Eat, Ride, Love

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Christie

I read Eat, Pray, Love. It’s a book about a young woman who’s unhappy in her starter marriage, leaves her doting husband, and decides to travel the world spending three months eating in Italy, three months praying in India, and three months loving in Bali.

It’s kind of similar to my life, except that I never actually got married. And I was never miserable enough to cry myself to sleep on a bathroom floor, and instead of deciding to travel, I started racing motorcycles. And I was never miserable, really, just enjoying the typical anxieties of a young lady without a greater purpose.

I was thinking of this book a few weeks ago on one of my mountain bike rides. I was riding up a steep dirt hill, at approximately 4.1 mph, while a swarm of gnats was circling my face, bumping into my cheeks, attaching themselves to my Oakleys, and being extremely annoying. For minutes. And minutes. And more. As I was trying to navigate muddy ruts, with my heart rate solidly in the upper reaches of Zone 4, and a cycling partner yards ahead of me breezing up the hill like it was no big deal.

It reminded me of the scene where Elizabeth Gilbert is talking about her yogi in India telling her to be in such a meditative state that she doesn’t feel the need to swat away the flies that visit with her in the humidity in India while she “prays” and meditates.

Okay. Okay okay okay.

If I were going to spend three hours meditating, I would also like to be burning 2,000 calories, rather than just sitting there like a fat, out of shape, resting heart rate of 72 bpm Buddha, at one with the universe and my fat cells. I would much prefer to exercise my spirit by ignoring the swirling gnats while riding a freaking bicycle up a mountain than by sitting still, doing something that so many people do only for the purposes of being cool.

Don’t get me wrong, I like yoga. I’m built like a long, skinny steel beam with boobs, only, less strong. All the inflexibility of a steel beam and none of the strength. So yoga is helping me become more flexible, and I therefore love it, but I also feel slightly suspicious of its societal superiority. I just kind of wonder about all the trendy white girls who think they’re so cool because they can say “namaste” in a bad Hindi accent. As much as I love lululemon athletica, and will likely spend my winter wearing nothing but this:

Lululemon Jacket

And these:

Lululemon Astro Pants

I still wonder if yoga isn’t merely a vehicle, a place, in which to wear really awesome, sporty clothes, feel trendy, and look hot. It’s okay if it is, I’ll still do it, look hot, and be a little more able to twist myself into a sweaty pretzel (okay maybe just a sweaty pretzel dog) in the bedroom, but I just think that more girls should be trying super duper rad things like mountain biking, or riding motorcycles. Because if I want to relax, I’ll read tweets and watch Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, thank you very much.

Anyway, after having done at least six yoga classes at the beautiful and elegant Yoga Source in Los Gatos, California, I will say that riding up a mountain on a bicycle in the dirt with no breeze on your face and hundreds of gnats attacking your face is getting me a lot closer to inner peace than sitting on a hard floor listening to Portishead.

One of the things I remember telling my friends and family after I started riding a motorcycle was, “when I’m riding, I don’t have time to think about anything else. Like when a boy is supposed to call, or text, or why that girl was posting on his Facebook. I’m just…totally in the moment. The moment of preserving my life and moving through the world like I’m flying.”

Inner peace, and a greater purpose, can all be found on two wheels. If you dare.

Try it. You might like it. Do something different. Be awesome. Be you. Keep the rubber side down, and the glam side up. Allow the truth to flow, and live from the heart, all while burning up some fossil fuel, tearing up some trails, and annoying your neighbors. Namaste!

Eat Ride Love

Posted in Blather | 5 Comments

Kick Ass, and Be Glamorous

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Christie

I’ve had two pretty dominating missions in life: kick ass, and be glamorous.

I played tennis from when I was a tween through my last year competing in NCAA tennis. I was usually the only girl on court wiping full make-up, and sweat, from her brow, long before the days of Anna Kournikova.

