In 1987 a friend suggested we ride to Alaska. Lee and I had ridden a lot of miles together two up, but I wasn’t sure about riding on the back on bad roads and decided it would be better to have my own bike. I had a motorcycle license, but only a couple hundred miles of motorcycle experience. Early spring 1988 I bought a new leftover 1987 K 75 T. I managed to get in 6,000 or so miles in before summer. Our trip was five and a half weeks and 10,000 miles and my total for the year was around 20,000 miles.

I never kept track of how many states I rode on my own bike. Riding solo and two-up, I've been to 49 US states and six Canadian provinces.

During the first 25 years we were married, we would take three-week trips and camp most of the time. These were big loop trips like Californian Coast or New England states. After that we started staying in motels and our trips were a little shorter, averaging two weeks.

Lee belongs to several forums and several times a year we meet with other forum members in different states and do day rides for three or four days in the area. These are motel rallies and the trips last one to two weeks. Almost all of our miles are together on trips. We rarely ride local.

I have owned the following bikes:

• 1987 K 75 T
• 1991 K 75 S
• 2003 K 1200 RS
• 2011 K 1300 S
• 2016 R 1200 RS - my current bike

I put the most miles on the K 75 S (87,150) and K 1200 RS (84,250).

If you see a matching pair of Lupin Blue R 1200 RSes, stop and say hi to myself and Lee.

Day Eight was the final day of the 2020 GS Trophy Oceania. Morning came and riders were exhausted. Seven days of riding, the previous three incredibly difficult and long, were making it harder to be up and ready to go before sunrise. The last day was short, with only 265 kilometers to ride.

International Female Team II and Team Japan hit the road together, and though there would not be a Special Stage until later in the day, the first surprise of the day came when the marshal stopped his teams and informed them they would be riding without their engines on.

The road into Arrowtown soon turned into a hiking trail, the Trophy riders having special permission to ride the technical, narrow "road." The only restriction was it would have to be done silently, with no engine noise at all. For the next couple of kilometers down into town, riders cut their engines and more than 100 F 850 GSes quietly coasted downhill. It was an odd feeling at first, but eventually there was something serene, almost zen-like, about dozens of bikes negotiating around ruts and rocks, single-file down the trail, in complete silence.

At the bottom of the trail, a traffic jam ensued as riders appoached the first river crossing of the day. The river was about 15 meters (50 feet) or so across, and not terribly deep, but it was rocky-bottomed with a fast current. It proved to be a difficult crossing for some riders, but IFT II had no problems. That was just the first of 27 water crossings for the day.

Just outside of Arrowtown, heading towards Queenstown, riders entered a valley on a road with large signs stating "four-wheel drive only." The next beautiful stretch of road criss-crossed rivers flowing down from the mountains on each side of the valley. In turns it was beautiful two-track, with large loose gravel, embedded rock, baby-head rollers, sand, mud and water. Jeeps, Land Rovers and FJ Cruisers were out in force, making the whole place seem like the Colorado high country during summer.

Once through the most difficult of the river crossings on that road, riders came to their first Special Stage of the day. It was a two-up jerry can challenge. One team member rode while a second rode pillion while carrying 10-liter (2.6 gallons) jerry cans filled with water. Beginning close to the road at the start gate, the rider had to negotiate a grassy road that turned into a single track loop at the far end. Once all the way around the loop, the pillion rider handed one jerry can to the third team member while taking the other. Those two team members had to run across the river, then alongside it until they made it back to the start gate, where the rider and bike met them.

The goal was to have all three team members, two jerry cans, and one motorcycle back at the gate to stop the time. A dropped bike was a DNF, but that was no problem for Lisa Taylor (USA), who was the pilot, with Andrea Box (AUS) as pillion carrying the cans. Andrea handed off one can to Klara Finkele (IRL), who slipped down the bank into the river. Andrea was right behind her as Lisa took off on the bike. The two women ran for the end, but it was a long, hard slog. As soon as Lisa got the bike back to the start, she jumped off and ran to take the can from Klara. IFT II was not the fastest, but they completed the course and came out ahead of several other teams.

Directly out of the Special Stage area was another water crossing followed by a long, steep, loose rocky hill. More riding through the valley, more water crossings and wet boots, more spectacular views, and a few more sheep rounded out the afternoon. Riders came into Queenstown and immediately headed up a ski hill for the second Special Stage of the day - the final Special Stage of the competition. They saw cones laid out and a hill climb. This would be a technical riding challenge, and one that was worth double points.

The special would have a LeMans start, with each rider in turn running to their bike, starting it and taking off through gates, negotiating up a hill followed by a wall climb, weaving through a tight slalom, then bombing back to the finish box, where they high-fived the next rider to get them started.

Time penalties were given for dabs, dropped bikes, missed cones, etc. and the fastest time won. Team journalists were allowed to be on the course to pick up bikes or help on the hill and wall. BMW MOA member Lisa Taylor had an almost perfect run until she dropped the bike on the final cone of the tight slalom. Andrea and Klara each got stuck at the top of the wall climb and got some assistance.

After completing their run, the team stayed to watch a few other teams before riding back down the mountain into town to say good-bye to their bikes. The bikes stayed at a warehouse, where they will be cleaned up, repaired if necessary and sent out on the Follow The Trail tours happening over the next two months.

