Women's Sportbike Rally

[bearly_sane]

August 22-24, 2008, Fontana Village, NC, www.womenssportbikerally.com

Last year was a blast. Look forward to attending this year again.

[bearly_sane]

On-line registration deadline is August 8th so get your registration in. Hope to meet some other strom riders this year.

[bearly_sane]

Just a reminder that today is the deadline for online registration.

[bearly_sane]

Here is my write up of the rally and some links to pics.

For me, it was great. I was very nervous and excited about riding the dragon for the first time. Unfortunately, our plans for Friday did not go through. We had worked it out to be up there well before our time slot to volunteer and help. We planned to ride the dragon once before the crowd got up there for the weekend. Well, on the way up, we started having some car troubles. Had to stop a few times to get that under control. Made it to Fontana, got showered and got to registration to volunteer, one minute before we were supposed to be there. So, no riding on Friday. Saturday was a different story. Got up, went to the crossroads for the group photo by the Deals Gap sign. There were group rides that you could sign up for but we decided to venture out on our own. Wound up with 8 of us riding the dragon and skyway together. Rode the dragon for the first time and even though I was slow, I made it through without incident. Of course, I didn't think I was all that slow but compared to others, I wasn't even moving. Part of our group was way faster than me so, we would just meet up at the end of each road we traveled so they didn't have to slow their pace for me. Well, my b/f, David and I come off the dragon and right at the end, two of the guys from our group are getting familiar with some of TN's finest. We find the rest of the group just down the road, waiting. So we hang out for a few. Then head over to the skyway. When we get to the skyway, we stop at one of the overlooks and Meghan (who rode all that day with a fractured femur) decides to drop in behind me to slow down her ride a little. David then joins up with the others to run a little more spirited for a while. Several miles later, he is sitting at the exit of an overlook and pulls in behind us. About 3 curves after that, we round a left hander to 2 bikes on their sides on the side of the road. I see Allison waving her arms and I pull over to the side of the road. Turns out one of the guys lost it going into that corner just in front of Allison. He highsided and when she stopped, her bike rolled forward on the stand because of the incline of the road and down it went. The guy has a broken collarbone, 8 broken ribs, punctured and collapsed lung and possibly a broken arm. His blackbird is most likely totalled. David, Meghan and I waited with the bike (and his daughters bike) for the truck and trailer. Then we rode back to Fontana (albeit a little slower than I already was). We went to the dinner, hung out at the luau and after party, then called it a day. Woke up Sunday and had initially planned to ride but I hurt my foot on Saturday at the wreck and didn't really feel like trying to shift. We packed up and headed home. Even with the bad stuff that happened, it was an awesome weekend and I can't wait to do it again.

David and I are already trying to plan another trip up there soon. We also already have our plans to go to the rally next year. So there's how it was for me.

http://womenssportbikerally.com/Photos.html

http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b382/the955iman/Rally%202008/?albumview=grid

[LarryB]

Looks like a lot of fun. My wife really wanted to go, even though she doesn't ride a sport bike. She loves talking to other women who ride. Particularly the height-challenged types (she's 4'12").

Our schedules just wouldn't allow it though. :(

[bearly_sane]

Looks like a lot of fun. My wife really wanted to go, even though she doesn't ride a sport bike. She loves talking to other women who ride. Particularly the height-challenged types (she's 4'12").

Our schedules just wouldn't allow it though. :(


If you get the chance next year, I would definitely plan to attend. There are a lot of folks there (and many height-challenged women). Matter of fact, in some of our group pictures, it is obvious how much I had to squat to fit in (I'm 6'). There were over 70 something women in attendance this year and she would have found plenty to talk to. Next year will be as good if not better than this year.