Blame my fabulous and fashionable grandmothers, and my independent, lead-footed mama bear for this unusual combination of moto glam. But if you’re like me, you’re going to love these products:

The Spidi Lizard Suit

The Spidi LIzard Suit on the Runway

The safest thing you can possibly wear on a motorcycle, besides a DOT-approved helmet, is leather. Apologies to my bovine friends, but I’m grateful for their contributions to my life in the form of riding safety (and for steak, and ice cream). Italian designer Spidi’s Lizard suit is a safe, durable suit that looks amazing on all the women I’ve seen race in it.

Here it is being modeled (and raced) by Jenn Lauritzen:

Jenn Lauritzen in her Spidi Lizard Suit

The Dainese Yu Suit

A great option for street riding is the Dainese Yu suit. So gorgeous, I can’t even breathe.

Dainese Yu Suit

And here it is on AFM racer Stacy Menas:

The Custom ACT Suit

If you’re built like me, or in some other fabulously unusual way, you’ll want a custom suit. ACT Racing makes one and two piece suits for both racers and street riders. The added benefit of a custom suit is being able to design it yourself; my first custom suit was actually also my first legitimate couture.

My 2011 ACT Racing Suit

A previous year’s ACT custom suit:

I Heart ACT

Arai Helmets

Why do I spend more on a helmet than I do on a Kate Spade handbag? Because Arai helmets are simply the safest, most comfortable, most stylish helmets in the whole world. Don’t make the mistake I did as a new rider; I bought the most plain, all silver helmet I could find, which is so stupid when there are so many delicious designs out there right now.

Designs like the Nakano:

And the Edwards:

And my current favorite, the Rainbow Haga:

Boots

When I first put on a pair of Alpinestars Snow Camo S-MX Plus racing boots, I called them my disco boots. Like all shiny white beautiful things, they got dirty fairly quickly, but they still look awesome. Just not quite as…disco. I’m having trouble finding images of them online, so it’s possible they’re not sold anymore. You’ll see them further down the page, with my leopard print motorcycle.

For street riding, I’ve always wished I could fit into these Icon Bombshell boots:

I’d maybe recommend something more heavy duty for newer riders, and once you have a lot of confidence in your bike handling, parking, and so on, think about these as a sexy option. But I have read positive reviews of their comfort, and that they feel as stable as any flat boot.

Motorcycles

When you have a track or race dedicated motorcycle, you can design away to your little heart’s content as far as how you want that motorcycle to look. My friend Josie honored her recently passed father, who used to treat her every year to a piece of Tiffany jewelry, by decking out her steed in Tiffany & Co. regalia:

Fast Josie & Her Tiffany Bike (Note the Arai Edwards Helmet)

Racer Joy Higa wrapped her bike in shiny gold vinyl, and it looked soooooo dreamy:

Super fast novice racer Dani Taylor likes pink, Hello Kitty, and ass kicking:

And as you likely know by now, my leopard print motorcycle is so awesome, when I started racing it earlier this season all the fashion houses decided that this fall, it was going to be all animal print, all the time:

Sunglasses

They’re one of the few things I can do on a race weekend to stay glam without having to think about it. Chanels are my favorite, but pick your poison, and the blingier, the better, because you’ll be covered in grease, race fuel, sweat, and smelling like leather. A good pair of sunglasses is the only way I can maintain my sanity amidst all the filth. You might want to be sure to pick a pair that doesn’t slide down your nose when it’s really hot out and you’re trying to change a wheel…

Rocking Stunna Shades Since 1978

Posted in Reviews | 1 Comment

I Want to Ride, But…

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Christie

In November, 2004, I was a hot mess. I’d been dating a string of sexy, bad men who were as good for me as tequila for a twelve year old. My life revolved around work, cocktails, clothes, and whether or not some man found me attractive. At a bit of a breaking point, I wrote a list of goals in my journal that included learning how to ride a motorcycle and buying one.

