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        ATGATT  
Coyotebroad's Resources For Women Who Travel By Motorcycle
(or want to): Stravaig!

Stravaig, which is pronounced straw vague, is an Irish and Scottish word meaning to wander about aimlessly. One goes stravaiging about the roads. Stravaig is probably from an even older and obsolete word extravage, meaning to digress or ramble.

I am all about stravaig, both on my motorcycle and in conversations. If you have a problem with rambling, you might want to move on...


Follow me online! 

My posts on these channels are mostly about travel and motorcycle riding, but in some places, I also talk about my professional stuff which, sadly, is not about travel and motorcycle riding.

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I love exploring and traveling. And I really love exploring and traveling by motorcycle.

I already have a section of my web site about why traveling, in general, for women is so important. But I wanted a section of my web site to be about traveling by motorcycle specifically. And specifically focused on women. Because I'm a bit of an evangelist when it comes to this subject.

I'm an overweight woman in my 50s. I started riding a motorcycle when I was 43 and, as of December 31, 2022, I've ridden 53,769.5 miles (68,829.6 km) on my own motorcycles in total. My first motorcycle was 1979 Nighthawk, bought in 2009, and after almost two years, I bought a KLR (Kawasaki), which I've ridden ever since. That's more than 4400 miles (more than 6000 km) a year - and in 2013 and 2021, I did not do a long trip! 95% of those miles / kilometers have been for long distance travel and weekend fun (rather than commuting somewhere). And I hope to ride many, many more miles and see much more. 

But I wish I'd started riding a motorcycle in my 30s. I've missed out on so much by not starting earlier. 

I have lots of resources here but, be forewarned: if you are the kind of person that likes to belittle motorcycle riders for staying in a hotel instead of camping, for having grip heaters, for having a backpacking air mattress in your tent, deciding to put a motorcycle on a truck to navigate flood waters, etc., move on - my advice respects that different people have different limitations and that we all should ride our own ride. I ride in rain, wind and cold that other riders wouldn't, and I don't think any less of those riders that don't ride like me - your limits aren't mine, my limits are too much for someone else, and in the end, I'm not you, you aren't me, and you should ride your own ride. I don't believe in "more authentic than thou" competitions when it comes to motorcycle touring. Or life.

Here are my resources for women who travel by motorcycle (or want to) that I hope you will find helpful:

My motorcycle adventures:

We also attended Tynda Burning Moto Man, for international motorcycle travelers, near Eugene, Oregon, June 2010 and June 2011, hosted by the legendary motorcycle travelers Eric Haws and his wife Gail. Eric held a Guinness Book of World Records certificate for being the first person to cross Russia on a motorcycle (two up with Gail) and he had a motorcycle on every continent. Eric and Gail were on the road so much that we were shocked when we met a RTW motorcycle traveler that had NOT met them.

Also see my not-motorcycle-specific advice:

notes
Accessing essential information while traveling
Advice on things you should do before you leave on a trip, to ensure you can access information via any computer or your feature phone (basic cell phone) or smart phone that you might need while traveling. There's also information here on how to keep your online information safe while traveling (and afterwards).


Using the Internet to Share Your Adventure During Your Adventure
Advice on blogging, photo-sharing, tweeting, etc. It's a wonderful thing to share information about your adventure, but you don't want to spend so much time sharing info about your trip that you aren't actually enjoying your trip! This is my advice for balancing sharing things in real-time, documenting your adventure and enjoying the moments of travel without always thinking about social media.


globe
Planning your first not-so-"Western" travel destinations.
Feeling ambitious? Want an adventure that is unique and will help you understand different people and cultures? If you are already an experienced traveler, you might want to think about some not-so-"Western" destinations. Some of the most astounding travel destinations are in developing countries, places where the infrastructure isn't at the same standard as what you might be used to in your day-to-day life.


suitcase icon
This is a page of my favorite travel resources written by other people.
Some, but not all, are specifically focused on helping women travelers. Many of these resources are ones I use myself when planning a trip. And, yes, I try to always plan, at least a bit, so that once I arrive, I can immediately immerse myself in the experience - not scramble to figure out where I am and what there is to do and see.

