About twenty girls came out for this month’s Ladies Night at the Dainese Store in Costa Mesa, CA.

The night started with some mingling and meeting new people. Refreshments and snacks were provided by the D-Store. The show started with guest speakers included Christin Voros and Jen Dunstan, who spoke about track days and how to prepare for them. They shared a video of girls on the track, and presented slides on why one should participate in track days, how to prepare for them, and what to expect. You can download their presentation HERE. (TrackDaz is a supporter of GirlClutch; contact us on how to get a discount on your next track day!)

Amanda Erikson and Michelle Wilcox also shared their stories riding and racing mini bikes. They also shared the benefits of riding and racing mini bikes with M1GP, including the lesser cost, the excitement, the fun, and the ability to work on being more smooth on a motorcycle, which easily transfers to our bigger bikes.

Finally, MotoGP and AMA photographer Andrea Wilson shared some of her favorite photos and shared stories about taking photos of some of the fastest people in the world on the track and in the pits.

Following the presentations, there was a raffle for prizes which included mini bike track days, a Valentino Rossi t-shirt, and a brand new Dainese women’s jacket valued at $260!!

Jeff of Skills Days was also present at the Ladies Night, another supporter of GirlClutch. Jeff will help you smooth out your riding, braking and accelerating in his curriculum that usually takes place in a large parking lot in Irvine, CA. Contact us to find out how to get a 25% discount off the cost of a course to work on some of your skills!

Don’t forget that the D-Store is also a sponsor of GirlClutch. If you mention “GirlClutch” you’ll be given a discount off of your purchase!

Once again, another great Ladies Night brought to you by the Dainese Store!

Happy Birthday, GirlClutch!!! Join us in celebrating our second anniversary by partaking in a little ride ending with a burgers and dogs BBQ!

We’ll meet at the Tustin Market Place in front of The Sports Authority at 8:00am on Saturday, April 7, 2012.

“Rider’s Meeting” at 8:45am and KSU at 9:00am SHARP! The ride will take us to the coast, and up and around into Santiago Canyon, and back to Irvine to Cycle City Motorsports in a big loop of about 80-something miles. The ride should take about 3 hours.

We will be asking for a $5 donation, which will include your plate of food (burger or hotdog, chips and a drink), and one raffle ticket. Additional raffle tickets will be available for $1 each. (Sponsors and prizes to be announced soon!!!)

Guys are welcome to join us, so bring all your friends, ladies!!

Please RSVP so we have a good idea of the number of people to expect to feed at Cycle City! =)

On a consistent basis, exercise requires that you maintain a good supply of high-quality energy to your working muscles. Any nutritional professional (and most likely your mother) will tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your body has been fasting overnight, and the first thing in the morning you need to do is fuel up for the day. Make sure to eat a balanced breakfast and continue to refuel with a variety of high-quality foods throughout the day.

Glycogen is the fuel that makes exercise possible. We get glycogen from carbohydrate. Carbohydrates must be eaten each day to be consistent, especially when you are training or in some type of fitness regimen. Protein and fat must also be consumed on a daily basis. The combination of all three should be a variety throughout the day. Most people consume their fair share of fat among the foods he/she eats every day already. When looking at sources of protein, try to aim towards leaner meats (chicken/fish) or legumes. When consuming carbohydrates, select items that are going to contain whole grains or are high in complex carbs such as fruit and vegetables.

If you exercise in the evening, manage your lunch with easily digestible foods that are high in complex carbohydrates such as whole grain pastas and breads, and fruits and vegetables. Make sure to add your lean proteins as well. When exercising in the morning, a light breakfast may be in order. Again, make sure you are having a variety such as a whole grain bagel or toast, fruit, and peanut butter or egg for protein. You can experiment with all kinds of combinations. About 30 minutes before working out, make sure to provide the body with a small snack and plenty of water.

I will constantly promote hydration and keeping the body hydrated to avoid any setbacks or complications. 6-8 ounces of water should be consumed in the hour before workout, and continual water should be added throughout and after a workout. If your activity carries on for more than 90 minutes, start drinking a sports drink as well to replenish electrolytes. An easy trick to establish how much water should be consumed from exercise is to weigh yourself before and after exercise. Every pound lost during exercise equals about 700ml/20-24oz (3 cups) of water that should be consumed.

