Motochicks' Iron Butt Run- 24 hours to ride 1000 miles on our motorcycles

Midnight- Ten-X campground near Tusayan, AZ

The campground is silent now that our neighbors generator has shut off. I've been silently tapping away, editing and publishing a post. I have the tablet dimmed all the way so I can occasionally daze up at the stars as I write. Tomorrow morning we start our Iron Butt Run to my grandmother's home in Nebraska. The Iron Butt is challenge for motorcyclists to ride 1000 miles within 24 hours. I'm learning a lot about my limits on this trip, physical and mental.

The juniper and ponderosa pines form a black turtle shaped frame around the stars as I tilt my head back, trying to find the flow of words for you. The ride from the canyon rim was eventful. The clerk at the Texaco in Tusayan was unspeakably rude to Margie.  We picked up some beer at the Trading Post, and Margie found me a souvenir squirrel to tack to my bike, a personal reminder of traveling safely on two wheels. I made peace with some of my life decisions when we spooked two elk foraging along the road. The young bull spun on his haunches and headed into the forest, the brown cow following suit.

Gary, our witness at Grand Canyon 

It was so warm today... I can't believe how quickly it got cold. The desert continues to surprise and delight me as I learn about its nuances. I want to stay up and write about the sounds of the forest, and the cold that has very quickly settled into my fingers. I better spend some time looking at the back of my eyelids,  Margie mentioned starting at sunrise.  Which I'm sure will be stunning.

930am- Pipe Creek Vista on East Rim Dr, AZ

Yeah, that didn't happen.  The air was cool and crisp when we poked our noses out of our sleeping bags. We bundled up and slept in for a few hours. And as quickly as the cold slipped in last night, the temperature gauge climbed as we packed quickly and carefully. We pulled into Pipe Creek Vista and got our documentation for the Iron Butt witnessed by Gary from Tennessee :)

Margie turned on the SPOT so we'll have an exact GPS location (SPOT is a device that emails your loved ones with locations. But it can also notify emergency personnel if needed, even post to Google maps and Facebook). Time to get moving :)

hippy motochick working girl

10 am- Roadside Artists Market on Hwy 64 

Okay, so TWO stops before we need fuel... I know! So far we aren't making the best time. But I may not return to the Grand Canyon for a long time. The first stop is Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim. We didn't even made it out of the park, haha. The view was just too staggering to pass by. The golds and reds of the canyon face dance under the sun, teasing my imagination, making me daydream about cowboys and indians.

great big world

I found this butterfly in my boot in
Sequoia NP when I picked it 

I'm sitting at the base of a HUGE sequoia. The Giant Forest reminds me of Joyce Kilmer forest back closer to home. (I am getting more homesick every day.) The trees themselves have that silent strength that reminds me of my fragility. No matter how deep and strong my roots, these massive beasts will be here long after my roots return to the earth. And I love that :) Margie stayed at the entrance of the park to have lunch with a friend. I thought we were going to ride straight through and head to Yosemite, but it was an amazing ride in, and it's nice to sit in the forest and write alone.

Napa Vally scenery

 Yesterday morning we pointed our bikes to Yosemite National Park and waved bye to Dave and Posey, rested and fresh. We got to ride through the Eucalyptus Trees again (sigh :) Napa Valley was... oookay... The scenery was mostly golden grassy hills with occasional grape vines, low scrub trees, with the occasional eucalyptus tree. Traffic was congested. Hwy 12 moved slowly. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if I was in a different mood (maybe a wine drinking mood ;)

 But I wanted to be at Yosemite already ("Are we there yet?") and had more than one conversation with myself about patience and how I want to live to be an old-lady motochick. Margie's been teaching me a lot about how to be safe. I'm thinking about doing a post entirely composed of the things I've learned on this trip relating to motorcycle travel and safety. Maybe when I get home and get some sleep.