Teams were shuttled back up the ski hill, where they would camp for the night and have closing ceremonies looking out over Queenstown. Riders showered, food and drink were served, and the scoring and closing ceremonies began. International Female Team II knew they would be finishing at the bottom, but that didn’t matter a bit. They had already won just by qualifying to be there, representing their countries and competing alongside riders from all over the world.

Each rider was given their windscreen with their number on as a memento of the event. Team South Africa was the big winner again, making it three GS Trophies for SA. Everyone involved cheered and applauded the winners, then proceeded to hug, give out gifts, ask to have T-shirts and helmets signed and enjoy each other’s company. A live band played well into the early morning hours as the incredible adventure came to an end.

The next morning would see most participants leaving in groups, saying goodbye but knowing they had new friends to last forever. Flights out of Queenstown gave a perfect bird’s-eye view of the beautiful country newly discovered by so many. As people make their way home, having accomplished something pretty great, they all had one question on their minds: Where will the 2022 International GS Trophy competition be?

The 2020 GS Trophy has completed seven of its eight days of competition and the riders are still loving every minute of it. The morning dawned with pink and lavender skies in the middle of the South Island over Lake Tekapo. Riders rolled out beginning at 7:00 a.m. once again, headed straight for their first challenge about 20 kilometers away. International Female Team II rode with Team Middle East today and had a great time with a team that was all for having fun all day long.

The morning’s challenge took place in a natural half-pipe right off the road. Each rider had to drop in and ride a slalom course, including up the steep loose sides of the half-pipe, complete a left-hand full circle in loose soil, then come to a stop in a box, bike running, left hand in the air. As soon as the hand went up the next rider could begin. The score would be based overall time, but riders were not allowed to miss a cone or drop a bike.

International Female Team II did a fantastic job. All three women rode steadily and got through the course cleanly. They were not the fastest, but unlike other teams, they did not drop a bike or get themselves stuck in the loose, off-camber turn.

MOA members Lisa Taylor (left) and Louise Powers.

Riders took off from the half-pipe for a 360 kilometer day. Much of it was gravel roads over three mountain passes with beautiful views of New Zealand's countryside. The final part of the day involved riding Thompson’s Gorge, a beautiful, exposed and steep two-track leading to the second Special Stage of the day.

The challenge at the top of the windy pass was to bump start an F 850 GS in the space of about ten meters (about 32 feet in American). If the team failed the first time, they could haul the bike back up and try again, but they only had one minute to complete the task. BMW MOA member Lisa Taylor rode, while Andrea Box (AUS) and Klara Finkele (IRL) pushed. They used their whole space and got some momentum going. With the bike in a high gear, Lisa gave it a good bounce and popped the clutch. The engine turned over, but only briefly. The rules stated the bike had to start and stay running, so the girls pulled the bike back up and gave it another go. Sadly, they were unable to get it started.

Failing to bump-start the bike did not deter them from enjoying the rest of the ride through the gorge, including multiple water crossings, lots of rocks and some soft sand. It was a bit late in the day when they rolled into camp, the last teams to arrive at a campground above Lake Wanaka. This lake is famous for its tree that grows up right out of the middle of the lake. It's worth your Google time to see the many beautiful photos taken during the 2020 GS Trophy. You can also visit gstrophy.com and vote for your favorites.

When officials announced the day's scores, IFT II gained only three points on the first challenge and eight on the second. They finished out the day with a total of 109 points. Tomorrow is the final day of the GS Trophy. Word is we will have some good terrain and some incredible water crossings. All points earned in special challenges are doubled tomorrow! Stay tuned for the final scores and photos of the wrap up.

Day five of the 2020 GS Trophy started off at a much more reasonable time than the previous day, but it would prove to be far more of a challenge. Riders set off beginning at 7:00 a.m. and were off-road and climbing within a few short kilometers.

GS riders from the States would say the passes today were very similar to those of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Think steep, winding, loose and rocky. There were a few extra challenges thrown in such as small water crossings and traffic jams as riders struggled to get up rocky steps or keep their bikes on the track.

International Female team II rode with Argentina today, and the women did extraordinarily well on the trails. At the top of the first pass, they encountered the first of the two Special Stages of the day. The first stage was the Emirates Challenge. Riders had to ride a steep, loose course while looking out for someone holding a plane ticket with a seat assignment. Lisa Taylor had a clean run on the course. Klara Finkele of Ireland went second, and struggled with a few bike drops; Lisa helped her up and along. The final rider was Andrea Box of Australia, and she had a clean run also. Unfortunately, this challenge had a time limit of four minutes for all three riders, and the women went over time. We would have to wait until the evening’s scoring to find out if they were awarded any points for the Stage.

After that challenge, riders headed over a second pass to their lunch stop. The most difficult part of the ride was over with at this point, and the afternoon had relaxed, sweeping gravel roads through forest and farms and 150 kilometers of beautiful, scenic twisty pavement.

During the course of the day, IFT II and Argentina picked up IFT I, consisting of Claire Bichard (FRA), Nikki van der Spek (NLD), and Isabela Lodono Rivas (COL), and they all reached camp in time to set up tents and head to their second challenge of the day.

