The WROAR Ride 2010
|
|
2010 marks the sixth anniversary of the WROAR Ride, a woman's motorcycle ride organized to raise funds for the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre / Multicultural Women Against Rape, the TRCC/MWAR www.trccmwar.ca
Back in 2004, myself and over a dozen other women from around the motorcycle industry; racers, instructors, cruiser, sport and touring riders, got together to form the committee that has organized the WROAR Ride since our first ride in 2005, in downtown Toronto. Since then the ride has moved to other venues in the suburbs of Toronto, to be closer to better riding roads. Our event was hosted by Honda in 2007 and 2008, and moved to Morningside park in 2009, which was where the ride left from and returned to again this year.
|
Photo: Rob MacLennan MorallyAmbiguous.net
|
The WROAR Ride has tried a variety of ride formats over the past years. We started with a group-ride where a long train of women riders paraded through the streets of Toronto; this was a great opportunity to raise awareness and draw attention to the cause, but a less than relaxing ride dealing with weekend traffic through the city streets. Once we moved out to the suburbs, we experimented with mapped routes, a poker run, and this year a treasure hut ride. It was much more complex for our registration staff this year.
The picture to the left was taken while I was trying to explain the rather complicated points system we adopted this year for our 'Treasure Hunt' ride to our registration volunteers. Bonus points were given for all kinds of things including unique passengers (some small plants and stuffed animals rode along this year) and costumes on bikes and riders too.
|
|
Motorheads are always fascinated by anything technical, regarless of the gender of the motorhead or the specifications of the technical item, in this case a new scooter. We're all peering at it's underparts very carefully because it made a new noise that alarmed the rider. We're mostly motorcyclists on the organizing committee, but scooters are fascinating too.
In the picture on the right we're clustered around Patty's scooter listening to it's new noise and breathing scooter fumes.
Many fundraising rides tend to cater to one sort of rider or another - cruiser riders or sport bike riders usually, but WROAR has always been a very diverse and inclusive ride, welcoming all kinds of bikes; cruisers, sportbikes and touring bikes as well as scooters, trikes, and sidecars, and riders of all genders too.
|
Photo: Rob MacLennan MorallyAmbiguous.net
|
Photo: Rob MacLennan MorallyAmbiguous.net
|
The staff of the TRCC/MWAR are a absolutely wonderful group of women, although a much smaller group than when WROAR first started unfortunately. Some of the women who work and volunteer at the centre have been involved for a significant portion of the 35+ years the TRCC/MWAR has been in existance, and that kind of experience and dedication is part of what makes the TRCC/MWAR so very special.
In the picture on the left, Deb and I are handing out prizes for the winning riders, top fundraisers and the riders who got the most points in the treasure hunt. Handing out prizes at the end of the ride is definately one of my favorite parts of the event. We work hard all year round to produce this event, attract the sponsors that donate the prizes, and when we see how much fun the riders have it's all worth while.
|
|
Aliki and Alex have been involved with the WROAR Ride nearly since the beginning, and the three of us along with Lyn (who's camera-shy) and a few other women organized WROAR 6. Even with the last-minute-developments and challenges of organizing an event for 100 people, we still find time to have fun and laugh about stuff. What can I say? I have great friends!
WROAR Ride 6 was a great day and a fun event, and we're already looking forward to the next one! WROAR Ride 7 will take place on Sunday June 12th 2011, please come out and join in the fun.
|
Photo: Karen A.
|
|
More Reading:
|
|
|
