In last week's great guest blog post by Liz Jansen, author of Women, Motorcycles and the Road to Empowerment, was a free ebook offer by drawing from the people who commented on the book, and Deborah Hymes won. Congratulations Deborah! Coincidentially, I know Deborah aka her smart and funny Writer Vixen blog. In fact, she attended one of my Self-Publishing Boot Camps last year and was a pleasure to have in the seminar. Deborah wasted not time downloading and reading the book, and she offers her comments here:

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Hi Carla, I'm so excited that I won this book. I'm embarking on several new adventures at the moment, and although none of them involve an actual motorcycle, the spirit of taking to the road suffuses my life right now. I immediately found inspiration and a kindred spirit in "Getting Past Go":  

"I was heading into the unknown . . . and had a whole blank slate in front of me, waiting for me to write the script. I . . . ultimately would have to let go of behaviors, thoughts and beliefs that not only no longer served me, but also hindered my progress. The trick would be to recognize fears that were creating resistance, identify self-limiting beliefs and destroy them one by one, rather than let them continue to hold me away from who I was."  [Jansen, Liz (2011-12-01). Women, Motorcycles and the Road to Empowerment (p. 80).  . Kindle Edition.]

I am revved up! Thank you so much. ;)

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Thank you Deborah, thank you Liz! Liz is on to the next stop in her virtual book tour, check out 10 Life Lessons I Learned from Being a Biker in the Amazing Women Rock blog.

BMW Motorcycle Owners to Converge in Yosemite & California's Gold Country for Unparalleled Riding & Events at 40th Annual 49er Rally, May 24-28, 2012 in Mariposa CA

Mariposa, CA, May 09, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The BMW Motorcycle Club of Northern California invites riders, families and friends to attend the 40th Annual 49er Rally celebration at the Mariposa Fairgrounds, Mariposa, CA, May 24-28, 2012.

Experience the outstanding scenery and history of Yosemite and California’s Gold Country while riding hundreds of miles of world-class roads from the paved to the unpaved, all from your secured campsite at the Mariposa Fairgrounds.

Enjoy four nights of secure camping/showers at the Mariposa Fairgrounds, food, drink, events, and tours with hundreds of like-minded BMW motorcycle riders for an online pre-registration fee of only $40. ($49 at the gate). $16 additional for Saturday dinner. All riders are welcome. Non-BMW riders require a sponsor.

The 49er Rally also welcomes several speakers to Mariposa:

International adventure rider Carla King, author, cofounder of the new online magazine MotoSFO.com will talk about her worldwide motorcycle adventures.

Rene Cormier, founder of Renedian Adventures and author of "The University of Gravel Roads" will discuss riding in wild Africa – its beauty and unique challenges.

Best of the West on a Single GS highlights paved and unpaved riding from California’s Lost Coast to Montana’s Going to the Sun by rider Wynne Benti.

In addition to vendors, travel and tech sessions, the 49er Poker Run with gold and silver coin prizes, English Trials, motorcycle skills and safety clinic, GS Ride, Concours judging event, over $2,500 in door prizes will be awarded.

Register online at: www.bmwnorcal.org/49er/ before for May 17, 2012 for $40 ($49 at the gate). Vendor info: Mike Morlin (415) 587-5158

Contact: Z Ortiz
Phone: (415) 587-5158
E-mail: registration49er@yahoo.com
www.bmwnorcal.org/49er/

I'm thrilled to be the first stop on a virtual book tour for Liz Jansen, an author, speaker, coach and motorcycle aficionado.  Her book Women, Motorcycles and the Road to Empowerment resonates with stories of adventure and self-discovery.  She says that "The Road to Empowerment may lead around the block or around it world.  It always brings us back to who we are."

I agree! I've gotten to know Liz over the years via social media and phone conversations, and we finally met last year and became fast friends. We found that we shared many of the same experiences as motorcycle travelers timidly starting out, working through our fears and doing that thing we really wanted to do - get on a motorcycle and explore. If you are, similarly, trying to figure out whether you're brave enough to work through the fears that have stopped you - well, we're here to gently push you toward your dream. If you've done it, you'll recognize yourself in these 7 Steps for Adventure Travel, so wonderfully illustrated in her book, which is discounted for this tour -- 25% of signed books from her website and reduced ebook price to $6.99 for the tour from Amazon and other ebook retailers.

