LAURA ON THE ROAD WITH TEAM EFFIE – “We are Leaving North Carolina Today (Day 3 - September 12)”:
Cris Sommer Simmons with her 1915 Harley Davidson appropriately named “Effie”.
We are again teamed up with Interstate Batteries, along with our other sponsors, and today’s travel take us out of North Carolina into Tennessee. This morning was one of only 2 parts of the trip where the rider/crew can choose to "opt out" and not be penalized. Cris chose this option. Effie is running so great, and of course our ultimate goal is to get to California, so we decided that it was worth not riding because of what it could do the Effie. The course yesterday afternoon and this morning until the lunch stop covers some very steep mountain roads - which tax the bike incredibly going up, and is, well, scary coming down. Remember, these bikes didn't even have a front brake stock, and the rear brake leaves a lot to be desired, compared to what we are used to with our modern bikes. It's hard on the clutch and the motor, and we decided not to push old Effie too hard. Cris still rode 105 yesterday morning and will do over 100 this afternoon. She's held her place in the top 25 overall, top 20 of her class. We are so proud of her.
As some of you may know, Cris wrote a book called "The American Motorcycle Girls, 1900-1950" (available on Amazon - shameless plug) and yesterday for a bit while we were riding in the van I was looking through it again. I love looking at the pictures and reading about the women that went before us...and to have this opportunity to replay history is something that I've reflected on a lot on this trip. Effie Hotchkiss and her mother Avis did that 2 month, 9000 mile excursion coast to coast hoping to establish a record, yes, but also hoping to encourage other young ladies to see that motorcycling is a healthy sport for women too. Isn't that truly a goal? To help others see that "you can do it too!".
It's neat to think about what they must have encountered along the way. Effie's diary told of bad roads, cold, extreme heat, torrential rains, floods...just about everything Mother Nature could do. While in New Mexico after running out of spare inner tubes, they cut one of their rubber ponchos to fit into the tire - a makeshift repair allowing them to ride to Santa Fe, where they replenished their tube supply. Effie had to replace a sidecar wheel using a wheel for a farm threshing machines and another time she took the fenders off the sidecar because mud locked up the wheel. When they started out they took necessary tools, along with two rubber ponchos, a sleeping blanket, an automatic revolver, an ax to make a campfire, a medicine kit, and a few pots and pans for cooking. They camped out as much as possible and only stopped at hotels when they were compelled to. (some taken from Cris' book - you should buy one, it's amazing) :)
While we haven't had to do any makeshift tire repairs yet, and we probably have a little nicer accommodations than Effie & Avis (depending on how you look at it I guess), I like to think about them as we are in the parking lot doing all the necessary maintenance late at night, preparing for the next day’s ride. We've had a bit of a learning curve, as I'm sure Effie Hotchkiss did, but after several days, the connection you make with the other crews and with the bike itself help you know what she needs to make it another day, whatever that may be. You may laugh if you see us "asking" Effie (Cris' bike) how much of the 2 stroke oil we should add to her fuel, but it's true, she's tells us each day if we've done too much or not enough - and there are so many different opinions, we've learned that it is NOT an exact science. All of these old bikes have such a PERSONALITY. It's pretty cool. So even though we are up until midnight most nights, it's an honor to welcome her back to the van after each day's ride, clean her off, fill her up with fuel, oil, and adjust her chains, so that Cris can ride another day. (and we do the same for Cris too, hahaha!) Don't you think that Effie and Avis felt that way too while taking care of their bike?
Cris Sommer Simmons with her 1915 Harley Davidson appropriately named “Effie”.
We are again teamed up with Interstate Batteries, along with our other sponsors, and today’s travel take us out of North Carolina into Tennessee. This morning was one of only 2 parts of the trip where the rider/crew can choose to "opt out" and not be penalized. Cris chose this option. Effie is running so great, and of course our ultimate goal is to get to California, so we decided that it was worth not riding because of what it could do the Effie. The course yesterday afternoon and this morning until the lunch stop covers some very steep mountain roads - which tax the bike incredibly going up, and is, well, scary coming down. Remember, these bikes didn't even have a front brake stock, and the rear brake leaves a lot to be desired, compared to what we are used to with our modern bikes. It's hard on the clutch and the motor, and we decided not to push old Effie too hard. Cris still rode 105 yesterday morning and will do over 100 this afternoon. She's held her place in the top 25 overall, top 20 of her class. We are so proud of her.
As some of you may know, Cris wrote a book called "The American Motorcycle Girls, 1900-1950" (available on Amazon - shameless plug) and yesterday for a bit while we were riding in the van I was looking through it again. I love looking at the pictures and reading about the women that went before us...and to have this opportunity to replay history is something that I've reflected on a lot on this trip. Effie Hotchkiss and her mother Avis did that 2 month, 9000 mile excursion coast to coast hoping to establish a record, yes, but also hoping to encourage other young ladies to see that motorcycling is a healthy sport for women too. Isn't that truly a goal? To help others see that "you can do it too!".
