Women around the globe RODE their bikes on May 4th, or 5th, to celebrate IFRD's thirteenth year. Although the weather in Atlantic Canada did not cooperate on the 4th, the 5th was good riding weather and saw 20+ women ride from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to meet for lunch at Big Al's in Tatamagouche, NS.  Thanks to Beth for organizing the ride this year.  One rider said, "Best ride so far this year!  We ride to meet; we ride to eat."

The March getaway was held at Four Seasons Retreat in Upper Economy, NS.  The weekend was celebrated with each cabin hosting an event, including a festive meal, games, decorations and surprise activities.  A St Patrick's Day feast, an Easter bonnet parade and Breakfast Pizza extravaganza were among the highlights.

The NB meeting was held Jan 13 in Sussex at J J's Diner.  Members were asked to bring socks to donate to a warning shelter and boy did they come through!  78 pairs of socks were donated by 11 members and have been delivered to the warming shelter in Moncton.

The NS meeting was hosted by Chris in Dartmouth.  The annual pot luck and Yankee gift exchange was another fun filled get together after a storm date postponement. The annual Motorcycle Show in Halifax is just around the corner and Chris presented  ideas for the March show and drummed up volunteers.  A puzzle exchange was held for the first time, and with the large number of puzzles offered and scarfed up, it's no doubt members have entertainment for the long winter ahead.

The Year End Meeting was held at Smith Rock Resort in Nova Scotia.  The scenery was breathtaking with snow, blue skies and sunlight reflecting off the snow and ice on the trees. The meeting covered the past year and delved into planning for next.

The business meeting included introductions, thank yous, reports, introductions of new officers, an expression of gratitude to Lynne (the outgoing District Director), planning for future meetings, the upcoming Motorcycle Show in March, rides, apparel and the annual scavenger hunt photo contest. The Gail Neilson Atlantic Canada  Motor Maid of the Year Award was presented to Lise. This award recognizes a member who has made outstanding contributions to the district in the past year.

Following the meeting, we enjoyed good food and good conversation in the dining room and then social time. Scavenger Hunt contest winners were presented with awards for successful finds of items on a challenging list. Congratulations to Denise and Janet. Dianna and Lynn-Marie hosted the Fun Awards segment. Creative serious and zany awards brought laughs from members for an hour.  The amazing prizes they acquired ensured each member went home with some pretty impressive loot!

A detailed report of the meeting was sent to members by email following the meeting.

A large group of ACMM members and many of Gail's family and friends met at Toys for Big Boys and rode 70 km of the NB coastline in honour and memory of  an exemplary Motor Maid, Gail Neilson.  The group met for lunch after the ride and spent time reminiscing about the good times with Gail.

A group of about 35 women riders from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick converged on Double C Restaurant in Debert, NS for lunch and a celebration of IFRD. Double C never fails to offer delicious meals and desserts, and their servers are a treat in themselves.

In addition to the ride to Double C, groups joined together for rides in Cape Breton, NS, Fredericton, NB and numerous cities and towns throughout Atlantic Canada for a spin with friends or solo rides.

The afternoon and evening offered other opportunities for women to join activities, and eight Atlantic Canada Motor Maids joined a large group of riders at Pro Cycle in Dartmouth.  Free Vehicle Inspections, amazing sales on bikes and accessories, scrumptious morsels, door prizes and a funderful ride along the Waverly Road filled the day until dusk. 

Many women deserve thanks for organizing all the events of the day.  Kudos to all of them!

March Getaway offered a much needed weekend retreat, with assurances we would be out and about on our bikes soon.  Richibucto Resort in New Brunswick welcomed us to cozy cabins nestled in the woods, with a fresh blanket of snow on top of the winter’s earlier layers.  The scenery was spectacular with the snow framing the cabins, edging the road and covering the lake behind our weekend homes.  Activities were plentiful as they are each year and no one was without a pastime during the weekend.  Shopping and casino opportunities were close by for those itching to drive a bit more in the fresh snow.  Spot It was a hit again this year, a game requiring quick visual scanning and lightning fast reflexes.  Crib challenged our math skills and beginners luck proved to be the case for one of the winners.  Spoons, a card game incorporating a set of brightly coloured spoons, was probably the favourite of the weekend although blood was drawn in one of the grabs.  The annual puzzle contest was popular again this year, with 3 groups competing for bragging rights.  Potluck offerings provided, as usual, more than we could consume, and desserts were plentiful this year.  Ongoing serious and light hearted conversations never ceased until late at night.  We left rejuvenated and ready for a thaw. 

Monthly meetings have kept us connected and sharing plans for exciting times to come as the weather allows.  In March, members from NS and NB met in Moncton at Rossano's Restaurant.

Our meeting in April saw two members ride their bikes, while most members came by car since many bikes were still in storage.  Our hostesses, Catherine and Sandra, put on an exceptional lunch of seafood chowder and a selection of pies to die for.  We lived up to our reputation as a district of pie connoisseurs.

A sure sign of impending motorcycle season in Atlantic Canada is a motorcycle show.  ACMM members from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia joined forces at Motorcycle and Powersport Atlantic in Halifax, welcoming and informing visitors about women riders and the Motor Maid organization.  Almost 10,000 people attended the show, with many stopping by the ACMM booth for information and a chance to win our fabulous gift basket.

Lise and Pearl organized a meeting Sunday, January 14 at JJs Diner in Sussex, NB. Members brought donations for a women's shelter.  Everything collected was delivered to one of the shelters in Saint John, Fredericton or Moncton. As is the nature of Motor Maids, we are committed to assisting women in need this year through support to women's shelters in our district.

Chris hosted a pot luck and gift exchange meeting at her house in Dartmouth, NS on Sunday, January 21. Thirteen members and a guest joined in to savour the many culinary delights, and later took their chances on scoring a great surprise gift.  Some were lucky to end up with their gift of choice, while others lost theirs to someone with gift envy, after seeing other people's picks.  In the end, everyone went home satisfied.