you see a person wearing an instructor vest, be aware that the student (who is also wearing a vest) will be either in front of or directly behind the instructor…do not try to pass in sketchy areas, try to complete a safe pass by both of them.  For this Event, we are doing two half hour sessions…that’s a whole 30 minutes on the track to warmup, get your groove on and then push your limits a little to really test your skills.  For those attending the track only session which is open to all riders, male or female on any bike, Mike Sullivan will be offering up private lessons so sign up at registration.  For both sessions, there will also be signups for 2 up rides, if you’ve never gone 2-up on the track, I highly recommend it.  It will open up your eyes to how late and hard you can brake and how quickly you can get on the gas.  This is open for male and females so please sign up in the hospitality tent as soon as possible.

For my Women’s event on August 13 at the Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA, we wanted to make this extra special, do what no one has done here before and provide an incredible experience for everyone involved.  We wanted to get the best riding coach out there to run the classroom and teach riders concepts and techniques the top riders use and apply that to their level of riding.  Having that solid foundation to build from and reference, as your skills and confidence increase, is invaluable.  We asked Ken Hill, currently coaching at Rickdiculous and Yamaha School of Champions, and he was thrilled to jump on board and bring his knowledge and teaching methods to us for this event.  His willingness to better the sport through education speaks volumes, his enthusiasm, charisma, understanding and wit make learning fun and easy.  The list of Ken’s clients include many top level riders today and I consider it an honor he would agree to come do a school for us gals up here, so you really need to jump on this unique opportunity.  Now to add icing to this already amazing cake, we asked Elena Myers to join us.  She is in her own right a very accomplished rider, but what people do not realize is how down to earth and sweet this gal is.  Not only is she inspirational, she is kind, not what you’d expect from someone who has accomplished so much in her life and at such a young age.  Ladies, you are in for a treat, she will be riding with you during your sessions on track while Ken will be at pit wall and signaling people in for drills to work on.  Elena and Ken will be working hand in hand while you are on track to help you get the most out of your day.  The classroom session will be 20-25 minutes and for those who would like to stay and ask questions, Ken will be available to do so while we are making the transition to the track at which time Ken will be in the hotpits eagle eyeing people to get them to work on a specific topic.  The half hour after lunch we’ve discussed bussing people to corners to watch Ken, Elena and some other racers come through and discussing what it looks like when you come in too early, too late, with too much lean angle, etc.  This allows a bird’s eye view of what you should be working on when entering and exiting those corners.  To sum up we will have 20-25 minutes of classroom time followed by 30 minutes on the track throughout the day.

The cost of this event has been a topic of discussion, so let me clarify, renting a track and hiring coaching out is expensive which is why most track companies rent a track, provide their own teachers, instructors and marshals (at no cost) and then fill them (or overfill them) to make money.  A normal track day consists of 120+ signed participants riding in one of the 3 sessions, we are offering 2 sessions with 60 people, a total of 30 per session.   This event and track day was designed to make your experience at the track, whether it is your first time or you are a track junkie, memorable.  Everything we can think of is being provided from top level coaches and riders to help with this day to catering, hospitality tent with snack and drinks, provided by WMST (Chris Johnson) and Allstate, dealerships and demos, prizes and giveaways.  Some of those prizes have a retail value of $200 (i.e. 2wheeldynoworks dyno, OPRT track day, Forma Boots, Spa treatments, etc) and there are loads of little giveaways sure to make you smile, including Cycle Wipes and a signed poster from Elena Myers for all sign ups.  Let’s talk about the 30 minute sessions vs. 20 minute sessions…you are getting just over two extra sessions this day than you would get in a normal 20 minute session track day (which BTW ranges from $190-$220 for just the track day to $255-$320 with instruction included).  Our pricing is competitive and designed to help us break even.  This allows us to hire those top level coaches which make this event completely one of a kind.  To top it off, both of these sessions are limited to 30 people per session…Maximum track time with minimal traffic.  Imagine how much you can learn with all that extra space and time to do it in?  For an additional $100 you will get top level coaching in the Women’s Event (as well as the following) and for the track only session additional track time, limited signups for more actual available track, VIP treatment, catering and memories to last a lifetime.  Jason Tanaka will be on hand to take pictures on and off the track which will be available after the event just visit his website at www.JasonTanaka.com.  In addition, Phil Melnyk of Premium Rush Pirelli will be in the pits if you need tires and KFG Racing will be there to setup your bikes.  You can not miss this event!   Sign up at www.MotoVixens.com/events, spaces are limited!