Enjoying the fresh air in Yosemite

We arrived at Yosemite late afternoon,  and I could have spent a month there. I don't even know how to describe it. The road into the valley floor twisted and turned like only National Park roads do (preserving as much of the natural landscape as possible, I assume). It took us through some fun tunnels too. I really enjoy the sound my bike makes in tunnels as it roars powerfully :)

watching the waves roll in

 When I first dreamed of riding my motorcycle across the country, my destination was to be the Pacific Coastal Highway. I'd never been west of Colorado, and the PCH seemed like an exotic, fun, new adventure. The PCH, also known as Route 1, runs north along the California coast from Los Angeles. The highway offers stunning views of the ocean and mountains. Just stunning. We got some video on the GoPro, but you can't see the water... The water... oh the water. The way the waves crashed on the rocks made me wish I had an afternoon or fifty to sit on the Pacific Coast and watch the waves roll in. I heard a long time ago that you should "live in California once... but leave before it makes you soft." If I didn't have such deep rooting in Georgia,  I might live here for a while. Just to watch the waves roll in..

Jake and I at lunch

 Luckily, Margie and I had a friend move to the PCH area a few years ago. Jake graciously took timeout of his day to lead us around to the good lunch spot and up the highway. The road wasn't all beach front, some of it went through farmland that makes up a large part of California... we traveled pasta strawberry farm that smaller like HEAVEN.

 Sadly, I didn't get to see the Big Sur area during daylight. Such is the nature of traveling on a motorcycle I guess. And honestly, it was a rough day emotionally. The views and the company were beyond spectacular,  but the PCH is the furthest from my home that I could get, and stay on this continent. And I've started feeling my home pulling on my heart. I miss my dogs. I can't wait to bury my face in Cyrus' neck. I'm sure he STANKS  after being on my folks' farm for the last few weeks, and Dobby, the little asswipe, I am so excited to see that pup. Dammit :)

Hurricane Amanda

 Three thousand three hundred and twenty-nine miles from the East Coast in Georgia to the West Coast in California :)

 After we parked in San Diego I slept for a two hours and then we were up and being productive. I was staying with a Sergeant Major, I didn't want him to think I was a pussy ;) Hey I was raised by veterans- these are my people. Of all the different types of people in the world, I am most comfortable around service members. I understand their language.

 We took my bike down to Eason at House of Motorcycles in San Diego. My mechanic in El Paso told me I would need a new tire soon. Also I lost a bolt in my kickstand somewhere along the highway. I really needed that replaced so I didn't have to hunt down a rock to keep my bike and heavy bags from falling over when we stopped for fuel. And San Diego was the logical place to get it because we were gonna hang out with Margie's bad ass cousin all day. Those guys really took care of me. I explained that I was only in town for the day. They don't service Ducatis so they couldn't fix my leak, which is fine since I really would like Vic or Daniel from NPRDucati to fix it back home. But they set me up with a tire and bolt for a reasonable price. Nolan (the mechanic who serviced my bike) even noticed that I was missing a clip on my chain and fixed it for me. I was really happy with my experience there, if you need work while you're passing through San Diego, I highly recommend them.

 After dropping it off we went to lunch at Cafe Elysa. I ordered the eggs benedict and they were delicious. I understand that all their ingredients are locally sourced. Eggs, bacon and sausage, watermelon and strawberries,  everything was grown or produced in California. The cafe was a block from the Pacific Ocean so we walked to their and I got to put my toes in the Pacific Ocean for the first time in my life. I felt accomplished. I have always told myself that I could accomplish anything I set my mind too, and I'm really starting to believe it :)

 We returned to Calvin's home where we loaded up the surfboards. And headed back out for the beach for my introduction to surfing!!!! Now, in case you are reading this and you don't know me well, I have a crippling fear of being in water when I cannot see the bottom. When I'm swimming in deep water, I start to hyperventilate, my muscles stop responding to commands from my brain...it's not a pleasant experience. But, I figured if I could ride 800 miles in a day on a motorcycle, cross the country on bike, and all that entails, there were worse ways to go than having a creature swim up from the depths and eat me. And somehow I was able to master my fear, at least for a little while. Not that I'm fearless, by any means. But I'm certainly different, changed.

