Hit the Ground Riding – International Female Ride Day Spring Board to Season

Too fast! Time is speeding by. How is it that just over a month ago I was out there riding, enjoying the sensations motorcycling invokes; while women riders from all parts of the globe did the same. It was during the celebration of International Female Ride Day. And now, I look back and my personal photos of the Toronto specific rally are still not on my facebook page nor are the photos sent in by other women rider participants. We’ve not posted summaries of the exciting events around the world. It’s all because, after the first Friday of May we “hit the ground riding” – full on with motorcycle season!

As women, we tend to have a ‘super heroine’ outlook and mindset that we can do it all. Yes, add more to our days, pile on the tasks, the commitments and push forward in constant productivity. And on top of that when it comes to motorcycling we passionately WANT to do it all particularly in this location where the season is super short. We have the pressure of the long winter which will be here all too soon! Furthermore, multitudes of events occur every weekend - I know of half a dozen happenings right now that I would enjoy partaking in!

Lately, it seems things can’t get done fast enough. And when things don’t, I take comfort in knowing women relate because that’s how we all live our lives- all of us. Giving, doing, and sacrificing while pushing ever forward. But we’ll get there – as will the photos from International Female Ride Day.

Nonetheless and most importantly is the fact that – we did it! Women riders - we succeeded! We rode together on 6 May with a force and presence synchronized around the world – a world that took notice!

And when you look at it – all that really matter’s is the here and now!

See you again on 4 May 2012 – oh and yes with your photos in our new photo gallery – coming soon! ;-)

POPCYCLE PURPLE NOT PINK FOR FEMALE RIDE DAY 2008

In creating the poster design for the 2008 International Female Ride day campaign, I came across a perfect background graphic that I wanted to incorporate with the traditional woman’s face silhouette (you know the one) now characteristic of Female Ride Day. The graphic was perfect, but pink--or as I like to call it POPCYCLE from Popsicle) purple-- striking and worth using.

Personally, I don’t do pink--maybe because the colour just doesn't seem to suit me. Its been so overused and widely incorporated regarding anything remotely feminine. Certainly it is symbolic--pink is the universal colour of the "female", the colour of breast cancer, the colour that states "I am not a man”. The colour many women enjoy donning in motorcycle gear--"don't you dare mistake me for a man" statement. I went through a pink stage in the late 70’s and the colour continues to make its comebacks in fashions’ history.

The graphic was so perfect and looked so appropriate that it was the right touch needed. And the 2008 poster had to differentiate itself from 2007's. It needed a strong colour, one that when hanging in the local dealership shop window or display; would be seen—an identity. So there it is--the look for 2008! Pretty in "popcycle" purple, not pink.

And on that design note, we're having a big contest here at MOTORESS just after FEMALE RIDE DAY—we want you to design the poster from now on! There will be a competition for the best design 2009. Submissions will be displayed and then voted upon. The design with the most votes will become the poster campaign model for 2009—with mucho credibility and honours. This design will also be incorporated into the souvenir pin and t-shirt graphics etc. Yes, stayed tuned! And hope you enjoy the new 2008 colours of International Female Ride Day.