The Numbers Are In

It will come as no surprise to many that the number of participants is down this year from last.  But what surprises me is by how much.  I have to admit that the wind was completely removed from my sails after the disappointing results of last year’s event and I didn’t regain my momentum until late in the spring this year.  I didn’t promote this year’s event the way it deserved to be promoted and the results are telling. 

But I don’t think that is the whole of it.  I want to blame the economy because I know that it has had an effect on everyone.  I suppose I could blame it on the change in format that we are implementing this year; not everyone is in favor of splitting the purse equally.  Or, more likely, people are watching to see how this year goes before they take the leap themselves.  If that is the case then… So be it.

One of our “Fans” on Facebook commented that “It's never a ‘good day to die’ on a motorcycle ride to prove you're a ‘warrior’. It is a sad day indeed when something like this validates your worth.”  To him I say that the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge doesn’t validate the rider but rather the rider validates the event.  Every man and woman that has ever ridden in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge is a warrior (war·ri·or [wawr-ee-er, wawr-yer, wor-ee-er, wor-yer]  noun 1. a person engaged or experienced in warfare; soldier. 2. a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness, as in politics or athletics. 3. a person engaged in some struggle or conflict <poverty warriors>) and my personal belief is that as long as your struggle is for a worthy cause then there is nothing to regret. 

For my own part, I am saddened to know that there are those who are satisfied to live their lives without meaning or purpose.  Or that never become willing to take the risks necessary to make an improvement in their own lives or the lives of others.  For, you see; I feel that in order to make a change we have to be willing to move beyond simple complaint.  We have to be willing to act.

Our Hoka Hey warriors not only believe in our cause and our mission but are doing everything they can to make a difference in the world at large.  They aren’t satisfied to just sit back and wait for life to happen to them.  They are willing to grow as people and to adjust to the changes that inevitably come their way. 

Life brings many changes; some of which can be marvelous, but others may be terrifying or even dangerous.  However, it isn’t change per se that threatens our happiness, but what we do with it.  We must learn to work together to make changes for the better because, contrary to popular belief, life is not intended to be a competition but is meant to be a cooperative effort involving teamwork.   

I charge you, the reader, to reflect on your personal belief system.  Are you the kind to sit back and wait for life to happen?   Or are you the kind that gets out there and makes it happen?  The 107 people who have submitted their applications to be in this year’s Challenge are the latter and I respect and admire them for their willingness to make a stand!

The 2012 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge may be shorter and it may be smaller in number but it promises to be the same kind of life altering event as past Hoka Hey Challenges.  The route and the parties in Vegas & NY will make it worth the trip but; that isn’t the point.  The participants know that they are in for the ride of their life.  They have decided to take that leap with full understanding that it may bring out a part of them that they never knew existed and they face that realization with courage and determination.  For, Hoka Hey Challenge participants understand better than most that…

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” (~Socrates)

# of Entries	Rider #	First Name	Last Name	Nickname
Competitor
1	5	KARL	NETHERLAND	BUBBA
2	8	Daniel	Buis
3	9	Roger	Buis	OTTO-PILOT
4	50	Robert	Crawford
5	67	Michael	Conner
6	85	Chuck	Marble
7	91	david	lutes
8	116	Jim	Herold
9	139	Alex	Hood
10	164	Gary	Trumper
11	175	Frank	Kelly
12	186	greg	shafer
13	190	Richard	Drake	Chris
14	207	Milton	Vincent	Bubba
15	290	Walter	Ledig
16	247	Damon	Breit	RUBBER
17	319	Marion	Ezell	Mickey
18	323	dale	martin
19	341	Robert	carlo
20	342	William	Reynolds
21	348	MARK	HODGE
22	373	Terry	Smith
23	383	Eula	Rose	Junie
24	600	Shaun	VanBeber
25	601	Michael	Fox	Mike
26	605	Mark E	James	Wheres Jesse
27	610	Dave	DuBord
28	618	Kenneth	Aston	KC
29	636	Stanley	Hoover
30	646	Thomas	Schmidt
31	648	George	Liebel
32	649	kc	withers
33	650	JANE	BIXBY
34	652	Schatzi	Brown
35	654	James	Howatson
36	664	Elvin	Angel	Al
37	665	Daniel	Dowell	Kelsey
38	680	Frank	Trevino
39	685	Wendy	Battles	TA-TE
40	691	Newton	Pereira	TON
41	705	paul   (rocky)	mazza	Rocky
42	706	Thomas	Hunter	tom
43	707	thomas	paff	tom
44	708	Darrin	Knode	Bootz
45	709	Bradley	Mathews
46	710	tim	laskowski	angry
47	711	Robert	Morse
48	712	David	Neef
49	713	Robert	Nichols	Robby
50	714	John	Parrish
51	715	Dennis	Elings
52	716	Michael	Dewildt	Moe
53	717	Jeffrey	Ausnow	Captain America
54	718	RONALD	MCARTHUR	MAC
55	719	Abagail	Van Vlerah
56	720	James	Van Vlerah
57	721	Joshua	Brace
58	722	Bret	Walters
59	723	MARTY	KOSTAWICH
60	724	Arthur	Pond
61	725	Richard	Griffith
62	726	James	Peterson
63	727	Donald	Trimble
64	730	Kelly	Quinn	Throttlegirl
65	731	Dominick	Zappola JR
66	732	Daniel	Certa
67	733	William	Buskell
68	734	Philip	Meintel
69	735	John	Levins
70	736	Billy	Fultz
71	737	John	Anderson
72	738	William (Bob)	Terrell	Capt Bob
73	739	Frank	Zygela
74	740	Tommy	Collins	TomCat
75	741	John	Lyles
76	742	David	Sanders	Hammer
77	743	Christopher	Cowden
78	744	James (Jim)	Carlson	Bison
79	745	Michael	Pulkkinen
80	746	Carl	Hubbard
81	747	Robert	Kumpe
82	748	Anthony	Aldridge	Tony
83	749	Wayne	Fields
84	750	George	Jackman
85	751	David	Elizondo
86	752	Mathew	Klebe
87	753	DANE	AXEN	Axman
Incomplete
88	92	David	Mauser
89	199	Joseph	Klan
90	201	Robbie	Vinson
91	264	Terry	Meyers
92	332	Heinz	Speilvogel
93	422	Arthur	Hrytzay	Lloyd
94	628	Larry	Murray
95	631	Paul	Bouros	Paulie
96	653	RON	WARREN	RON
97	670	Tim	Menzie
98	674	James	Geray
99		Jonathan	Burke	Bon Jurke
100		Scott	Phillips	Scooter
101		Edward	Rieken	Fast Eddie
102		Barry	Guidry	barue
103		daniel n	lee	BikerDude
104		Michael	Skovgaard	Skovy
105		Kerry	Talbot
106		Daniel	Thibodeaux
107		Michael	OBannon	MOB
Non-Compete
	6	William	Parry
	467	James	Red Cloud
	655	Robert	Scott
	728	John	King
	729	Dennis	Elsasser