Also, if participating in endurance exercise, studies have shown that it is best to replenish adequate glycogen stores by consuming 100-200 grams of carbohydrate within 2 hours following exercise. Protein is also recommended in small dosage to help repair any damage among muscle cells and the rebuilding of those same cells.

Good luck out there!
~Jules

How did you get into riding?
I have been enamored with motorcycles ever since I was a little kid, but my parents never gave me an option to ride. Most of my youth was spent focused on pouring myself into competitive horseback riding. When I quite riding as an adult it left a whole in my life and I decided to fill that hole with a motorcycle. To be specific a Triumph Bonneville which I was drawn to purely by how it looked. Starting to ride was pretty scary for me and it took me a little while to get past the fear of riding on the road. I took a private lesson in San Francisco to help ease the fear of riding on the street and to my surprise the instructor told me I was one of the most natural riders he had ever taught. After I became comfortable with riding on the street I decided to take a track class from the California superbike school since I could rent the bike and the gear for the track from them. I was hooked, but didn’t go back to the track for almost a year when I acquired my sporty little Ducati Monster. Eventually, I decided to start race supermoto because the cost of racing was much less, but soon this snowballed into other forms of racing. Now I primarily am focusing on racing my 250 ninja, but also compete in off road and supermoto races.

What are your goals as far as riding goes?
My goals for road racing are to keep improving as a rider and to eventually win a championship, for off road racing I would love to become proficient enough to earn enough points to become an A rider eventually, and for supermoto I want to learn to back it in like a boss.

What are you looking forward to this season?
This season I am looking forward to working hard and focusing on maintaining a top five position in the 250 production class in the AFM. I also hope to keep sharing my experiences through my blog and inspiring and helping other women who ride.

Which women (not necessarily riders) inspire you the most and why?
Karin Oliver was one of the first people to encourage me to race after she saw me ride at the Rich Oliver Mystery School. Not only has she been there to mentor me as a rider, but also as a friend. Thank you to her for her support of my riding and her friendship.
As for a rider Shayna Texter, a pro flat tracker, is someone that I find truly inspiring. She is one of the few women who competes at the professional level and is at the front of the pack. I am looking forward to see how well she does this year.

Guilty Pleasures?
Pizza, margaritas, and desserts

Any hobbies/interests outside of riding?
I am an avid gardener who takes great pride in my home inside in and out. I am also a gym rat who loves spending time in the gym sweating.

Do you have any pre-track day/race day routines?
I actually love watching motocross/supercross racing to get me excited for a race, no matter what type of racing I am going to be participating in. If I am going to a new track I try to find videos of the track I’m going to in order to have some reference as to what the track is like. I also like to get myself into a positive mindset by focusing on riding the track smoothly in my mind.

Any advice for women who are looking to start riding or going to track days?
First off take the msf course whether its for a dirtbike or a streetbike and make sure you purchase quality motorcycle gear. Go at your own pace and don’t let anyone push you into anything that you feel uncomfortable with. Take advantage of the track coaches, they are there to help you. Be sure to research track day providers to find one that fits you and provides great service. Many offer novice schools for those who have never been on the track. Set simple attainable goals for yourself so that you have a sense of accomplishment at the end of a ride.

Fast forward to November 2010 – I’ve won Open “A” Superstock a few more times, and took home podiums if I didn’t win it, and incredibly enough, I realize I actually have a shot to win the “A” Superstock Novice Championship… the friggin Championship!!! Are you kidding me?!?!
As we came into the final WERA West round in November, at Las Vegas, I found myself sitting in 2nd place in the “A” Superstock Novice Championship – 2 points behind the leader, with third place 1 point behind me. Given the points pay out for the first 3 spots had our 3 point spread (20 – 17 – 15 – 13…), I had a legit shot at winning the championship!!!

