Sunday, August 19, 2012

What the Future Holds


Motorcycling is a passion for moving through the world in a way that most people only dream of.  And, whether they give it conscious thought or not, people who ride share this bond as brothers and sisters; and to be a Hoka Hey Challenger is to share this bond on a whole new level.

Hoka Hey Challengers are Warriors.  The Challenges have not been easy (we never meant for them to be).   They have always been intended to pit the riders against their worst fears and their bikes against the road.  For some the challenge is in reading the driving directions; for others it is in the endurance and, for the rest, it is in executing the technical aspects of the route as expertly as possible.  Everyone gets something different from the Challenge and it isn’t up to us to tell them what that is.  It is up to us to recognize their accomplishment…


  • We started out from Las Vegas with 91 riders.  
    •  88 participants were in contention for prizes. 
    •  68 made it to the finish line.  
    •  31 completed the ride within the 14 hour window and are eligible for an equal split of the $44,000 purse.  These riders are:
 
Rider #
First Name
Last
Name
Date
Time
5
Karl
Netherland
August 12
1831
50
Robert
Crawford
August 12
1831
67
Michael
Conner
August 12
1857
139
Alex
Hood
August 12
1831
164
Gary
Trumper
August 12
1835
168
Jeff
Kohn
August 13
2020
190
Chris
Drake
August 12
1930
264
Terry
Meyer
August 12
1835
290
Walter
Ledig
August 12
2018
341
Robert
Carlo
August 12
1831
373
Terry
Smith
August 12
1929
375
Brian
McDonnell
August 12
1831
600
Shaun
VanBeber
August 12
1831
601
Michael
Fox
August 12
1831
650
Jane
Bixby
August 13
0107
652
Schatzi
Brown
August 13
0107
653
Ron
Warren
August 13
0003
654
James
Howatson
August 12
1831
665
Daniel
Dowell
August 12
1831
670
Tim
Menzie
August 13
0453
691
Newton
Pereira
August 13
0003
706
Thomas
Hunter
August 13
0716
708
Darrin
Knode
August 12
1831
725
Richard
Griffith
August 12
2018
731
Dominick
Zappola JR
August 12
1831
736
Billy
Fultz
August 12
1835
739
Frank
Zygela
August 12
2018
742
David
Sanders
August 12
0108
750
George
Jackman
August 12
1831
752
Mathew
Klebe
August 13
0817
754
Daniel
Thibodeaux
August 12
2018

  • Validations are still ongoing but the presumed Finishers (riders who rode the route according to the driving directions and stopped at all checkpoints) are:

Rider #
First
Name
Last
Name
Date
Time
85
Chuck
Marble
August 14
2339
91
David
Lutes
August 13
1200
207
Milton
Vincent
August 13
1338
323
Dale
Martin
August 14
1638
342
William
Reynolds
August 14
1638
383
Junie
Rose
August 14
2339
605
Mark E
James
August 13
1430
610
Dave
DuBord
August 13
1308
636
Stanley
Hoover
August 13
1850
646
Thomas
Schmidt
August 16
1222
655
Robert
Scott
August 12
2018
664
Elvin
Angel
August 15
0830
685
Wendy
Battles
August 14
1637
707
Thomas
Paff
August 14
0551
709
Bradley
Mathews
August 15
0646
712
David
Neef
August 15
0646
713
Robert
Nichols
August 14
1638
714
John
Parrish
August 14
0330
715
Dennis
Elings
August 15
0830
719
Agabail
Van Vlerah
August 16
1521
720
James
Van Vlerah
August 16
1521
722
Bret
Walters
August 13
0959
724
Arthur
Pond
August 14
0551
732
Daniel
Certa
August 19
0305
733
William
Buskell
August 15
1604
734
Philip
Meintel
August 15
1604
735
John
Levins
August 15
1604
743
Christopher
Cowden
August 16
1521
746
Carl
Hubbard
August 13
1308
747
Robert
Kumpe
August 13
1308
751
David
Elizondo
August 14
1638
753
DANE
AXEN
August 13
1524
 
  • The rest of the riders who participated this year include:
 
Rider #
First Name
Last Name
8
Daniel
Buis
9
Roger
Buis
116
Jim
Herold
718
Mac
McArthur
467
Jim
Red Cloud
83
Lee
Smith
92
David
Mauser
186
Greg
Shafer
319
Marion
Ezell
348
Mark
Hodge
618
Kenneth
Aston
648
George
Liebel
649
KC
Withers
717
Jeffrey
Ausnow
680
Frank
Trevino
721
Joshua
Brace
723
Marty
Kostawich
726
James
Peterson
727
Donald
Trimble
729
Dennis
Elsasser
730
Kelly
Quinn
737
John
Anderson
738
Bob
Terrell
740
Tommy
Collins
741
John
Lyles
744
James (Jim)
Carlson
745
Michael
Pulkkinen
749
Wayne
Fields