 Plus it helped that Calvin truly is a badass. He has a Purple Heart and a slew of other awards from his service. I wanted to do a whole paragraph on just his life, because he's had a fascinating, albeit tragic career, but he asked me not to. I've found members of the service are often hesitant to allow others to brag on them. I want to tell the world some of their stories because I feel like the majority of the population doesn't know what's it's like to be in the military. I certainly didn't (even though my parents and several other people in my life served), we just don't talk about it. I knew this trip would change my perspective of my country. The landmarks and wonders of the world have been everything and more than I expected. But I wasn't prepared to learn so much about the military.  The lifestyle, the sacrifices,  the rewards. I am soooo glad we are raising money for The Wounded Warrior Project, because it makes it easy to bring the military into my conversations with people. I have learned so much. I get to talk to people about the military who aren't exposed to military in everyday life.

 If you want to learn a little about Sgt Maj, you can read here, but know that he is so much more than even that bio could describe. I was truly honored to spend time with him, learn from him, and  I knew the Loch Ness and Great Whites would sense Calvin's powerful presence and stay away. (I felt safe with him.)

 The first Pacific Hurricane of the season was sitting off the coast of Southern California. The National Weather Service named her Hurricane Amanda. I shit you not. She did not come to land, and she didn't push up crazy waves to surf on. The National Hurricane Center said "Amanda is now the strongest May hurricane on record in the eastern Pacific basin during the satellite era." She reached a category 5 in strength with winds up to 155 miles per hour. I should stop by a track and see if I can get up to that speed just for kicks and giggles. Wellington would top out, but maybe I could convince Margie to let me borrow her Duc Hyper 1100.

 I didn't stand up on the surfboard. I barely got to where I could balance without flipping my board over. I caught two waves for a few seconds and immediately fell over. But I stayed in the water and tried until my muscles started betraying me by cramping up. Surfing is one of those things that people make look easy. It was an effing workout. Calvin caught a few waves, the three of us smoked cigars on the beach. I walked a little and found a cool rock to take home to my mother, Margie and Calvin caught up more, as families do when they spend years apart :) 

Lastly,  I did get to try In and Out Burger. So many people told me to try it that I caved on my commitment to only eat at mom/pop restaurants. We added some jalapeños Calvin had for extra kick. It woulda been awesome without them, but y'all know I like spice ;)

Next update will be about our ride up the Pacific Coastal Highway!

~Amanda Terranova

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all my loving

 We slept in yesterday (this is the best thing about not having a set route or timetable). I knew we were planning on staying two nights on Brett's couch because we wanted to spend some time with him. (Also I needed him to make sure Wellington's oil leak wasn't going to cripple our trip - he entered my life as my moto-mechanic at NPRDucati and became my friend). So Margie and I stayed up late catching up with Brett, even after traveling 800 miles :) I think we may try to qualify for Iron Butt on the way home.

 So we moved leisurely to his favorite shop Ace Moto. Where we washed the bikes, shared our story, and talked about The Wounded Warrior Project. Looks like Welly's oil leak is going to survive the trek back across the country (crosses fingers). And the guys from Ace took us to Tony's BBQ for lunch (Thank you Ace and Chop!) where I had this magical dish called a hash burrito. I don't know or care what kind of meat it is because it was effing delicious. A little burnt and crunchy. Yum! (Turns out it is the fat and trimmings from their delicious brisket chopped and cooked again... which explains why it was so amazing.)

 While we were at Ace's I met Keith,  a local El Pasian(?) who possesses a wealth of knowledge about fun riding in the area (mostly in the mountains to the north in NM).  We left Brett to help with some bikes at Ace's and set out to follow Keith around to a few of El Paso's motorcycle shops. It sucks that the US ships so many of our men and women out to that desert (I was told Fort Bliss was the largest training facility our country has). It was midafternoon, and Margie and I were following Keith down the interstate....along this stark, beautiful, desert mountain terrain. I kept looking at the mountains, thinking that there had to be a fun road to ride up there.... a dirt road or SOMETHING. Suddenly, Keith made a left turn and we were riding into the hills. From what I could tell, we rode the ONE curvy road in that desert to Santa Teresa Motorsports. It had long fast sweepers and lots of scenery to look at. I bet the view from up there is phenomenal at night... all the dancing lights of El Paso, Fort Bliss, and Juarez.

