AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference 2009

What we all have been waiting for - for three years! The last Women & Motorcycling Conference was held in Athen, Georgia in 2006. I attended back then and had a blast. Naturally, I was excited about the 2009 event in Keystone, Colorado in August. This time I went as a vendor for VaVaVroom, rather than a participant. Don't feel sorry for me that I had to work. I still had lots of fun. As you can see, Keystone is a beautiful place with the Snake River running through it. I have never been here in the summer, only to ski. I can't decide which time of year is more breathtaking. So many highlights from the week. I know many women were able to demo all sorts of motorcycles and scooters, shop for cool motorcycle stuff, attend information-packed seminars, and ride beautiful roads.
I am proud to announce that I am a new member of Motor Maids. Motor Maids Inc. was founded in 1940 and is the first women’s motorcycling organization in North America. Here I am with my new "sisters", Eva and Cynthia!

I also had good company around me at the conference. The vendor booths of Shelly Reiner from Girl Gear and Athena Ransom of Vagabond Choppers flanked the VaVaVroom booth. Shelly's company makes great jackets and pants for women and Athena is a custom bike builder.

Can you believe all of the cool people at this Streetmasters motorcycle workshops and Skip Harrison, author of All Who Wander Aren't Lconference? Well, there's more! Pictured to the left is Walt Fulton and Nancy Foote of ost. I am taking the Streetmasters course in November and plan to read Skip's book very soon!

I also had the pleasure to meet another author, Carla King. Carla and I have known each other through our mutual involvement in the Side Stand Up radio program, but have never met in person. What a treat! I now have an autographed copy of Carla's book, American Borders - also on the reading list.

I was visited on Saturday by Susie "Sunglasses" Sandstrom. Susie is the President of Sziols North America, which sells the best sports sunglasses on the market. There are lenses for everyone occasion. (I use them for motorcycling, softball, running, and biking.) And, they are indestructible. Great eye protection for the road and more. VaVaVroom will be carrying this top-notch brand very soon.

I have to give special thanks to my friends from Illinois, Rick and Jan Seymour. They were kind enough to visit me in my booth every day, watch it for me when I went to get lunch, gathered conference swag for me, and helped me pack up after the show.

For more post-conference coverage, go to WomenRidersNow.com. Genevieve Schmitt (pictured below) is the editor and we had a chance to catch up in Keystone.

This is just a small sampling of the many amazing people in the world of motorcycling that I was blessed to meet and get to know. Who knows when and where the next one will be, but I'll mark my calendar as soon as I hear.