Now... here's Liz's 7 steps for getting past fear and hitting the road.

Hitting the Road: 7 Steps for Adventure Travel

Excitement tinged with fear framed where I stood looking forward on August 1, 2003. Forty-nine, single, healthy, unbound by work commitments, I was about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: a two-month solo motorcycle odyssey across North America. 

Recognizing I had migrated into roles which no longer fit me, I had left a thirty-year relationship and a successful corporate career in the preceding eight months. I was footloose and fancy free. 

I had a new bike, been riding for more than thirty years and was confident in my skills. The opportunities ahead of me were endless. 

So why the fear?

That little self inside of me was keenly aware that a tectonic shift was occurring.  She was concerned for her survival, scared and throwing thoughts at me about things that could happen. She even questioned my judgment. The anxiety wasn’t based on motorcycling at all.

Not all adventures are on this scale. Some are smaller, some are grander. In all cases, following these simple steps opens the door to adventure. 

1. Follow your heart. When your heart speaks, listen. It’s telling you something for a reason. Ignoring it or turning back only creates anxiety. You will hear from naysayers. Remember, they are projecting their own fears on you. 

Walls designed to protect me had built the perfect marriage and the secure career. In fact, they had constrained me. My fear wasn’t about going for a ride; it was about leaving an illusion of security. 

2. Realistically assess the situation. Sit back and think about the reality of the situation. 

While I had initial concerns about physically managing the trip, I knew I could ride a motorcycle, read a map, had good gear for various weather conditions, had a cell phone, was resourceful, was not on a set schedule, had sufficient financial resources and wasn’t traveling to foreign countries where I couldn’t read the road signs or ask for directions. Besides, I could always turn around and go home.

I even had an offer that to pick me and my bike up if it became too much. That was out of the question!

3. Prepare. Plan, but avoid overdoing it. Leave room for those magical, serendipitous experiences.

Know a few basic proactive steps – like how to check tire pressure, oil levels and adjust your chain. Consider what maintenance you’ll need, when you’re likely to need it and where you can get it. Depending on the length of your trip and travel conditions you may need things like oil changes or new tires.

I knew I had two months and had some places I wanted to see: my mother’s birthplace in northern Saskatchewan, the small Alberta town where my father grew up, the Badlands, friends in San Francisco and the Grand Canyon. I connected the dots and had a general outline.

4. Expect amazing people and experiences. These are the treasures adventures are made of and show up with perfect timing. 

I met Verna over breakfast on Day Four. Seventy-five years old, she’d been camping solo across Canada every year for the past ten since her divorce. Although I was beginning to catch my stride, her joie de vivre left an indelible impression. 

5. Go. Perhaps “Let Go” is more accurate. This is the hardest step. All you need to do is take one step at a time.

Even though I was excited and looking forward to the adventure, I had to give myself a nudge to move off. I got up each day and went for a ride. The next thing I knew, I was at the Pacific Ocean.

Even now, before an extended trip, there’s last minute resistance I have to get past. I know that as soon as I start up my motorcycle, the Universe is in order and I’m ready. 

6. Enjoy. Enjoy the gifts of each moment. 

When you catch yourself worrying about the “what-if’s”, come back to what is. Most of the things we worry about don’t materialize and while our thoughts have taken us into an unlikely future, we’ve missed the beauty of the present. 

Riding through the Rocky Mountains, a mountain stream carrying ash and pine cones appeared alongside the road, in an area ravaged by forest fires. In the middle of blackness and destruction, water rushing over the rocks was already carrying the seeds of new life with it. What a poignant message!

7. Repeat. You will have such an amazing time, you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about. 

You discover a lot about your strengths and shadows on such adventures. Nothing you do is ever wasted time. Experiences become mulch in which the seeds of new growth germinate.  

Little did I know it was the beginning of a whole new life. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade that experience or the intervening years for anything.  

Thank you, Liz! You can find out more about Women, Motorcycles and the Road to Empowerment: Fifty Inspirational Stories of Adventure and Self-Discovery. and where to buy it on her website, and hey, check out this great morning show interview with Liz on Global Toronto. You can also follow the rest of her book tour - I will!

