From the warm sunny skies of So-Cal to the cool cascading cliffs of Scotland, we got the chance to follow Jasmine Rose on her Voyage to the historically beautiful land. We first met Jasmine in the Wales countryside when we all flew to London then rode motorcycles out to Babes Ride Out UK. Clearly the babe loves to travel! She is such a force in the local motorcycle scene and does so much to bring people together as the co-founder of The Litas Los Angeles. We got to catch up with her to hear more about her & latest trip overseas in her new Flux Waxed Puffer Jacket. Check out her rad adventures below.
Photo Credits: Laura Halcón
ATWYLD: Tell us a bit about you.
JASMINE: I am a tea-drinking bibliophile, a lover of bubble baths, and one of the co-founders of The Litas Los Angeles. Naturally a homebody, staying home with my cats is just as exciting to me as traveling the globe. I both need and desire both. Outside of my day job at a vegan skincare company, I am also part of The Litas Team, focusing on community content, social media and marketing.
ATWYLD: How did you get into motorcycles? Where did it all start?
JASMINE: My interest in riding motorcycles began during a rough, yet transformative season in my life about 7 years ago. I was going through a divorce, and part of my healing process was finding a new hobby. Traveling and road trips have always been something I love doing. One weekend, I happened upon Iron & Resin in Ventura, where they had vintage motorcycles on display in their shop. In that singular moment, I knew that was what I wanted to do: ride motorcycles. A few months later, I had my M1 and my first bike, a 2015 Yamaha Bolt C-spec.
Once I began riding, I quickly realized it was not just a mere hobby. Motorcycles became more of an obsession, not just something to pass the time on the weekends. I met the newly formed Litas Los Angeles and quickly made new friends, and I even left my career as an aesthetician to work a few years at a Harley Davidson dealership.
I have learned that motorcycles are part of my DNA, as my dad and grandfather were equally obsessed. I just didn’t realize that fact until I allowed myself to put myself first and do what I wanted to do, not what someone else wanted me to do. With riding, I found the personal freedom that most of us are searching for, in more ways than one.
ATWYLD: Tell us about some of your greatest moto adventures.
JASMINE: National Parks have always been some of my favourite places to be. Riding through Utah, winding through the Grand Tetons and making the loop around Yellowstone are some of the best moments of my earthly existence. Utah was my first big moto road trip, and I have returned several times since. I try to visit at least a few National Parks every year on my bike. Thankfully, living in California makes that pretty easy, as our state boasts 9 National Parks.
One of my greatest moto adventures took place a year after I started riding. I rode from London to Wales for Babes Ride Out UK in 2016, cruising with women from all over through Brecon Beacon National Park in Wales. Despite the rain during the campout, the days were glorious. Rolling green hills, countless fluffy sheep and narrow country roads that led to swims in babbling brooks were all experienced in the space of an afternoon. We even rode alongside a galloping band of wild horses, which is literally the most majestic thing I have yet to encounter. On the way back to London, a friend and I broke from the group for a detour to Stonehenge. I still get chills thinking about the moment I caught a glimpse of those mysterious, ancient stones while astride two wheels. Pure magic.
On each of those trips, I wasn’t alone. My grandest moto adventures have been with women who share the same passion for riding as I do, marvelling in those “pinch me” moments, stretching at gas station stops, laughing ourselves silly at the end of a long day, and helping each other on the side of the road when faced with a mechanical mishap. Sharing adventures with such friends is what makes the journey so unforgettable.
ATWYLD: Tell us about your recent voyage to Scotland. (We had a little bit of F.O.M.O. from seeing the pictures.) What was your favorite part of the trip?
JASMINE: My boyfriend and I flew to London after Christmas to visit my dear friend Leonie (whom I met whilst in London for BRO UK, as fate would have it) and her boyfriend, and we all drove up to Edinburgh for a few days to celebrate Hogmanay. Although the official New Year celebrations were recently cancelled due to the pandemic, it was one of the best parts of our trip. Edinburgh is one of those cities that grabs onto your heartstrings and never lets go… At least, it does for me. I’m ready to pack up and move there as soon as possible.
Edinburgh Castle sits solidly and impressively atop Castle Rock, a former volcano. We walked the cobblestone streets of Victoria Street*, wandered through the closes that occupy the Royal Mile, and strolled through the Royal Botanic Gardens. On New Year’s Day, we hiked up Arthur’s Seat, another dormant volcano and the main peak of a group of hills in Holyrood Park. Here, one can take in a panoramic view of the city. The hike was very windy, with many people and their dogs about, but 1000% worth it. It is thought that Arthur’s seat is one of the possible locations for Camelot, the legendary court and castle of King Arthur.
