The CycleSmiths

Wendy is going live on The ok’ youtube right now on the Coast 2 coast show. Check it out https://youtu.be/KaXyLiPrsL4

ATTENTION LADIES!! Do you love motorcycles? Do you love talking bikes with other female riders? Are you new to riding and have questions that need answers without judgement? Join us for the Women’s Motorcycle Conference online! This two-day event is co-hosted by our own Wendy Crockett and features many spectacular guest speakers from all over the motorcycle industry: authors, world travelers, documentary film makers, plus many, many more. The event takes place on November 6th and 7th, but if you can’t join us live don't worry! You can register to get recordings the entire conference. Check out the link below and join us for some fun! https://womensmotorcycletours.com/Conference/

Take a minute to check out this amazing project! Gail Mooney has produced an inspiring film about women who have excelled in male-dominated fields (myself included!) What should have been a whirlwind year of film festivals and special events has turned into... well, we're all living it. Not one to be deterred by a little pandemic, Gail has come up with innovative solution to getting her film in front of audiences. See how you can sponsor a social-distance-approved outdoor viewing in your town! Wendy Crockett https://www.kickstarter.com//breaking-barriers-like-a-woman

Who misses hanging out at the shop and talking bikes for hours on end? I know I do. I've got a fix: you're invited to hang out with me and some key industry players - no mask necessary! @REVVconference is a series of 16 live webinars featuring 24 industry professionals over 2 days. It's all happening June 5+6; I'm speaking Friday afternoon, but you'll definitely want to catch the whole lineup. Sign up now and join us for a taste of the old days in a new way. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/revvconference-tickets-1049727

Hey you! Wendy’s got an event coming up. Check it out. Are you ready to get riding? Want to take advantage of this downtime to up your game? REVVtalk has you covered! REVVconference Online has assembled 25 incredible powersports pioneers, innovators, and legends from around the world to present you with 15 unique workshops covering all things motorcycling. Two days of learning directly from some of the most impressive names in their fields, all for only $20!... The event takes place on June 5th and 6th - I'll be hosting a dynamic Q&A session on all things Long Distance on 6/5 at 5pm EDT, so sign up now & bring all your endurance riding questions! If you sign up using this link it helps the organizers see how many people are coming in from the LD community, so please fee free to share! Thanks & I'll see you there! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/revv-conference-tickets-104972

We are excited to announce that Wendy has been honored by the American Motorcycle Association as the 2020 recipient of the Bessie Stringfield award. The award is presented to a motorcycleist that promotes riding to new and underserved riders. Check out the link for more info. https://motorsportsnewswire.com//american-motorcyclist-as/

The lineup has been finalized and expanded with some really cool "Connection Series" workshops. It's going to be a fantastic couple of days! Thanks to everyone who has already signed up & everyone who has shared the link - I'm looking forward to seeing you there! https://womensmotorcycletours.com/conference/# #ironbuttassociation #yamahamotorcycles #rotopax #motojug #thirdwheeladventure #fz1 #fjr1300 #firstgearusa #ghundersusa #ldcomfort #americanmotorcycleassociation #russelldaylong #justinsnutbutter #sportea #rideconnected #michelintires #womenwhoride #twowheelsmovethesoul #wrwr2019 #wcm2020.

The ramp up to the 2020 riding season (if there is to be such a thing as the 2020 riding season) is certainly shaping up differently than any of us could have imagined, but being relegated to dreaming of big rides doesn't mean we can't still "get together" and have a great time! I'm super excited to invite you to the inaugural Women's Motorcycle Conference series, a two-day online event including 25 accomplished, determined, resilient, and downright amazing women with an inc...redible breadth of riding and life experience to share. I will be hosting a Q&A on all things Long Distance on Sat, April 18th, but that's just one hour in a lineup full of inspiring presenters, panels, & topics beginning on Friday afternoon. Check out the website for a full description the event, get yourself registered, and spread the word! https://womensmotorcycletours.com/conference/#

Put most recent trip update.

