Female riders in Alexandria kick up stands for International Female Ride Day
Last Saturday, female motorcycle riders kicked up their stands to celebrate the 16th annual International Female Ride Day all across the world including here in Alexandria.
"It's just a day for us to get together and ride, socialize," said Terry Holmes, who helped organize the event. "We're motorcycle enthusiasts. Many people don't realize how many women ride."
This was the first year for the celebration to be held in Alexandria though it has been held four times before in other parts of the state. Holmes said it was originally scheduled for 2020 and over 700 women were slated to attend but had to be canceled because of COVID-19.
They didn't have nearly as many riders as those who originally signed up for the 2020 day but Holmes said they had a very good turnout for the event. Riders came from all over Louisiana and other came from Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi.
The day included a group ride from Taboo Harley Davidson to towns like Cheneyville, Bunkie, Cottonport and Marksville before making their way back and a picnic at Frank O. Hunter Park.
"I was kinda nervous when Terry invited me not knowing how they would welcome me being a non-biker," said Linda Williams of Pineville. But Holmes told her that the day was about women coming together to "meet and greet."
"They welcome me with open arms," she said. "I came out to see how many women showed up and to meet as many of them as I could. It was so hot and I stayed as long as I could. I honor these women and hope they will one day be in the motorcycle hall of fame."
Holmes reminded Williams of Bessie Springfield who she said was the first Black woman to ride solo across the United States on her motorcycle. Williams said Springfield was a civilian motor dispatch rider for the U.S. Army and carried documents between bases on her Harley Davidson motorcycle. She was the only woman in her unit.
She faced prejudice while riding, said Williams, and was even deliberately run off the road by a truck driver. Today, said Williams, female riders will usually have males accompanying them to protect them from harassment, said Williams.
Women, said Williams, are still breaking barriers because the riders cross a wide variety of spectrums like wives, sisters, government officials, entrepreneurs, etc.
"Terry is a solo rider and she has a lot of followers," said Williams. "And they all love her."
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Female riders in Alexandria kick up stands for International Female Ride Day
