WOMEN IN THE WIND TO RIDE INTO CALGARY
Before we get to this week’s On the Road, I’ve reached a milestone with today’s column. This is my 1,000th story for the Driving section. I’ve covered many topics and featured plenty of interesting people during the past 20 years. I’m grateful to those who have shared, and continue to share, their passion for all things on all wheels. Now, back on the gas ….
Paul Brandt’s Alberta Bound is a country ballad about the western province. In the song, Brandt says he’s discovered a “piece of heaven” and that he’s been “Alberta bound” for all his life. Turns out, he’s not the only one Alberta bound.
In early August, a group of motorcyclists from across North America will ride their iron steeds to Alberta to participate in the 2018 Women In the Wind Summer International Meeting.
“This is only the second time the international meeting has been held in Canada,” says Tina Buckthorp of the Chinook Outriders Chapter of WITW. Buckthorp is the chairperson for the event, which will run from August 9 to 12 at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino.
Women in the Wind was founded in 1979 by Becky Brown of Toledo, Ohio. According to the American Motorcyclist Association’s Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s website, Brown was inducted in 2002 for her role in establishing the group that now has 118 chapters worldwide, including Canada, Ireland, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, England and the United States.
In the mid-1970s, Brown had ridden as a passenger on a motorcycle before learning to ride a 125cc Honda. She progressed from the Honda to a much larger 1973 Harley-Davidson Sportster. Unaware of any other female motorcyclists in her area, Brown ran an in ad the local paper searching for like-minded enthusiasts who would be interested in group rides and the subsequent camaraderie. Since then, the group has never stopped growing.
Four years ago, Buckthorp found Women in The Wind.
The Calgarian had been heavily involved in the sport of skydiving and over 15 years had more than 1,100 jumps to her credit before turning to motorcycling.
“I had to leave the sport of skydiving,” Buckthorp says, and laughs. “I was looking for something else to do, so at the start of 2015 I got some golf clubs and a motorcycle. It turns out I really liked the motorcycle.”
So much so that between her first Kawasaki Vulcan S and her current motorcycle, a 2016 Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback, Buckthorp has covered more than 55,000 kilometres. The Harley-Davidson, Buckthorp says, suits her desire to tour.
In the few years she’s been riding, Buckthorp has ridden to Alaska, made a long Denver-to-Sturgis loop, and just this year toured California and the western states. While all of the rides have been memorable, Buckthorp might best remember the 2017 journey to Denver. That’s where she and several other members of the Chinook Outrider Chapter presented a bid for the honour of hosting the WITW 2018 Summer International Meeting.
“Three chapters bid,” Buckthorp says. “We made our PowerPoint presentation showcasing scenery of Alberta to Paul Brandt’s Alberta Bound.
“During the presentation, you could hear the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the group.”
With an overwhelming majority, other WITW members voted to hold the meeting in Alberta with Calgary acting as home base.
Buckthorp says, “The evening we won the bid, many of the women in attendance were excited to begin planning their trip to Canada, and Alberta specifically.”
A full schedule of events includes a meet and greet at the Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall, a group ride through the Highwood Pass (or, alternately, a motorcycle maintenance symposium held at Lucid Moto Co. in Bragg Creek), bike wash in support of the Calgary Firefighters Burn Treatment Society and, of course, the WITW general meeting. That’s all just in the first day and a half.
There are other rides and activities planned, including the option of attending a tour of Fred Phillips’ car collection.
According to the WITW mission statement, the group — and ultimately the “Alberta Bound” meeting — “unites women motorcyclists with friends of common interests, promotes a positive image to the public of women on motorcycles, and educates our members in motorcycle safety and maintenance.”