Met up with the legendary Wendy Crockett and her fabulous daughter Tessa for a chat recently. Wendy made history this summer becoming the first woman to win t...he Iron Butt Rally- riding an unimaginable 12,998.9 miles in 11 days capturing a bunch of bonus points along the way. I was lucky to catch them as they and husband Mike are soon to head off for a 6 month ride through South America! What an adventure that will be. You can follow Wendy’s journey on her blog - thirdwheeladventures.com This interview will be part of the upcoming documentary Women in the Front Seat. For those following this project, WITFS has morphed and grown and is no longer going to be a web series but a longer form doc. It’s an exciting process. I’m still filming some pieces for it and continually working in post and raising funds to keep it all going! More updates coming on the WITFS Facebook page.

Summary: I'm going to be attending Long Haul Paul's just-announced appearance in Costa Mesa, California, and you should too! :-) Details (Shamelessly stolen from the coordinators of this event): Micki & I were able to convince Paul Pelland to come to our town and give one of his amazing talks. If you're not familiar with Paul, 1. He's hilarious. 2. He is a Long Distance Rider crusading for MS. The celebrated Long Distance Rider Paul Pelland (LongHaulPaul), is a man with MS on... a Million Mile journey. His mission is to document riding one million miles with MS, for MS. He hopes that by sharing his story he will inspire others who are facing tough challenges in life to never stop chasing their passions and dreams. Please join us and our friend Paul in 'Chasing the Cure' as he shares his stories and humor, in the spirit of raising awareness and funds for a cure for MS. If you're not able to join us in person, you can donate directly via his page www.longhaulpaul.com/donate/ . Your employer may match your donation! Check to see if your corporate matching program includes MS Views and News. About MS: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Worldwide, more than 2.3 million people have a diagnosis of MS. Wednesday, 11/20/2019 7PM Estancia High School Theater 2323 Placentia Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Steve Diederich & Micki Denton IBA# 569 & 617

Hi Friends! Leg one of our South American adventure is in full swing with a layover at grandma and grandpa's house is southern California. Tess wanted to show off this awesome shirt she got in the mail right before we left. We'd love to thank the amazing person who sent it, but there was nothing in the package noting who it was from. Please let us know. Thanks a bunch

Hey friends. Many of you have met our friend and fellow rider Kelly Pankey at the shop over the years. You may also know her as a superbly talented artist particularly in the medium of scratch boards. Her art will be on display at Dagneys coffee co. in Bakersfield this month and she's kicking it off with their First Friday event tomorrow. Stop by, say hi, and support local arts. Thanks a bunch

All right, good people of FB: We're going to start reeling in the cross-posting as our journey gets underway. We're kicking things off with a little contest on our Third Wheel Adventures page, so go check it out, take part, win a thing & while you're there don't forget to like & follow. You don't want to miss out on the excitement! https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=468386583885157&id=312049436185540

T-minus 2 weeks.... take a tour of our bikes and some of the gear. Special shout out to First Gear USA Rotopax... Motojug LD Comfort base layers Justin's Nut Butters #ironbuttassociation #yamahamotorcycles #rotopax #motojug #thirdwheeladventure #firstgearusa #ghundersusa #ldcomfort #justinsnutbutter #sportea #rideconnected #michelintires #womenwhoride #twowheelsmovethesoul #wrwr2019 #wcm2020

Another nice shout out for 2019 IBR winner Wendy Crockett! #ironbuttassociation #yamahamotorcycles #rotopax #motojug #thirdwheeladventure #firstgearusa #ghundersusa #ldcomfort #justinsnutbutter #sportea #rideconnected #michelintires #womenwhoride #twowheelsmovethesoul #wrwr2019 #wcm2020

Where are you gonna be on October 12th? I know where Wendy Crockett will be!! Come join her and help support the eradication of polio world wide. If you can't make it you can still help this worthy cause.

