That is because every rider in this group will be a woman. And they’ll be in Canada’s Most Notorious City as part of their annual Women in the Wind gathering, which has featured hundreds of riders from all over Canada and the United States in the past.
“We have this kind of a rally somewhere every year, except of course last year, but this is only the second time a Saskatchewan chapter has hosted it,” said Brenda Helm, president of the Saskatoon Women in the Wind chapter. “We would have probably had even more riders if the borders opened up earlier, and we still have a few Americans registered already just in the hopes of things opening up, which thankfully they are. Otherwise we would have had a lot more.”
The group has a simple mission — educate riders when it comes to safety and maintenance of a motorcycle, unite women with a common interest in riding and promote a positive image of women on motorcycles.
“Nowadays it’s a lot easier to find women cyclists, but even 10 years ago it was hard to find someone to ride with that wasn’t male,” said Cara Vindevoghel, president of the Highway Hunnies, the Regina chaper of Women in the Wind. “So we’re seeing things grow in numbers and acceptance.”
The organization also acts as a non-profit charity and as a group have pulled off some impressive feats — when a single mother lost her home and everything in it a couple years ago, it took the Highway Hunnies two days to find her a new home and help furnish it.
The Moose Jaw run will also include a charitable aspect, as riders are raising funds for the STARS air ambulance service.
“Both our groups choose a charity every year, and we decided STARS would be a good choice because it’s a Saskatchewan charity and I think a lot of us know people who have used STARS in the past,” Vindevoghel said. “In the motorcycling community, if you’re in the middle of nowhere and have an accident, STARS can be the only thing that helps… we hope we never have to use it but it’s great that it’s there.”
The Women in the Wind will have a busy weekend when they hit Moose Jaw.
Riders will begin arriving and registration will take place on Thursday, Aug. 12, followed by a full day of events on Friday, Aug. 13, including a motorcycle show and shine, scavenger hunt through downtown Moose Jaw and their annual banquet that evening.
Saturday will include a massive group photo at Mac the Moose, a riding tour of southwest Saskatchewan, an evening social and the final event of the weekend — the Moose Jaw Trolley Company’s wildly popular Ghost Tours.
All in all, a weekend filled with a ton of fun and friendship.
“And we’ll try and keep ourselves well-behaved,” Helm said with a laugh. “With that many women and no hubbies with us, it could get a little out of hand… I know a lot of us really missed it when we couldn’t do it last year and I think everyone is so excited to get out and do something, it’s going to be a really fun weekend.”
