Meet The Returning Rider # 966 Jon Santos

 

Hey everyone, Jon Santos here. This year’s 2026 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge will be my second. When I first learned about Hoka Hey in 2018, I knew that I had to try it. I completed the 2020 Hoka Hey in 24^th place and made it to the end of the road party with a couple of days to spare. I am proud of my achievement. I enjoyed my journey and the challenge that it gave me. I got to meet a lot of new people, and some I now consider family. I am looking forward to this year’s ride. I am excited to reconnect with my fellow riders, nature, and this year’s journey wherever it may take us. 

 

My biggest take away from the 2020 challenge was that no matter how prepared you are, you are not. 

 

I do as many long-distance rides as I can but sometimes work gets in the way. I also try to get out and explore the country with my wife Carrie on the bike. Last year was her 1^st 1000 miler.

 

We have 4 children and 2 grandchildren, and they all know how to ride and enjoy it. I love to ride and I am glad that I can share my love of riding with my family and friends.

 

This year, I am riding for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund.

Thanks, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone out there!

 

Meet The New Rider # 1286 James Roane

 

My name is James “Teach” Roane and I’m from Morganton NC. Many years ago I earned the rank of Eagle Scout and got to spend two wonderful summers at Philmont Scout Ranch as a Ranger, leading eager Boy Scouts on their 1^st Hi Adventure hikes. Shortly after that I spent 10 years in the Air Force, spending time in Alaska and Montana. It was there I fell in love with another passion, dirt track stock car racing. I spent 25 years racing stock cars on small tracks, 1^st in Montana where I won my 1^st track points championship, and later back in NC I earned two more local championships. These accomplishments required endless nights in the garage building, changing, fabricating race cars, trying different suspension setups, engine mods, and whatever else I could do to gain an edge over the competition. 

 

After the Air Force, I started a career as a mechanic, eventually moving into transmission and drivelines, and went to work for a Chrysler dealer in NC honing my transmission skills. 

 

Around 2010 a fellow racer introduced me to Harley Davidson motorcycles, a way to have fun without the high cost of local racing. Also about that time I managed to land a job at CVCC in Hickory NC as a part time Automotive Instructor, which eventually led to a full time position which I am currently at. 

 

My motorcycle addiction took on new meaning when I prospected for the Boozefighters MC. I was at a National event listening to Jeff “Riot” Wyatt give a speech about riding our motorcycles long distance. I was already riding lots of solo miles and looking for more, when I heard about the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. I was hooked on the tracker, watching fellow Boozefighters complete the 2020, 2022, and 2024 Challenge.  When the 2026 route was announced, I knew I had to apply.  My wife worked with me on the application and when I got the email that I was accepted to the 2026 Challenge…that email has changed the course of my life.

 

As the 2026 Challenge nears, I have created a link to Samaritans Purse, helping them rebuild and provide disaster relief to Western NC, severely damaged by Hurricane Helene.

 

 

Meet The New Rider # 1350 Gil Sacconi

 My name is Gil Sacconi, a 54-year-old Italian-French man born in Cannes (French Riviera). Since 2015, I've been living on the French Caribbean island of Saint Martin, where I own a french gastronomic restaurants, Le Pressoir.
Like many, I've been fascinated by motorcycles since childhood but my parents never let me ride one, even though you can start riding at 14 in France. That changed after my parents divorced and we moved to Milan, Italy. My mother eventually had no choice but to get me a motorbike so I could commute to school!

It was a great excuse!
At 15, when I spent summers with my father in Cannes, I decided to travel there on my "Malaguti FIFTY"—a 500 km journey! Admittedly, the bike had some modifications!. Since then, I haven't stopped riding. I've owned countless Vespas and motorbikes, traveled throughout Italy, Switzerland, and France for any reason possible as long as it meant being on a bike.
When I turned 16, everything changed. With my driving license in hand, we visited close friends in Tuscany. One morning, Maurizio, who owned a Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans 2, told me, "I know you've dreamed of the Guzzi since you were a kid. Now's your chance: 'Prendila e falla urlare!' (Take it and make it scream!)"

 

From that moment, I was hooked.
CONTAMINATION 100% COMPLETED!
As life goes, it's been a wild ride over the past three decades—with ups and downs, including divorces and being ruined twice. How often I could ride depended on time and money ….This decade seems to be pretty good and i could make long rides in the US during our annual closing!
And guess what: I could find 3 years ago the same Guzzi on the island!!!
My daily is a Harley of course but every time i fire the Guzzi it brings me back in time!
On my arm tattoo is written : “I stopped telling myself that I’m lost. I’m not. I’m on a road with no destination; I’m just driving with hope that I’ll find a place I like and stay there. I’m not lost, I’m just on my way.”

 

Like a cat with seven lives, I'm still here and doing well!
Why Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge ?
The first time I heard about the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge was in 2014, shortly before I moved to the island. At that time, I believed participating would be an incredible experience. But my circumstances upon arrival were less than ideal! So I set this ambition aside.
Two years ago, when my friend and mechanic Mickael Deaudou informed me he was registered to the HHMC 2024, I said to myself: “Fuck it! Just do it!”
So here I am!

 

 The phrase, “It’s a good day to die,” resonates deeply with me. To me, it signifies renewal
and personal growth.
While I could say that my motivation is to push my physical and mental limits bla bla
bla, my true aim is to encounter myself in a raw, fundamental situation (an experience
many of us have lost touch with). Modern life has perhaps become too comfortable, too
easy and I am drawn to reconnecting with its essential elements.
Working in the restaurant industry, I interact with hundreds of people throughout the
year.

