Motormaids

 I wrote to the Motormaids!!!
Hi there,
I am Flo from Canada. I am not sure if you have heard about our ride but apparently we are crossing paths in July with some MM's.
I am hoping this can happen. For  more information, here is the link
http://gowitheflo.org/

One more thing, is MotorMaids strictly American or can I join as a Canadian, I ride all the time with Americans. Thanks
Flo

Hi Flo,
Great to hear from a Canadian rider with a great cause! My hats off to you and your conga chicks! I just got off your website and it's brilliant! Guess what! you're heading right for us in July. We are having our annual conference in Cody, Wyoming from July 6-8th, 2010.

I'm copying Cindy Black who is the District Director for Western Canada. They have their own website and it includes Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. Check these ladies out at http://motormaids.home.bresnan.net/

Flo, the Motor Maids is the first women’s motorcycling organization in North America. With over 1,000 members across Canada and the United States, the Motor Maids are a diverse group of women motorcyclists united through a passion for riding while fostering a positive image and promoting safe riding skills. 

Joining the Motor Maids is a great opportunity to ride, travel and get to know great people all across North America. The Motor Maids hold a Convention each July in a different part of the country.

We have 3 districts in Canada - Western Canada (Cindy Black), Eastern Canada (Dora Cook - that's me!) and Altantic Canada (Anne Weeden).

For additional information on us, please visit our website at www.motormaids.ca.
 
Take care, ride safe and we'll see you on the road!
 

Dora C. Cook, District Director
Eastern Canada Motor Maids
4373 Goldeneye Way,
Gloucester, Ontario
K1V 2J4
(w) 613-523-2064
(h) 613-425-0629



 

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From: flamotormaids@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:56:56 -0400
Subject: Re: Women Who Ride Conga III
To: vanisladyriders@live.ca
CC: MGBTR22@gmail.com; cyclethatcher@bex.net; mmmembership@gmail.com; Anne.Weeden@dal.ca; dora.cook@hotmail.com; dora.cook@sympatico.ca

Hi Flo!

Yes, I follow your Congo at the Delphi forums!!  And yes, if paths are crossing Motor Maids RIDE!!  And YES we are INTERNATIONAL and we have a very large Canadian membership!!

Not sure which District of Canada you'd be in - depends on where you live.  I've added our membership secretary to this email, and our Eastern Canada District Director Dora Cook from Ottawa, ON and Anne Weeden of Fall River, NS District Director for our Atlantic Canada District.  They'll be able to guide you for certain!

You can also check out our main website at www.motormaids.org for more information.

I've also attached a membership application for you if you'd like to print it out.  One is also available for download at the website.

We'd love to have you aboard!

Do send me an itinerary for you 2010 Conga and we'll see what we can do!  In July most of us will be in Cody, Wyoming for our annual Convention!!  If you're not in Wyoming at that time, no matter where you are there will be Motor Maids to meet you!

Looking forward to meeting you and the girls at some spot on the road!

Ride Safe!

Tammy Jenkins

Co-District Director 

Florida Motor Maids

www.floridamotormaids.org

www.motormaids.org

IBA# 37261

SS1000

BBG1500

It is our responsibilities, not ourselves, that we should take seriously.
 - Peter Ustinov

$5,000.00 Bucks for Conga III Breast Cancer Fund

Well we did it!! Hit the 5G. I'm so proud of us. That  only leaves us $9G to go to hit our goal. There is 3 months to go before the actual ride begins. I'm thinking we are going to make it.

We are still looking for items to donate to the cause so if you are reading this please keep us in mind. If you are a business we will put you on our web page for the whole world to see. We get quite the following once things get on the road.

This weekend  is Easter long weekend, and I am taking it off and Fancypants and I are going on a mission to hit local business's.

Don't forget the men can get breast Cancer too.

This is team work. We are two countries working together.Thanks again everyone!!

New Web Page ready to go!

Our new web-page is ready to role. Carrie is still doing work on it, but looking great and professional and you can find it all there. Blog and everything, so be sure to put the new site and DELETE EVERYTHING ELSE...LOL

http://gowitheflo.org/

THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE

Dixie Olin donates!!

Flo,

I will be sending out a couple of prints and a pack of greeting cards for your fundraiser. My computer is giving me fits, if you go to my profile under paintings there is a painting of leather jackets called Hanging with Friends, it seem to raise the most money, I think one of the reason's is, it doesn't matter what you ride, it's just about friends. 