When you get a letter of congratulations from your state Congressman.... yeah that a good day! ironbuttassociation #yamahamotorcycles #ghundersusa #ldcomfort #justinsnutbutter #sportea #rideconnected #michelintires #womenwhoride #twowheelsmovethesoul #wrwr2019 #wcm2020 #dustyjohnson

What could be better than a weekend ripping around the Blue Ridge Mountains? How about doing it with a ton of likeminded friends? Wendy Crockett will be hanging out with the Yamaha Motor folks at the Women's Spotbike Rally in Robbinsville, NC. And yes, I'll actually be there - not just my bike this time! Swing by for awesome Yamaha test rides, events, presentations, and camaraderie. Check it out - this weekend is not to be missed!

"Yes She Did" shirts and other items are now available! Go to redbubble.com and search for Wendy Crockett. Thanks a bunch!

Adventure Riders, would you like to learn more about the iron butt rally and its winner Wendy Crockett? Then check out part one of their interview on this link. https://advrider.com/advrider-interviews-the-legendary-wen/

Would you like to celebrate Wendy Crocketts Iron Butt Rally Win? Now you can with an official "Yes She Did!" Sticker. You will also be helping to fund our South American adventure. A suggested donation of $3 will get you 2 of these high quality stickers that measure 3"4" and are UV rated. Please send your donation to [email protected] and be sure to include your mailing address and quantity desired in the notes section. We maybe considering a run of shirts and posters of we get enough interest so if you want one let us know. Thanks ya'll!

Thanks to the Kern Valley Sun newspaper for another outstanding article about wendy's IBR win. https://kernvalleysun.com/double-win-for-cyclesmiths-wendy/

Do you need a little more Wendy Crockett in your life?! Check out another great podcast interview with The Motorcycles and Misfits at the re-cycle garage. https://soundcloud.com//podcast-320-20-questions-with-myst

HEY Y'ALL! Come on over to Sturgis Motorsports and check out the Yamaha Demo fleet! We have the Venture, Eluder, FJR, Super Tenere, Tracer 900, Bolt, MT10, MT09..., MT07, XSR900, XSR700, R6, R3, and the awesome new 3-wheeled Niken! We also have not one, but TWO LEGENDS of the Long Distance motorcycling world on display: Paul "LongHaulPaul" Pelland with his Venture and Wendy "The Rocket" Crockett's Iron Butt Rally winning FJR! Stop by & take a ride or just say hi!. #revsyourheart #yamaha #sturgismotorsports #yamahamotorsports #longhaulpaul @Yamaha motor USA Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

The fine folks at Revzilla did a great interview with wendy Crockett. https://www.revzilla.com//13000-miles-11-days-meet-iron-bu

Heading to the Sturgis Rally? Wendy Crockett, the winner of this year’s Iron Butt Rally and her trusty decked out Yamaha FJR will be on display at the Yamaha D...emo area at Sturgis Motorsports. Very Cool! Here is a great podcast interview. https://static1.squarespace.com//original/Episode78-wad.mp3 Yamaha Motor USA Yamaha Outdoors #IronbuttLegend #IronbuttRally #JourneyFurther Yamaha Motor Wendy Crockett

Did you enjoy that Long Riders Radio podcast with Wendy?! Well you are in luck because the Chasing the Horizons podcast dropped today also. Check her out Y'all. http://horizon.bmwmoa.org/episode-54-wendy-crockett/

Hey everybody, been a little busy around here the last few weeks! Here's an interview Wendy did for Long Riders Radio. Give it a listen. https://www.longridersradio.com//78-2019-iron-butt-rally-w

Our local #blackhillsfox station did a segment on Wendy Crockett’s Iron Butt Rally win over the weekend. #thirdwheeladventure #ironbuttassociation #americanmotorcyclesssociation #thirdwheeladventure #yamahamotorcycles #firstgearusa #rideconnected #ghundersusa #ldcomfort #justinsnutbutter #sportea #womenwhoride #twowheelsmovethesoul #wrwr2019 #wcm2020 #foxnews

The #rapidcityjournal wrote a beautiful front page story about Wendy Crockett today! Check it out.

