"By 1913, a new century had come roaring in,
and for Addie and Gussie a new favorite sport
reigned supreme - MOTORBIKING!
Zooming around town, the sisters had little
time for stuffy opinions and frilly fashions."
Addie and Gussie Van Buren were not raised as most young girls who were born in the late 1800s. Their mother died when they were young; their father raised his children to be 'confident, competitive, and capable'. Like him, they all loved sports. The girls were skilled at numerous ones. In 1913, their favorite was riding their motorbikes everywhere.
When the war broke out in 1914, young women were not able to enlist as soldiers. Because of their prowess on their bikes, they felt they would be useful as couriers on the battlefield. To prove they could do it, they set out to ride from New York to California to prove their mettle and convince others they could do it. Little did they know the challenges that would face them as they made their way from one side of the country to the other - 6500 kilometers.
They packed all they would need, and spoke with crowds before setting off. Some bystanders were not impressed to see young women dressed in pants and attempting such a thing on their own. Not only that, they were not welcome in many towns along the way because of a code that said only men could were pants there. Two months later, they arrived as their destination, proud and happy with the accomplishment made on their own terms. Their lives following that journey were also quite triumphant.
The second book in the Head-to-Head history series, it is told with humor, and inspiration. Today, descendants of the Van Buren sisters continue to make the same ride in their honor with other women bikers. Anna Kwan does a commendable job of placing the story in a clear historical setting with detailed artwork and hints of humor. Back matter adds notes for context, a glossary, and a list of print and digital sources.
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