The second Special Stage of the day was the Rab Challenge. One of the 2020 GS Trophy supporters, Rab, donated tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads and functional clothing for all participants. This challenge had riders in a relay. Each member of the team had to run from the beach to the campground and find a tent set up with a sleeping bag lying in front of the vestibule. They had to pull the sleeping bag out of the compression sack, unfurl it into the tent, remove their boots and climb in. Then they needed to zip themselves in and promptly reverse the whole process, including returning the sleeping bag to the compression sack and running back to the beach.

The women all had showers and dinner, and headed down to a bonfire on the beach, where a stage had been set to reveal the day’s scoring. High on the cliff over the beach, “Make Life A Ride” shown brightly against the rock and the riders all congratulated each other on their fantastic day of riding.

IFT II received three points for the Emirates Challenge, despite going over time, and another three for the Rab Challenge. Despite only being awarded six points on the day, the women smiled, cheered for their team and are hoping to make up for it with the day's photo challenge.

Tomorrow brings 440 kilometers, approximately 80 kilometers more than today. Riders will see more of beautiful New Zealand and try to win more points in the Special Stages. Come back and find out how they do! Remember to cheer on our BMW MOA riders in this year’s GS Trophy Challenge!

How do you get 140 motorcycles, 200 people and support vehicles onto a ferry in one go? Pretty quickly, it turns out. Everyone was ready to go and waiting for the ferry team to send bikes where they belonged. Marshals had tie-down straps and each rider secured their own bike, teammates helping out as needed.

IFT II's Andrea Box (AUS) takes advantage of the ferry ride between New Zealand's North and South Islands to get a little extra rest.

The passage was relatively smooth, but with a twist. Riders had one Special Stage once everyone was loaded and before the ferry pulled away — literally a test. Riders had to take a quiz on the history of the GS motorcycle. Officials kept the quiz scores secret until the end of the day.

For the remainder of the passage, riders relaxed. Some napped, some watched scenery and many chatted with their friends both old and new. When the announcement came for disembarkation, everyone was geared up and ready. Once off the ship, everyone was ready to get back on the bikes. A quick stop in town for a coffee and some quick souvenirs like kiwis and possum socks, and the riders enjoyed a beautiful, twisty pavement ride along the coast to the campground they would call home for the evening.

IFT II on the ferry between the islands - Louise in the foreground, then Lisa, Klara and Andrea in the distance.

The campground is nestled along a beautiful river, perfect for a quick dip to rinse away the warm day. Before anyone could hop in, they had to complete two Special Stages. IFT II were first to participate in the navigation challenge; they got a nav unit and coordinates. The objective: plug the coordinate into the Nav IV, run to the location given to find a second Nav IV. The second unit had coordinates in it, and the competitors needed to transfer those coordinates to the unit they had and run back to the start. It was a timed event, and IFT II came away with a finish time just over eight minutes.

Once finished, the women set up camp and were sent off to the second Special Stage. In this event, they had to remove the rear wheel from one of the fleet bikes, run around the bike with the wheel and put the wheel back on. Once on, the brakes needed to be pumped and chain tension needed to be checked to make sure the bike was ready to be ridden. Six teams worked on bikes at a time, and they were given 15 minutes to complete the task.

This is the new vote photo - head over to gstrophy.com and vote for this photo to score some points for IFT II!

The women had the wheel off quickly, ran around the bike, and set off to put it back together. After some struggling, they had the wheel back on and the axle nut tightened. Brakes pumped, hand in the air, they realized they didn’t have a great time but were quickly assured they had done better than many. After some celebration, the women headed off to create their next photo for public voting. It will be up tomorrow for you to vote - don’t miss it! - vote early and often at www.gstrophy.com.

Scoring took place after a quick dinner. IFT II earned 16 points in three Special Stages, putting them at 52 points but still in 22nd place. With half the competition left to go, they are ready for the challenge and more beautiful scenery along with the riding!

The first challenge took place on the beach right along the eastern coast of the North Island. In this part of the beach, deep gravel is abundant and teams had to drag, pull, and push a dead bike through an off-camber, uneven, hilly cones course. This was a timed event with few rules. Teams just had to get through each of the gates and not knock over cones.

IFT II had Klara and Andrea pulling the bike using tow straps wrapped through the engine guards, while Lisa pushed and steered. They were given the three-two-one-go and started off, Andrea’s strap immediately giving way and tossing her to the ground. Klara and Lisa continued on while Andrea quickly recovered and got back to it. The rest of the run was clean and the women made it through in 60 seconds.

After a quick ride through some countryside and back to the coast, Trophy participants found themselves entering a beach and doing what most of them have only dreamed of doing - cruising along the coast, playing in sand and the salt spray of the waves.

Another quick hop on gravel roads though sheep farms and small villages brought the riders back to the beach for lunch and the second Special Stage. Teams had to choose one rider to in the sand straight down to a pair of flags, crossing behind them, then making it back to a box to stop, kill the engine, and throw hands in the air. The rider would have only one minute to complete this challenge.

Go to www.gstrophy.com and vote for this photo to score some points for IFT II! You can vote from each device you have, so vote often!

