Girlrider

Member
Sep 1, 2000
313
0
Hello everyone. As you know the 2 qualifiers are now over. One race provided a lot of mud while the other provided dust on day 1 and snow on day 2. Both Suzy and Amanda braved all 4 days without any injury. I made it to Idaho to help support in the hopes that if no other women signed up to race in France that I would still be considered. I talked with the AMA and said that if I had to race Idaho to even be considered then I would even if my collarbone was broken. Hugh said that the AMA was not about racing just because but that it was there to support competition and he said it was not necessary for me to ride. Since no other women signed up as Letter of Intent then I would get to go. I just called the AMA to see if I was on the team and here is what they say. The nice lady says that if it were up to her I would be going but there are 3 board members who have a problem with me going. First they said: We should have advertised for a womens team. (Suzy did advertise when she got on DRN for them and they don't advertise for the Thropy team, they just pick who they want even if they don't race). They have a problem with the fact that I did not ride either qualifier, even though I traveled 12 hours one way to support suzy and Amanda. She said I would be able to go but she had to wait for Hugh to get back into the office to talk with them. Women are still having to fight for our rights. I do think we are getting better and maybe the AMA will start to recognize that more. I made my reservations based on what she told me but I hope they don't change their mind. Now we all have to raise money or earn money to pay for the trip. Each one of us will have to spend about $5,000.00 for just us, not including our spouses. If anyone has any fund raising ideas please let us know. Also if you want to try for the ISDE next year then start preparing now. We might not have Suzy going to the AMA and just flat out putting her foot down so we might have to do it on our own and it might not be easy.

Thanks,
Nicole
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
0
Yes, good luck to you Nicole. Seems to me that if you are paying your own way and your qualifications from previous races show that you can compete at that level there should be no reason why you couldn't join the team. Especially if there aren't enough women to field an entire team, it isn't like you are taking someone else's spot from what I have gathered.

I guess I don't understand the part where YOU should have advertised for a women's team, isn't that part of the AMA and Promoter's responsibility?

As far as fund raising, I don't have any experience with that but, if there is anything I can do to help out, let me know. Firecracker and I can brainstorm on it around the campfire this weekend.
 

Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
0
CNM does t-shirts, maybe we could get her to design one with DRN ISDE Women's Team 2001 Supporter on it? The only thing is it wouldn't raise a heck of a lot. One thing we do over here, which I'm not sure you do is "sausage sizzles". We've got a big butcher's chain who provides sausages cheap and we all pay $1 (they have them by supermarkets & shops too) and is popular.

I hope it comes together and you get to go. Maybe have a chat with Ian from TrialsTV about getting a CD burnt of the event or prelims & sold off for funds. (He could probably head you in the right direction for what you need).

If I think of anything else, no matter how dumb it sounds, I'll let you know, as we should all be helping you out however we can (it may get others thinking too).

Good luck with the AMA decision. Definitely let us know what happens & if you're selling anything, count me in. (I can justify buying something, but just donating to over there is really difficult to explain to Henk).
 

sgr

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 14, 2000
63
0
SoCal
People can donate airline miles to pay for the tickets to France. I'll bet there are a lot of people out there with extra miles just waiting to for a good cause. And this is a great one!
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
I wonder if the WML is interested in getting involved? Or how about manufacturers like MSR and Acerbis? In a way I hate to say it but it's a great marketing tool to help out women's sports just for the novelty factor--we're more visible in a lot of ways. Has anyone approached the companies at all? Anybody and everybody--oil, tire, accessory, tool, plastic and gear manufacturers, local dealers, performance shops, anything? T-shirts are a great idea.
 

Girlrider

Member
Sep 1, 2000
313
0
Thanks everyone for your help. Right now I am doing a T-Shirt with another Colorado rider but I have not talked to the other girls about doing one. The food idea is a good one. My dad is the GM of Alliant foods so I will see if he can get me any food to sell. Moose is going to give me 2 new sets of riding clothes and gloves as well as, tubes and tools so that helps. I will have to check on the Flyer miles because we had to book our trip from the AMA.
I will keep you updated on the progress. I go to the Doctor today to get an X-ray since it has been almost 5 weeks. Hopefully it will look good and now I can ride 3/4 throttle instead of 1/2. Then in a few weeks I hope to be good to go. Go to www.ama-cycle.com and the pick on go race then look for ISDE.
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
0
Originally posted by firecracker22
In a way I hate to say it but it's a great marketing tool to help out women's sports just for the novelty factor--we're more visible in a lot of ways.