hotel Conditions and qualities for women to consider regarding accommodations choices when traveling, including advice on on safety.
If you have no idea where to start in choosing a hotel, a motel, a B & B, camping, or what is going to be right for you, specifically, this resource will help (I hope). This isn't advice based on just what I like - it's based on assessing your own needs regarding amenities, safety, access to scenic areas and transportation, etc. Some of us like luxury, some of us like adventure - I try to address all of those ideas and thing in between.

rain
Health & safety considerations, especially for novice women travelers.
This is the advice that, for me, often gets glossed over or never referred to at all in most travel books and on most travel web sites. Health challenges WILL happen when you travel, and the challenges for women often aren't the same as those for men. This is advice I wish I'd known when I started traveling especially when I started traveling abroad.


money
Advice for Traveling for Really Low Cost - in the USA or abroad.
I qualify this advice by saying I do not think you should ever compromise your safety for a budget, and travel shouldn't be a constant quest to NOT spend money. Do people take a year or two or more off and travel around? Yes. But here's how they finance it and keep costs very low. Also, for all you many people who think there's a magical, easy way to travel around the USA or around the world for free, or to be paid to do it, this is your reality check.


money
Saving money for travel (or to pay off your debt, for that matter).
Whether you want to take an entire year off and go around the world or you just want to get away for a nice weekend, this resource can help you think about how to budget for such, so that travel doesn't put you into debt - or further into debt. Note: you do NOT have to be entirely debt free to travel. And remember that travel costs can be far less than mental health treatment!


globe
transire benefaciendo: "to travel along while doing good."
This is extensive advice for those wanting to make their travel more than only sight-seeing and shopping, whether in your own country or abroad, and how to make your sight-seeing an activity that benefits local people. I was the first person on the Internet to use this term in association with traveling and doing good (or, at least, not doing bad / being harmful). This page strongly discourages vanity volunteering / voluntourism, so be forewarned.


map pointing
My favorite resources regarding tourism for community & economic development
Tourism is an amazing avenue to both economic development for local people and to create inter-cultural understanding. But tourism development needs to be balanced with cultural and environmental protections. I'm intensely interested in this subject, and have curated this list for anyone else who might be interested.


hotel
Advice for Hotels, Hostels & Campgrounds in Transitional & Developing Countries: The Qualities of Great, Cheap Accommodations
As I noted earlier, tourism is an amazing avenue to both economic development for local people and to create inter-cultural understanding.
I like staying in budget hotels, boutique hotels, hostels, B & Bs and campgrounds, and I know what makes one great. If you run such a site,
this is my advice so that you remain fully booked, with a fantastic online reputation.


My current motorcycle:
A 2008 KLR 650 (Kawasaki)

My former motorcycle:
A 1982 Honda Nighthawk 650

Number of US & Canadian states I've been to on a motorcycle of my own:
8

Number of countries I've toured riding a motorcycle on my own:
4

Number of countries I've toured on the back of a motorcycle:
17

International trips by motorcycle - 2 up
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Northern England & Scotland, France, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Mexico, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden

Trips riding my own motorcycle
Belize, California ("Lost Coast" and gold country and Northern CA), Guatemala, Idaho, Montana (Glacier NP), Nevada (2012 and 2018), Oregon, Utah, Washington (state), Wyoming (Yellowstone), Canada (Alberta and British Columbia, Jasper, Banff & Kootenay and all the way up to the Yukon and all over Vancouver Island).

 
Photos of me traveling by motorcycle
 
See the TravelAdvisor map of where I've been (not just by motorcycle).


Follow me online! 

My posts on these channels are mostly about travel and motorcycle riding, but in some places, I also talk about my professional stuff which, sadly, is not about travel and motorcycle riding.

like me on
              Facebook     Instagram logo     Mastodon logo      follow me on Reddit     view my YouTube
                videos

And now a word from my husband:

Adventure Motorcycle Luggage & Accessories
www.coyotetrips.com

Aluminum Panniers and Top Cases,
Top Case Adapter Plates,
Tough Motorcycle Fuel Containers, & More

Designed or Curated by an experienced adventure motorcycle world traveler
Based in Oregon
You won't find these exact products anywhere else;
these are available only from Coyotetrips

(my husband)


about me | contact me


The personal opinions expressed on this page are solely those of Ms. Cravens, unless otherwise noted.