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 pick it up, thank goodness. I dropped my new bike five times over the 3 week trek home.
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 would 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 an 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!! We raised $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 June /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 women even their 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 8,9 10/10!! We have already raised $5,000.00 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, 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 Cheyenne, 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 pinch 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.
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