Wendy will be on live on the Open Road Radio show in just a few minutes. https://www.facebook.com/choppertown/videos/2306617276255604/

I’m super excited about this!

Long Distance Riders..Are YOU one? With Kelsey Dowell & Wendy Crockett. Guest Host - Sean Winkler, Mad Medrek w/ the usual suspects Turbo Terrie, Gina Woods & Kenny Abbott. #LIke #Comment #Share

Wendy Crockett arriving at the leg one checkpoint on the 2019 Iron Butt Rally. #ironbuttassociation #yamahamotorcycles #ghundersusa #ldcomfort #justinsnutbutter #sportea #womenwhoride #twowheelsmovethesoul #wrwr2019 #wcm2020

Our hearts are breaking this morning as we wake up to find news that our old shop in Kernville burned overnight. We loved that little shop and the customers we served there. Please send some thoughts and prayers to Justin and Maggie who took over the shop when we moved.

Endurance riding isn’t for everyone. We’re the 1% of the 1%, and even that is probably a pretty generous figure. Not everyone understands why we do what we do; ...some people don’t care at all, some are intrigued while acknowledging that it’s not something they’d personally pursue, and some are quite vocal in declaring that this is NOT the right way to ride a motorcycle. No one is obligated to condone or participate in endurance riding, but I thought I might shed a little light on why I personally love this type of riding in the context of the 2019 Iron Butt Rally rally. In the course of these 11 days I watched the sun rise over the vast, rugged Nevada desert. I watched the sun set from the lush beauty of the Gaspe Penninsula. I felt the weight of a deep, moonless night in one of the most distant corners of the Everglades. I felt the buzz of humanity in a traffic jam in Washington DC at 1am on a Friday morning. You can do any one those things right now, should you desire. Load up, head out, and be confident that you can have those experiences at your leisure. I also traversed some earth that you almost certainly will never ride, because there is absolutely no good reason to be there. I rode nearly 100 miles north of an already far-flung town on virtually flawless asphalt to reach a small informational sign overlooking a remote dam. Aside from being a dam employee, there is no logical reason to travel this road. And yet there I was, with beautiful blacktop unfurling along the shores of a stunningly beautiful reservoir, beams of sunlight stabbing through silver skies to highlight the perimeter of rugged, verdant cliffs deep in the Canadian Rockies, and I had it all to myself. I reached the terminus of this quest, snapped a quick picture, and saddled up for the return journey. In what seemed like only minutes, I reached a sign indicating that I would be intersecting the main highway in 20kms, and I was legitimately disappointed. I was in the middle of nowhere, with no practical reason to be there, and I was disappointed that this amazing bit of moto-perfection was coming to an end. But you could go there. If you’d like to go to Mica Dam, you certainly can put that on your bucket list. But there’s more to it than that. At some point I couldn’t tell you exactly where - I was riding in the rain in the middle of the night when the wind shifted just so, such that the only sound, the only sensation in the world, was the quite pull of my tires against wet pavement. I was riding through a misty dawn when I came upon a moose in a field of wild flowers tall, willowy flowers in every imaginable shade of red, pink, orange, purple, and white simply enjoying her breakfast and regarding me with the same fascination with which I regarded her. I’ve had just exactly the right song show up on my playlist at just exactly the right minute, as though the cosmos was telling me that this is exactly where I was intended to be at this very moment in time. I’ve watched the breathtaking symphony of distant thunderstorms, powerful and beautiful and nearly impossible to capture in all of its majesty; it simply must be experienced and absorbed. I’ve had moments where the sky is so blue, the air so calm and warm, the ride so fluid and so effortless, that the entire world melts away and I’m left with a calm focus that I can only imagine must rival the most ardent practitioners of meditation. I have formed connections with people who, outside of this pursuit, I never would have had occasion to meet, people who make my life richer, fuller, more complete. This is my zen. This is my release. This is my connection with that which is both greater than myself and deep within myself. You can’t put those moments into your gps. You can’t plot a trip to the place where your soul will heal or grow or quiet or shout for joy. You just have to put yourself out there. Your place may come through hiking or biking. Sailing or soaring. Brushing the dog or holding your new grandchild. I hope you all have a space in the world where you find your best self; this is mine. On two wheels, exploring, experiencing, looking for any opportunity to avail myself of the majesty of the universe. The more you’re out there, the greater the likelihood that these moments will find you. Rally riding is not for everyone, but its right for me. Any excuse to be out there, leaning, twisting, seeing, smelling, feeling, focusing, absorbing; any opportunity to be so overwhelmed by the majesty of it all that I have no choice but to hone in and thoroughly experience the precise splendor of this solitary moment. This is why I rally. Please feel free to share, especially with those who feel there is only one way to correctly experience two wheels.

https://www.rideapart.com//wendy-crockett-iron-butt-winner/

A quick note from Wendy Crockett: She would like to thank all of you for the messages of congratulations and well wishes. She is still riding back from the finish line and has not had a chance to go through all of her notifications. Please be patient with her, she will respond after she gets home! (From Mike, I cant wait for her to see the outpouring of love that has come pouring in. Thank you all for making this Dream come True even more special).

The IBR FINISHERS report!!! http://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/2019IBR_Friday28_Finish.pdf

Wendy Crockett has just won the 2019 IRON BUTT RALLY!!! The first woman to ever win the event.Wendy Crockett has just won the 2019 IRON BUTT RALLY!!! The first woman to ever win the event.

Ibr live! https://www.pscp.tv/w/b-ajfjFBbWp6ZFBtVm5KUWV8MU93eFdrRVdrT

The IBR Finishers banquet is about to begin. They will be live casting the top ten finishers hopefully in the next hour or so. I will link to it here as soon as it begins. STAY TUNED.

This morning the road warrior competitors of the Iron Butt Rally converged on the Greenville SC finish line including our hero Wendy Crockett. The riders are exhausted, but need to go through scoring prior to a well earned shower and sleep prior to tonight’s awards banquet. A couple of new post were added overnight. Check them out and stay tuned for updates tonight. http://ibr.wvi.com/

Day 10 ride report is up! Only one more grueling day left. http://ibr.wvi.com/

Wendy Crockett gets a shout out in today’s Iron Butt Rally daily report. Check it out y’all! http://Ibr.wvi.com

....AND THEY’RE OFF!!! there’s a double entendre joke here with today’s ride report. Catch up on Wendy Crockett and 100 other IBR competitors. http://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/2019IBR_SundayJune23_Day7.pdf

Hear ye! Hear ye! Let the reading continue. The Latest IBR Rider report has been posted and it has delightful pics of the whole family. Check it out y’all! http://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/2019IBR_FridayJune21_Day5_2.pdf

Wendy Crockett currently sits in the Fourth position on the leaderboard! Check out todays IBR daily report to see all of the standings and read about the tough choices ahead for the riders. http://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/2019IBR_FridayJune21_Day5.pdf

The IBR daily report for day 3 is live. Give it a read. http://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/2019IBR_WednesdayJune19_Day3.pdf

Day 2 ride report is now live! http://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/2019IBR_TuesdayJune18_Day2.pdf

The latest IBR rally report has just been published! http://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/2019IBR_MondayJune17_Day1.pdf

A couple of pictures of Wendy before leaving on the IBR. Photos courtesy of Hammy Tan and the IBA

