Under our Helmet: Just in Time for Christmas: The 2009 Female Mechanics Calendar!

The 2009 Female Mechanics Calendar is available now!

Order online or find a location: www.sarahlyon.com

Cost: $20

Included in the 14-month calendar are automobile, motorcycle, hot rod, hybrid, marine, jet aircraft, bicycle and race car mechanics from around the United States. There is an extended bio section with descriptions of how each mechanic got into their field. The third in a series, the calendar also has a "centerfold" featuring images of all 45 mechanics photographed during three years of working on the project.

This summer I traveled to both coasts - north and south, of my home in Louisville, Kentucky. Destinations included California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, New York, Arizona, Indiana and Kentucky. I rode my motorcycle to Wisconsin, where I camped for three days at the Road America racetrack, photographing Tess Gape, a Ferrari mechanic for a team in the American Le Mans race series. Tess is featured on the cover of the calendar. Then I traveled with my bike on a ferry across Lake Michigan en route to New York City to meet with a motorycle, bicycle and fireboat engineer. Riding in a city was a challenge; my fairing gained a few more cracks due to bumpy roads and dodging taxis. Throughout the journey I slept on many couches, camped and stayed at cheap motels in small towns. Once again, I met so many inspiring people. I feel that the 2009 Calendar is especially strong, building on three years of experience documenting mechanics in a wide variety of situations.