I am a native Texan born in San Antonio in 1966. I have been married for 31 years and have three kids and one grand-daughter. I have a Bachelors Science and a Masters in Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas in San Antonio. I was commissioned in the Air Force in 1989 and served 20 years and retired as a Lt Colonel. I currently live in Falls Church, VA and work for a defense contractor.
I have been riding motorcycles since 1994 and got my first Harley, 2003 Fatboy in 2003. I started riding locally and have been very active in my local Harley Chapter, Fairfax HOG. I started my love for long distance riding in 2013 when I rode to the Sturgis Rally. Really enjoyed the freedom and I was hooked. In Dec 2016, I started my dedication to consistently riding long distance by doing at least one IBA certified ride per month (and still doing it, 60 months so far). I have built up a great long-distance resume to include: Diamond Mile Eater level (over 100 IBA certified long-distance rides), 50CC, 100CCC, Two Trifecta BBGs, One Quattro BBG, Lap of the South Gold, I-40E2E Gold, I-10E2E2E Gold and many others. Next, I started doing long distance rallies to include: Heart of Texas 20/21, Iron Butt Rally 21, and Senior Butt Rally 21. I have also been active with Tour of Honor since 2017 where I enjoy riding to remote locations across the country in search of military memorials. As part of my long-distance riding, I really enjoy riding to local mom & pop restaurants across the country. I enjoy spending time with family and friends without whom I could not participate in this sport. For them I am truly bless! Also, enjoy cycling and craft beers.
I am intrigued with the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge mission/objectives and being a part of the Hoka Hey family. I talked with several HHMC finishers and enjoyed their stories and what to experience the Challenge myself to build my self-awareness and enrich, empower, and unite my life. As part of the challenge, I am looking forward to raising awareness and funds for my charity, Jill's House.
Jill’s House is a Christian Non-profit organization that provides families raising kids with intellectual disabilities with short-term overnight respite care in the DC metro area and around the country. I learned about this organization through my FHOG chapter and have been supporting them since 2010. Donation are being accepted via a secure site Here!
My expectation is to complete the HHMC within the 12 days with long days of riding and taking care of my body, mind, and soul. I am expecting to ride “My Ride” and keep to my pace as I experience the landscape across the country. I expect to continue my long-distance journey as I discover and build upon the strengths and limitations of my body, and mind during long-distance challenges.
The best advice I have been given for the HHMC is “Ride your Ride” and focus on what you are doing during the challenge. In order to complete this challenge, you need to plan and prepare your motorcycle, body, and mind before you get to the starting line. HHMC is similar to a marathon and you need to pace yourself for the full 10-12 days if you are you going to complete it.
I don’t have any major obstacles for this challenge since I have been riding long-distance consistently for over the last 5 years. I had to overcome a lot of obstacles and learn to deal with them with a positive attitude and mission focus to complete the objectives. Some of the things I learned was to be efficient at gas stops, I used to take 15 minutes per gas stop and now I average between 3 to 8 mins. Also, I learned to plan my food for the entire trip and ensure getting the proper amounts of protein and hydration. Another thing was to plan the proper tools for most minor repairs on the trip since you have limited space for tools, food, and clothes. I learned to make sure you take care of your body with proper food and hygiene to maintain your endurance riding long distance for multiple days/weeks.
I heard about HHMC during some of my IBA rides and rallies a few years ago and starting researching the challenge to make sure I understand the challenge before I applied. Over the last two years, I have met some of the best riders and consider them to be my “brothers in arms” in long-distance riding. I really enjoy the camaraderie within the Hoka Hey Family and would like to continue building my relationships with other great riders.
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