The women had been asked by the marshal to choose a member of the team to ride this Special Stage without knowing what it would be, even before they set off for the day. Andrea was the choice; she took off down the straightaway, made the turn around the first flag, and as she reached the second flag, she slid into the sand. Teammates Lisa and Klara, along with journalist Louise, ran to help her right the bike, which she had nearly up by the time they got to her. She took off, made it to the box, and finished dead bike, hands thrown in the air with time to spare.

After more kilometers of gravel roads and a couple of stunning stops on cliffs high above the waves, the tired riders rolled straight into dinner. After they tossed down some dinner and dessert of Pavlova - which Kiwis claim was invented in New Zealand - tents were erected and the GS Trophy participants enjoyed a sheep shearing demonstration in the barn where dinner was presented that evening.

just before riders were ready to fall off their feet from exhaustion, officials announced the day's scores. Though the women performed well, they gained only a couple of points for each Special Stage, and they found themselves in 22nd place. They now have nowhere to go but up, and you can help!

Day 2 was a special day, not only because of the opportunity to ride a beach in New Zealand, but it is also photo contest day! Here on the beach, IFT II posed for a picture they hope you all will love. If you love it enough, and vote for it, they will receive points that go towards their total for the competition. Make sure you go to www.gstrophy.com and vote for your favorite photo - the one for IFT II is just a little above, right there - LOOK AT IT! VOTE! That is the ONLY WAY competitors can receive points! You can like the pics on social media all you want, and the women will see and love that, but votes only count on the website! Remember, you can vote from each device you have, so drag out your laptop, phone, and tablet, and vote on your desktop at work, too!

Follow the action in real time (New Zealand time!) on Instagram (@AGirlOnAMotorbike, @GSTrophyTeamUSA), Facebook (GS Trophy International Female Team II, 2020 GS Trophy Team USA), and on the web at the GS Trophy website and the Women of the MOA blog.

One particular section of gravel road took riders over a mountain pass, but about halfway through they encountered their first Special Stage of the day. Excitement and nervous energy were high as the riders lined up to find out what they would tackle. Team journalists parked to the side, but were told to join their teams to hear what the challenge would entail. Riders were to cross a small river, ride the rocky shore on the opposite side from where they started, then cross back and do a small hill climb on loose ground. As soon as the first rider finished their run, the next rider could begin. As soon as that rider was done, the third could begin. All riders had to be across the finish line in four minutes, with points deducted for dabs and drops, as well as asking for help should it be needed.

International Female Team II started with Lisa, followed by Klara, and Andrea rode the final leg. Team journalist Louise Powers was available to help, should any rider need it. Each woman rode spectacularly, and each woman dropped her bike in one spot. The team quickly worked together to right bikes and send their teammates on!

Sixty more kilometers saw the riders reach their lunch stop and their next Special Stage. This was the Sena Challenge. One rider would ride and one rider would guide, using their new Sena 50R communication device. The rider would ride a short cones course, going through three gates and on to the finish. They could not drop the bike, they could not miss a gate, and they could not knock over a cone.

This seems simple enough until you recognize the reason for the comm system - the rider on the bike was blindfolded! They had to make it through the whole course without being able to see. After watching two teams miss out on points because of dabs and downed cones, Andrea guided Lisa through without a drop, a dab, or a knocked-over cone! Time would tell how their approach to this challenge would have them placed, and the team, along with Team India, moved on to lunch.

Following lunch, the teams finished out the day’s ride, rolling into camp in time to pitch tents and run to dinner. With little time to clean up, each team presented itself to all the others. Given two minutes per team to do so, some teams sang, some danced, some taught the whole crowd traditional dances or phrases from home. IFT II created a game show, searching for the perfect riding machine for each of the three women. The Trophy participants and staff went crazy for the women’s antics, and at the end of the presentations, it was time for scoring!

Each team crowded in close as officials announced the day's points for the two Special Stages. IFT II received zero points for the first challenge since they did not finish within time. They finished with nine points in the second challenge, and those points ranked them 21st out of 22 teams for the night. There is a lot of Trophy Challenge left to go, and they are hoping to move that spot up and up over the course of the next week. We know each of the teams are winners as they spend eight days riding through beautiful New Zealand, but check back for each day’s scores and Special Stages and to cheer our MOA member on!

Follow the action in real time (New Zealand time!) on Instagram (@AGirlOnAMotorbike, @GSTrophyTeamUSA), Facebook (GS Trophy International Female Team II, 2020 GS Trophy Team USA), and on the web at the GS Trophy website and the Women of the MOA blog.

With the exception of the Australian team, arriving here has been a matter of long haul flights for all participants so there’s been the matter of coming to terms with jet lag. Then they have to manage event registration, taking possession of the BMW F 850 GS motorcycles, adjusting the bikes to their personal needs, and then to embrace New Zealand life. The indigenous Maori people treated the riders to an introduction to New Zealand culture, including the world-famous haka, a traditional challenge to newcomers.

This year there are 22 teams from 25 nations competing. As in Mongolia in 2018, the competition includes two teams of female riders, all of whom are extremely keen to join the GS Trophy brother- and sisterhood. The teams from the Netherlands, Malaysia, North Africa and the Middle East are all first-time entrants and their finalists are naturally excited by what lies ahead – the road (using the term loosely) less travelled.

