Tamela Rich hit the road the summer of 2010 on a mostly solo motorcycle trip through 20 states, North Carolina to Oregon and back. What’s even more amazing is the then 48-year-old biker chick learned to ride a motorcycle only three months before launching the trip. Almost a year later, she continues to share her personal strategy for planning such a trip and how she used social media for safety and companionship while on the open highway.

“It sounds foolhardy until you understand what was involved in those three months,” she says. “I enrolled in formal training and took trip preparation seriously. Trip prep was nearly a full-time job.”

In addition to the Basic Rider Course offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, Ms. Rich had the benefit of two days of private instruction at the BMW Performance Center in Greer, S.C.

“I studied everything I could get my hands on but there is no substitute for getting your fanny on a motorcycle and practicing your skills. The training at the Performance Center was essential to my success not only because the curriculum and facilities are world class, but also because I was able to ride the Performance Center’s bike. I didn’t have to worry about dropping my own bike, which meant I focused on learning new skills.”

For those desiring to accomplish the same or try something new, Ms. Rich says, “Don’t be afraid to stretch and grow.”

Facebook and Twitter were critical in her safety and success in finding fellow women riders. She found a group of Canadian and American women riding to raise money for breast cancer research on Facebook. She joined their cause and together the group raised nearly $40,000 for breast cancer research.

Twitter was instrumental in updating family and friends on her location. She’ll make another solo motorcycle journey this year across 17 states and four Canadian provinces. She’s planning to use Google Latitude to automatically update her position on the web from her smart phone signal.

If seeking inspiration for your own solo motorcycle road trip or inspiration to try something you’ve always wanted, check out Tamela Rich’s website. She’s blogging about her upcoming 2011 trip so follow along on her next journey.

Image Source: Leaning Into Life

Punxsutawney Phil, probably the second most famous rodent next to Mickey, did not see his shadow this Groundhog Day meaning winter is ending and spring is on its way. But after all the snow this winter, can you wait until spring to defrost?

We have some ideas to escape the winter cold and soak up the sunshine and heat in the near-future. Here are our top warm-weather picks in the United States for this winter:

Las Vegas, Nev. – Seriously, you don’t need an excuse for a Las Vegas vacation but if you need one, four or five wallops of winter snow is good reason. Las Vegas is always evolving with grand resorts, superb entertainment and non-stop action. We can’t guarantee you’ll win big in the casinos but are pretty sure you’ll be filled with unforgettable memories.

New Orleans, La. - Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll during a New Orleans vacation.  Take a cooking class to learn how to prepare Cajun cuisine, get spooked during an evening city ghost tour, and let loose (but in control) on Bourbon Street when the music is pulsing. It’s not too early to find your New Orleans accommodations for Mardi Gras, which is Tuesday, March 8, 2011.

Palm Springs, Calif. – If winter has given you the blahs, travel to Palm Springs where average high temperatures range between the upper-70s to low-90s. Just reading that fills me with warm fuzzies. Explore canyons, tee it up on a golf course and soak up the snazzy sophistication while soaking up the sun.

Florida – There were reported sightings of Groundhog Phil basking in the Sunshine State’s warm rays the end of January. Apparently, the groundhog had enough of snow and boogied on down south for an early spring. Make like Phil and travel to Florida to enjoy eclectic Key West, flare of Naples, vroom of Daytona Beach and thrill of Orlando. Whether seeking beaches, nature, or exhilarating theme park rides, Florida offers something for everyone.

There’s only so much a cozy fireplace and grandma’s quilt can do to keep you warm. Escape on a warm-weather vacation to warm the spirit and soul.

Image Source: Naples, Marco Island & Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau

Yowza! According to the National Safety Council, 1.6 million crashes are caused each year by drivers using cell phones and texting. It shouldn’t be, but it’s difficult for many drivers to put the phone away when driving. Thankfully, T-Mobile customers have a new service for their Android smartphones to prevent customers from texting and talking when driving. Location Labs, leader in mobile personal safety and communication products, has teamed up with T-Mobile to offer the first carrier-grade service to combat distracted driving.

Called DriveSmart Plus, the application is a subscription-based, opt-in service that automatically detects when a handset user is driving and sets the phone into a ‘Driving Mode’. Once this service is activated, it disables most texting and calling features to the handset while the car is in motion, ultimately decreasing the possibility of unsafe, distracted driving. Incoming calls are directly sent to voice mail and prevents access to text messages, except through applications specified by the customer. An auto-response text message is sent to the person who texted or phone alerting them the recipient can’t come to the phone right now because they are driving.

In the event of an emergency or if the user is a passenger in a car, DriveSmart Plus allows the user to override ‘Driving Mode’.

Parents looking to keep their teens safe can choose to be notified by text message or e-mail when the override occurs and can view phone usage during the override from the DriveSmart Web interface.

DriveSmart Plus, powered by Location Labs, is available for download onto the LG Optimus T™, with support for more devices coming soon.  T-Mobile subscribers can also visit www.my.t-mobile.com to learn more about the service.

Let’s hope this service is available to other provider soon.

Image Source: LOCATION LABS INC.