  • The oldest of our riders was #706, Tom Hunter, who is 70 years of age. 
  • Our only couple riding 2 up arrived in the window and, from what I’m told, Kelley deserves as much recognition for keeping Matt within the boundaries of the rules as Matt does for driving the distance with the burden of a passenger on the bike.
  • We had 6 women start in Las Vegas.  One went down to avoid hitting a deer in Colorado but the other 5 made it to the finish line and, two are in the money!
  • We had 6 riders hit deer along the way.
  • Our last rider, #732, Dan Certa, arrived at the finish line at 3:05am on the 19th after 13 days 18 hours on the road.  Dan deserves a special nod for not giving up when an old neck injury caused him to sit for 3 days in St. Louis.
  • Our prayers go out to rider #726 who is in ICU as a result of injuries sustained when he wrecked in Arkansas.
These are some of those amazing people that you hear about who are willing to fight not only their own battles but are also willing to fight for others.  The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge is trying to bring attention and change to the Native People on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and other very poor and destitute reservations throughout the U.S. Participants ride not only for the Challenge of the ride itself but for those people who have to face adversity and struggle every single day of their lives without the luxury of running water in their homes… 90% unemployment… the highest teen suicide rate in the nation… sheer hopelessness. 

In the way of the Lakota people, the number four is a sacred number and represents the end of the dream - and of our involvement in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge.  After the feature length documentary gets televised and after 2013 event, we (Jim & Beth) hope to find other caring people to take over control of the Challenge with fresh ideas and aspirations for change.  We have done what we can to promote awareness for the Lakota people and believe that under new management the event can flourish and benefit other Indian Nations as well.

We want to thank everyone that has stepped up and offered help support and ride in the Hoka Hey Challenge and a special thank you goes out to Willie & Sally Parry of Wolf’s Run for making the 2012 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge a truly amazing event!  The End of the Road party was phenomenal with plenty of food, a bon fire; fireworks and 3 bands: Turbulence, Gun Runners and Pale Face (all of who donated their time for the cause)!!  

Wolf’s Run is located in the heart of Seneca Nation territory and has been owned and operated for 24 years by Willie and Sally, who are members of the Seneca Nation.  Willie and Sally recognize that the Hoka Hey Challenge is intended to bring awareness to the poverty on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota and believe that by hosting the event, they are helping to unite the nations together.  The Parrys understand that there is a lot more work to do in this capacity and, in order to help advance the cause, it has been decided that the 2013 event will BEGIN AND END AT WOLF'S RUN with Wolf’s Run Transport and Gowanda Harley-Davidson as our hosts once again.  The next Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge will begin on JUNE 23RD, 2013.  Applications are already being accepted.

Let us all go into this next and final event looking back for wisdom and guidance and looking forward to changing at least this one thing that is broken in our world.  Hopefully we will see you all there for the final chapter, the 4th Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. 



5 comments:

  1. Wow, excellent post! Thanks for all the info. Thinking of 2013 already!
    Maggie

    ReplyDelete
  2. The dream of the Hoka Hey will continue to grow. It will become THE must do event for those that have the strength of character and conviction to handle it. I see no limit to the good that will come from the Challenge as it matures over the years. Thumper, Proud HHMC Rider # 59.

    ReplyDelete
  3. como dijo el hombre.

    Todo Sobre El Viaje!!!!!

    #751

    ReplyDelete
  4. The 2012 Hoka Hey was an outstanding challenge. The efforts of The Hoka Hey Staff were exceptional and to be commended. I had the greatest ride, I have had in many years. A dream ride for me and I would think many others. Met a group of of great riders and people. To sum it up, I had a blast and a great time! anxiously awaiting Hoka Hey 2013.
    Also I would like to commend the checkpoint dealers, and their staff for excellent service. Special thanks to Doc's Harley Davidson, Kirkwood MO. for topping my fuel tank. Also, Renegade Harley Davidson, Alexandria, LA. for service over and beyond the call of duty.
    Thank You Very much Everyone!
    Hoka Hey!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looking forward to 2013 9 months to go...had to sit out 2012.... Hoka Hey!!!

    ReplyDelete