There is another one, K J, it has a woman rider, if you can pull them from the FB site, use them, I will try to send you better a better image this week. I will send cards too. Thanks for your patience. I love to do commissions, I work from photos, if you have one send it to me, dxolin@hotmail.com from there we start a conversation about what you want. Don't just look at what is around the bike, look at what is in the bike, (reflections in chrome, paint, mirrors) you can tell a lot of stories just looking in the chrome, and just so you know, I look very tall and skinny in chrome!:) One of the reason's I started this:)lol Look forward to hearing from you, Dixie

And me without my Camera!!

Wow.. I am sitting here on an extremely slow day, trying to get caught up on the Conga III auctions and stuff. I am down loading pics into snap fish and hoping I don't forget anyone. I am so afraid of forgetting  someone that has done something nice, or donated items. Keeping on top of things has become quite the job really. It's all for a reason I am sure. 

So the mailman arrives with this big cedar box, or pine maybe from 

Angellos Glaros Studios. Gorgeous Mirror made by Angellos. And me without my Camera. So you all will have to just wait in suspense to have a boo at what the up coming auction will be. Wow Angellos, thanks so much, we will be sure to put you on our web page. This item my friends will have a reserve bid for sure.

Vicci Melton/Osifer

I'm a retired probation officer who was seeking a fun way to live the second half of my life.  Bought a 2005 Heritage with 4 miles on it, began meeting riders through various riding clubs, and then decided that my life and my bike needed direction.  My first "direction was Sturgis.....a little bit too directional for me....then last year I decided to make a real commitment and rode from Yuma, AZ, to Washington, DC for the Run for the Wall on behalf of the Vets, POW's and MIA's.  A ride dedicated for healing the soul.  It was inspirational. 

 

I enjoy meeting new folks and began meeting women riders through Facebook, Flo Fuhr being one of the first.  She was talking about a cancer ride involving women riders and I figured, ya know, this ride can say something special about healing, but most of all, about CURING.  So, outta Washington, DC, I plan on meeting up with a bunch of "sistas", like Flo puts it, and celebrate THE CURE. 

Conga Bio

Woman Who Ride Conga III-Ride for Breast Cancer
June 8,9,10/10 I am who they Call the Conga Queen/founder(Flo)
A Conga line is merely a group of Bikers that ride with each other, going with the Flo from state to state or province to province. You can join the Conga and ride for a mile or two, or a state or two...or more!!
Likely the line will fall apart here and there, but has been known to have many join in again at different places, especially at the end.That irresistible sound of the rumble of Conga line is hard not to join in on the fun!!

The Conga came about when I bought my first Harley Davidson(only), from Ride Like a Pro in Hudson, Florida. Hudson is kitty corner across the continent from Vancouver Island where I live. Almost 6,000 miles if you go the scenic route. The original plan when I bought my Harley was to have it shipped. I was off in Mexico for the winter. As time got near I started thinking how cool it would be if I flew to Florida and met the Palladinos and all the girls on the Women Who Ride Forum that I had connected with since I became a new rider. All I had to do is mention that to my internet women friends and the enabling began.

The camaraderie of bikers is truly amazing. These women from the forums both in Florida and Vancouver Island encouraged and enabled me. They quickly jumped in to offer there homes, fed me, rode with me, passed me along, like a baton, to get me home safely. I was literally treated like the Queen!!
The Palladinos took me into their home and put me through the RLAP course. Although I still had a long way to go, they felt I could handle the bike, hell I could even pic it up, thank goodness. Out of that 5 day stint there, Donna and I were like long lost sisters and we be the best of friends for life.
Hence the name of the ride became the Conga dancing me across the Continent doing the Conga only on Motorcycles.
Each time I was passed on to the next group of riders, it was so hard to say good by. It was like we had know each other forever. I would wonder if the next group be as nice as the last. Many asked me if I was scared. I can never once say I was scared from the people. I was worried maybe that I wouldn't live up to their expectations.
Okay there was a few SCAREY times on the highway, like going through Death Valley in major wind and sand storms, dropping my bike do to weather and not being used to it,and of course tired, but an exhilarating tiredness. At times I didn't want to get on my new bike, and missed my old.

