By Kate Brown, Ph.D—
San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® (DOB) closed out August with a ride through Lake County led by patch-holder Ann, also known on the road as Scooby. The weather was hot on August 22, 2026, with temperatures well into the 90s for much of the day, but the climb up Cobb Mountain and rest at the top gave the riders a little relief from the heat. After stopping for lunch and winding their way down Highway 175, the group took a nice afternoon break at patch-holder Sue’s house. A few people took advantage of the pool and dipped their feet in before getting back on the road.
Thank you to Scooby for planning and leading the ride, and to Sue for welcoming a group of hot motorcyclists into her backyard to cool off.
The second half of September will have us back on the road and out in the community. On Saturday, September 19, Dykes on Bikes will return to Guerneville to support our friends at Russian River Pride. Dykes on Bikes will be organizing the motorcycle contingent for the Russian River Pride Parade.
Prospect Ruthie will be planning and leading the ride from Oakland to Guerneville that morning, giving Dykes on Bikes a chance to make the trip together before we line up the other motorcycle riders for the parade.
We have really enjoyed getting to know the leadership and members of Russian River Pride. Earlier this summer they welcomed us during our 50th Anniversary retreat, and we partnered together for the Bikes, Burgers & Beer fundraiser at the Surrey Resort. We are happy to have the opportunity to return and help bring plenty of motorcycles to the Pride celebration.
After the parade, we will join everyone at the festival in Guerneville, headlined by singer-songwriter Deidre McCalla. It is sure to be a fantastic weekend on the Russian River.
If you ride a motorcycle and would like to join the parade, we would love to have you ride with us. Visit the Russian River Pride website (https://russianriverpride.org/) to register or reach out to us via our website (https://www.dykesonbikes.org/) for more information.
The final weekend of September will be especially busy, and Dykes on Bikes will manage to be in California and Oregon at the same time.
Here in San Francisco, we will once again be supporting the Folsom Street Fair on Sunday, September 27. Dykes on Bikes will provide motorcycle parking and gear check and will also be staffing one of the entry gates throughout the day. Providing motorcycle parking and gear check gives riders a place to leave their bikes and riding gear while they enjoy the Fair, and we are always happy to support Folsom Street Events. Folsom Street Fair has been part of San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ and leather community for so many years, and Folsom Street Events donates all of its net proceeds from its events to nonprofit organizations working in public health, human services, and the arts.
If you are riding to the Fair, enter motorcycle parking from Howard onto Dore. That puts you one block from The Playground, a space created for women of every kind and all trans and nonbinary folks. Stop by, park your bike, check your gear, and, of course, enjoy the Fair.
Meanwhile, some of us will be about 500 miles north at Babes Ride Out, Oregon, from September 25 through 27. Since 2013, Babes Ride Out has been bringing together new and seasoned riders and helping grow the women’s riding community. Dykes on Bikes patch-holders went to Babes Ride Out Oregon in 2015 and had a fantastic time riding Oregon roads, camping beside the lake, meeting other riders, demoing the latest Harley-Davidson models, and spending evenings around the campfire. It was also cold—very cold. Speaking for myself, I learned a few things about late September camping in the Oregon mountains and will be arriving with a considerably warmer sleeping bag. If you are headed to Babes Ride Out and would like to make the ride north with us, please reach out. We would be happy to have you join us.
September is going to keep us busy. We are looking forward to being back on the road, supporting our community, and seeing plenty of familiar faces along the way.
Kate Brown, Ph.D., is the President of San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. https://www.dykesonbikes.org/
Dykes on Bikes® Tales from Two Wheels
Published on September 10, 2026
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