What lies ahead is eight days and around 2,400 kilometers of adventure riding traversing both the North and South Islands. Some 60% of the route will be off-road, the remaining 40%, while sealed, will look much like European alpine roads. New Zealand is a country of barely five million people, and most of those are concentrated in the urban centers. The quiet roads scattered across the country lead through incredible landscapes, nearly always hilly and often mountainous.

The route starts in Rotorua, close to the center of the North Island in an area of active volcanic activity. It will end in the alpine ski-resort of Queenstown deep in the South Island. Along the way participants will enjoy the nature and culture of these remote islands while facing the competition’s challenges, including riding skills, machine knowledge and wilderness understanding. As always with the GS Trophy, the riders have to expect the unexpected at all times

Chris Zimmerman is the course director; he said, "New Zealand is the perfect off-road destination, it’s not only about the roads and trails, but the people here, with everyone you meet, you discuss the off-road riding and they love it. You see it in their eyes. Everyone here is so supportive. We have a great route awaiting and as ever we have that unique GS trophy mix of riding and special stages, it’s going to be a brilliant ride."

Overall director of the International GS Trophy is Ralf Rodepeter; he is also head of brand and product at BMW Motorrad. Not only is Rodepeter delighted with the venue and format of this year’s competition, he said, "I love the GS Trophy, it’s a wonderful ride and so much fun, but what I like most is seeing the people connect. Every day the teams are mixed so they ride every time with new nationalities and they’ll have an adventurous experience together, which creates this bond and understanding.

"Bringing in teams from North Africa and the Middle East this year is especially exciting, so we can honestly say we have riders from all over the world and all walks of life. And this is the spirit of the GS, bringing diverse peoples and cultures together, learning about each other and discovering and enjoying the nature, playing and adventuring. All this is set in this most beautiful of countries – I know I’m looking forward to this as much as the participants!"

The 2020 GS Trophy kicks off tomorrow morning. Check back each day for updates on the teams, and follow closely as BMWMOA member Lisa Taylor takes on its challenges!

Kittens allowed to wander the maze on their own, however, quickly learned the route. It was a study on passive versus active learning and I, flush with excitement after my first solo ride, used it as an analogy about moving from simply following my husband on his bike, or riding behind him 2-up, to navigating on my own….and thus becoming a true “active learner” in control of my ride. Over the next several decades I put nearly 40,000 miles on my R80.

Flash forward 30 years and a new purchase in our family: a beautiful BMW R1250 RT. We immediately planned a trip to several National Parks in Oregon and California. Not relishing the idea of navigating California freeways, I agreed – with mixed emotion – to ride 2-up for this trip and left my R80 in the garage. Frankly, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel being “back up and behind”. Was I giving up my control, “my” ride? Should I feel embarrassed, sad? But the trip was a revelation.

I experienced many of the same sensations as when on my own bike…the same tugging wind, the same smells of the countryside, the same chills or heat as we changed elevations, the same thrill of being exposed to all the elements versus sealed off in a 4-wheeled transport. But in addition, riding behind, I could gaze longer at the passing scenery, twist around in my seat to see a roadside attraction, stare up and identify passing birds.

True, I was no longer in control of my ride. But was I a passive rider? No, I don’t believe so. I was able to study the road ahead, forecast the line and acceleration of tight curves, anticipate jolts from bumps, recognize a tight passing window and adjust my posture accordingly. I was still actively involved in the ride. Does this make me uniquely qualified to be a good passenger? No, by no means. But I do think my decades of solo riding has made me a more knowledgeable and aware-of -the -road passenger.

I still believe my R80 and I have a few more adventures left. However, as the saying goes, to everything there is a season. And if I’m entering the season of being back up and behind, I think I’m okay with that. After all, it is still a 2-wheeled adventure and I’m going to enjoy the ride.

As a side-note, we enjoyed the first 2-up trip so much that a few weeks later we rode to southern Alaska from our Washington home. We both love the ride, together.

I often hear negative comments about these adventures from both riding and non-riding friends. I’m told about the cat fights, drama, crying and being asked what happens if your bike breaks down - and these are just the things I can repeat here!

Below are touchpoints and recommendations for planning a trip I use for my ladies-only trips, but I’m pretty sure most of these will relate to any group road trips.

LEADERSHIP: A group needs someone to be in charge. The leader should not be bossy, but plan the routes, ensure everyone is hydrated and take on other mundane tasks of organizing a ride, be it four hours or four weeks. Someone needs to have the overall plan and be prepared to lead the ride because, in truth, most people don’t want to lead a ride. They just want to ride. Discuss this in advance so everyone has a part in the route planning and there are no surprises 10 days down the road. (Remember - surprises will always happen.)

COMMUNICATE with the group. Before the trip begins, ensure everyone knows the destinations, duration, approximate hotel nights and estimated costs. I find sending the route out in advance with my best estimates of where and when we will be at a destination is a good starting point. It won’t be enough once you are on the road. The group wants to know the night before where you are going, what time is KSU and what the overall goal for the day may be. Doesn’t sound difficult, but seven days into a trip the group leader might start getting sloppy with this. You have to let people know what the game plan is and communication is key.

