Wausau woman celebrates 81st birthday with first motorcycle ride

ROTHSCHILD, Wis. (WSAW) - You are never too old to cross an achievement off your bucket list. One woman who turned 81 years old on Saturday did just that. Jane Christiansen’s birthday wish this year was to feel the wind in her hair on a motorcycle ride. This was all made possible by Jane’s friends Stacie Knowlton and Kelle Matz. Jane rode on the back of Kelle’s bike while supporters followed. Jane has always been fascinated with the Harley Davidson life and Bull Falls Harley Davidson made sure Jane got to be a biker for a day.

“Stacie is one of her closest friends. They’re incredibly close and so she knew this was Jane’s wish and these are all bikers. Kellie is a biker. You know, we’re all bikers, so Jane has been a part of our community for a long time and the only thing the only piece that was missing was her taking her very first ride,” said Bull Falls Harley Davidson Marketing Director Pookie Rosa.

This may have been just one ride for Jane, but bikers showed up to make this moment even more special.

“You know, you never know what to expect on rides like this because it’s kind of last minute and grassroots, so yeah, I guess we were pretty excited if anybody turned out. Really, the whole point of this is for Jane to be able to feel that experience of being a rider,” said Rosa.

Jane even got a unique biker name to add to this event.

“She said she wanted to have the road name, “Roadrunner.” “Beep, Beep!” So that’s why we have our Roadrunner shirts on today, so I thought that was special and I just came and talked to Pookie, and said let’s put it together,” said Stacie Knowlton.

After the bike ride, people ate food and enjoyed some warm weather.

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