Sunday, May 31, 2020

Meet The Rider Harold Chase # 940

I am a returning rider from 2018. For 2020 I am riding with my wife Patricia, who is doing her first Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. After riding in my first Challenge a steady portion of my brainpower for the last year has been consumed thinking about the 2020 Challenge. I will turn 60 years old during this years Challenge and I don’t think I could do it in a better way. I think I will continue to ride in the Hoka Hey so long as I am physically able to. In some ways I am just beginning the best phase of my life.

I live near Seattle with my wife, three kids and two dogs. I work as a kind of one man construction crew in the family business which is residential rentals. We both have scored new bikes this year and are working to prepare them for the challenge. We will have an amazing August riding Seattle to Florida, riding the HHMC and then home again, I'm really looking forward to it.

The Best advice for the Hoka Hey is, “Ride Your Own Ride”. Which sounds simple, but sometimes the Challenge can be to understand your own purposes and goals. For some riders the HHMC is part of their lifestyle, for others it is a transitional experience.



My favorite part of my first Challenge was simply learning to get out of my own way. In the 2018 Challenge I did pretty good on the first, third and fourth sections but was completely incompetent in the second section. Mostly due to exhaustion, sloppy navigating and overwhelming frustration that only compounded my problems, sort of a vicious cycle. This year I think I will be able manage the ride better. Patricia is from Tennessee and says she will help me find my way around those Southern roads; I hope so.




Saturday, May 30, 2020

Meet The Rider Robert Goffinski # 939


Robert Goffinski, better known in the motorcycling community as Gopher, turned 70 years old last December and was trying to figure out how to celebrate that milestone. He had planned to trade in his 2015 Ultra Classic for a new 2018 and revisit Alaska, a trip he and his wife Maggie made in 2013. However, after hearing about the Hoka Hey and learning additional details surrounding the event, he knew he had to “take the challenge.” Gopher has been riding for over 45 years and has been to every state you can ride to and every province, from Quebec west.
Gopher has held many leadership positions in the motorcyclists’ rights movement, some of which as State Coordinator for ABATE of Illinois, and as a member of the BOD for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. He has lobbied on behalf of motorcyclists in his state legislature and the nation’s capital He served as an elected official in his local community and is active in his church and a community service organization. He is currently enjoying the eighth year of his retirement from a career as a union electrician, Local #134 IBEW. Gopher lives in Sycamore, Illinois.
Gopher’s friends think he’s insane but this isn’t his first long distance ride. He has ridden numerous times non-stop between Chicago and Sturgis and is usually limited to miles per day by his passenger. Years ago, he rode from Prescott, AZ to Chicago, IL straight through, 36 hours. Resting only for a half hour nap in Tulsa, OK. While his friends think he’s crazy they say, “if anyone can do this at 70 years old, he can.”
For health reasons Gopher never served in the military but has several friends who have and some have returned with issue regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD. He has chosen to raise funds for the Disabled American Veterans and the Christian Motorcyclists Association’s youth ministry program. You can go to his donation page.



Friday, May 29, 2020

Meet The Rider David Beard # 938



One of the few things we do is raise Bucking stock, which can keep us busy and agile.

The first year was a great experience in completed the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. It was a good test of all your abilities. This year will be a test to improve on those abilities and to take the time to reflex and endear a old but new experience The first year was a little unnerving. Can I complete the task before me? What trouble will I run into? Can I overcome them? It was the aspect of making it your own ride and more of a test against myself to challenge myself to do more and be better in many aspect of my life. I was in Daytona and met Jim Red Cloud. As they were talking about the Hoka Hey one of the guys that I went to Daytona with had been learning about the Hoka Hey hoping to ride.


Best advice: try to be prepared mentally and physically but don't over think the problem or you will never leave the starting line have a little faith and believe in yourself. And pack light, you won't use everything that you think and it will just make you more cumbersome and tired. Most of my obstacles to overcome were getting everything squared away to be gone that amount of time at work and at home with animals. If you ask my dogs I'm not allowed to be gone that long again.  It also required the help and support of those around me to get it done 2 year worth of vacation time from work to complete the HHMC, a total of 4 years to do two rides.  

This will be my second HHMC I finished 2018 Hoka Hey (Good Medicine).  It's hard to say what was the best part.  It was great to meet everyone involved with the HHMC, to meet so many people of diverse backgrounds, to be able to see this great nation on two wheels, and to face everything that arose during the ride. The most difficult trial I faced on a challenge was having to keep the bike working and limping it 8,000 miles home draining the oil out of the primary 3 times a day and hoping not to run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere, and dodging a tornado and hail storms.  


Thursday, May 28, 2020

Meet The Rider Chris Hopper # 937

Chris Hopper, rider #937, is from Cypress TX.  When not riding motorcycles, Chris is a full time real estate investor.  Only a few years into the LDR world, this challenge is where it all started in 2018.  Chris found out about the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge while searching for Iron Butt rides when he came across this challenge.  Being the avid rider and competitor he is, he decided why not go for 10K miles instead of just 1K!  That would be a true test of endurance and he wondered if he was up for the challenge.  After placing 8th in 2018, he proved to himself he can ride with the big boys (and girls) and push himself to limits he never dreamed.  It has completely changed him physically, mentally, and emotionally.  The brotherhood that comes with being part of the HHMC is next to none.  This is family.

While enduring hours upon hours of riding, and very little sleep, the HHMC still has many obstacles to overcome, such as reading directions, staying awake and safe, and keeping up with your machine.  All these factors are things to expect and will definitely keep you on your toes.  While this is only Chris's second HHMC, he has convinced other riders to sign up and participate and join the brotherhood.  This year, Chris has teamed up with the Rig Riders MC to raise money for a couple of different charities.  Rig Riders MC is a well known club in the Houston area and well respected for all they do.  Their commitment to giving is what persuaded Chris to join forces and really do some good in the community.  While the HHMC will be a tough ride mentally and physically, Chris will definitely be up for the challenge and is looking forward to the amazing roads and adventures it has in store, along with all the time he gets to spend with his brothers and sisters on the open road.



Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Meet The Rider Eugene Lopez # 935

Hello my name is Eugene "geners" Lopez (#935).  This will be my second Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge ride, 2018 was my first. I learned a lot from that ride as far what I can do and how much I can push myself. I for sure gonna pack way lighter this year.


 I did not ride as much as I used to and wanted to in 2019 due to increase work schedule and plus after living the single life for many, many years I got married in August.





This year my goal is get on road more as I can to get physically ready.


 My riding club is doing an event in March to help a local person in need. The event will be March 28th. It is The Roadrunner pay it forward event.


Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Meet The Rider Ramiro Pedraza # 934




From the south side of Chicago, I was raised in a south suburb, Chicago Heights IL. I rode quads & dirt bikes and bought my 2013 Road Glide in September of 2012. Rides to Sturgis & other states sparked an interest in LDR.

After meeting a close friend/brother at Coziahr HD, Decatur IL.in 2016 and seeing other riders there as well, the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge had my attention & I felt it was something I had do. I am a returning rider, first time in 2018. Outside of riding, I am a utility worker for an energy company with 21 yrs. of service. I love what I do even if some days are longer than others

My non-profit is for Camp Quality USA Illinois. It is a week-long camp with five other year round activities to children with cancer which includes their families. The camp keeps smiles on their faces by helping to provide funds for dances, crafts, inflatables and much more. I am thankful for my Hoka Hey family & for the experience & learning that took place in 2018.