Thank you to all our sponsors for making this event possible!  Ducati Richmond/Pacific Powersports, I-90 Motorsports, Optimum Performance Rider Training, Triumph of Seattle, Paulson’s, South Sound Honda/South Bound Honda, South Sound Motorcycles, WMST, Kevin Gibboney – Allstate, 2 Wheel Dynoworks, Sena, Forma Boots, The Beauty Lab, KFG Racing, Jason Tanaka Photography, Cycle Gear, Premium Rush Pirelli, Cycle Wipes and Raci-Babi.

Track Days

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oprt_logo_full_newI was recently at the track more days of the week than not, not complaining at all, most people would kill to be in my position that is for sure.  I’m fortunate to be in a position that allows me a bit more freedom to schedule myself out and unless there is a project that I absolutely must do, I can make myself available to be at the track to fulfill my passion…helping others learn to ride.  I was recently at the Father’s Day track day with OPRT on Sunday and we had a full house, as usual, level 200 was full and people signed up for levels that were either above of below their skill set.  As the day progressed and people were shifted to their appropriate levels, things started to mellow out and everyone got in a groove.  I was teaching a student in level 200 and due to some technical difficulties I had to pull off, check my bike, then I jumped back on to find my student.  I came across a rider that looked a bit confused about the lines so I tried to block his inside so as not to have him spooked by passing riders, he tended to swoop a bit so I figured if someone tried to pass they would notice that, back off a bit and then choose a safer place to pass.  I must remind riders all the time, it is the passing riders responsibility to execute a safe pass, if you can not, just don’t do it.  It leads to bad consequences…as we saw on this day. [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3T7XbD8u-Y[/youtube] As we both entered turn 10 the rider behind us decided he wanted to pass so dropped back a bit and went to the right in hopes of getting a straight shot into 11, however as I previously mentioned the rider I was protecting would swoop, which is exactly what he did causing the rider who wanted to pass to panic and brake so hard he did an endo.  This led to a scattering of bikes and one rider behind to hit the rider that went down, all this was caught on a video that was posted on youtube and I later shared that on my timeline.  Never overtake someone until you watch them through a few turns, just understanding what they feel comfortable doing helps you make a judgement call as to when it is safe to pass.  All in all, the rider looked ok and he rode off the track 2up with a Marshal.

The next day was a track day for South Sound Honda and I rode around the first few sessions to get warmed up then noticed some gals that could use some help.  I came across a gal named Julie and helped tow her around a bit to get her to follow my lines and she did awesome.  Next session I found a young gal named Sienna, who was pitted with her father and boyfriend and asked if they wouldn’t mind if I took her around a bit?  She was on a CBR250 and she was new to the race track, but had been on dirt tracks most of her life.  We did a few sessions together getting her used to riding a race track and trying to teach her to the lines to help her acclimate getting her track legs.  I then went back to Julie and we hopped on and we were planning on doing a few lead and follow laps, first I let her lead to see if she was paying attention, then I got in front and led.  During this session I was hit as a rider tried to come on the inside of turn 12 and as I was leaning over felt my bike start to slide, then as I was accelerating out, I felt a big clunk.  I was unaware I had been hit and the rider that hit me had high sided, until I heard the scraping of metal behind me, I shook my head and motioned back to Julie to follow me as we would go for another lap.  When we came around we saw the rider was ok, but there was fluid on the track so they motioned us to one side and we got up a hand to exit the track.  This was Julie’s first time on the track and she was stunned to have witnessed the crash, but saw that despite being hit you can still stay upright and continue on.  A great lesson that could never have been described, but only witnessed.  Upon entering my pit, I told my boyfriend, who is hard of hearing, I was hit.  He said, “I know someone high sided and crashed.”  At which time I repeated a little louder, “No, I was hit honey.”  “Oh” was his reply as I got off the bike, “Are you OK?”  Yup all good and then we looked at the bike where we saw that he had hit me, his bike flipped and his handlebar came down on my passenger cowl and took a chunk of paint and scraped the tail section as is came down.  That explained that clunk I felt.  The guy that crashed seemed fine and the only thing he was upset about was telling his wife.

