Cristine Sommer-Simmons
2003, Promotion
Cris Sommer-Simmons, the co-founder of the world's first motorcycle
magazine for women - Harley women - continues to shine a friendly
and positive spotlight on motorcycling in her roles as author,
columnist, songwriter and cycle journalist.
In love with cycles since her first ride at age 9, Cris got her first
Harley at 19. A long-time member of Women International Motorcycle
Association, she and a friend, Jo Giovannoni, co-founded the
second chapter of Women in the Wind in Chicago, and in 1985, .Harley
Women. magazine. They started at the kitchen table, with a Canon
Sure Shot camera, and a borrowed typewriter, hand-stapling
the first 2000 issues themselves.
Today Cris has written extensively for the major bike magazines as a
freelance motorcycle journalist and has an award-winning book,
Patrick Wants to Ride. She also has her own regular feature column
in Hot Bike Japan magazine and is co-authoring "Chicken Soup for the
Music Lovers Soul." Her creativity has led to other venues as well;
she is developing a screenplay for a film about women motorcyclists
and has written songs with her husband, Pat, a member of the Doobie
Brothers. It seems never to have occurred to Cris to be content with
the passenger seat and riders everywhere are greatful.
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