We first met Joy in the town of Idylwild with about 150 other female riders. We got to know her when a small group of us did a day ride up Angeles Crest to grab lunch. It didn’t take long to fall victim to her positive energy and beaming smile. We really got to know Joy racing along side her in the dirt…for the record, she’s fast, real fast and ripping neck n neck along side her has been some of the most thrilling racing I have experienced. She is fueled by the same sense of adventure that runs through the veins of this brand! Not only is she one of the most generally pleasant people to be around, she is someone that is constantly pushing herself as a motorcyclist and as a human being in general. She is dedicated to improving her skills as a rider in every way possible and she is an inspiration to us in many capacities.
Where are you from originally? Kodiak, AK
How long have you lived in Ventura? Two and a half years
Tell us about your childhood? My dad was a commercial fisherman in alaska and spent 9 months a year on boats so we moved north of seattle when I was three to be closer to my moms family – 60 Norwegians living within 20 minutes of eachother. I grew up building forts and riding bikes and basically being the best child ever. when i got a little older I spent some summers back in alaska working on boats with my dad.
Do you have a nick name? Ummm my mom calls me joyful
When were you introduced to Motorcycles? I was 12 and my grandpa taught me to ride his honda – I crashed straight away but loved it.
How do motorcycles and the community play a role in your life? Motorcycles have simply become my life. It’s my mode of transportation, I ride, I race, my husband builds bikes, they’re parked in our house! The community has brought about so many great friends and opportunities.
What kind of bike do you ride and why? I ride a lot of different bikes depending on what I’m doing. I have a 68 triumph desert sled, a few 70’s Yamaha’s for flat track and motocross, a couple 80’s dakar bikes for anything and everything, and a modern dirt bike for when you need a button start on a trail, and I was just surprised with a triumph cub for my birthday.
The comprehensive list as it stands now:
67 triumph cub, 68 triumph t100c, 70 Bultaco Pursang, 70 Honda cl350, 70 Yamaha dt250, 76 Yamaha xt500, 79 Yamaha tt500, 85 BMW r80gs pd, 87 Cagiva Elefant, 07 Honda crf250x, and depending on the day I may be on some new BMW
Dream bike? Gosh I tend to buy them as i want them and I’m pretty happy with whatever I’m riding at any given time so I can’t say I really have one.
Best moto trip you have ever been on? I’ve had a bunch of great trips but one sticks out because there was absolutely no plan in mind and it lasted for almost a month. I started out the month riding to Sturgis with my dad which was great and then left there with a new friend and nowhere to be fast. It was a month of swimming holes and dirt slumbers and meeting all sorts of great folks.
What is at the top of your list of destinations you want to ride? Lately I’ve been dreaming of riding through the south of France. And next year we’re planning on riding to Alaska.
What are you goals as a motorcyclist? have fun, don’t die.
What would you say to new riders as a piece of advice? wear clean underwear bc inevitably you’re going to go down (and you never know, you may end up proposing to someone in the ER)
Riding a motorcycle is like nothing else.. But better than the rest.
What else are you into besides motos? Baking, camping, surfing (tho I’m terrible) and now land crushing in our new fjoy60…. mostly I’m just into eating dessert.
What do you do for a living? I work with Patagonia, overseeing the retail division.
What’s on your current music playlist? I used to make playlists for each bike I was riding but now my husband makes me a playlist for every trip i take – he’s the best dj bc he picks a whole lot of [mostly] old stuff that I’d never think to put on.
What is a pet peeve of yours? Toilet paper rolls should ALWAYS be over, never under.
Snack of choice? sour patch watermelons and Pellegrino
If you were a crayon color, which one would you be and why? Probably black so i could draw stripes on everything
Who inspires you? Perhaps because we just had lunch together I’d have to say my friend Carlin. Not only is he one of the most driven folks i know when it comes to riding and racing but he is the one who got me on a flat track bike, gets me to the road race track and drags me out trail riding. It is his dedication to the sport that inspires me – despite all obstacles – physical, financial, or whatever else is thrown at him he trains relentlessly and never loses track of his goals. Its no surprise that he is such an accomplished rider, holding the King of the Mountain title at Pikes Peak, recently winning the Baja 500 Ironman class and will go on to ride over 24 hours straight in the upcoming Baja 1000.
What inspires you? Without sounding like a total dork, I get a lot of inspiration from instagram, pinterest and random blogs – I’m a sucker for typography and hand painted signs, I obsess over live and work spaces, mostly Scandinavian/modern/vintage/industrial (if that’s a thing), baking of course – I could drool over cakes all day. And if we’re not talking about having my head in a computer then I’m definitely inspired by visiting new places and discovering every unique bit about them.
Why is wearing technical riding apparel important to you? When I was little my dad always told me I wasn’t allowed on the bike unless I had long pants, shoes that covered my ankle bone, and gloves – that has always been my non negotiable base. After spending time on tracks where gear is mandatoryI became more and more concerned with making sure I was protected on the street. In a recent crash I was spared a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering because I had the right gear on so it only reiterates the importance of protection to me.
What is the most important thing to you when choosing something to ride in? Cuteness, protection, comfort and snack capacity… not necessarily in that order.
What makes you interested in being an ambassador for Atwyld? In every sense of the word, I personally align with the gals behind Atwyld and know that they are taking both my lifestyle and my LIFE into consideration as they create products.
What do you think of when you hear the word Voyage? As a fisherman’s daughter i think about time out in the middle of nowhere seeing everything for the first time and being totally mesmerized by it.
What do you think when you look up at a night sky full of stars? Stay awake for this!!!
Photo credits in order:
Jeff Stockwell, Genevieve Davis, Jenny Linquist, Mike Pham, Scott Toepfer, Drew Hopkins, Joy, JL, Mike Pham, Dylan Gordon, Brian J. Nelson