And they’re off!!!! Check out the live stream of the IBR start. https://www.pscp.tv/w/b9eUUzFBbWp6ZFBtVm5KUWV8MWt2SnBPUW9FW

I just want to give you an update on the IRON BUTT RALLY. Tonight the riders feasted on a banquet smothered in Southern charm where they shared stories of past adventures, caught up with old friends, and met the newest generations of rally rookies. Twelve years ago Wendy was one of those rookies in a room full of seasoned veterans, tonight she is the vet! Wendy is the highest placing woman to compete in the modern version of the IBR and she doing it on the same bike that she ...Continue reading

Hey FB people! I know I’ve been MIA on here for a while, but never fear: I’m about to go radio silent again! But this time it’s because I’ll be competing in my ...5th 11-day, 11,000-mile (+/-) Iron Butt Rally. I got a little South Carolina trail time in this morning before the fun begins tomorrow. If you’d like to follow along, be sure to follow www.facebook.com/ThirdWheelAdventures. That’s where Mike Loomer will be posting links, maps, updates, etc. See you on the road! See more

Attention Friends. If you are one of the few people entrusted with Wendy Crockett’s Spot tracking information please remember that that information is private and sharing it can lead to Wendy losing points or being disqualified from the event. This is a very serious matter in the IBR so please don’t share ANY information regarding the locations of Wendy or any other rider. Thank you.

I will be linking to the IBR official daily reports here. Please read and enjoy! http://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/2019IBR_SaturdayJune15_Day-2.pdf

Wendy Crockett doing her best to help control the bug population. #IronButtRally

Check out Wendy Crockett discussing the Woman Riders World Relay with some of the other female IBR competitors. https://www.pscp.tv/w/b9VcfzFBbWp6ZFBtVm5KUWV8MUJSSmp2V2t3V

Tess and Wendy saying goodbye before departing for the 2019 Iron Butt Rally!

Throw Back Travel! I'm going to be compiling old ride reports, travelogues, web pages, etc, and sharing them with you here. Check out my Solo North America from way back in 2004. It wasn't my first solo trip by any means, but at that time it was my longest. Little did I know what lay ahead for my nomadic spirit!

Hey y'all! We're working out some kinks (well, a lot of kinks) in our South America travel blog sharing. But that's exactly why we're sharing our planning and prep process starting now - because nothing is effortless, but anything can be overcome. So while we try to figure out - again - why our blog posts aren't sharing automatically to our Third Wheel Adventures Facebook page, you can check out our blog and let us know what you think!

For ten years we used Kern River Valley, CA as our adventure base-of-operations. For the past year we've exploring the breathtaking roads in the Black Hills of SD. But every rider knows that siren call of the open road, and it is beckoning once again. We are excited to announce that in October of 2019 Wendy, Montessa, and I will be embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime motorcycle adventure around the continent of South America! We will be taking two motorcycles with us, one of t...hose will be equipped with Montessa’s side car. The best part is, we are going to take all of you along with us! We will be writing regular articles on the American Motorcyclist Association website (www.americanmotorcyclist.com - Join today!) We will also be corresponding through our own website Thirdwheeladventures.com, on Facebook at Third Wheel Adventures, and on our Instagram page @thirdwheeladventure (no S on the end). As you know, we are an accomplished riding family but we are not experienced world travelers. With that said, you can follow along with us right now as we prepare to take on this amazing journey. Please like and share the sites above to travel along with us. https://d.facebook.com/ThirdWheelAdventures/

For all of Bleu’s friends: Celebration of life for Bleu on Saturday 1/12/19 at the sportsman 1 o'clock. Bring something if you can and ride your bike if you can. Thank you everybody.

All right, folks-it’s IMDB official! Tonight’s the night to watch Speechless on ABC at 7:30pm (or online, if that’s your preference). Either way, keep an eye out for your favorite Burly Man and some cool Cyclesmiths goodies!