It's neat to think about what they must have encountered along the way. Effie's diary told of bad roads, cold, extreme heat, torrential rains, floods...just about everything Mother Nature could do. While in New Mexico after running out of spare inner tubes, they cut one of their rubber ponchos to fit into the tire - a makeshift repair allowing them to ride to Santa Fe, where they replenished their tube supply. Effie had to replace a sidecar wheel using a wheel for a farm threshing machines and another time she took the fenders off the sidecar because mud locked up the wheel. When they started out they took necessary tools, along with two rubber ponchos, a sleeping blanket, an automatic revolver, an ax to make a campfire, a medicine kit, and a few pots and pans for cooking. They camped out as much as possible and only stopped at hotels when they were compelled to. (some taken from Cris' book - you should buy one, it's amazing) :)
While we haven't had to do any makeshift tire repairs yet, and we probably have a little nicer accommodations than Effie & Avis (depending on how you look at it I guess), I like to think about them as we are in the parking lot doing all the necessary maintenance late at night, preparing for the next day’s ride. We've had a bit of a learning curve, as I'm sure Effie Hotchkiss did, but after several days, the connection you make with the other crews and with the bike itself help you know what she needs to make it another day, whatever that may be. You may laugh if you see us "asking" Effie (Cris' bike) how much of the 2 stroke oil we should add to her fuel, but it's true, she's tells us each day if we've done too much or not enough - and there are so many different opinions, we've learned that it is NOT an exact science. All of these old bikes have such a PERSONALITY. It's pretty cool. So even though we are up until midnight most nights, it's an honor to welcome her back to the van after each day's ride, clean her off, fill her up with fuel, oil, and adjust her chains, so that Cris can ride another day. (and we do the same for Cris too, hahaha!) Don't you think that Effie and Avis felt that way too while taking care of their bike?
Look behind Athena at the motorcycle trauma center in Dales' workshop at the Wheels Through Time. this was an unbelievable site. I felt like the "doctors" should be yelling out "I need a welder over here stat!"...." 1, 2, 3 CLEAR"..." this one will need an oil transfusion!". It was a flurry of grabbing tools, sharing tricks and well wishes. Over 60 people in there at some point. never seen anything like it and Dale reported that almost all were back on the road today for day 4.
Last night we witnessed something that I will never forget. The reception was at the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley (if you've never been it's worth every mile you'd drive to get there!), and of course since Dale Walksler has a shop there, all the bikes that had a hard time conquering the hills yesterday needed a place to be fixed and Dale was very accommodating. When we walked in there it had the urgency and feeling of a hospital Emergency Room. Like someone dropped a bomb and this was the triage center. We quickly started calling it the motorcycle trauma center...."I need a welder over here STAT" - "this one's going to need an oil transfusion" - "1, 2, 3, CLEAR!". It was unbelievable. There were whole motors out of bikes and when I saw Dale this morning at the start of Day 4, he said that just about every one of them were fixed and ready to roll....and they got to bed about 2 AM.
This is Irma - she is part of Excelsior bike #13 - and was in Dales' garage at Wheel's Through Time...being a triage nurse, cleaning parts as they brought the Excelsior motor back to life.
Isn't that what it's all about?! The extra mile another crew or someone else that loves all of this too will go to to help make sure you get back on the road? Isn't it about sharing our stories from the road to inspire not only young women out there, but people in general? I don't have words to describe the feelings as you just stand there and smell the smells of a garage full of bikes being worked on and people scurrying, sharing tools and tricks, and for a second as it does almost every day, you just take that mental picture and hope that you NEVER forget this because THIS is history in the making. THESE are the stories that will be told to grandchildren and great grandchildren just as we read about a couple of women traveling coast to coast 95 years ago and it INSPIRES us. It actually helps us KEEP going when we are frustrated and having a hard time figuring something out and it's late and we are tired. That's when you draw on that history. That's when you think about all that Effie and Avis DIDN'T have that we do have with modern tools and technology and you ask yourself, "what would Effie do"....and you figure it out.
The Motorcycle Cannonball web site is doing a great job of updating about all of the riders, the scores, the route...so I will offer up that link again for more information. Google Cris Sommer Simmons to read on her blog and Facebook, and keep looking back here too as I try to keep this updated. It's a little bit a challenge from the road. Also, our motor Maid sisters - there have been some to meet us at EVERY stop so far - have done an amazing job of posting their photos right away and tagging us. Thank you thank you thank you. I'm so PROUD to be a Motor Maid. So proud.
We are off to travel another day! Godspeed to ALL of the riders and crews. Thank you for sharing this journey with us!
Isn't that what it's all about?! The extra mile another crew or someone else that loves all of this too will go to to help make sure you get back on the road? Isn't it about sharing our stories from the road to inspire not only young women out there, but people in general? I don't have words to describe the feelings as you just stand there and smell the smells of a garage full of bikes being worked on and people scurrying, sharing tools and tricks, and for a second as it does almost every day, you just take that mental picture and hope that you NEVER forget this because THIS is history in the making. THESE are the stories that will be told to grandchildren and great grandchildren just as we read about a couple of women traveling coast to coast 95 years ago and it INSPIRES us. It actually helps us KEEP going when we are frustrated and having a hard time figuring something out and it's late and we are tired. That's when you draw on that history. That's when you think about all that Effie and Avis DIDN'T have that we do have with modern tools and technology and you ask yourself, "what would Effie do"....and you figure it out.
The Motorcycle Cannonball web site is doing a great job of updating about all of the riders, the scores, the route...so I will offer up that link again for more information. Google Cris Sommer Simmons to read on her blog and Facebook, and keep looking back here too as I try to keep this updated. It's a little bit a challenge from the road. Also, our motor Maid sisters - there have been some to meet us at EVERY stop so far - have done an amazing job of posting their photos right away and tagging us. Thank you thank you thank you. I'm so PROUD to be a Motor Maid. So proud.
We are off to travel another day! Godspeed to ALL of the riders and crews. Thank you for sharing this journey with us!
#13. Lucky 13? I think so, saw it running again today on day 4!!!
The only 2 women in the motorcycle cannonball. Katrin, from Germany, and our own Cris Sommer-Simmons from America
Godspeed,
Laura Klock
Godspeed,
Laura Klock
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