A year and a half later, sometime in the dark evening hours of a rainy March, 2006, I screamed with glee inside my Arai helmet as I took my Suzuki SV650S on a maiden voyage around my block. I rode it around the block again. And then a bigger block…and a bigger block. The smiles haven’t stopped, my confidence in myself has grown so much I’m almost cocky, and I’d rather play with my cats on a Friday night than put up with some man who doesn’t appreciate me. Can’t I just marry my motorcycle?

My second street bike, a 2006 Suzuki GSXR-600

The path to motorcycle smiles isn’t always easy to figure out. But if you’re interested in learning how to ride a motorcycle, the first thing you need to do is take an honest look at your driving. No one wants to admit they suck at driving. But if you’ve had multiple collisions, whether or not you feel they were your fault, or you think you might have impulse control problems behind the wheel (like excessive speeding, racing or road rage), then don’t get a motorcycle, because you just might actually kill yourself.

If you think you’re a good driver, and you’ve started admitting to others that you want to learn how to ride, you’ll probably encounter lots of horror stories. You might be concerned yourself about the dangers. So, here are some thoughts I have about safety.

It’s Not Safe.

But neither is driving. Neither is life, for that matter. You can get hurt anytime, anywhere, doing anything. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to spend my precious days here enjoying earth being afraid of things that might hurt me. I want to experience everything. Except maybe stamp collecting. No offense to stamp collectors. Moving right along…

Judgment is Everything.

People like to say, “oh my gosh, you ride a motorcycle? My cousin’s girlfriend’ older brother was killed on one, I could never ride.” Later in the conversation I ask how the tragedy happened. “Well, he was doing a wheelie down the street in front of the house…” My heart goes out to people who’ve been killed or injured while riding, but each story I hear, I want to learn more about what went wrong and what I can do to avoid it.

Cars Can Kill You.

Another thing people like to say is, “hey, you could be the best rider in the world, but that’s not going to stop some car from coming out of nowhere and taking you out.” The Hurt Report states that nearly 75% of all motorcycle accidents occur between a motorcycle and a car, but my personal belief is that through extremely vigilant defensive driving, nearly all motorcycle collisions can be avoided. Keep a large space cushion. Be visible. And most of all, “just pretend like every car you see is trying to kill you,” a motorcycling friend told me. Think about a car crash, if you’ve had one. Could it have been avoided by driving more defensively?

As an example, a common collision between cars and motorcycles is when a car turns left in front of an oncoming bike. Pay attention to oncoming traffic; is a car slowing down, does it have cars piling up behind it? Are you speeding? Cars can’t judge the speed of moving motorcycles as well as they can with cars, and if you’re going 20 over the speed limit and not noticing what the cars around you are doing, prepare for some pain.

It Wasn’t My Fault.

Motorcycling’s kind of a macho thing to do. Macho people don’t like to admit when they’ve screwed up. Remember this when listening to above-mentioned “horror stories.” Take responsibility for situations where you’ve made an error in judgment. Be responsible for your own life. Blamers tend to have more problems, and motorcycle blamers tend to have more accidents. People who take responsibility for themselves and their actions are happier, healthier, and just way more bad ass in general.

Educate Yourself.

It only begins with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Course. From there, talk to people, listen to people. If they’ve crashed, find out why. If you’re a woman, charge up your bullshit detector, because a lot of dudes will have a lot of advice for you, and half of them don’t know what the hell they’re talking about, but like to sound macho and manly.

Read books, like David Hough’s Proficient Motorcycling, or Nick Ienatsch’s Sport Riding Techniques. Read articles online. Read my blog. After a while, take an advanced course with the MSF, or try a track day. Skill development on a motorcycle is not like having to do drills or speedwork on a bicycle; it’s actually fun. Keeping you safer is an added bonus.

