Metroplex chapter of state-wide motorcycle group to tour North Texas on ride starting Sept. 2
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| DFW L.O.W. Riders, from left, Brandy Hauger, Melissa Simmons, Julie Dubois, Jill Havens and Stacey Murphy. |
A few years ago, Julie Dubois, Jill Havens and others launched a Yahoo! Group for female bikers in Dallas.
They decided to call it L.O.W. Riders, although they say they’re unsure whether the acronym was intended to stand for “lesbians on wheels” or “ladies on wheels” or both.
“It was just an available name,” Dubois said.
Little did they know, a more formal group called L.O.W. Riders for “ladies on wheels” already had been started in Austin.
And when members of the Austin group got wind of the Dallas Yahoo! Group, they skip-traced Dubois, obtaining her e-mail address and phone number at work.
The two parties arranged a rendezvous in Dallas, said Havens, who called the situation “a little scary.”
“All we knew was these were some bad-ass biker chicks and they were coming to kick our asses,” Haven said.
As it turned out, that wasn’t the case. Members of the Austin group merely wanted to size up their counterparts to the north, Dubois said.
“They really just wanted to check us out to make sure we weren’t unwanted,” she said. “They immediately wanted us to become their Dallas chapter.”
So in October 2006, DFW L.O.W. Riders became the fifth chapter of L.O.W.
Riders, joining Austin, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso. Dubois serves as president of the local chapter, and Havens is vice president.
“It’s basically in Texas right now, but they do hope to be a national group,” Havens said, adding that there currently are about 100 members statewide.
Since joining L.O.W. Riders, the DFW chapter has completed eight rides. The chapter now has 12 official members, with another 55 in the Yahoo! Group.
“There are some people who’ve been riding for a long, long time, and there are some people who are just getting interested,” Havens said. “We’ve got a wide range of people and ages.”
On Sept. 2, DFW L.O.W. Riders will host an open ride through Waxahachie to Maypearl beginning at Sue Ellen’s at 9 a.m., with “kickstands up” at 10.
To participate in the event, riders must have valid motorcycle licenses and insurance, and sign waivers saying they’re responsible for their own safety.
Those who are serious can become prospects for membership, which is by invitation only.
“We’re going to take time with it,” Havens said of the group’s growth. “It’s about quality versus quantity, and safety is paramount.”
But that doesn’t stop the group from having a good time.
“Every time we get together, I think there’s no way we can have more fun than we just did, and we always top it,” Havens said.
For more information, visit www.dfwlowriders.com.
E-mail wright@dallasvoice.com
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition August 24, 2007