At the last minute, I decided to do it for a cause. Friends were paying me so much a state that I hit. Needless to say, I snagged the corners of a few extra with my new found friends. I raised $1,700 for Cancer in memory of my motorcycle instructor, Rod Wiseman.
It truly was an amazing trip and if I had died some where along the road, it would have all been worth it. Memories from the first Conga still dance through my head daily. I never rode one single mile alone. What a Conga Line!!
It has made me want to pay it forward in the biker community since the moment I arrived home. My life changed tremendously. I put my faith in humanity, I was alone Canadian Rider, but never alone for moment. I love to help out a fellow biker in anyway that I can, from offering a bed, to meeting a new rider on the island of sharing what the Ride Like a Pro has taught me.
And so began the Congas...
Conga II started out to be a Reunion. I was going to fly there, visit and ride with the people that had treated me so kind....Get all those women together again talking about it and before long it's a full blown Conga Line, from Sea to Shining Sea!! Raising $12,000.00 for Breast Cancer. I met some of the most amazing people along the way that will be life long friends. Apparently again, I inspired some folk along the way.. One of our spirit riders who if fighting a different type of Cancer will be riding in the Conga III this year and she only got to riding after meeting the Conga line near the end of the trip in Wenatchee, WA Another life long friend. Most of them are.

Conga III was being discussed a few short months after the Conga II ended in July /09. Many gals from the forums had been Spirit Riders for the last two. The Congas got themselves quit a name and we had Spirit Riders all over the world. I would blog it at the end of every day and post lots of videos and clips of the adventures good or bad. I would come home to gifts and letters of how I had inspired so many even husbands. People were saying .... Where's Flo this morning. We hit the news in 4 states and raised $12,000.00

We are well underway, with rooms booked for a MIM (meet in the middle) in Cheyenne, Wyoming July 89,9 10/10!!
We have already raised $4,000.00 between the Canadians and American sisters we have gotten to know over the internet.
It is all kind of scaring to me now!! It is growing in leaps and bounds and I am by no means an organizer of anything. It totally amazes me how many are coming and I freak that when we arrive there won't be enough to do.. I am so ready to let some one take it over. It has now become another dream, is to have it continue annually not just for me but so many.
I tried to convince the Women that someone else do it this year as my pocket book says I am crazy. They decided if if Flo wasn't going to be there, there would be no Conga... I am a committed Conga Chick asking for help. Not that I am not getting help, there is help all over the place. People are donating web sites, donations, advice, doing letters, but heck it almost seems...I need staff!! lol
So in Cheyenne
It starts out as just a place to meet, and greet. Getting these Women Who Ride to actually meet in person that we have been talking to for years. Of course for a good cause which is for Breast Cancer as a lot of the gals are survivors or are fighting it. The problem that has happened as it grows.. is I don't know what the hell I am doing and need help.. but I just keep on keeping on, and going with the flow.

So if you think you would like to go with Flo and do the Conga III.

Start your own little Conga Line from where ever you live and grab your friends and start organizing now... Spread the word!! It sneaks up on you fast.
We will be arriving in Cheyen, Wyoming July 8, 9, 10. Ride as far as you can or become a Spirit Rider. Help us in any way, by organizing, fund raising, donating items...
WHAT EVER... WE NEED YOU!!
These are memories that will last a life time. Not only does it make me proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and doing that first Conga... Against ALL ODDS I might add! If you knew me like my family and closest friend anyway. It was HUGE for me. I met the most amazing ladies and their partners, saw some of the most incredible roads. I still pinche myself from time to time when I say out loud...I RODE ACROSS AMERICA TWICE! Mostly with internet friends. I want others to experience that, and they are going to. To say that I had something to do with that makes me proud once again, that I did make a difference.

MAVERICK MOTORSPORTS

Holiday Inn
Cheyenne, Wyoming

To make reservations:
Call: 307-638-4466 307-638-4466
Secret Code: "Conga3"

http://gowitheflo.com
Conga3Blog http://conga3.blogspot.com/
Conga2Blog http://flo-conga2reunion.blogspot.com/
Conga1Blog http://goinwitheflo.blogspot.com/

Cuts for a Cause

Now that is something I have done alot here in my Home town of Campbell River.  Just donate $330 to Hair for Haiti  last month. 

A new friend here on FB just just suggested I pack my scissors on the road and do cuts for a cause on the road.. I like it, better go buy me a pink comb..

So ha... any of you reading this and want to donate to the cause that will be riding...Save your hair for me and for the cause.

$4000.00

We have officially hit the $4000.00 mark in our fundraising. Thanks for everyone who has donated all the wonderful items to auction off on FB. Of course all the people who have generous bid. It is amazing, we have gotten this far already and the ride starts in 3 months.