 I'm really looking forward to my next trip out west (yeah, I'm dreaming already.... :) because of all the awesome people I've met along the way. Like Diego at Santa Teresa Motorsports who seems like a riot. And Tiffany at Freeway Powersports- who gave me her personal cell number in case we ran into trouble as we crossed New Mexico and Arizona.

 Unfortunately,  El Paso doesn't seem like the greatest place to live. Brett told me about the hail and hellish dust storms. The lack of curvy roads made me ache for Georgia.  But the people who live there are really cool. And the food... they can effing cook. The three of us (Brett, Margie, and I) even found some decent jazz music at The Black Orchid (though we were slightly under dressed in our tshirts). It was fun hanging out with Brett's Army buddies and gave me a lot of food for thought heading into Memorial Day.

 Margie was able to convince Brett to miss Five Finger Death Punch and join us for the next leg of our trip. I don't know how she did it- the woman's got skills. Especially considering he spends a lot of time "camping" in the desert for the Army already. And we headed out for Truth or Consequences, NM. Yes, a town exists called Truth or Consequences. It's in New Mexico. We found a campground on the Rio Grande River and set up camp.

Brett's bad ass ride for the 
day- a Royal Enfield, you can find them 
in El Paso at Ace Moto

  Camping in the desert is not for sissies. But the rewards are more than enough to make up for the weather. The weather during the day was glorious.  The sunset lit up the mountains,  giving them a golden-red glow. It was picturesque. And I have seen more wildflowers in the desert than back home. Purples, oranges,  yellows... There's all sorts of cacti blooming too. At night, the wind picked up something fierce and it rained. It was cold, very cold. Very. I think I got probably three hours of sleep.

 Strangely, I woke refreshed. It might be the exhilarating adventure or something like it. But no matter how little I sleep I always have more than enough energy for the next leg... oh, and coffee, lots of black, delicious, coffee. If you find yourself in Truth or Consequences look up Happy Belly Deli for really good healthy food options. I hope you do find yourself there at least once :)

 In the morning we said goodbye to our Private First Class and hit Hwy 152 into Gila National Forest. Where we finally found some curves, they almost reminded me of the Tail Of the Dragon on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. I'm not an advanced rider by any means (I finally feel like a solid intermediate three years after I got my license and probably 15 to 20 thousand miles or so on two wheels.), and I'm still learning how to straighten out a curve and ride turns with a decreasing radius. I could've ridden those roads for days, but we have a mission to see the Pacific Coast and get home to our families, friends, pups, and beds.

Arizona. .. or New Mexico, I can't remember

If you must cross Arizona on a bike, I recommend making the leg at night. Yeah, we missed some awesome scenery, but the part we rode in the afternoon was miserably hot. It heat sedated me and made me groggy after my sleepless night on the ferocious Rio Grande. The terror of watching a dust storm, crossing the sand, gaining speed, heading for my line was exhausting (it never before occurred to me that I could run out of throttle when I needed it). At night the weather cooled a little, and lights danced on the horizon again, reminding me of the ride into El Paso.

Sunset just outside of Phoenix

 I'd planned to stop for the night in Yuma, AZ. But when we pulled in to fuel up around 10pm the gas station attendant told us that the temperature reached 107°F during the day and it was still 101°F. Our air cooled bikes don't work well at high temperatures,  so after a very short powwow (me:"fuck that" Margie:"lets ride") and a long break, we pushed off.

  Cleveland National Forest, the park, reservation, and mountainous area just east of San Diego has elevations that reach 4000+ feet. The constant blast of cold air was a bit of a shock after the heat of the desert.  It was probably close to three in the morning by that point, so the cold helped keep me awake. I suspect the park would've topped my list of favorite rides so far if I had chosen to stop and change into my warm clothes. But I'd gotten to a point where I just wanted to get to the coast. I'm more than a little stubborn, driven, ambitious,  headstrong, whatever.