WIN A FREE EBOOK!

Just post a pertinent comment on this blog post between now and 3:00 pm EST Friday May 11, 2012, and Liz will draw randomly from those who post a comment. Do remember that the comments will have to be pertinent the theme of the post – perhaps offering your own story of getting past fear. 

It's my birthday, it's International Female Ride Day, and it's the day I launch my new website, MotoSFO. It's been a blast to develop this site with a community of local rider-riders who share their favorite places in Northern California. I hope you'll ride along with us, my friends. We can't wait to see you here!

MOTOSFO - WHERE LOCALS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE PLACES TO RIDE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, May 4, 2012 -- MotoSFO, a new website devoted to motorcycle touring in Northern California, launches today. The online magazine was created by motorcycle adventure travel writer Carla King, who lives and rides in the San Francisco Bay Area. She developed the site for her Motorcycle Misadventures blog readers who asked for information and advice about motorcycle travel in this very popular tourist destination. The site combines travel stories with maps, resources, news, and events of specific interest to motorcyclists.

The site serves a variety of motorcycle touring styles including the business traveler who has just one day to rent a motorcycle and take in the highlights, the fly-n-ride travelers on the vacation of a lifetime, and motorcyclists on a budget. Recommendations and reviews include hotels, campgrounds, state and national parks, restaurants, motorcycle rentals, repair, events, and gear. The site will also be of interest to local riders who want to break out of their usual weekend groove, says King, who says her team of writers have already surprised her with new information about areas she thought she knew well.

MotoSFO is a team of local riders and writers who live in the region from San Francisco to the Sierras, and Big Sur to the Mendocino Coast. King says that "not only will MotoSFO readers discover our favorite roads, but the quirky tourist destinations that rarely make the guidebooks, our favorite places to eat, to hang out with other riders, and the places we pull out to get the best view. We might take you to a hot springs, or an overlook where you can see elks grazing or elephant seals mating, or a quiet redwood grove where you can be alone." 

Along with King, the initial team of MotoSFO local guides are Lisa Alpine in Mill Valley, Sandy Borden in Davis, Kathy Hensley in Aptos, Cat MacLeod in El Sobrante, Carl Ribaudo in South Lake Tahoe, and Cindi Servante in Novato. At launch, guest bloggers include Christopher Gil of MAD Maps and Issa Breibish of WeLove Motogeo. Find out more about them on the site.

"MotoSFO brings all my favorite activities and areas of expertise together," says King. "It combines motorcycle touring, travel, writing, editing, photography, and web design, all in my favorite place to live and ride in the world, Northern California."  

http://motoSFO.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/motosfo
Twitter: @motosfo

 CONTACT: Carla King | contact@motosfo.com 

I would LOVE to go to this event in the Smoky Mountains, if I were not on the opposite coast! Sigh. But report back... Here's what Christa has to say about it so far, but stay tuned for more developments:

This year will be the biggest Touring Weekend yet, with more tours, the addition of an off-road guided tour, select vendors, seminars by RoadRUNNER editors and vendors, outdoor live music, door prizes, great food, and even vintage motorcycles!

The Touring Weekend is held in memory of RoadRUNNER’s founder Christian Neuhauser. Each year around July 15th, like-minded motorcyclists meet for a long weekend of riding, seminars, and making new friends. The event has been held at a different location, for the past six years, providing great new scenery and roads to enjoy!

Register now to join the fun in Maggie Valley this year.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Sidestand Up Motorcycle Radio
8:00 - 9:30 ET / 6:00 - 7:30 PT 

Catch my interview with Jenny Lefferts of San Francisco-based MAD MAPS, who makes maps in paper and eletronic formats that are wildly popular with motorcyclists and adventurous motorists alike. Details on the show and more info on Jenny, below.

Jenny Lefferts is the President and Founder of MAD MAPS, touring maps that have been wildly popular with motorcyclists for a long time.

