Last days of 2015

I always say it's been a while, but it's been a while. Quite a bit has changed. 

Blueberry has found a new owner. And I gave away all of my bike gear...okay, so I kept a jacket and helmet (just in case). Life works in funny ways. My plans for Blue didn't pan out, but I believe the right option appeared. I have faith the new owner will take good care of Blue and vice versa. I hope they have many wonderful adventures! Blue was my therapy and my lifesaver. For that I will always be grateful.
              It was time to pass the blessing on to someone else.

What have I been up to? I wish I could say I've been riding and exploring, but it's the end of an era and I've been reflecting on my time in Lawton, OK. It's been something else. It's been frustrating. It's been crappy. It's been amusing. It's been wonderful. It's been thought provoking. It's been something else.

Lawton, OK is the perfect place to figure out who you are. That much is for sure. So if that's where you're headed, I wish you all the best.

Me? Well, I'm out of here. It's time for new adventures. Goodbye, Wanderings of a Girl Ryder.

An Impromptu Ride

On Friday I met up with a rider who's always nice enough to let me know when he's riding. He even has this habit of asking if I want to join (imagine that). So after the "Are we riding?" question, we decided to meet up in an hour. When I get there, his friend's already there waiting. Eventually after getting gas, lunch, and bs-ing with his friend, the other rider rolls in. First time I've not adhered to my 5 minute wait policy in years. If you're not there in 5 minutes, I won't be there either.

Awesome weather for a ride...if you were wearing synthetic gear. I was quite cozy in my Ballistic 5.0 pants with long underwear. That and winter riding gloves (how did I ever live without them!?!), and it's like riding in Florida sunshine even with the gusty gale common in Oklahoma. The windy city sure ain't got nothin' on us. We did a general 100-mile loop starting out in Meers to ride HWY 115 north. We did it just before they closed off HWY 115 to do whatever construction they're now doing. There goes my Meers and Saddle Mountain cemetery plans. 

I don't think my riding buddies had ever been on that road (not really explorers those two, but not everyone can have a job as an explorer like me). First corner comes up; I look in my mirror to see one of guys take it too wide. He reacted fast, straightened out his Harley, and did a little off-roading before rejoining us on the paved street. I'll admit, it was a pretty sweet save.We continued on- enjoying the weather, the scenery, and the ride. I love riding with people who ride to ride not to do moronic stuff. That last curve by Saddle Mountain is a doozy. It has an odd inclination and usually has grit or water on half of a lane. Creeped around that very slowly. Also, that last section (and I fear all of Hwy 115 may have the same fate) is only tightly packed gravel. I wouldn't be doing any track-style riding on it.

As we headed to Apache, I saw a lot of old barns I want to get on film. Some I've ridden by but were always hidden by trees. I love riding because I always notice something new. The Mobetta (mobetta than what, I always ask) building has long been transformed into a tanning salon in Apache. Because here in Oklahoma, we never see the sun... I think I'd rather get skin cancer from the sun than from whatever chemical reaction goes on in one of those weird booths. 

After Apache we went to Medicine Park because I had to go to the Post Office. Don't know why I didn't go in Apache. It's got to be that detour problem I have. While in Medicine Park I managed to convince the guys that they wanted to go hiking with me on Sunday since the others had bailed for the Saturday plans. I think I need to take some classes in guilt-tripping. 

Receiving a motorcycle care package...priceless.

Chinese was the food of the day. My fortune cookie's fortune was a bit odd.

I never receive anything in the mail. Well, other than bills, but those don't count. Maybe it's because my neighbor moved my mailbox without my permission that awesome letters and postcards get lost in the mail...

Anyhow, it wasn't too long ago that the annual Women's Sportbike Rally took place at the Gap. Last year I was really hoping to be able to make the one in 2012; Unfortunately, I had to sit this year out, too.

To my delight, there was a small package in the mailbox with my name on it from a blonde from afar (Funny or spooky? I haven't quite decided). Inside I found all the goodies shared with the riders who were able to attend the rally. Another thank-you to my good friend in Georgia (Thanks, girl!).

This gesture certainly reminded me of the biker's code which can be read at this post.

This blog is brought to you by the lovely (biased opinion, we know) Stone Turtle – Lodging, a small family owned and operated hotel / lodging business near Lawton, Oklahoma, Fort Sill,  the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Meers and Medicine Park. Yeah, that’s right we’re a small lodging business close to all the awesomeness Oklahoma has to offer!!

Girl Squid

So I met this girl the other day while working at one of Lawton's two annual festivals. Turns out she rides, so, of course, I'm excited.

Hey! A possible riding buddy. I think.
"How long have you been riding?" I ask.
"About a month." The girl with the bright fake fingernails and a lot of make-up replies.
"So what do you ride?"
"A ninja 250."
"That's cool. I ride a cbr600."
"Well, I thought I'd start out on something small that I can learn on."
I tell her that was a smart idea.


So I'm riding down Cache road running errands the other day when I see this little 250, the bright nails, and a girl rockin' some fancy shades, and no lid. Only riding for a month...

To each their own, I guess.

I'm not completely free of squid tendencies, but if you hit your head on concrete while standing around outside, and that can do a good job to your brain-holder then I don't want to know what will happen when you fall off your bike going 25 mph and hit your head on the curb. No sirree, Bob!
I think there's a greater risk of something happening the first couple of years one rides because there are so many other things going on around you while you're still learning to ride, getting used to your bike, gaining experience, and learning just how much you have to pay attention to others that I think I'd wear a helmet just to have one less thing to worry about.

The Beginnings of a Blog

Hi! And, Welcome!

First off, I'd like to introduce myself. The name's Dani. I'm a college student at a university no one has heard of in Oklahoma, USA. This is my first blog ever. Yeah, I know, what kind of 20 year-old am I? I'll tell ya, one that has no technology savvy. I do, however, usually manage to find the power button.

Anyways, I have two...um...addictions. I'm a coffee addict. And, motorcycles are my obsession.

Motorcycles + Coffee = Bliss

^that right there is as good as my math gets.

When I was 13, I saw two idiots doing wheelies down a main road in town. I bought my first bike magazine that day. Took me a year of convincing my mother daily that I wouldn't kill myself on a motorcycle. On my 14th birthday, I found a motorcycle helmet sitting on the table. After a year of searching for a bike, one that was in my price class (cheap), I found my bike; it was a 1998 Yamaha fzr600. I was so excited!

Unfortunately the bike wasn't as excited about me. I spent 2 years fighting with it (with my budget) trying to get it running. '07 was my year,though, and that's when my riding career started.

The yami was...a...um...problem child, a pain in the ass, a piece of...sh...work (to say the least), but that's a story for another time. I bought a 2007 cbr600rr July 1, 2009. And in that year, I've put 18,000 miles on it. My cbr goes by the name Blueberry because every good vehicle needs a name.We've had some amazing times. I've found over my riding time, that you can find the neatest roads, towns, and places when you get off the "cruise" in town, and just ride. I've also found that most people don't know of the awesomeness we have in the area. I've taken it upon myself to find out by putting down the map and getting wonderfully lost by wandering.

I'm finally coming to the point of my blogging: to record the rides and maybe inspire others, when in the area, to ride some of these neat routes (okay, okay maybe I just needed something to justify my gas-guzzling hobby...). Or, maybe even inspire other dedicated riders to do the same.

So, follow Blueberry and me on our adventures as we wander!