Track days are fun, they are for learning and pushing your limits a bit to see what your bike can do.  Bear in mind, you will never be able to outride your bike’s capabilities, so don’t try, everything in baby steps.  The track is a safe controlled environment consisting of the same corners lap after lap for you to try to perfect your entry and exit speed, your lines, gear selection, braking, reference points, etc.  If your goal is to drag a knee or get faster, you are that guy that will either end up crashing or causing a crash.  Getting faster is about practice, not just practice, but repeated perfect practice.  You are never going to be perfect, but you can get close once in a while and that is what will bring you back, that pursuit of perfection.  Everything is a byproduct of the last, in getting more skilled, smoother, faster, you will naturally drag a knee or a knee and elbow, but that shouldn’t be your goal as it can lead to dire consequences.  All the skills you acquire at the track directly translate to the street, but at a different speed and with far more obstacles to be worried about.  Vision, which is learned at the track, helps a great deal with this as well as reference points, the speed you must acquire information is much faster at the track and once you’ve gotten acclimated it is amazing how slow things happen on the street.  It gives you the ability to troubleshoot and create escape routes just in case.  You will find that your mind works quicker and your ability to predict obstacles or accidents is heightened after you start making track days part of your life.  Track days can be an incredible learning experience, a place to hone your skills, a place to release stress, ride at ridiculous speeds without getting a ticket, being part of a community and push your limits in a safe environment.  While my last two track days saw some crazy things, the benefits far outweigh the risks.  You will learn more that you’ve ever imagined and you’ll end the day hot, sweaty and feeling completely drained, but it will be with a gigantic smile on your face.

How much cardio do you need?

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360_running_joints_1209I once was asked how physically demanding is riding a motorcycle?  Well, I guess that all depends on your skill and how you ride. The elite of the sport are in amazing physical condition because to perform at that level it gives them a significant edge.  If you are just a leisurely rider, it doesn’t require much energy, however, if you are racing around a track at mind boggling speeds your body and mind need to be in tip top shape.  This begs the question then:  “How much cardio should I do?”

If you just want to be fit then 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise a week.  That’s what is required to improve your cholesterol, blood sugar and resting heart rate to lower your risk of dying from heart disease by 60%.  If you are looking to lose weight then it is all about the extra cardio.  Sorry gals!  If you want to lose more than 5 pounds that means doing at least 45 minutes of vigorous cardio five days a week and women who keep the weight off typically do a full 60 minutes of moderate intensity cardio a day.  Can’t fit in a block of time?  Interval training (alternating high-intensity with low-intensity) works at burning more fat than a longer workout at a steady pace.  Try doing three 25 minute sessions of intervals a week: that way your workouts are long enough to give you those heart-health benefits.

If you want to tone up and build shapely muscles then doing separate cardio and resistance-training sessions will help you achieve your goals.  Yes, it’s time consuming and in the age of instant gratification, doesn’t sound so appealing.  If you are diligent though you will get those toned, sexy muscles in no time.  As with everything else, there is a catch… people who are most successful toning use weights, not just body weight exercises, and they push themselves to the max.  If you want to be fit, lose weight and tone up then you need to change up your routine and keep your body guessing.  This will yield you the best results in a minimum amount of time.

Jump start that sexy body ladies and shake it up.  With all the different ways to exercise it can be fun, grab friends and do a class, put on the tunes and take your favorite four legged friend out for a brisk jog or run, etc.  Get fit because it isn’t just good for your body, it’s great for your state of mind too.

Vixens Ride!