A JERSEY GIRL BUT A VERMONTER AT HEART
Authored by Peggy W  who rides a Harley Davidson 05 Road King

Geography can’t change what’s in your blood.   Despite the fact that I live in New Jersey, I still
call Vermont my home.  It is the place of my birth and holds many wonderful  memories both
as a child and as an adult.  I count my Vermont house near Stratton Mountain as one of my
blessings - my haven from the congestion of home.  It is the place of my birth and holds many
wonderful  memories both as a child and as an adult.  I count my Vermont house near Stratton
Mountain as one of my blessings - my haven from the congestion of Philadelphia, my respite
from work and a solitude of serenity.  The “Welcome to Vermont” sign gives me fuzzy feelings
that I don’t get from New Jersey.

Winter (ski season) was always my favorite season in Vermont
with its snowy splendor, ice-laden trees and mounds of snow
piled high along the roadways.  It was not until I began motor-
cycling that I truly appreciated the beauty of Vermont’s summer
and fall.  The view from a motorcycle gives one a different per-
spective.   Riding the winding narrow roads beneath canopied
maple trees is truly  magical.  Climbing steep hills and descen-
ding sharp curves takes on a roller-coaster affect.  White Church
steeples peek through the trees identifying villages and towns.  
Quaint village greens complete with a gazebo are surrounded
by country stores. Winding narrow roads rim the shores of the
many pristine lakes scattered throughout the state.

My desire grew to share Vermont with my motorcycle club, The Jersey Girls Chapter of
Women in the Wind, but I worried about the mileage, terrain, attractions, weather, etc.  I chose
Fall when Mother Nature displays her best artwork painting the  leaves in vibrant shades of
oranges, reds and yellows.  The group was not disappointed.   We were blessed with
wonderful weather, clear blue skies, warm temperatures and occasional splashes of Autumn
color.  Along the stone-fenced roads  we tunneled through the trees. We climbed the notch at
Sugarbush and survived the switchbacks.

Some healthy damage to our credit cards was done at the Manchester Outlets.  Locals
welcomed our girls with friendliness, helpfulness and much interest in our “ladies only” ride.  
A few locals even volunteered to capture the Kodak moments.   We lunched on decks basking
in the sunshine.  We took in waterfalls, quarries and gorges.  We learned about maple syrup
from a roadside stand, sampled the varieties and made purchases. (We never pass up a
shopping opportunity.) On a quiet deck overlooking a babbling brook, we dined while bats
dive-bombed the area.   

Sharing the beauty of Vermont with friends was not difficult really-- Mother Nature did
everything for me.   The experience increased my confidence along with my riding and leading
abilities.  My attempt at tour guide apparently was successful because each subsequent year
the trip has been booked solid. The Jersey Girls LOVE Vermont.Learning how to ride, buying a
motorcycle and joining Women in the Wind are the best gifts I’ve given to myself.  I have met
many wonderful, interesting women both from chapters all over the country. The WITW
Summer Nationals in Atlantic City enabled my friendship with the Green Mountain Chapter of
WITW to grow to the point where I have been welcomed into the club as an associate
member.   The opportunity to be associated with Vermont women riders is thrilling and I hope
to be an asset to the Chapter.  Motorcycling and Vermont go together and both are close to
my heart.  

Now I look at Winter as the beginning of skiing but the end of motorcycling- a bittersweet
feeling.   The Green Mountains of Vermont are in my blood despite the fact that I am now
considered a “flatlander”.   I am proud to be a member of the Green Mountain Chapter.
BACK IN THE SADDLE
Authored by Marie B who rides a Harley Davidson 07 Deluxe

I  grew up on a dairy farm in Vermont and with 5 brothers, it was inevitable that there would be
motorcycles around.  I learned to ride in the fields and on my Dad's airstrip and got my
motorcycle license at 17, along with one of my brothers.  I never really drove on the road and
stopped riding later when I got married.  My husband rode but also gave it up to raise our
family.  

Thirty years later, our children are grown and are on their own.  We have more time and
money to spend on ourselves.  My husband got his bike in 2003 and I rode on the back.  He
absolutely loved riding again and I enjoyed it too!  By the second summer, I decided I was
ready to ride myself.  

I took the motorcycle safety course because it had been 31 years since I had driven!  It was
like starting all over again!  I highly recommend the course to anyone thinking of getting their
license.  It gave me the knowledge and self-confidence I needed to drive again.

I also know that driving is a continually learning experience!  I like motorcycle riding because
it is a sport that my husband and myself can enjoy together. And I appreciate that WITW
includes our partners and families in their activities. We have met many great people riding
and have been to numerous interesting and beautiful places! We always look forward to the
next ride!
THE LITTLE THINGS
Authored by Caroline H who rides a Harley Davidson 05 Heritage Classic.

On a small dairy farm in Central Vermont during the sixties, I swung my leg over the seat of
the first motorcycle I ever rode. Actually is was more of a moped than it was a motorcycle. It
was a 90cc Harley, and I was barely big enough to touch the ground. I spent as much time
digging the gravel and dirt out of my knees and elbows, as I did keeping that machine
upright. But oh what fun it was.  My heroes were Roy Rogers and Evil Knevil, and I aspired to
be just like them: leather wearing, fearless, with wide open riding spaces and lot’s of
horsepower.

As I grew older and larger, so did my bikes and my injuries. Torn ligaments, broken knees
and plenty of road rash. I have ridden mopeds, mini bikes, dirt bikes, crotch rockets, cruisers
and full dressers. I’m just as happy riding two-up (behind my guy) as I am on my own bike,
because it means that I am riding. I'm getting older and I don't start riding in April when it’s at
least 37 degrees out like I used to.  I generally wait until it's at least 40 something and the
roads are clear of salt and it isn't snowing.  Then I push the limits to late in the fall.  Riding is a
great way to unwind.

I have had the privilege to take many long-distance rides and there are more in my future.  
The one I look forward to the most is riding across this great country and turning my wheels
in each and every one of the continental states before I see my own bed yet again.  Wanna
join me?  But really, it's the little things that mean the most.  A little chrome, a little leather, a
little V-Twin, a little road that keeps on going.   For me, riding motorcycles is just as essential
as breathing.
Green Mountain Spirit Chapter
We ride because we can!
Established 1998
HOW DID I GET HERE?
Authored by Judy W who rides an 07 Dyna Street Bob

My first bike was a Honda Super 90, I didn’t have a car license but after riding on that bike
for  “two trips” though the City of Montpelier, with the DMV examiner explaining to me in a
stern voice, “that red light means stop”, I received a motorcycle endorsement. That was the
summer of 1967 my love affair with motorcycles started.  Though the years, I have owned 8
bikes and one scooter but there will always be a soft spot for that Honda.

I am married to a great guy, have 2 wonderful sons and a dog who thinks she is a person
with 4 legs.   I enjoy skiing, biking, hiking, golf and of course motorcycle riding.   Being a
computer programmer, one of my favorite pastimes is walking my dog in the woods; it
restores my sanity from the bits of bytes of the world.

It is interesting and fun to see the different
reactions I receive whether I am on my scooter
or Harley. I have ridden west to North Dakota,
south to Tennessee, North to Nova Scotia and
Prince Edward Island. One of my favorite rides
is; riding around Vermont and New Hampshire
stopping for lunch at snack bars.

I like to think of myself, not as A Harley rider or a
Female rider but as a person who loves to ride.  
Enjoy the ride and ride safe.                                        
                                      
(p.s. If you are in Montpelier and see a red scooter be sure to wave.)