Our trip was unexpectedly extended (thanks, Omicron!), so we took the chance once my boyfriend was out of isolation to venture out to the countryside west of London. We stayed at the cosiest bed & breakfast in Highclere, home of the fictional Downton Abbey, and spent an afternoon in Oxford*. My boyfriend had been aching to visit Stonehenge himself, & I am so glad I was able to see it again! While we didn’t have the opportunity to ride during this trip, Stonehenge was just as mysterious and magical as ever. We arrived in the late morning, when the shadow was still in frost, the grass crunching beneath our boots and the winter sun gleaming behind the stones.
*Yes, all the Harry Potter sights were seen on this trip. I am fairly certain that my parents burned all my letters of acceptance into Hogwarts decades ago, and thus my motorcycle is the closest thing I have to riding a broom at the moment.
ATWYLD: We noticed on Instagram that you took the Flux Waxed PufferJacket with you on the trip. How did it hold up in the Scottish cold weather?
JASMINE: I purchased the Flux Waxed Puffer Jacket specifically for this trip; I was instantly sold when I read that it was made of Scottish waxed cotton. Divine timing! It was raining upon arrival in London, but I stayed quite warm and dry in the jacket. In fact, there were many days in which I only wore a t-shirt under the puffer, even on mornings with freezing temperatures! Our time in Edinburgh was surprisingly dry; it only rained overnight and was very pleasant during the day. The UK experienced their warmest New Year’s on record this year. Even so, we spent many mornings strolling through London parks in the drizzling rain. The jacket is incredibly cozy & I am so glad I brought it.
ATWYLD: What was your favorite pub/restaurant that you visited?
JASMINE: Our New Year’s Eve dinner took place at one of the restaurants in the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh - The Calendonian. Part of the reason for this trip was to celebrate my 40th birthday, so we splurged for NYE. While the restaurant doesn’t usually offer a vegan menu, they did have a 7-course vegan pre-fixe meal that was simply mind-blowing.
ATWYLD: Any tips for people planning to explore Scotland?
JASMINE: Wear comfortable waterproof shoes, pack for all types of weather, and be prepared to fall in love with Scotland! Driving (& riding, for that matter) on the left hand side of the road is nothing to be afraid of; however, it’s not always necessary to have a vehicle, as transportation by train, bus and your own two feet makes visiting Scotland’s cities very accessible. Taking the high speed train from Kings Cross Station in London to the central station in Edinburgh is a mere 4.5 hours and worth every penny! Book your ticket at least 12 weeks in advance for the best price.
ATWYLD: Did you get a chance to check out the moto scene there? What did you think of it compared to the States?
JASMINE: Sadly, because of the threat of Omicron, combined with our trip taking place over a long bank holiday, we didn’t visit as many moto spots as we were hoping to. Many shops were shut, and we were being cautious when it came to visiting with people while travelling. We did have lunch at The Bike Shed in Shoreditch, which I had visited several times before. Everyone is quite welcoming at BSMC, the vegan full English Breakfast is top notch, and all in all it’s always worth a visit whilst in London. I cannot wait for the Los Angeles location to open its doors.
ATWYLD: Any culture shock moments?
JASMINE: Nope!
ATWYLD: What are your bucket list travel destinations?
JASMINE: I am so ready for a moto trip on the North Coast 500, a 516 mile loop of the Scottish Highlands. Manifesting that trip this year! Speaking of the Highlands, I would also love to visit at least a few scotch distilleries, particularly Lagavulin distillery in Islay.
We are also visiting Italy this summer for the first time, for a friend’s wedding in Tuscany. I cannot wait!
ATWYLD: Any dream trip locations on your motorcycle?
JASMINE: The Alps, Alaska, and Thailand, to name a few.
ATWYLD: You do a lot for the riding community, tell us why the moto community is so important to you.
JASMINE: I have learned so much from the women I have met since learning to ride a motorcycle. I have also made so many friends, across the country & around the world, by simply attending moto events! At the time of my divorce, I had just moved back to California after being away 10 years, so I had very few friends in LA. Almost every friend I have now I met because of the moto community!
If you learned to ride by attending a CHP Motorcycle Safety Course, you know that although you leave with that little slip of paper allowing you to get your M1 after your DMV written exam, you leave knowing very little about how to survive riding the streets. I learned how to park my bike, how to ride on the freeway and in a group, plus so much more from the women I met early on with the Litas. It’s important to me to give back to others who find themselves in the same situation, or who are just looking for new friends. Our community is constantly growing, and we meet a new rider or someone new to LA at every meet up we host. I want them to feel that they belong, no matter where they are from or what stage in life they are in. We are here to be a support system, to help them find and connect with their new crew, and to discover all the endless possibilities riding has opened up for them.