EXPECT PROBLEMS: Things happen that will mess up your plans. On my most recent trip we had one dead battery, two bikes requiring trips to the mechanic for codes, multiple weather delays from storms, wind and heat, food poisoning and altitude sickness. All of these issues required me to make changes to the plan in the middle of the trip. Of course, back to communication, you have to talk with everyone and get input, but ultimately the group leader needs to make a decision.

MEDICAL: Be prepared with how you will deal with illness. For example, our food poisoning victim told us to go ahead and she would meet us on the road the next day. If someone is sick, will you hold up your trip or leave them behind? Sounds harsh, but it’s the reality when six people are traveling on their only two weeks off all year. By the way, we didn’t leave her behind. The dead battery on a Sunday in Dodge City, Kansas, gave the food poisoning time to ease.

If you have a chronic health condition make sure people know. Diabetics need to let the group leader know their requirements for meals, rest and other considerations. If the planned route takes you to 14,000 feet but you suffer from altitude sickness at 6,000 feet, let the group know. Are you allergic to bee stings? You leader needs to know where your Epi Pen is. Make sure you have all your medication with you along with drugs like anti-nausea, anti-histamines, pain killers and all of your prescriptions. Only you know what you may need. Bring it!

MECHANICAL: Have your owners’ manual with you on the bike or an electronic version on your phone. Know some basic things about your bike, like where is the battery, recommended air pressure in your tires, how many miles to a tank of gas. If you have had a problem with your bike, make sure you’ve addressed it before a road trip.

TOOLS: Have a set of tools for your bike on your bike. I have a BMW that’s all metric. Those tools aren’t much good for a Harley. Consider having an air gauge and a pump in the saddlebag. We’ve all heard of the air pump at the gas station that doesn’t work - or even worse, lowers the PSI in your tires.

LODGING: I never make reservations in advance unless it’s for a multi-night stay. Too many times my planned route has been altered due to weather or some other unexpected delay. Each travel day during the lunch stop I look to see how much farther the group can expect to ride and we discuss where we will stop. I’ve never had a problem getting a room, even during busy holiday times. But make sure your group agrees on the type of lodging. Some folks are fine at a Motel 6 but others need something fancier. Discuss this in advance.

MONEY: Everyone pays their share. I’ve never had a problem with this but we’ve always agreed in advance how we will repay someone. Will you split each night in a hotel? Will you PayPal someone daily? Talk about this so that everyone knows how money will be handled.

EXPECTATIONS: You can expect that everyone wants a fun, safe trip, but don’t expect that to happen without some bumps. Be flexible and resilient. At the end of the trip people will remember the beautiful vistas, the epic roads and the lifelong friendships forged on the road.

I hope these recommendations help to dispel some myths and misperceptions and inspire riders to hit the road on a glorious adventure. My road trip with my girlfriends is time cherished. Thanks to the time we spend planning before our trips, I can’t wait until our next one.

I'm his mother, so of course I had concerns. On the other hand, since he was three, we could see the writing on the wall and shortly after this third birthday, we removed the training wheels from his bicycle. They were interfering with his ability to ride.

A few years later, when he was about 11, we caught him in the barn with one of the old dirt bikes. Knowing he wasn’t allowed to sit our motorcycles until his feet could touch the ground, he’d taken the situation into his own hands. Tools, bolts and both shocks were strewn about on the floor as he worked to fit flat, short pieces of metal he had fabricated himself onto the original shock fittings. His idea was to shorten the distance between seat and wheels, and hopefully drop the bike's height to the required inseam status. Though we appreciated his determination and ingenuity, he was told to remove his modifications.

Because his dad rides dirt bikes for fun and a street bike whenever he can, there was no getting around it. Our son had the fever. Being the parent more worried about the potential dangers of letting our son ride a two-wheeled motorized machine, I debated my options.

I could divorce my husband and forbid the children from riding motorcycles. After further thought, this option was dismissed because of my love for my partner and the realization that he would probably allow them to ride anyway.

I could put my foot down and make the kid wait to purchase his first bike when he was an adult. I realized that except for rides in the sidecar or behind his father, he wouldn't have any experience when he finally bought his first bike.

The final option would be allowing him to begin riding on the dirt bikes we have here at home. This way, we could enforce the use of safety equipment, supervise where the bike was ridden around our home and provide the opportunity to master the machine via small, single-person tumbles on a vehicle suited for scratches and dents. We believed skidding through sand at the dirt pit and negotiating unexpected logs and bogs in the woods would make him a better road rider in the future.

Eventually, we chose option three and sooner than I expected, my husband came home with a small dirt bike. The kid took to the saddle and has never looked back.

We’ve prepared him for the asphalt as best we can and so far, he's walked away from minor incidents including a missed turn into the swamp and an evening date with a deer. At least those are the ones he’s told us about. Crashes have revealed themselves through his pain and trauma and the cost of damage repair. Last but not least, he attends bike safety courses, reads motorcycle articles and rides with an excellent teacher - his dad.

Not long ago on a lovely July afternoon when the kid was 15 years old, his younger sister and I watched him and his dad ride away. Boys and bikes were packed for a month-long trip with friends through the southeast.

Knowing what I did about their riding experience and skill, was I worried?

Yeah I was, but just a little!

Tom's Mom's Ride was born. That is what I would call my charity ride to honor my son.