Tottering down Lombard Street on one of my first street rides

Posted in Blather, Training | 2 Comments

I Compete, Therefore I Am

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Christie

So I was recently nominated for the SHAPE Best Blogger Awards: The Top 20 Blogs for Sports Nuts. Click on the button below, then ‘Vote for this blog,’ if you support chicks who pass dudes on the racetrack!

At press time, I’m currently in third place, close behind Ali on the Run, a pleasant looking girl from New York who enjoys running. How sweet. In number one is Chelsea Becker, of Cosmos and Cleats. Chelsea’s straight kicking our butts.

I’m a highly competitive person. I’m also very friendly. Some of my most vicious racetrack enemies are my best friends once the checkered flag flies. I’m sure I would have a good time drinking a beer with Ms. Becker, but as of right now, she is my sworn enemy.

So I checked out her blog. It purports to add value by helping women understand the sports they watch, presumably with their boyfriends. She doesn’t write about the sports she plays, nor does she encourage other women to play sports. Really, it’s all about how not to sound like such a ditz on Superbowl Sunday. Never once is there the suggestion that, hey, if you don’t like sports – don’t pretend to care, maybe go pick up a tennis racket, or take an MSF class, instead.

Interlaced with her helpful tips are lots of photos of man candy. And I thought, you know, that’s one big thing that my blog is seriously lacking. Man candy. I haven’t even mentioned it because I’m not racing just so I can hang out with cute boys all day long, I’m racing to beat people and go faster. But clearly this is what the people want, so ladies, here are a few good reasons why YOU should give a cosmo (or a cleat) about motorcycle racing:

Ben Spies

Ben. Effing. Spies.

Ben is from Texas and raced MotoGP this year, pretty much the Formula 1, the fastest of the fast, the raddest of the rad, in international motorcycle racing. He can walk down the street in Italy and be mobbed by fans, but walks around in the U.S. just like a normal dude. Help make motorcycle racing more popular by becoming his fan. Why wouldn’t you want to be? I can’t even say anything eloquent other than, omg, so hot.

Oh, and here he is with me and Jenn Lauritzen at Laguna. He was so stoked to meet me, I think this became his new Twitter pic for a while.

Jenn, Ben, Me

Nicky Hayden

Nicky is another sexy American boy racing MotoGP. I first met him at a Freddie Spencer motorcycle racing school in Las Vegas four years ago. His southern accent, charm and manners make girls melt. And he’s, guess what, really smokin’ fast.

Nicky

Joey Pascarella

Joey Pascarella

Joey’s only 19, but this local California boy is making waves racing in Italy and occasionally stops by our local races to collect boatloads of trophies. He has more girls after him than I can even comprehend. He’s got that whole emo thing going on, you know, the skinny jeans, tats, always talking about the indy shows he’s going to. He occasionally likes hitting on old lady racers like me and Jenn, too, it’s really cute and kind of hilarious.

Hawk Mazzotta

Okay, Hawk doesn’t race anymore, and it’s a damn shame because he is just stupidly hot. I used to instruct with him at the now defunct Skip Barber Superbike School. He’s not my type, but he’s very sweet, and damn, the ladies love him. Here he is with my friend, a kick ass mechanic by the name of Kellie “Pig Tails” Auld:

Kellie and Hawk

There’s a lot of man candy in the paddock. I won’t name any names on my honorable mention list, well, because one isn’t even eighteen yet (oh, snap), one’s an ex-fiance, one is a competitor’s ex-boyfriend, and one’s married.

But there’s nothing wrong with looking, so come on out to the motorcycle races next year, cheer on the hot boys and rad girls, and nurture your own need for speed!

Posted in Blather, News | 3 Comments

Welcome to the Jungle

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Christie

Ever wanted to know what it’s like to be in a motorcycle race in the middle of a pack of 25 angry men who don’t want to get passed by a chick? Well, here’s some onboard footage for you from my last race.

B Superbike on my Yamaha R6, October 2, 2011, Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I finished 10th. Full race report coming soon!

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments