Hello my name is Richard Swenson rider number 1030. This will be my second journey through the challenge. The first being in 2020. I find it difficult sometimes to talk about myself. Of course the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge Has changed me, If it doesn’t then you’re doing it wrong in my opinion.
Well for everyone the Hoka Hey challenge is different. For me it was for personal reasons that I wanted to do the challenge to begin with. I’ve never had a problem raising money for others. keeping in my own pocket that is always been my problem. I’ve always had a giving nature. Putting people before myself, Putting their problems before my own. We are always given a choice what road to pick. When against the wall we can pick the easy way out, or we can take the highroad. Do the work and survive. Life will throw curve balls at us. People with their own struggles and turmoil will try to discredit us. Bring us down It’s how we survive, and respond that sets us apart. The loyalty and commitment that you make to people is what sets us apart. We can get down in the mud be ugly sling dirt, Or we can commit to hold to our word. Be the person that we claim that we are not lower our standards. Being a business owner for the better part of my life competing with large companies as a one-man show struggling to make a living at times thriving at some points. One thing I’ll always be is a survivor. My mother used to tease me when she was alive. That I would freeze to death one day giving people the shirt off my back. My reply was always simple I hope that’s true. When I finish my journey. I know one thing for sure. In the immortal words of William Shakespeare To thine own self be true, And it must follow as night follows day. Thou canst not then be false to any man. This of course would be the best advice I would have for any new rider coming into the 22 Hoka Hey challenge. I by now means to even consider myself experienced for this ride. Probably the least prepared for a distance ride I’ve ever been. However in some ways I feel the best. Because we never know when we’re going to be when forced, or asked to survive. The key is just survive. We push ourselves to limits that we didn’t know we had. Mentally, physically, emotionally, Spiritually. Somewhere inside yourself you find the strength to push on. Coming back to the 22 challenge even more so than the first challenge I feel like I left something on the road something I didn’t finish for myself. My nature is to help people if that delays me two days, or three days that’s what I do. This is who I was meant to be, But you take the hits and you keep pushing forward. No matter what. There are a few accomplishments in my life that I feel most proud of. I’ve come to learn these are the things that will always be under attack. The Hoka Hey is no different. It’s been nothing more than an honor to ride with the greatest riders of our time. Blessed to have encountered some of these people and watch them. Watch other humans do things said to be impossible. I often joke and say there’s very few things in this life that I do well, But I can ride a scooter from here to there. I’ll be hoping one day that my skill set will come close to some of the riders that I’ve witnessed. People ask me all the time about distance riding. Often times I can be under a great deal of stress. So I tell them I don’t start to relax until I hit that 400 mile mark. About 500 miles and I hit that Zen point for myself. After about the third day that’s when I get in touch with myself. Some of the images from the 2020 Hoka Hey Challenge are etched in my mind. And hardly a day goes by I don’t see the pictures as a reminder, just survive. Just push forward,never quit. I had dropped my bike six times on the first Hoka Hey challenge. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find people who didn’t either drop their bike or come very close to dropping their bike from pure exhaustion.
One thing for sure that I have discovered, the Hoka Hey challenge will certainly keep you honest with yourself. I can’t emphasize how much I am looking forward to the 22 Hoka Hey challenge. Not for anybody else but myself. The self evaluation. The mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual challenge that we all have to put upon ourselves to be or to have that warrior spirit that lives within all of us. That strength we find that we didn’t even know we had. I thank everyone in association with the Hoka Hey challenge for the long-suffering efforts they put Fourth so that I can find myself, Out on the road where I am always at peace. I thank those other members. That supported me through obviously hard times and personal challenges throughout the years. I will always take the highroad and again to Thine own self be true. People will put you down ridicule, form opinions, pass judgment, gossip, and in the end We will have a choice to be exactly the same person who We were yesterday. I hope and pray to remain the protector, with compassion, empathy, love, and a heart for charity and helping others. Only we dictate the people we are and who we can be. I am thankful for the Hoka Hey for reminding me that no matter what is thrown at me I’m always going to be a survivor. I can only hope to be a little bit better today than I was yesterday, and tomorrow even better than I am today. Thank you for taking the time to read this I look forward to seeing you warriors on the road.
Hugs
Richard Swenson
1030
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