Jenny has been a motorcycle and back roads enthusiast for years although her passion began long before she was licensed to ride. Her dad's idea of a summer vacation was to load up the family in the '72 VW bus and take to the road. Jenny moved to San Francisco in 1987 and purchased her first motorcycle. She was instantly hooked and began searching the Bay Area for the best scenic roads: the seed for MAD MAPS was planted.

Find out more on the MAD Maps website. Like them on Facebook, and check out this video of Jenny and her female associates on a their ride from California to the International Women & Motorcycling Conference in Colorado.

 Find more profiles of inspiring, influential, and important women in motorcycling in...

I'm compiling a list of the top 10 motorcycle touring routes in the USA and I wonder if you would help me? I can't decide, and I don't know ALL of the USA, so thought I would try crowdsourcing! That is, you -- many of you are amazingly well-traveled motorcyclists in all parts of the USA and overseas.

So... besides the following obvious (?) contenders, what are your recommendations?

• California to Vancouver, Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1)
• Smoky Mountains Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway,  Deals Gap Tail of the Dragon 
• Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Hwy,/Grand Canyon
• Key West Highway, Florida

I'm looking for decently long stretches of interesting/beautiful riding with interesting stops. Something you would take the trouble to go on vacation to ride... I hope to find something in each general region of the USA, but realize that some areas are just straight, hot, dry, and boring. The Glenn Highway in Alaska, for example, seems to me to be just one long hellish stretch between gas stations, dumpy motels, and mosquito-ridden campsites, for example. 

Some ideas I had were to catch some great roads that are pretty close to each other, like: 

• Rocky Mountains, Glacier, Zion, Yellowstone Highway

Other ideas:

• New England must have some amazing rides, but I missed that - maybe from Maine to Newfoundland?
• East Oregon, Washington - I have played around there a lot, but can't think of one "great" stretch worth making a special journey for.

So hard to decide. Help!

It's a party! With prizes! And music and dancing and motorcycles! Okay, maybe not the dancing, but that's up to you. Join me in South San Francisco at Moto Shop - a non-denominational motorcycle gathering and DIY fix-it place that opened not too long ago that is rapidly becoming very popular with everyone here in the SF Bay Area. Women, and the men who love us, whether you ride motorcycles (pillion, okay!), scooters, trikes, or sidecar rigs. 4pm to 7pm at Moto Shop. And if you can, join the daytime ride. Click the pic to see updated info on our Facebook page. (More prizes! More fun!) And there's even more info below.

Want to ride all day party in the early evening? Join Aleks Grippo, co-owner of Moto Shop for a SF/Marin/Sonoma ride. Get more info on their Events page.

Women from all over the San Francisco Bay Area are welcome to join in no matter what they ride (motorcycles, scooters, trikes, sidecars). Local businesses providing prizes are MAD Maps, BMW Motorcycles of San Francisco, SF Moto, Scuderia West, City Bike, Infineon Raceway, and more sponsors to come.

The event will be held between 4pm and 7pm at Moto Shop, a new 4000 square-foot do-it-yourself shop where you can work on your own motorcycle or scooter, or take a class and learn how to do it yourself.

RAFFLE PRIZES INCLUDE

• Event tickets and lodging for 2 for the first annual Lake Tahoe Adventure Motorcycle Ride and Rendezvous August 23-26.
• Four spectator passes and two "run-what-you-brung" passes for the International Motorcycle Speed Trials by BUB on the Bonneville Salt Flats August 29 to Sept 2.
• BMW Motorcycles of San Francisco:  KS40 ALLOY PANNIER LINER-BAG: fits any capacity Touratech-ZEGA, BMW or Metal allow panniers.
• Gift cards and merchandise from SF Moto Shop, Scuderia West, Dainese D-Store
• T-shirts and subscriptions to San Francisco's City Bike magazine.
• Gorgeous canvas map packs and Get Out of Town maps for the first 20 women from MAD Maps.
• Books from local rider/writers Carla King and Birgit Soyka.

The day's theme is “JUST RIDE!” and women motorcyclists everywhere have planned events, rides, and how they'll personally spend the day. Wherever San Francisco Bay Area Women are riding, they're gathering at the end of the day to meet and celebrate, and motorcycle-related industries are making it even more fun by providing prizes.

