At a
young age, I had an interest in motorcycle riding. Later in life, I decided to pursue that
interest in learning how to ride. Once I
had enough time in the seat, I decided to venture out and utilize my motorcycle
as my mode of transportation for vacationing.
My first long distance ride was to Memphis, TN with my wind
sisters. That same year, I planned a
solo trip to the Smoky Mountains and rode straight through from Davenport, IA
to Stecoah, NC. From that point on, I
was hooked on long distance riding. When
I’m not riding, I enjoy live music, especially the blues. Additionally, as a U.S. Navy veteran, I am
passionate about advocating for fellow veterans’ welfare.
I
learned of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge when I met Eric Sprague at the Moonshine luncheon run in Illinois in
2017. Over breakfast consisting of a
moon burger, Eric and a few of the HHMC riders explained the motorcycle challenge
in detail. The challenging aspects of
the HHMC piqued my interest to participate.
The
expectations of the challenge are conducive to my previous long distance rides
in which I preferred paper maps over GPS.
With someone else planning the route, I will be venturing into territory
that I’ve never been. On my previous
solo trips, traveling different places has had a spiritual meaning and has been
enlightening but not to the extent of HH.
I have discovered many different aspects of myself.
The
HHMC is not going to be easy or a walk in the park and is a goal I have set for
myself. It will be an experience to
challenge myself to meet that goal and my expectations. The ride will also provide an opportunity to
drive myself to overcome my limitations and attain the pride of completing such
a challenge, thus giving me a clear vision of what challenge really means. Recognizing that this will be a difficult
challenge, succeeding will result in a greater belief in myself. Even if I fail, I know I will not continue to
fail and will learn from the experience.
Either way, it will have a profound effect on my life. In
preparation for the challenge, I have had to reason with myself not to over
think it and not let any doubts consume me.
I can trust in myself and my abilities.
The
non-profit organization that I’m supporting is the Quad City Veterans Outreach
Center, which is run by volunteers. I
appreciate everything they do for fellow veterans, not only locally but
nationwide. Their motto “It is not a
handout but a hand up” is a way of serving those who serve us.
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