Now, a little back story… the two guys whom I was sandwiched between were best of pals and had been attending every round (I didn’t make every round) but I was able to beat them just about every time I raced against them. So I was confident that I could beat them, it was just a matter of where they finished relative to me, and who else in our races may be a factor.
Saturday Solo 20 lap races on day one are always a good time, but coming into the day I was still struggling to improve my lap times. My previous one time best at Las Vegas was a 1:26, years ago. I was struggling to even hit 1:28 during the Solo. Frustrated, to say the least, but as the Solo went on, my lap times dropped and I believe I hit a 1:27. Either way, I just recall that my lap times were dropping as the race went on, and I was feeling considerably better.
My awesome race pal, Roni Duran, had come with me to Vegas to be my crew chief and he was working the pit board he has for his son, 2011 WSMC #1 plate holder – Chris Duran, during that 20 lapper, so I ended the day feeling confident and excited for Sunday.
Sunday…. “A” Superstock is the first race of the day. My practice times in the morning were the same as my best – and faster than – Solo 20 times! I was confident and feeling great! My whole family had come out to watch too! My parents, my brothers, my aunt, uncle, a long time family friend, and my bestest pal from working at GE – Luke, all came out to cheer me on and watch the races.
I took my grid spot on the front row of the novice class and was ready to rock it! Now, since the grids are small for both the expert and the novice A Superstock class, they placed us on track at the same time, with a few rows gap in between. Since these grids were particularly small, they were going to send us under one green flag, rather than give each class their own green flag.

The number one board went sideways, the flag dropped, and I took the hole shot for the novice class! Hells yeah!!! Come get me boys!
I got up in to the tail end of the expert class as I tipped it into turn one and had to slow a bit so as not to hit any of the rear of the expert pack. All of a sudden I felt my bike jerk violently!
The next thing I know I’m riding the side of my motorcycle. OMFG… somebody just f*g hit me!!! As I slid along the pavement, I recall thinking … “well, I’m not on the ground, maybe we’ll just slide, stop and I’ll get up and it’ll be ok”
Then I look to my right and see my wheels (the bike had rotated around a bit), then I look to my left and I see the dirt. The center of gravity of the bike was on my right side. That means the sudden stop of motion in the dirt is going to carry that CG over my head! OH SHIT… “I gotta jump off this thing! I gotta get out of the way! It’s going to land on me!!!!” ran through my head as we approached the dirt. (ah the engineer in me… lol)
Sure enough, my bike flipped twice in the dirt. Incredibly it did not land on top of me. But he did grab a hold of me and prevented me from leaving his side (yes, he’s a boy… a stallion, really… a man… ) The handle bar had slid down inside my crappy boots that don’t secure together very well… my Big Boy was holding me there… when I turned around to see what the hell just happened I realized why he was holding me there….

The racer sitting one point behind me – the best pal of the racer leading the Championship – had taken me out of the race. At that moment I completely lost it… lost it in a way I never realized I was capable of. Venom spewed from my mouth… screaming obscenities at this racer who lay passed out on the pavement. So incredibly angry… throwing my fists as if punching him. All the adrenaline, all the passion, all the buildup…. and I did not even have a chance to compete for the Championship. This racer screwed up his start and knocked me out before I could even get through turn one….. before I even had the chance to become the first woman in the history of WERA to win an open class championship.

I cannot even describe the feelings that poured from my body like the tears of frustration that poured down my cheeks. With no other outlet, I cried, I screamed… just raw emotions poured from my body.

The crash truck guys and EMTs came over to check on me because I had not moved from my bike, despite standing up. They got me unhooked from my bike and picked him up. As I finally had a chance to look him over I was suddenly overwhelmed with optimism… nothing was breached, no structural damage!!! I could re-tech and restart the race… if I made it in time…
The race was not going to wait for me. I had only enough time as it took for them to tend to the other racer, clean up the mess, and the crash truck guys to haul me back to my pit.

Thankfully, the crash truck guys love me! I bring cupcakes (and this weekend was no exception!) so they rushed me back to my pit, and kept me updated on what was going on.
My amazing friends swarmed upon my pit, and they jumped on my Big Boy like a well coordinated NASCAR pit crew. Absolutely astounding… I cannot thank them enough, to this day!
Lenny Albin, Bernie Broderick, Roni Duran, Luke Judy, and Eric DeHaven… thank you…

I was able to make the re-tech just as they were about to restart the race! As I pulled up to pre-grid, a fellow novice racer, who was doing his very first race – and saw the entire incident play out in front of him – looked at me in wide-eyed amazement. He reached out for a handshake and exclaimed… “I can’t believe you’re going back out there…”
My pals told me… wait for the entire field to take to the track before you go out. Just in case more rocks come from the bike, in case something doesn’t work right… just in case….