 

I needed to break this routine, and took the decision to temporarily close my restaurant
specifically for this event in order to be in a complete peace of mind.
For these reasons, and maybe some others, I am confident that this journey will be
trans formative and what’s better way to embark on it than by riding my Harley-
Davidson!

 

Donation
As i am not very familiar with the US system about that and don’t want to make any
mistakes, i ll do a donation to Boys and Girls club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation
and trust your judgment to what the money will be for.

Meet The New Rider # 1357 Waylon Owens

 

 

My name is Waylon Owens, and I was born on July 11, 2008. I am 17 years old, and one of my biggest passions is riding motorcycles. Ever since I was younger, I have loved everything about being on a bike—the freedom, the focus, and the adrenaline. Riding is more than just a hobby to me. It is something that helps me clear my mind, stay focused, and feel confident in myself.

 

As I have gotten older, I have learned how to balance school, responsibilities, and the things I enjoy most. I try to work hard in everything I do and stay disciplined. Riding has taught me a lot about patience, control, and responsibility, and those lessons have helped shape me in everyday life. I always try to push myself to improve and stay committed to my goals.

My family has always supported me, and I am grateful for everything they have done for me. Because of that, it is important to me to give back and be part of something bigger than myself. That is one of the reasons I am proud to ride in support of Haven Animal Rescue of Texas (HART). This organization works hard to help animals in need by giving them care, shelter, and a second chance at a better life.

Being able to combine something I love, like riding, with helping a cause like Haven Animal Rescue of Texas (HART) means a lot to me. As I continue this journey, I hope to grow not only as a rider but also as a person who can make a positive impact in my community. I am thankful for this opportunity as a Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge rider and excited to see where this experience takes me.

To learn more or support the cause I’m riding for, visit: https://www.havenanimalrescueoftexas.com/

 

 

Meet The New Rider # 1357 Waylon Owens

 

 

My name is Waylon Owens, and I was born on July 11, 2008. I am 17 years old, and one of my biggest passions is riding motorcycles. Ever since I was younger, I have loved everything about being on a bike—the freedom, the focus, and the adrenaline. Riding is more than just a hobby to me. It is something that helps me clear my mind, stay focused, and feel confident in myself.

 

As I have gotten older, I have learned how to balance school, responsibilities, and the things I enjoy most. I try to work hard in everything I do and stay disciplined. Riding has taught me a lot about patience, control, and responsibility, and those lessons have helped shape me in everyday life. I always try to push myself to improve and stay committed to my goals.

My family has always supported me, and I am grateful for everything they have done for me. Because of that, it is important to me to give back and be part of something bigger than myself. That is one of the reasons I am proud to ride in support of Haven Animal Rescue of Texas (HART). This organization works hard to help animals in need by giving them care, shelter, and a second chance at a better life.

Being able to combine something I love, like riding, with helping a cause like Haven Animal Rescue of Texas (HART) means a lot to me. As I continue this journey, I hope to grow not only as a rider but also as a person who can make a positive impact in my community. I am thankful for this opportunity as a Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge rider and excited to see where this experience takes me.

To learn more or support the cause I’m riding for, visit: https://www.havenanimalrescueoftexas.com/

 

 

Meet The New Rider # 1270 Mike Swift

 

Hello from Sunny Central Florida. My name is Mike “Propane” Swift, rider #1270 in the 2026 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. I am a Navy Veteran, Husband and father as well as a member of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club. I have been an avid rider for 32 years and have always loved long distance riding and never miss an opportunity to take a back road over an interstate.

 

I have traveled all around the US on my Harley, but when I heard about the Hoka Hey challenge, I immediately said this is something I must do. To shut all the outside noise off and go back to how it was many years ago and explore this great country using nothing but directions and the knowledge of riders and coordinators before me had me ready right away. My goal is not to win the Hoka Hey but to finish it and have a clarity and mindset at the end that I accomplished something so physically and mentally challenging for myself.

 

I am riding for the 2^nd Chances Cancer Team out of Milbank, SD. Cancer Sucks and I have lost many people in my life to it. 2^nd Chances Cancer Team has helped many people get through cancer and get back on their feet during and after treatment in the Grant County area.

 

2nd Chances Cancer Team

Meet The New Rider # 1292 George Thesing IV

 

I am George Thesing IV, rider number #1292, from southwest Minnesota, where riding is determined by the seasons. Winters are long and cold.  I spend that time ice fishing while the bike sits parked and new routes and trips are planned. When the roads finally clear, the shorter riding season makes every mile count. I am married with three kids—one grown and out on their own and two still in high school—so life stays busy with sports and school activities. I’m also a grandparent to one. Riding has been part of my life for over 20 years, though I stepped away for a time while raising a young family and got back into it about six years ago. Since then, the passion has only grown stronger.

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I first learned about the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in 2022 after seeing a group of riders pass through a nearby town. After looking into it, I knew it was something I had to take on. For me, this isn’t about certificates or recognition—it’s about pushing personal limits, building self-confidence, and proving to myself that I can finish what I start. The HHMC represents determination, endurance, and mental toughness, all things that drive me both on and off the bike. It’s about becoming better through the challenge, mile after mile.

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I am riding for Mile Monster's Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to inspiring and motivating people while making a real difference. I chose Mile Monsters because their mission aligns with what riding means to me—using something you love to create a positive impact. The funds raised go directly to helping children affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  These kids are fighting battles they didn’t choose, and Mile Monsters steps in to support them when they need it most. The money raised helps provide resources, support, and hope—giving these kids a “monster” in their corner to help fight alongside them.