Hi there, I’m Alex “Scrubs” Brown. I’m currently serving as an Adult Emergency Staff Nurse at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC and serve in the South Carolina Army National Guard Nurse Corps. The last 3 years has been filled with me completing my Doctorate of Nursing Practice for which I have been named the distinguished honor graduate of the May ’22 class and will be graduating May 21st. Presently, I’m busy planning now for this ride as I was just recently able to join as a first time rider and studying for my boards to become a certified Family Nurse Practitioner. For fun when not riding, I enjoy working with and taking care of our local veteran population with the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association® who are my charity I’ve chosen to raise funds for. I also volunteer with the 501st Legion a nonprofit group who creates and reaches out to the public with professional grade Star Wars costumes and uniforms working with organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Relay for Life, Junior Diabetes Research Foundation, and many more across the world, helping raise support. Lastly, I also enjoy carving and tooling various leather projects, some of which are on my motorcycle.
I look forward to the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge as a personal challenge of endurance while having the opportunity and experience more of the countryside of the US I may not otherwise see. I rode a few years back out west for the first time from Charleston, SC to Boise, Idaho and since have itched to experience more of the west as I have primarily lived along the east coast throughout my life. I’m excited to test my abilities to navigate without a GPS. I have done this a bit in short range through hiking and military operations but not on such a grand scale of distance. Lastly, I appreciate how this test of endurance calls on its members to raise support for a charity of substance and meaning in their own life. By accepting the challenge we place ourselves in a unique position of doing something wildly outside of everyday norms and can use this a platform to raise awareness of our community needs.
What are your expectations entering a challenge such as the HHMC for the first time?
Not only for yourself but from the challenge.
I appreciate the idea of keeping a beginner’s mind. In this, I don’t want to plan too many expectations, but rather allow to be the journey to be the teacher of what it brings to me. In reading of the challenge, I understand some of what to expect, but recognize this is quite the iceberg’s tip of experience. Much more lies beneath the surface and the pounding of miles with the ability for deep introspection as we move existentially through the journey. It will test us, and I am curious to learn how I will adapt, and how I will react to what the challenge brings me.
What is the best advice you have been given about riding the HHMC?
Adequate sleep is important, take the time to review the directions and ensure the appropriate turn is made to save on having to circle back and lose considerable time, this is your journey, there is respect to be shared in the sharing of wisdom of our elders of the Challenge but in the end, this is your Challenge to ride.
Do you have to overcome any obstacles to ride the challenge? What are they? How do You intend to overcome them?
In starting the preparation journey late, I plan on some shake down small rides / camp set up runs to ensure I am happy with my gear, and how it’s packed for movement. I am curious how my body will feel throughout the experience. I plan to listen to it, persistently hydrate, wear sunscreen, pack some NSAIDs, and see where the road takes me.
How did you hear about the HHMC?
I learned about the HHMC from a google search. I was busy working on a leather heat shield and tank bib for my Indian Chieftain Limited, and keeping with the theme of a Thunderstroke 111 Engine, and Thunder Black Pearl paint, I remembered back to the Thunder Beings spoken of by Black Elk in his book Black Elk Speaks. I loved the following quote and I tooled and painted it on one side of my heat shield and carved a mural of Black Elk on the other side.
“When a vision comes from the thunder beings of the west; it comes with terror like a thunderstorm; but when the storm of vision has passed, the world is greener and happier; for wherever the truth of vision comes upon the world, it is like a rain, The world, you see, is happier after the terror of the storm.” – Black Elk
Riding for me is an incredible therapeutic exercise in being fully present as you are engaged in the environment with sight, sound, and smells, while in tune and harmony with your iron horse. My motorcycle, for me, is my thunder being, and it brings me joy and peace in the wildness of our journeys together.
The tank bib took on an additional meaning as I carved into it a dream catcher and was looking for a simple phrase such as, “Charge!” In looking through additional Sioux ideas, I remembered and came across Black Elk’s 2nd cousin, Crazy Horse, and the call “Let’s Go!”, at the Battle of Little Big Horn, or rather “Hoka Hey!” Seeking out more stylistic ideas, google searching brought forth this challenge, and once reading about it roughly 2 years ago, it has been a goal of mine to participate.
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