 Oh, there was one eerie event in those mountains. So the leg through Cleveland was dangerous. There were high winds trying to blow us of the mountains, lots of risky turns and bridges. Luckily, the cold air kept us sharp. All of a sudden, I had a thought- Slow down a little and watch for animals that inhabit the wilderness. Not 60 seconds later, just out of the next curve, a creature lumbered across my line. If I hadn't slowed on the other side of the mountain, if would've been right in the middle of my road. I didn't get a good look at it in the darkness, but it was a dark gray/brown, I would guess between 35 to 50 pounds, and lumbered like a racoon as it ran. I felt like mother nature was really taking care of us, ensuring our safe arrival to the coast. I will return to that place, (maybe for a pack in camping trip?) it has a special magic.

 I was just ready to be here :) The sun was coming up when we parked the bikes, I'm going to sleep for a few hours and play in the Pacific Ocean "tomorrow."

~Amanda Terranova

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HERE

There are no wrong turns

The end of the day has brought me to a decision.  Tomorrow I ride for El Paso. I really want to be there. I have a very close friend in El Paso, and I am excited to see him. But I am tired. Between the traveling on a bike, and the hours I need to invest to make the fundraiser a success, it takes a lot out of girl. We ride for a large part of the day, and then I stay up I to the wee hours of the morning working to make the fundraiser a success and I want to continue to write well for you, at least to the best of my ability.

Odometer reading for the day

I'm starting to pressure myself about my rate of travel. I feel like we should be able to go further in a day than we have been, and my brain likes the idea of the challenge of getting to El Paso in one day.

 The road from where we are now and El Paso is... well, challenging. First of all, its through the desert. The gas stations are few and far between (This is dangerous because while  motorcycles are great on gas mileage, they only hold a few gallons at a time.) so we can only go about 150 miles without refueling. And my ass can only go about 100 miles before I need to get up and walk around. Also, its near the US border with Mexico... it has a reputation as a dangerous area. This is America though,  not to discount the danger, but I'm a tall, strong, white chick riding a motorcycle and I have a bad ass traveling partner... Do I have time for an aside?

  Chose your traveling partner carefully. I can't tell you how amazing it is to have a strong, independent, and powerful female as a sidekick. I don't have to worry about her at all. She carries her own weight, and then some of mine. To John (her husband)- you are a lucky man :) I couldn't have gotten this far without her... well I could have (probably) but she has saved my ass, and made the trip much more enjoyable. Thank you Margie.

 So, El Paso tomorrow? Mateo, the man who has generously lent us his spare bedroom tonight (more on him later), told me something that helped me understand. After everyone else that has expressed concern, this really spoke to me. His father, a motorcycle traveler, told him -when driving across the southern United States and you leave Los Angeles...you drive through southern California... and then through Arizona and Tucson... across New Mexico on 70... into Texas... and finally,... when you arrive in El Paso... you are halfway to Houston.

There is also a meteor shower tomorrow night, and it is supposed to be epic. Talks of a meteor "storm." Can you imagine watching it from my hammock? How cool would that be? Also, I heard that there is a great town on the way to El Paso called Marfa that I need to check out. Maybe we could find somewhere to camp in Marfa or Alpine?  Who knows which we will do, camp or push through?

We had a photo shoot today with Margie's family, Shon. This former scout in the

 Army produced some awesome pictures of Margie and I with our bikes. He put us up last night in Killeen, and for that I am grateful.  The man runs a successful photography business, has a beautiful fiance and daughter and has opened his home to foster kids. I admire him, and am grateful for the time we spent with him. You should check out his other work on his website www.frame1or2.com. He is quite talented.

He also pointed us to Meno's Mexican Grill, where I ate Chicken Mole (which I chose because of my chemistry class). Its chicken drenched in a CHOCOLATE BARBQUE SAUCE. And served with tortillas, pico, guacamole, and rice & beans. I really enjoyed it. Really really enjoyed it. I want this in Athens. Does someone know where I can find it there?

  The chicken mole filled me up and put me into one of those oh-I-overate-and-now-its-snooze-time moods. I only got four hours of sleep last night, so I wasn't far from there anyways ;) I napped. We packed the bikes, and we were off.

Crash

The traffic in Austin SUCKED. An hour of ten miles an hour or not moving. We hit Austin right at rush hour too, so that didn't help. If you're making the drive, pay the toll to take 130, it's well worth it. We missed a turn on the way to Victoria,  but the resulting detour took us through some beautiful hill country of Texas. I think we got some gopro video, I'll try to get it uploaded tomorrow.

