My name is Chris Comly and I am rider 1115. When not riding I am either working on one of my 5 bikes, volunteering, or spending time with my family which includes my wonderful supportive wife Michele, two daughters, and 5 grandchildren. Pre-Covid I volunteered at the Independence Seaport Museum working on their historic ships in Philadelphia PA and I am looking forward to getting back now that restrictions are being lifted. I also am a volunteer at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum in Reading PA where I am one of the parking coordinators for their WWII Weekend show each June.
As for riding, I started taking week long trips with friends in 2009, and in 2014 I started doing longer more challenging rides. I applied for and was chosen for the 2015 Iron Butt Rally and was hooked. To date I have completed four IBRs.
I first heard about the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge not long after the first challenge when it was mentioned to me by a friend of mine in my HOG chapter. I thought it was crazy, who would be able do a ride such as that? At the time my long distance riding was limited to week long trips of 3,000-4,000 miles. A few years later I met some of the HHMC riders and in no time we were talking about riding and of course the HHMC came up. I became good friends with some of the riders and followed them over the past two or three challenges. Last year I decided it was time to throw my hat into the ring and I finally applied.
My reason for wanting to ride in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge is because I like a challenge, and the HHMC is certainly that. I also like taking smaller roads and riding through small town America and seeing things most people don’t see. The more I heard about the HHMC the more I wanted to ride in it. When we leave Rapid City in June I expect to be pushed to my limits. I expect to be challenged to my max and experience things I have never experienced before. I am moved when I am in places that are historic in nature or where few have gone before. Riding in the HHMC I expect will be as close as I can come to understanding what my great grandfather experienced over 100 years ago when he was a ranch hand in Oklahoma Territory living on the range with only his horse.
Over the years I have been given some good advice, ranging from how difficult the challenge is, what to expect, how to find a place to sleep, etc. But to me the best advice I have received was relax and enjoy the ride. As things come up, simply deal with them and ride on.
One of the things that I like about the HHMC is the support for charities. My charity of choice is The Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation. This charity was set up by a friend of mine almost 10 years ago after his son Eli lost his fight with Leukemia at the young age of ten years old. His father, Paul, established the foundation to support research to find a true cure for this terrible disease.
For more information see the foundations website at www.braveeli.com
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