I needed to start riding. We did have a couple of riding days in January, close to 50 degrees. On one of those days, I dropped my bike three times; leaving the garage, at the stop sign at the end of the little road that I live on, and again 100 feet later because I couldn’t make a sharp enough turn. I was close to tears. Did I really think I could ride this bike across our country? I’m insane, I can’t even get 20 miles without falling. I needed to breathe. I got my bike up - I could do that - thanks to YouTube and my husband, who made me a pull-strap of webbing that gave me a little more leverage when my back was leaned into the seat. I headed to the parking lot of our local community college, where I took my basic motorcycle safety course many years ago. I practiced slow turns, stops, panic stops, figure-eights, relaxing my shoulders, relaxing my grip, breathing. I didn’t drop her once.

The next weekend I met my ex-brother-in-law and two friends to do some riding around Prettyboy Reservoir. They were experienced road riders and very patient with me. Still, I was not comfortable. I was nervous going into corners. I was nervous every time I passed a car waiting to make a left out of a side road. My left thumb perpetually hovered over my horn.

I returned home that afternoon determined to fix some things. I called Kyle McGill and Todd Dibell at Battley Cycles and asked if they could recommend a riding workshop. They recommended a couple and I went to their websites to see what resonated. Jim Ford’s Rider’s Workshop - The Art of Riding Smooth looked like what I needed. I filled out the questionnaire and hit send. This particular workshop wasn’t until April, but he called me shortly after I signed up and gave me some things to work on before the workshop. Jim told me to research my engine specs, learn what the value of max torque was for my engine, and then he gave me a formula to find the sweet spot for my engine, the place where it was most obedient. Then he told me to get out and ride, to get to know the elevation changes on routes 77 and 550 in the Catoctin Mountains. I loved the advice and I took it.

Then I had to figure out what to do with the height of my seat. At 34.6 inches, It was too tall for me. I’m not a short woman (5’7”), but I was on tippy-toes. My husband thought I had made an emotional purchase and that I would be better with a 650 GS, but I insisted that I loved my bike and that we were meant to be together. I needed the 800 for the times I would be on the Interstates. Plus, our numbers were the same. She was Alpine white and she was gorgeous. Her name was Stormy. My step-daughter said she looked like a stormtrooper from Star Wars. For a while, a friend of mine nicknamed her Topsy because I dropped her so much. I even dropped her on my test ride.

The first thing I did was get riding boots with heels, and that helped tremendously. The second thing I did was go to see John Longo. He makes custom motorcycle seats. Once in his shop, he suggested we just shave some inches off the Sargent seat the previous owner had put on the bike. It was amazing to watch him work. I had to be there because he needed me to get on and off the bike so he could measure where my seat bones hit. Three hours and $200 later, I had a really comfortable lowered seat. I could sit flat-footed on my bike as long as I had heels on.

As the weather improved, so did my riding and with that, my confidence. I still dropped her, but not as much. I started writing in my riding log when I didn’t drop her.

When it was time for Jim Ford's workshop, I booked a room at a little place in Thurmont, Maryland, close to where we were to meet early Saturday morning. I wanted to be there early. The weather was calling for rain late Friday, but the weekend looked clear. I left late on purpose. I wanted to ride in the rain. I had never done it before and it would only be for an hour and a half. It took me two hours, but I did it and I felt great. After my rain gear was hung in the shower in my little room, I pulled out the pewter flask that I had given Tommy on his 21st birthday and had a celebratory shot. We met at a little parking lot before riding a couple miles to a place to have breakfast, go over the plan for the weekend and begin to get to know each other. There were six of us, including Jim.

We rode a total of 525 miles in two days, mostly on what Jim calls invisible roads – back roads where the scenery is incredible, and there are very few cars. With his voice in my head via ear buds, I was able to get real-time feedback on my riding. To this day I can sometimes hear his voice in my head, especially when I start to lose focus and get too close to that double yellow line on a curve. I worked on smooth transitions, lane positioning, the vanishing point, my line, body position, breathing, trusting my gut and so much more.

There was a camaraderie that developed, as usually happens in small groups that want to work on improving themselves in any capacity. I dropped my bike once this weekend, in a parking lot. There was one other woman in this group. She was from Massachusetts and rode a 700 GS. At dinner that night, we got to know each other a little bit better. She had just lost both of her parents in a private plane crash. Her father was the pilot. They were the only two on board. We were both grieving and healing. Motorcycling was a big part of those processes for us. We also talked about her 700 versus my 800. Jim thought I might be happier with the 700. I listened because my husband thought the same thing, but my gut still said I had the exact bike I needed.

The next day we headed to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, for lunch via more invisible roads. I remember getting into a groove, feeling my bike, my breath, the sun, the universe - all in sync - and then we came out of a corner and in the distance, I could see windmills.

The tears came uncontrollably, I could barely see. The last time I saw windmills I was with Tommy. It was March 2012, we were on our way to Joshua Tree National Park. A camping trip, just mother and son. What a gift that trip was. As every detail flooded back and I could not focus on my riding. I was a wreck.