As I went down the long hot pit to take to the track, I was absolutely awe-struck by everyone cheering for me… it was like a friggin movie scene. And seeing my bff Christie Cooley jumping up and down and screaming just made me feel amazing. People I knew, people I didn’t know were cheering and clapping as I rode by… utterly surreal experience.
The warm up lap was successful, everything worked as it should, my Big Boy handled as he should, and my body, albeit sore, was also working as it should.
My start wasn’t as stellar as before – my clutch slipped a lot – but I fell in behind the Championship points leader. I was content to sit behind him until I felt confident to push my bike harder. In lap two, another, newer rider came through us and went on to be the winner of the race – that was fine with me… all I had to do was beat the guy in front of me.
As we took the half way flag of the 6 lap race, I decided my Big Boy and I were good, and it was time to let this dude know who’s going home with the number one plate…. In two and a half laps, I put 8 seconds between him and I. I took home second place in the class, and a new personal best lap time of a 1:24!!!! I couldn’t believe it!!!!

As I took the cool down lap, I waved at the corner workers, and they cheered for me!!! It was so great!!!!
But my job wasn’t over yet! Women’s Superstock was up next! I cruised down hot pit and right back onto the track for the warm up lap of Women’s Superstock! I was still in shock over what had just transpired and I spent the warm up lap wondering if I had just won the Championship by one point, or just lost it by one point…
No matter! The green flag dropped on Women’s Superstock, and I took the hole shot! This time I just rode for the love of it and won the entire class! Beat the other novice girls, and the few expert girls!!! And ran an even better lap time!!! 1:24.1 =) What a day!!!!

I got back to my pit to a HUGE celebration!!!!!!! Lenny Albin, my amazing suspension guru, couldn’t stand the suspense any longer … so he went up to the tower to talk to WERA co-owner, Sean “Mongo” Clarke, and came back to tell me the news. The smile he was trying to hide gave it away… but here’s what went down.
I was tied for the “A” Superstock Championship! But… per the rulebook, the racer with the most race wins is awarded the Championship. I was the racer with the most race wins in “A” Superstock Novice… and I became the Open “A” Superstock Novice class Champion for 2010!!!

Oh My God….

I started screaming and jumping up and down and hugging everyone – especially my Big Boy who made it all possible!!! My pals nearby could hear me screaming and they came over to congratulate me =) I was making quite a spectacle of myself to say the least… but I had earned it. I won my very first Championship. And… I became the first woman in the history of WERA to win an open class championship. Although I had also won Women’s Superstock Novice Championship, this “big boy” class meant the world to me.
From the lowest low – being taken out of the race, and nearly not making it back – to the highest high of winning my very first championship…. Wow…

I still had one more race to do until I could celebrate the victory properly, and it was at the very end of the day… My body was coming down from the adrenaline, and hurting more and more with each passing hour. My ribs were incredibly sore, I had a large gash on my inner thigh – not big enough to require stitches, but my foot peg had ripped open my suit, Underarmor, and damn near my inner thigh a la Bostrom style, and finally, my right wrist was very painful.

I gridded up for “A” Superbike, and there’s this one guy on an ’07 R1 who’s been beating me every time I went up against him, and I wanted so badly to make him work for it – to have a shot to beat him!
I got a great start, and fell in right behind him. I tried to hang on to him as long as I possibly could, and would you believe it?? I tail grabbed his ass for lap after lap after lap! Thought about attempting a pass a time or two, but soon my body was just done. I didn’t care enough to risk anything… I had won my Championships – this race was mine to do as I pleased and have fun. I backed off just a bit, and finished comfortably in second place – incredibly sore, and incredibly happy.

