I love motorcycling and have ridden extensively. I didn't ride during transition, taking a different kind of journey. Now I'm eager to start again. Several non-riding women have cautioned me that riding as a woman alone may be different, so I planned a little trial run to see if I could manage. I planned to ride 300 miles to a small, unsophisticated town near some mountains, stay overnight, ride around in the mountains for a day, stay overnight again, and ride home. I did that this weekend.
Other than the fact that I ride like a girl, I'm probably not recognizable as a woman when on the bike. It is when I stop that there can be problems. The first day, suiting up after lunch at a Mexican restaurant I received more interest than I usually do, but no one approached or commented – just stared. The first evening I tried chatting up a cute French guy who was part of a group of Europeans on rented Harleys, but he claimed not to speak English, so that didn't work.
The next day in the mountains, I chatted with a handsome gray-haired outdoorsman at a scenic overlook. He was nicely friendly. Later, I stopped for a broken-down motorhome in the road. I lent them my cellphone and chatted with the woman while the man called for assistance. I had lunch in a very small town and got a few curious looks when I walked into the restaurant carrying my helmet, but no more than if I had gone in as a man. In another tiny town I did
not stop at the bar with a raft of Harleys out front. By the end of the day I was comfortable sweeping through the curves, racing past the slow-pokes, and enjoying the exhilaration of riding good roads through gorgeous surroundings. I learned that Kate can ride as easily as what's-his-name could.
The last morning, chatting with an older couple from the east, they were surprised that I was traveling alone, but I am comfortable traveling alone. The ride home was uneventful, other than having to squat to pee beside the road in the middle of nowhere. (No cars went by.) It was a fun trip, and I'm looking forward to many more as easy-going, friendly Kate.
One unexpected benefit: After riding much of the day, I discovered I could dilate more easily. So, girls, if that dilator is just too snug going in, try taking a nice long motorcycle ride to loosen things up. It worked for me.
- Kate