 We arrived late at the bingo party :( I'm telling you, these guys and gals are serious about their bingo. I watched for a little while and I don't know if I could keep up! I still got to meet some really engaging people, and collect donations. I want to specifically thank VFW Post # 4146 for their donation. I didn't get to talk to many people today about The Wounded Warrior Project,  but it's mostly because I hung out with vets all day... and they already know all about WWP :) I also feel like I should check out the VFW Post when I return home, and see what they're up to.

After bingo wrapped up we headed to our new friend Mateo's residence where he poured us a beverage and showed us around his shop. This retired seaman  has some really cool stuff here. I wish the time wasn't going on 3am, because I would love to go through and share several of his that were really cool, but it is 3am, so I'm only gonna cover my favorite.  It is a 1985 Suzuki GSX R1100.  The bike that started it all known for its power, handling and relative lack of weight. This bike is the one that made crotch rockets popular. I was shocked (and a little overwhelmed) when Margie and Mateo explained this GSX R'S history. You know that feeling you get when you realize you were in the presence of something true great.

And it was fun expanding my motorcycle knowledge, hanging out with two really cool bikers. Joe- thank you for introducing us to Mateo.

Until tomorrow,
~Amanda Terranova

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everythings more texan in texas

~Amanda Terranova

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Have love will travel

So I the trip has finally begun :) Tonight Margie and I are in Darien, GA. We rode down with a group of friends from NPRDucati for their Annual Shrimp Run. I have to admit, I am exhausted. Leaving my family and friends (and my dogs) this morning was a challenging way to start the day (so I'm sentimental, sue me). I finally got to NPRDucati at 10am, and after giving my bike one last check my favorite mechanic gave me the go ahead to move out and we were on our way :) 

 Last night was the kickoff party, and I want to thank a few people. First, thank you to everyone who came out to see me off and support The Wounded Warrior Project. Secondly, my father. He contributed significant time and resources to make the party a success. The delicious, fall off the bones ribs, were organized by him. My mother and my sister also contributed a significant amount of time and energy as well. So many of my friends and family attended (I made some new friends too!) and together we raised about a thousand dollars for The Wounded Warrior Project! To read more about the fundraiser click here. Shout out to Jordan, Joseph, Josh, Joyce, (so many J's!), Mike, Mitchell, Rick, Stacey and all the other veterans that joined us for the party. You are the reason I am doing this, to try and repay my debt to you, in some small way.

Odometer starting trip :)

 To jump back to the ride, my ass doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Luckily for me, my bike is built for longer distance, touring style riding. I like to prop my feet up on the frame, so I'm really folded up (think the opposite of the guys you see riding around stretched out like they are riding a Lazy boy on two wheels). I guess growing up on horseback really did shape the way I interact with the world, it certainly has affected the way I developed my seat on a motorcycle. 

 Okay, back to the days travels. It was cold this morning! I didn't pack the warmest clothes, other than the plug-in Gerbing jacket, because I know we will be staying close to the southern border of the US where the weather is warm. Honestly, I was in a rotten mood when I left home. I was a little too tired from staying up late, not hungover, just really tired. Finally, at our second fuel stop I grabbed a handful of almonds, and that infinitely improved my mood. I started dancing and riding to the beat in my head, and the music was grand ;)

 I began thinking about this plan of ours, the idea of not having an exact plan or route, just aiming get for the west coast :) This is what I daydreamed about for the rest of the trek to the GA coast. Who knows what kind of interesting characters I will encounter! Especially Monday when I get to New Orleans ;) and the places I can visit! I could keep going, but it's already 1am, and I want to check out the backs of my eyelids soon.

 I got to learn how to dodge objects falling off motorcycles today... it was a, erm, ...good thing to practice...? It's the only good thing I can say about that part of the trip. The guy leading the pack had trouble with his saddlebags... trouble meaning they kept falling off and turning into flying, flipping, large moving obstacles in the road. Trouble meaning fast braking and hoping the guy behind me doesn't run over me as I brake. But we arrived without further incident, I hope his saddlebags aren't ruined.