The event is organized by Joanne Donn, founder of GearChic, Aleks Grippo, co-owner of Moto Shop, and Carla King, author of the Motorcycle Misadventures series of books and online dispatches from the road. Contact us and let us know how you want to participate.

International Female Ride Day was founded by Vicki Gray of MOTORESS in 2007 to bring awareness of the numbers of women who ride, to unify women in motorcycling, no matter what they ride, and to encourage other women to adopt the sport. Women from around the world participate in this globally-synchronized day, including women in Australia, Greece, Russia, India, Hungary, and beyond.

Friday, May 4th 2012
4pm to 7pm 
Moto Shop in South San Francisco
325 South Maple Ave #20 South San Francisco

It doesn't matter what you ride, or who you ride with, just ride!

How's this for the quintessential roadtrip? It begins in 1969 San Francisco, when you apparently could motorcycle on Ocean Beach. Don't we wish! But that diner on the cliff? It's still there. And the epic road trip? Yep. We do it all the time. San Francisco to Highway 1 south through San Mateo, Santa Cruz, to Monterey County with its famous towns of Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur. And in this story, far beyond. And his gear? Well, though it's not AGATT, maybe it can remind us that we really don't need all that stuff we think we need to get away.

This is the pilot film for the same-titled TV show, seen here in an international version that has footage not seen in the U.S. telecasts. Buy the DVD from Whitehorse Press.

From Wikipedia:

The opening of the show served as a metaphor for the premise of the show: getting away from the "big city" and leading a more simplistic life. The opening begins with Bronson driving up to a red light in San Francisco and he briefly chats with a commuter. The scene also introduces Bronson's signature-phrase which he used often in the episodes, "Hang in there."

From here he heads out to California's State Route 1 and then crosses over the Bixby Creek Bridge, made famous from the opening credits in every episode.

See it in the clip below.

Thank you to guest blogger Chris White with UShip, the expert couriers and removal company in the UK. Chris writes on a variety of motorcycle-related topics for Uship, from the latest MotoGP news to testing the latest helmets. In this post, Chris offers his expert advice on how to safely transport your motorcycle. Thanks Chris!

Whether you’ve spent thousands of pounds on a new bike or thousands of hours on a restoration,  the last thing you want is to hear is your motorcycle crashing over in the back of a rickety old trailer. Taking the necessary precautions to ensure your bike is secure while in transit is essential in prolonging the life of your bike. Here's how to do it safely.

Trailering? Hmmm. Consider a Van, Instead

While trailerig your bike is a perfectly good method in theory, it can prove to be particularly problematic with older trailers. Those that don’t react well to bumpy surfaces or that have older sides can cause the straps to come loose, or even off, leaving your bike perilously positioned and on the verge of a hefty repair bill. For this very reason, using a van is by far the best method of transporting your beloved bike, (other than riding it of course!)

Lifting it In: A Ramp is Ideal

Getting the bike into the van is the first contentious issue, but this can be resolved using a good quality, sturdy ramp or if it’s a small bike a builder’s scaffold board will be just as effective. When lifting the bike into the van, do not hold the brake discs or the chain, instead hold onto the handle bars or forks.

No Tipping, Please

Whichever side of the van you position your bike on, turn the steering to the opposite side. This way you avoid the risk of all of the weight tipping to one side and your bike hitting the side of the van. By wedging the front wheel against something solid, you reduce the risk of it rocking around and shaking itself loose. If you can get them, use proper bike straps as opposed to bits of rope.

Hooks on the Floor

With hooks or eyes omn either end and a hook mounted in the floor of the van you can securely fasten the bike in position. It’s always best to use more than one strap covering a number of parts of the bike to make sure everything that can be made secure has been. Fastening the front brake in the ‘on’ position will also be a big help as it will prevent the wheel from moving.

Getting it Back Out

When it comes to taking the bike out of the van, make sure you have someone to help you. With one person on each side, ease the bike down the ramp with one hand on the brake to prevent it from rolling down out of control. A third person would be extremely helpful to help guide you down the ramp and to push against it should it begin to fall off the ramp.

Excellent! Riding away now can be fun, instead of waah... more money, more repairs! Thanks again to Chris White of UShip expert couriers in the for this useful tutorial. Hey, and I've always loved your logo. Fun!