October 27, 2017 – I wasn’t going to write about Babes Ride Out 5. I’ve blogged about the event before–even shot a segment for NBC–so what more could be said? Besides, BRO isn’t easily captured in words. Heck, I didn’t even take my camera (other than my iPhone) because I simply wanted to enjoy with no thoughts of “working.”
But the fun-level of this year’s BRO warranted a journal entry (mostly for me), so here I am, writing my little travelogue, and posting WAY too many pictures.
And to think I almost didn’t go.
Thanks to a bum shoulder, I hadn’t been on a motorcycle since Babes Ride Out 4 and to be honest? I was nervous. Plus, with our life in upheaval, what with selling our house, living out of AirBNBs, and having our stuff spread across two states, my brain and body had hit their max. BUT… I already had the time off, and hey, a weekend with pals would surely soothe the soul. Plus, it had been FAR too long since a Grease Girl/Motor Doll adventure and never with both of us on motorcycles.
To top it off, the weekend before BRO, I posted this on Instagram, and joy of joys!
Tiffany (aka katterkat) would be joining us! A reunion of the Squaresville Trio from 2015!
Thursday’s Ride to Babes Ride Out 5
Over the two years since getting her M1 license, Kristin (aka GreaseGirl) has been renting various motorcycles looking for the right fit before buying. She still hasn’t found “the one.” For this–her first ride to Babes Ride Out–she rented a Motoguzzi V7iii. I’ve got to say, it suited her beautifully. Enough to be “the one“? We’ll have to wait and see…
We rolled out of Orange around one o’clock, stopping in Redlands for our Squaresville Trio reunion!
The Squaresville Trio: Kristin, Tiffany, Lori
Tiffany and her Scrambler
Tiffany’s gorgeous farmhouse complete with goats and chickens.
After a tour of Tiffany’s farmhouse, we set off for the high desert, arriving at the Joshua Tree Lake Campground around 3 pm where we made camp with over 1500 other girls on motorcycles.
Making new friends is part of the glory of Babes, so when we learned our neighbor Pam had come alone on her Sportster SuperLow, we asked her to join our little pack, turning the Squaresville Trio into the Squaresville Squared.
Pam, Lori, Kristin, Tiffany… photo by Kristin
Friday Ride Day
After a fun night catching up with friends–and a delightful night’s slumber in our tents–we woke at sunrise and prepped for a day of riding.
Kristin and I came out of our respective tents inadvertently wearing the same railroad stripes, although in a different cut, proving we are truly kindred souls.
Mojave Land Trust Scavenger Hunt
We rolled out as five this time, with Charlotte–a woman Kristin met through SEMA–joining our pack. As we left camp, photographer Virginia Cagney grabbed helmet shots of departing riders for Progressive, and Savannah captured Virginia capturing me.
Thanks for the great photos, Virninja!
After a swell breakfast at Larry and Milt’s Western Cafe–where Larry and his staff treated us likes queens (we ate there three days in a row)…
Charlotte, Larry, and me. I swear, nothing pervy is going on here. Just happened to hit the trigger at the right moment! Ha ha ha ha!
We set out to make a dent in the Mojave Land Trust Scavenger Hunt, leading us to various desert preserves in the area–with instructions to stop and look around. We did a marvelous job, don’t you think?
Kristin, Tiffany, Charlotte, Pam, and me at our first stop in the hunt.
Second stop, there seemed to be a miscommunication between the Land Trust and this Nature preserve, and the man in the golf-cart pictured to the left kindly asked us to leave so as not to disturb the birds, and we obliged.
We made a quick loop through Pioneertown on our way to stop three, because, well, PIONEERTOWN…
And then we were on to Whitewater, battling the worse-than-usual winds across the 62 toward Interstate 10. The insanity was worth it, though, taking us to this spectacular spot.
Third Stop Whitewater. Photo by Kristin
Our scavenger hunt came to a close here, mostly because of mine and Pam’s night blindness, but also because we wanted to get into camp before dark and the fourth and final clue of the day would put us back late. Charlotte–determined to make the most of her one day at BRO–continued on to stop four, Chiraco Summit.
Saturday…
We’d planned to journey to Salvation Mountain, but after hearing about a nasty sandstorm knocking bikes over on the side of the road, we instead took a ride through Joshua Tree National Park.
Tiffany on her 2012 Triumph Scrambler… Photo by Kristin
Pam on her 2014 Sportster SuperLow… Photo by Kristin
Kristin on her rented MotoGuzzi V7iii
Me on my Chromester, 2004 Harley-Davidson 1200R
Cold Night + Warm Rock = BLISS
The Squaresville Trio! … Photo by Kristin
I swear I was only trying to help.
If you look closely, you can see the Chromester out there.
Saturday night. Hmmmm. Yeah. I think there was some stage dancing. Maybe even a little #lorihumpseverything (not as dirty as it sounds). Of course lots of catching up and hugging and general silliness. Tiffany had a glass ambro-type portrait made. Kristin had some chain stitch done on her jacket. And then the Squaresville’s made an early-to-tent-exit. Come on! We’re the Squares! What else did you expect? HA!
Sunday…
I wasn’t ready for the weekend to end. I didn’t want to go back to reality.
But after four shower-free days I definitely smelled. A bath and a real bed sounded pretty good. Seeing my feller ranked pretty high too.
Photo by Cindy DuLong
Still, saying goodbye is never easy.
We parted ways espousing our love for each other, and plotting next year’s even greater adventure, (including trying to figure out how to sneak our bearded Abuela in to make us tortillas).
As a final farewell and thank you to the desert for returning my “lost” sunglasses, we hosted a burial for the torched wookie ear (Scrambler high pipe+world’s-most-gigantic-black-widow+hanging-bag=Tiffany’s-fried-furry-money-purse-and-cash-and-credit-cards). As we tossed the final bit of sand over the singed fur, I swore we heard a little Rrrrrrr-ghghghghgh! echo across the desert floor, the perfect close to our most epic weekend.
Until next year my Squaresville Squared…
Later gators!!
Photo by Virgina Cagney
P.S. I’m still rebuilding the site after the great crash of 2017, so if you click a post and find pictures missing, that’s why.