 Since I started riding three years ago, I've preferred riding solo. I suspect this is because I use my bike as a daily commuter. I just felt that it was more dangerous to ride in a group, with all the crazies doing wheelies and such. (Which can be quite impressive, I just prefer you not do it right behind me). BUT today, I started to see the merits of group riding, especially if I can ride with a group like my traveling partners from this afternoon. Our riding styles matched well, and other than my one friend throwing his saddlebags at me, the ride was downright pleasant! Perhaps it is because my riding abilities have improved, I am better able to let go and relax a little more. 

 Well, I'm going to go collapse in bed. Talk to you tomorrow!
~Amanda Terranova

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"You can't always get what you want"

 I've finally gotten some sleep and feel human again. It's been a busy weekend. I'm starting to look forward to the alone time in my helmet. The bike wash on Saturday was a success :) You can check out the pics below!

 There was a punk rock show at Caledonia Lounge this weekend. One of my friends is a huge fan so I was lucky to get introduced to a fun style of music. And I added a few new local bands to my favorites list. Check out Burns Like Fire and Ganges Phalanges the next time you see them on a play bill.

 I got a gentle reminder this weekend the veterans The Wounded Warrior Project are helping could be (and are) my friends and loved ones. Even though I was raised by two military police officers- I find myself disgustingly ignorant of the challenges facing Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans. The veterans of my generation. These guys and gals are my firemen, security gaurds, nurses, tutors, bartenders, fellow students, neighbors, and homeboys :)

 I was also reminded our OIF/OEF Veterans are just like me and nothing like me. They have similar dilemmas as I (Like how does my motorcycle collect so many effing bugs? Did I really forget to pay my cell phone bill? And my aging dog is making me anxious about leaving him for this trip...). But veterans are very different from me in the sacrifices they've made and their life experiences. Most vets have spent months or years away from their loved ones on boats and planes. But mostly alternatively baking and freezing in the desert. Sometimes living in tents with an inescapable threat of death or serious bodily injury every day. So take care of the veterans in your life because they took care of you (in ways we won't ever know or understand).

I spoke to a young, veterans wife this weekend that told me about WWP provided her husband with job training and hooked him up with businesses that were hiring. She told me that they recently took him fishing. She explained exactly how valuable that trip was in reducing his stress level, helping him be a better father, husband, and employee. I'm proud to be raising money for WWP. 

 Your next opportunity to come out and have a good time for a worthy cause is May 16th (from 6pm until 11pm....or midnight... or lets see how the night goes ;) We are organizing a bon voyage celebration at Allison Creek Farm. It will be an intimate setting with lots of laughter and cheers, taking advantage of their pavilion and bar area. A friend of my family is gonna cook up some ribs (I'm thinking about begging Trae up at Kumquat Mae to conjure up some delicious food with her magic.)  But I think we are going to keep it to finger style foods and a wet bar downstairs. You can find the address below but please contact me to get on the list. Anyone is welcome to attend. There will of course be music :) I've started working on a play list for this party.

 Also regarding music, I need a few suggestions for music to listen to on my trip, I'd like to know what y`all listen to while you travel. Maybe I'll do a post about it somewhere along the way.

Bike Wash and Cookout Thanks to:
 Everyone who attended, brought bikes, appetites, and smiles :)
 Arienne, Amy, Rachel donated their time and energy to help me wash bikes (also one Vespa and a Porsche) and collect donations. Thank you, my friends, for being willing to get dirty, and doing the tiring work.
 Bob Suter and DJ Clarke as grillers.
 NPRDucati for the pavement, water, hours invested, promotions, and most importantly expertise, I'm sure I'm forgetting somethi
 Kumquat Mae for the delicious cookies :)
 Cori Carter and Justin Morris for taking pics. 
 My father, my sister, and Duarte for the background support. 

 This endeavor has been another reminder of my amazing support system, not just my family but my invaluable friends. I hope I bring half as much value to your lives as you bring to mine. And thank you for putting up with my energy :) 

~Amanda Terranova
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Read more about why I chose The Wounded Warrior Project