Born in Arkansas on 911, 46 years before it became a patriotic holiday 13 years before it became an emergency phone number and another 8 years before it became my work phone . My family moved to Texas when I was 2 weeks old. My dad was in the construction business and we moved every year to a different state Colorado, Utah, S Dakota , Mississippi, Louisiana and Oklahoma . After all this we landed in Paris Tx While living in Paris I got my first motorcycle at 15. It wasnt much , a red Honda 65, but it got me around and I loved it.
Then in my soph year we moved to to Mesquite Tx where I graduated High School and bought a used Honda 450 which I rode everywhere I went , sometimes with scuba tanks and gear strapped aboard . I majored in aviation technology for a couple years at a local community college until I couldnt afford any more flight time. I changed my major to Political science and accepted an athletic scholarship At Grambling State University in Louisiana .
In my senior year there a recruiter was at the college from the Houston Police Dept. I needed a J-O-B so I applied. I hit the tough streets of central Houston as a cop at 20 yrs old before I could even legally buy my own ammunition much less a handgun. I was a patrolmen for almost 8 years and transferred to the helicopter patrol where I spent a few more years . After a divorce and second marriage we were ready to get out of Houston. I moved my new bride and two kids both to the Dallas area and went to work for the Mesquite Police Dept . We built a house on acreage east of Dallas near Wills Point where I commuted 90 miles rt daily on my 750 Honda . I spent my final 15 years as a detective in various divisions as well as being a SWAT team member. While with MPD I was the dept coordinator for the Texas Law Enforcement Torch Run benefitting the Special Olympics of Texas. The athletes and the program itself became very important to me over the years.
I owned a lot of Hondas over the years including two Gold wings and a CBX 6 cyl beast. After retirement from MPD I got my first Harley Electra glide and joined a veteran/ LE Mc club . I started doing the Tour of Honor in about 2003 and would mix in an Iron Butt ride occasionally.
A couple years ago I became aware of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge from several of the TOH riders and right away knew I wanted to be a part of it. Within a month of signing up for HH 2024 I had some heart issues that required surgery . My goal then was to recover fully before August 2024 . Then having recovered sufficiently to ride just a couple weeks before the 2024 Tour of Honor was to kick off, I was ambushed by a man in Houston while doing a rideshare . I ended up with 40 stitches and multiple fractures of my left orbital socket . Three surgeries later my goal was once again to recover for the August 4 2024 Hoka Hey. I haven't had a lot of opportunity to do much fund raising for the Special Olympics but will get something going before August .
Today , just two months before we embark I feel confident im getting back into riding shape . I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to join such an exclusive group of men and women on this epic journey of self discovery!
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