For those that haven't had the opportunity to find out exactly what the Hoka Hey is I can offer this condensed overview.
The ride or Challenge starts in Mesa AZ on August 5th 2011. The route consists almost exclusively of two lane back roads in America and Canada and carries us through many of this nations most beautiful and remote areas. Areas that include Route 66, Boulder Dam, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Yosemite National Park, El Capitan, Frisco & the Golden Gate Bridge, Redwood Forests, Bear Tooth Pass,Yellowstone, Teton Mts, Indian Reservations, Sturgis, Black Hills, Durango, Wolf Creek Pass, Continental Divde (5 times), Hwy 50, Great River Rd, Mackinaw Bridge, Blue Ridge Pkwy, Tail of the Dragon, Smokey Mt Nat. Park, Natchez Trace Pkwy, Bourbon Street, Pensacola FL, Kitty Hawk NC, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Laconia NH and Maine & Nova Scotia coastal riding ending in Glace Bay Nova Scotia on August 21st. We will ride and see more places in one trip than a lot of people ever get to do.
Rules include no sleeping indoors, camping or passing out in the open air only. There are 15 check points we must stop at and will only know the exact route from one check point to the next. No GPS units or phone mapping systems allowed. We must install a tracking devise on our bikes so the organizers can follow us at anytime on their computer system. Mileage checks and gas recepit verifications will be done. Any speeding tickets will get you disqualified. There are numerous other rules also available on the Hoka Hey Web Site.
There is over $500,000 in prize money up for grabs to the top 25 qualified finishers. First place gets a cool 250K and possibly their choice of a brand new Harley Davidson CVO motorcycle.
I have had many people ask me, Why? The only answer I can give is for the same reasons that people climb mountains or run marathons. Why do people swim the English Channel or become stunt performers? It gets down to the bare essence I ride for to begin with. It gets in your blood ...no... it gets in your system and becomes your blood. It's so deep inside of you it becomes a spiritual journey or conquest if you will. It is way more than a "Bucket List" item as has been suggested to me. I do believe this journey is an opportunity of self discovery and a test of mental and physical fortitude. I welcome that with open arms.
Till next time...... Happy Trails & Hoka Hey!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Getting Started
Hello and welcome to my blog. I originally set it up at least two weeks before I decided what to write about. I'm not saying I know for sure now either but here we go. Where do I start....... the title of this blog comes from two things. Those that have known me for a while or have had email contact with me probably know I normally sign off with "Happy Trails". This comes from my life as a youngster and the ever present feeling that I should have lived during the Old West days and is taken directly from the song by Roy Rogers. I have strong beliefs in character, being a person of your word, living the Golden Rule and controlling your own destiny.
That brings me to the "Hoka Hey" part of the title. The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge is an event this August that I am participating in. The defininition of Hoka Hey is an elusive one. Chief Red Cloud describes it almost as a battle cry. When the warriors are gathering gattle or the troops are getting ready to move and the command comes out "Charge" or "Let's go", that type of thing. It has been said it also means and is part of the Hoka Hey logo "It's a good day to ride". Others are of the opinion that was watered down to keep from shocking the advertisers, sponsors and general public and that the cry the warriors actually shouted out was more along the lines of "It's a good day to die".
I'll let that be the first edition for the blog. I intend to chronicle my journey here on this page and invite anyone that has an interest to follow along. I'll get in to the preperation and transformations I'm going through to get ready in the next post. For now "Happy Trails & Hoka Hey"
That brings me to the "Hoka Hey" part of the title. The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge is an event this August that I am participating in. The defininition of Hoka Hey is an elusive one. Chief Red Cloud describes it almost as a battle cry. When the warriors are gathering gattle or the troops are getting ready to move and the command comes out "Charge" or "Let's go", that type of thing. It has been said it also means and is part of the Hoka Hey logo "It's a good day to ride". Others are of the opinion that was watered down to keep from shocking the advertisers, sponsors and general public and that the cry the warriors actually shouted out was more along the lines of "It's a good day to die".
I'll let that be the first edition for the blog. I intend to chronicle my journey here on this page and invite anyone that has an interest to follow along. I'll get in to the preperation and transformations I'm going through to get ready in the next post. For now "Happy Trails & Hoka Hey"
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