 I have been hitting the local business for a bit after work to see what we can get for the Show and Shines  The first one, I hit was Milwaukee Twin here in CR and they donated a nice bike cover! yes off to a good start. 
I have been to Courtenay Motorsports and I do know Kevin will come up with something, he promised, I will return. Also Boatland in CR will be donating. 
I actually was shopping in Shoppers Drugmart, and thought to myself, if you don't ask for sure you wont get. I asked and the will be doing me up a nice gift basket. I was in Staples and left my letter and he gave me an idea that it would be simple to get office stuff, like print offs and cards rather than items, so I will return in a couple days to see what they have come up with.

I am running out of things to auction off but am orderin a bunch more pink pleather gloves and blinging them up because they turned  out to be a good  seller. The part I don't like is going to the post office everyday but it is all for a good cause. Heck , I need something to do as there sure isn't much going on in the old Barbershop. This is my Conga Office.. lol
The Conga keeps me sane both on and off the road.

One of many types of letters I recieve

I just want you to know the money doesn't go to us...let me tell you my story...
I went to the plastic surgeon today to see about finally having my mastectomy site cleaned up, I had stage 3 breast cancer with a 7 cm ball of cancer in my chest, so a Radical mastectomy they don't even do anymore was done..i don't want a Frankenboob as they would have to cut out a huge piece of my back and all my lat muscle and my ink on my back will be hacked to shit..
So he tells me this is not paid by OHIP and it is cosmetic, I freaked, so your saying not only do they rip off your breast and leave this horrible unsightly scar but you have to now live with it for the rest of your life!
"SUCKS TO BE YOU!!"
When I was recovering I had no insurance I did 1 year of chemo and had to go on welfare because there was no support from the cancer people at all..NONE!
So what you are doing is admirable to say the least but I want you to know it never goes to us...I'm having a bad day!

Jenn's Work

 That girl Draggie is crackin her whip again, and moving right along with the fund raisers, here'as what's going on!!

Well things are coming together bit by bit. We are still looking for vendors that would like to be there. Table cost is by donation.

We are also looking for donations for prizes or sponsorships for the awards

The award sponsorships are $50 per category and cover first and second place plaques and a third place ribbon. All awards will have the sponsors name on them. We need approximately 8 more sponsors, so if you know of a business that would be interrested please let them know, and we can get things together to collect the moneys and get them a receipt.As of now, three categories are definately spoken for thanks to the generousity of James at the STADIUM SPORTS BAR AND GRILL in Nanaimo by Woodgrove Centre. He is also offering up more donations and prizes for the show.

For his benefit and the generosity of his donation we are also going to be planning a poker run starting and ending at the Stadium in the late spring. All proceeds will be going to the Conga III ride for Breast Cancer. 

Hope we can get a good turn out for Breast Cancer as well as for the Stadium Sports Bar and Grill. He has got a great menu of traditional pub favorites as well as some more unique items. Ever tried deep fried pickles? Well they are actually pretty damn good! Prizes are reasonable and service is great. So if you are in the area, be sure to stop in and let him know you heard about them from the Conga.

Derby Cover Donation Blacksheep Kustoms

Wow!! Check this site out BLACKSHEEP KUSTOMS JC Smith the artist is donating a custom design Derby Cover. You can pick your design, winner works with artist in putting it together. Going to be hard not to bid  on this one. Shees!! Here is just a couple of examples that he  does. It is just amazing how people have been so kind in donating items, and the gals involved finding items to auction. This item will be up for bids on Facebook for one  week, be sure to check it out!!

Holiday Inn Cheyenne Wyoming

So this is the plan right now. There will be a big event at Maverick Motorsports. That’s what they are gearing to do. I have let those events be rather flexible, but they are bringing in food and a band for our use.

He is not charging us to use his facilities with the opportunity of selling a thing or two during the event. The big event is the afternoon of the 8^th. It will be really informal, like a meet and greet. The Ride Like a Pro team will be putting on a show. Hopefully Harris will be there too. The 9th, Harris will have a ride planned for us. We can decide where to eat along the way or whatever.

We have no idea how many people will be showing up, I guess it is time to call Cheyenne at the hotel, and see how many have booked. If you are reading this and want to meet in Cheyenne Wyoming 8,9,,10 Please book early and the secret code is Conga3 to get the deal.

HOLIDAY INN

My friend Harris in Denver

Harris is a man I met through Youtube of all places. I have never actually met him, but he caught hold of one of my video clips of me practicing RLAP. He commented on them and told me I obviously had good teachers. So of course I told my story. I watch all his clips and continue to learn from them. He even sent me a little booklet on riding.

After the Conga go underway and I knew we were going to be not far  from Denver, I asked him if he would be interested to meet and ride, and set up an obstacle course.. Right, forgot to mention, he trains Motor Officers. Wow, how lucky are we?  So he has agreed to show us around and to set up a parking lot workshop. Here is his response to me.