Kinda like Anne Brooks' "Woman Rider! Woman Rider!" experience?

Another thought is a raffle for bike gear or parts or something. I'm not sure about the legal implications on raffles in your area and if you can set one up to go beyond your state or not. I know one of the guys here raised a lot of money for a park in his neighborhood with one. Maybe Okie knows something about it from the Mamba raffle.
 

sgr

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 14, 2000
63
0
SoCal
Originally posted by Girlrider
Right now I am doing a T-Shirt.

Girlrider, how can we buy a T-shirt? Count me in for at least one.
And if you would like i will post the information on how to buy one on my web site. E-mail me if you are interested.

Also, have you talked to Scott (Parts Manager) at Fay Myers about putting the shirts in their shop or on their web site as a community service to the off road industry? I know at one time they gave a lot of support to a local rider who went to the ISDE.
Good Luck!
 
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smoody

Member
Dec 17, 2000
14
0
Hey, this is SMoody. Concerning the AMA issue. Yes, I agree, it is AMA's responsibility to advertise the women's class. I met with them early enough they had plenty of opportunity to contact the clubs to put the class in the flyers. But, I do think I did a pretty good job of getting the word out via DRN and several other internet sites, as well as calling as many of the female's we knew about that we thought would be interested or had the experience to do Six Days. I even met face to face with several fast gals and talked up the event.

Bottom line is this. The ISDE does not get the publicity nor is it understood like it should be. It is a shame that it is the premier International off road racing event over a six day period that is so poorly covered both by AMA and the media. All the other countries field their own, hand picked, fincancially supported team. Much like the Olympics. Being the USofA, we stick by the belief that there should be a illimination process which should garner the best of the best. What it really does, is garner those who have the $$$ and time and "luck?" to be there at the end of the illimination process. I can tell you the $$$ is a big issue. Luckily there were only 2 (2day) races this year. If there were say 6 races scattered through out the country as it has been in the past, I don't think I could have covered both the series and the travel abroad; without, making fund raising a full time job. Now, if I spent the money to make the team and the AMA picked up the rest of the tab, I think there would be a whole new ballgame. Much more inticing. Now concerning the interest of the manufactures. Yes, they are actually involved somewhat and each person works with their own sponsors, but it is not like the WML or Dirttrack or Drag racing or any other sport that is a specator sport. Enduro's are not a spectator sport. It is a lonley sport much like bike racing (Tour de France) and does not draw manufacture sponsors that spectator sports do.

One quick side note, Hught Fleming has been extremly supportive and is understanding of our plight and the issues I have raised above. He should be commended. I think there is just some slight dissention of a few, not the majority. They will see we will indeed represent AMA and the USA very well.

Whew! Let me crawl off my soap box, I love discussion on the subject, keep pushin' gals. But my mission in life for the next two months, is to hold down my new job, keep in shape, ride enought to keep the edge, but not get hurt. Change every tire I see ( I am the official tire changer at this house), it is all in technique. Beg for funds and support and go to FRANCE!
 

Girlrider

Member
Sep 1, 2000
313
0
Kali,

We don't have a site. There is an official ISDE site. The only way I know to access it is to go to www.ama-cycle.org. Then pick on Go Race, then look for the ISDE and then you will see the place to pick on for the ISDE site. This is not a site specifically for the US. On this site you can see the map, lodging, etc. . . It would be cool to have a site but I only know how to use AutoCad. If we could advertise as well as give updates on our training and our race that would be cool. Last year you could check on a rideres scores seconds after they finished a special test. I don't know if we will have computer access but if we did we could use our digital camera to take some pictures and then send them to you to add to the site. (Are you volunteering for the site?) I will have access to some T-shirts that me and another local Colorado rider are making. Let me know if anyone wants one. This year the event is so soon that it is harder to get things together.

Thanks,

Nicole
 

smoody

Member
Dec 17, 2000
14
0
Yeh, my mug can be seen on the AMA-CYCLE.org. Go to ISDE, Look at the pictures for Ohio. It has my mug and one of me riding. Cool.
 

LoriKTM

Super Power AssClown
Oct 4, 1999
2,220
6
New Mexico
Nice pics, Suzy! :) Good to put a face to a name.

Kali, the web site sounds like a great idea. How about WomenofDirt.com?
Or, hmm... this is harder than I thought!
 
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