Somehow I managed to make it to our stop, I was sobbing at this point, in a full-scale meltdown. The parking lot was iffy and we were all spread out, I was pulled over half on gravel and half on pavement, in a rut and headed uphill. I was so scared I was going to drop her again. Someone in the group had parked and come over to see if I needed help, saw the shape I was in, and asked if I wanted him to park my bike. It was the question I needed. I took a breath, eased out, stood on my pegs and wound my way down and around to a place the others were standing in for me to park. Kickstand down, helmet off, I collapsed into the arms of my comrades, so thankful for them – and thankful I didn’t drop my bike.

We had a wonderful lunch, Jim knows where the good food is! We talked more about our riding, what we had accomplished, what we needed to work on, closing thoughts and more. We said our goodbyes, gave our hugs and thanks, and headed our separate ways. As I headed home on Route 340, I practiced all that I learned over the past two days. I eventually practiced everything until it became second nature.

While I gained a lot of confidence from the Rider’s Workshop, my bike was still too tall. I looked into lowering my bike. Touratech sold a 50mm lowering kit that I thought would be perfect, but it would void my warranty and there was no guarantee I'd like it. I decided to go test ride a F 700 GS – and I didn’t like it. I can’t tell you why; the suspension was this, the handling was that. I don’t have that much experience. I just didn’t like it. Due diligence done.

I wanted to talk with someone who had lowered their bike. Bob’s BMW had done this on one other 800 GS, but the customer moved to Montana. They wouldn't give me his number, but said they would call him and give him my number. Within one minute, my cell phone rang and I was talking with the man who had done what I was thinking about doing. He not only LOVED the Touratech lowering kit, but wished he had done it years ago. In his opinion, not only was he more comfortable on the bike, but it handled better. I made an appointment to have the bike lowered on May 8th, 2014. I rode Stormy home a week later and started planning my first solo trip, to Great Smokey Mountain National Park via Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Someone like me ending up with a BMW is God’s divine intervention, and I chuckle when I say that. For years I was convinced that the Multistrada was the perfect motorcycle for me - with the big exception of its 33.5 inch seat height. When Ducati announced the 2016 specs I was excited.

I believe that I was the first one who did not work at Ducati to test ride the demo the day it was assembled. It wasn’t perfect, but it was really good. I eventually put down a deposit and made a deal, a deal that quickly unraveled for a number of reasons. One reason was a seven-day delivery time for a motorcycle currently in stock and on the showroom floor and a minimum of three weeks before the first service.

At Indianapolis BMW (also known as Falcone Powersports), Triumph, Indian and Victory are sold by one dealer and Ducati is its own shop in another part of the city. Because I owned a Tiger I had built a great relationship with the BMW/Triumph dealer. Since the deal fell through and it looked like I would be keeping my Tiger for a while longer, I stopped by to make a service appointment.

With the most enthusiasm the sales manager could muster, he asked me how the new Duc was. I told him what happened and we began to talk about the low suspension XR. He was sure it would be perfect for me. I vaguely recall a similar conversation, but this time I was more willing to listen. While we were talking, he had someone checking to see when they would take delivery on the next XR. Two weeks was the best estimate and that XR had a standard suspension.

I made my way back to service and again, with all the enthusiasm the service manager could muster, he asked how the new Ducati was. I gave him the short version of what had happened and he said, “Oh no! We are not losing you as a customer. We will get you on a BMW!” I just laughed and said, “We’ll see.”

On my way home from making that appointment I received a voice mail. “Lisa this is John at Falcone Powersports, we have a white, low suspension XR being delivered to the dealership tomorrow. We are not sure what time it will be here, but you can test ride it on Friday?”

What? Seriously? This was early August and the XRs were still trickling into the US. Additionally, this was the Wednesday before MotoGP - a very busy weekend as they are located less than two miles from the track. They had a customer appreciation party and stunt show at the dealership to prepare for.

The XR arrived early Thursday, but the rain was relentless that day. I did show up to look at it, sit on it and hear all about its features. On Friday I arrived when the dealership opened; the XR was ready and I asked if I could deviate from the normal test ride route. I needed a bit of interstate to know if I was able to tolerate the vibrations I read about. The XR was more sporty than I expected and I was thrilled. Heavy bar ends would fix any vibration issue. About an hour later I parked my new XR on the backstretch of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and went to watch the MotoGP events of the day.

The first service was scheduled for Tuesday. When I arrived they were eager to hear what I thought about my first 600 miles. The truth is I had been looking for this motorcycle for more than six years. I might have overlooked the XR if it wasn’t for the relationship I had with this dealer. As in any relationship, there are two sides. I show up to make my service appointments. When I work on motorcycles myself, I buy parts from them. They know me, and I know them.

In seven days – including the busiest weekend of the year – they found a low suspension XR, had it delivered, sold me the motorcycle and did the first service! I had a similar experience when I purchased the Tiger, and then they had never met me. I also found out they had looked for a low suspension XR when I first started talking about the Ducati, but there was only one in the US at that time.

I asked how they pulled this off. They said we just got lucky, a dealer in Michigan had one. They happened to be going to Tennessee the next day to pick up a motorcycle and were driving right through Indianapolis. Sounded to me like divine intervention. I had test ridden more than a dozen motorcycles looking for exactly what the XR is. The perfect amount of sport and just enough touring, and FUN. It is perfect for me. After seven months and 11,000 miles, I am still amazed every time I ride it. Thank you, Indianapolis BMW!