It's been awhile, of course off season, so no riding, and not much to talk about. The Ride like a Pro fan club, is doing really well.  We have about 800 members now. It is great, as we have the Pros right there helping us along and giving us advice. I really enjoy watching others post the clips and pics of them practicing, and we have each other for inspiration. I sure miss riding and it's not Christmas yet.
I done a few things to the Queen. She finally has the ROAD QUEEN name on the fender, a new seat, back rest, some organizers for the saddle bag and the tour pack. Of course a blinged out skull belt buckle attached to the windshield with some Schwartzy crystals. The whole time doing it, I am thinkin about the Conga in July/10

Ride like a Pro Fan Club

Okay, so I have been invited to FACEBOOK FANS OF RIDE LIKE A PRO Now that is pretty cool.. It was this afternoon at work at almost closing time in my dreary Barbershop! I'm thinking how cool is that, and why did I not think of it. I check it out, make a couple eensie weensie posts, a couple suggestions, go away, and add about 200 people to the Fan Club. By the time I got back, there was 45 people, and now 65, and it is almost bed time.  Oh , and might I say, I am now adminstrator, for RLAP FAN CLUB.. Thanks Chris. It is nice to see, there is someone out there as enthusiastic as me. I told him he might be sorry for asking, me to post post post, as I spent 5 weeks with the Palladinos.. I have a freekin book to write myself. He assured me that is exactly what he wanted. So RLAP FAN CLUB IS ROCKIN!!!
So if you are reading this go to facebook and type in Fans of Ride Like a Pro!!!

Fans of Ride Like a Pro

I recieved a letter today! I thinks this is totally cool!!!
Chris BernierNovember 4 at 3:52pm Report

Hey Flo!
My name is Chris and I have been lucky enough to enjoy your photos and videos on Jerry and Donna's fb pages. (All of a sudden your name isn't in black and I could click on you!)
I've been practicing the motor officer skills for the last two summers, and with some email help from Jerry, I've improved tremendously. I just recently took the RLAP class in NC with Officer JD Redmon and had a blast.
Myself and a fella I met at the class started a fb fan site called "Fans of Ride Like a Pro" and I would like you to join. Just search for it in the search box and you should find it.
Thanks for the pictures and videos.. I'd be glad to share pictures of my riding in the Blue Ridge Mountains or the videos of me practicing if you are into looking at those. If not, take care, be safe, and keep up the safe riding! And keep posting pics and vids!
Chris

Planning Conga III

I have not been gettin any riding in these days at all. One day this week to work and back, that's it. So, I have to accept the fact that the season is over. I have been busy working on the 2010 Conga III, where we will all be riding to Cheyenne Wyoming. Don't forget to check that out!! Just type in Conga III to face book and it will get you there, or go to the Conga Forum and join in on the fun of planning this cool event. 
For those of you who don't know it is a MIM( meet in the middle) in Cheynne. 
 Woman Who Ride and Vancouver Island Lady Riders. We have all gotten to know each other on these public forums over the past few years. It all started when I bought my first Harley Davidson from Donna Palladino from Ride Like a Pro.
I flew to Florida, took the Ride Like a Pro course. Became best friends with Donna and was escorted across the USA by women and men I had never met before except on line. The second year, which was this year, my DH bought a Ride Like a Pro bike and I again rode it  home with some of the same folk and alot of new ones raising over $12,000.00 for Breast Cancer with the help of all these wonderful people.
Who wouldn't want to do this again?? Well, bottom line, we can only buy so many bikes..lol But I do need to see my Sista Miss Donna every year if possible. Of course many were only able to ride with us in Spirit, so we have a new route and some new riders..
I hear throught the grapevine I may even meet my new friend Harris, who I have been talking about lately.. There could be a Ride Like a Pro demo happening in Cheyenne....You wouldn't want to miss out on that, so if you can swing it...Plan your Holidays from the 4th of July, to ?????

Friction Zone in Harri's words

The partial application of power to the rear wheel caused by "slipping" the clutch.

That amount of clutch usage that allows any amount between 1% and 99% of the power the engine is producing to continue tot he rear wheel.
A common problem that causes riders to "lose" the friction zone is that they use the wrong part of their fingers on the clutch lever. Although it seems like it would be easier, and thus better, to have the lever between the knuckles of the fingers, you'll actually get a better feel for the lever, and thus better control of the lever, if you use your fingertips. Look at your left glove. If the wear pattern on the fingers (from the lever) is close to the palm, you're gripping the lever wrong.
Because of the confusion about engaged/disengaged (or clutch/de-clutched in Britain), I use the terms "relax your grip" and "increase your grip". This makes it understandable. I say "relax" rather than "release" because release would mean to let the lever go, and that of course gets you out of the friction zone.
Harris

Wobbles

This is BikeD/Wobbles, she develop here name in the parking lot shortly after attempting the 16ft cone weave. She rides a Road king like me, which of course, I think is pretty cool. She is determined to ride like me she said, so of course I look forward to that challange. Business was really slow as usual so I took a lunch break and off we went to the parking lot. She seems to have the friction zone down pretty good. Of course she still needs some practise, and we only had a short time. But those APES...they got to go.. She was wobbling all over the place, crunched all forward. I know it can be done, but crikey comfort has to come in somewhere. I took it for a test and although I could do it, it felt horrid and reminded me of when I had a little bit of  apes going on with mine. So she is going to have the bars pulled back for the next attempt in the parking lot. She's a fun gal, and excited about learning,and lives  in Campbell River, so it's all good. I'll have her scraping figure 8's in the spring time and her name will go  from Wobbles to Scraper. It's always great to find another person to practice in the parking lot. I look forward to updating her progress.
It was kinda funny because it was a very cool day, but in the first 5 minutes she was sweating, so was I. So we still have time to practice before the insurance runs out.

My friend Noel from NWMS

This is my friend Noel from NWMS. He lives in Langley on the mainland, so he was my fellow Canadian bud. The rest were Americans. Anyway, it appears we have the same goals, as I just recieved and email, saying he is taking the BC Safety Councel Course and is becoming an instructor.

His goal is to ride with the Cossacks!! How kewl  is that, maybe I am not to old to apply...lol

Good luck Noel, and I look forward to the updates of the course.

The weather here is nasty now, so I am not sure when I can get out again. I am itching to go play in the parkinglot.