And that concludes the saga of a glorious 2010…

Fast forward to Jan 7, 2012…

My fab-tastic Graves built R1 – yup, my same Big Boy… but I swear to God, if I didn’t verify the VIN, I wouldn’t believe it was even the same bike!!!!
Post surgery, I am finally able to ride again – although the commute to work was leaving my belly sore, I was able to ride better and better each day. So I opted to ride with Fasttrack Riders on the Saturday before the WERA West opener at AutoClub Speedway.
Lenny Albin had refreshed my suspension, and Graves Motorsports had refreshed the rest of my bike, and my body was finally ready to ride it … at least 80%!

The most incredible machine I have ever ridden in my life.

It just hooks up and goes… I did wheelies exiting corners for the first time – the kind where the bike is still leaned over!
Felt like it was on rails… until my rear tire started to let go – I was on an old ass set of tires – my Big Boy was just glued to the pavement. I gradually added more and more throttle… and more and more brakes until unbelievably, I was matching the lap times of my fellow fast female racers!

Next up… WERA West… Las Vegas… Feb 11-12th … it’s gonna be a great show!!!!

Xoxo,
Psycho Kitty

GirlClutch rides are fun for me because I don’t feel any pressure (testoterone) to ride outside of my limits. I am able to practice my technique and really enjoy the ride, the company, and the scenery. I have been able to attend two rides so far and hope to enjoy many more.

~Jessica

Another close passion in my life came to me through work experience and a situation in my life that made nutrition stand up front and center in my world. My oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD. There were a number of solutions given to solve this issue, and a prescription was my last choice so we followed a strict diet for some time. Down the road, the diagnosis ended up being wrong, but it gave me a strong need to help not only my family, but others out there that need assistance with nutrition and health in general. I have been a part of GirlClutch since it has started and I am delighted to be able to share my knowledge with all of you now.

Today, I am just going to throw out a quick “Remember To Hydrate!!!” One of the most neglected items in the world of nutrition every single day is fluid replacement. The most obvious form of fluid replacement is….Water!! Our bodies are about 60% water, and every system in our body relies on water. It is in our foods that we consume each and every day, but most people are still not getting an adequate amount to keep them hydrated. The amount of fluid intake per day is based on an individual’s lifestyle, depending on how active you are or are not. Relatively, women should be getting 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day so besides what we consume in our diets every day, make sure to fill up those water bottles, bring extra with you, and if water is just too “plain” for you, add a slice of lemon or look for a bottle of carbonated water to give you a little fizz. Only you can make that commitment, and it is so easy to do. You got this one!!

I wanted to start off the New Year with this Tidbit of nutritional advice because I know many of you have decided to get back into shape, and since it is a colder time of the year, we don’t always think to replenish our fluids. For those of you who ride more aggressively and exercise more often, remember to replace fluids with energy drinks that contain electrolytes as well. Too much water without electrolytes can cause a toxicity that can cause many complications so make sure to get your balance Mz. Athletes!

I look forward to sharing Tidbits of info with you all from here on out. If anyone has any specific questions, feel free to ask, and I will make note to answer as many questions as possible in future Tidbits. Prevention is the best solution in taking care of ourselves!! Cheers to everyone who is looking and actively participating in her/his own nutritional health.

~Jules

Name:

How did you get into riding? 
I was always into riding and knew how to ride but didn’t have my own bike, dirtbike, or quad, always rode my friends. I did have a few mini / super pocket bikes but they didn’t seem to last long with the way I rode them!  But a few of my guy friends had bikes but didn’t really stunt except maybe a wheelie here and there. There was one kid I knew, Shane Burnett (RIP…love you bro…Cloud 9), that was nasty at wheelies and could go for miles and miles up on one wheel. Everytime I saw him wheel I got that feeling of “I wish I had a bike!”. In Aug of 09′ I met my boyfriend Joey B and he just got an 09 Yahmaha R6, brand new. Me and him use to do wheelies together on the streets, with me on the back of the bike, but when he went to work I use to take it out and just street ride, never popped it up thou. A year or so later we got asked to come to the lot and there I met my crew. At the time I still didnt have my own bike. Thankfully, with the help from Joey, I saved enough money and almost half way throu the summer of 11′, I got my 01 Honda F4i!!! After that I really started getting into the stunt scene and I love it!

Which women (not necessarily riders) inspire you the most and why?   

Do you have any pre-riding routines?