I'm definitely planning on seeing you when you're in Cheyenne and, given some warning of exact dates, should be able to take some time off work. 

The last thing I want to do is take over any plans you may have.  However, if you'd like like there are many great rides that could use Cheyenne as a base.  Some examples:

1) Leave Cheyenne to the south on I-25, to Loveland, CO; then head west  up Big Thompson Canyon to Estes Park.  There enter Rocky Mountain National Park, and go over Trail Ridge Rd. (the highest paved through route in North America).  At the western end of Trail Ridge, turn north on CO 125 to CO 14, then turn back east to Ft. Collins, and then back north to Cheyenne.  This would be a good all day trip.

2) Start out as above until Estes Park, but then turn south on Peak-to-Peak Highway, then down Coal Creek Canyon, then back to Cheyenne.  This would be an easier all day, or even a good 6 hour run.  There also would be time to add Mount Evans (ride the paved road to the top, over 14,000 feet).

3) Head up to the Black Hills of South Dakota.  This would be 1/2 day each way from Cheyenne.  So it would only make sense to plan on staying the night there if this trip is selected.  The Black Hills contain: Mount Rushmore, Iron Mountain Rd, Needles Highway, Crazy Horse Memorial, Sturgis, Spearfish Canyon, and Devil's Tower. 

Of course my plan at the moment is no plan.  I want to meet you, Donna and Jerry.  Beyond that consider that I am at your disposal.  
Harris

Sidesaddle Slow Cone and Off-set Cone Weave (Motor School)

Fund Raising.

Things are moving right along as far as the fund raising goes. We still have or should I say only have 4 months before the big ride. I am receiving donations and items to  donate from all over the place. We have now raised on line $3,333.00, sounds like a lucky number to me. It is over whelming, exciting. I just can't post all the items, it is way to much work, but its all on facebook. If I started now, naming all the names of people who donated  items, I would be sure to miss someone, so just thanks to everyone.

More items donated.

Wow, it has been quite a week with the Conga fund raising. People are donating stuff left right and center.

 We had a matching pink leather jacket and chaps and a joe Rocket coat donated from a Conga Sister down in  GA. Cindy Vormittag. 

Paula Little Bolten sent me a huge box of things from MT all biker related, which the bidding started immediately.

Natalie Koski donating this love book, that she just  bought for the cause, relating to Breast cancer and how people deal with it.

Carrie Kuehn, designing a professional web page for the Conga.

It is all just so amazing. 

Gosh I just know I have left some out, I have not been blogging everyday, which I need to start getting in the habit.

Classy Glass on Facebook

Big Shout Out to Classy Glasss.She is a  new company and all her things are handmade and crafted by herself. She take a lot of pride in her work. Check it out!! If you see anything that you like, just drop her a message. Thank you Deborah at Classy Glass for your kindness.

Special note from Cindy

I just have to share this, I wish I would have kept everything, I am having a hard time, keeping up with everything these days. Little stories like this I never want to forget. The Conga is growing in leaps and bounds and affecting people in places i never dreamed it could. 

Flo,

 The Conga takes on it’s own life. One thing really does lead to another. I sitting here watching the last half of closing ceremonies because of the time change. I had to work tonight so I thought I’d missed them.

For the past year or so I’ve worked a part-time job as a server at a dinner theater here in Dallas to assist me through the lean times. Tonight was a light night so it was just me and another server. He and I was discussing what would be a fair way to divvy up the customers and in walks two gray-headed couples. He looked at me and said, “You wanna go first?” I took off with a ticket book in my apron. These were really nice folks. Now since I’d been riding today, I was wearing my Conga II-Reunion t-shirt. They were very interested in my motorcycle riding. That lead to talk about the Conga III Ride for Breast Cancer. One of the ladies looked up at me and said, “I’m a breast cancer survivor and I’m very interested in making a donation. How would I do that?” I sat down with her and talked for a few minutes. I showed her my Conga III Ride for Breasts fob which was hanging from the belt-loop on my jeans and said, “There are people all over this country and Canada who love and care about you and your health.” She smiled. She smiled a smile which was unlike any other I’ve seen. It was a smile of warmth, grace, and survivorship. I shared our “saying” with her and she LOVED it!  I invited her to my Launch on July 4^th at Stroker’s.

I simply can’t believe how God has used your simple quest to get home with a new bike into such a hope-filled ride of healing and love.

Thanks, Flo-bee.

-Cindy