
Riding Her Own
Story by Cindy Blake
Photos by Cindy Blake and Gina Baca
It’s a beautiful sound when you hear a Harley coming down the road. It’s also quite a sight to see when the person riding is a woman. During the AspenCash Motorcycle Rally in Ruidoso, NM, I saw many women riding their own motorcycles. Take Gina Baca, a grocery store sales representative from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gina has been riding for seven years. I asked Gina what made her decide to ride. “I decided to start riding because I took a 10-day trip on the back of a motorcycle along the west coast on Highway 101. When I got done with that trip, I got off the bike and told myself I’m never doing that again,” she said. “I’m getting my own bike.” The first thing Gina did when she arrived home was to enroll in a motorcycle instructional course. Gina said, “I’ve been riding ever since. I ride as much as I can and very often.”
Gina’s first bike was a 1984 Harley-Davidson 1200 Sportster. “That was a fun bike to start with, now my best friend owns it,” she said. Gina now owns a 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe. It was brand new when she purchased it, right out of the crate. “The sales girls were cutting up the cardboard box covering it. I saw it and knew, ‘That’s what I want.’ I had seen one in a magazine back in 2005. Harley-Davidson was bringing back the Deluxe.” Gina loves her Harley as she can add accessories and make modifications to fit her. She’s only changed the highway pegs so far and wants the next upgrade to be the handlebars.
Gina has gone on many long trips since she’s been riding on her own. Riding to Austin for the Republic of Texas (ROT) Rally and down to Puerto Penasco, Mexico for the Rocky Point Biker Rally. She’s also gone up to the ever famous, Sturgis Rally. Gina rides with two other women and it was their first trip to Ruidoso. “They were a little freaked out when we arrived,” Gina said. “But, actually they did well and I’m hoping we will all be able to do another long ride. I’m trying to persuade them to ride out to Austin, somewhere far so as to build up their confidence.” For now, they’re enjoying the riding up here in the Sacramento Mountains of Ruidoso and the beautiful weather. “Looks like they had a great turnout for the rally here,” said Gina, “The blue skies, very little wind and just a little bit of sunburn made for a great weekend for all those here.” She’s looking forward to coming back for the Golden Aspen Rally in September.
I asked Gina what advice she had for women who are thinking about riding a motorcycle. She replied, “Just ride for your sanity. We have to put up with so much in this world in raising our kids and doing our jobs. Just ride for stress relief. I’m only 45 years old, but I hope to ride until I’m well into my 70’s.”