Hi, I’m Charlie Farrell, a 30-year active-duty veteran of the Coast Guard! I completed the 2024 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge . I truly had the time of my life! Recently a friend asked me “Was there ever a day when I asked myself if ‘I’ve had enough?’” My response was a big “NO!” It was immeasurable waking up every morning looking forward to what new adventures the day would bring. Some of my fondest memories of the 2024 challenge were: riding through Hurricane Debbie, hooking up at various locales along the trek with #1142, next meeting #1122, and crossing into Alaska meeting #1027 on his return from Homer, AK.
Some of the 2024 challenge highlights included: from Keyenta, AZ heading north was waking up in the middle of every night shivering from the cold, the giant potholes on the ALCAN riding through the Yukon, seeing three grizzlies (a momma and two cubs) road side near Destruction Bay, the trial of limited opportunities for refuelling in Canada and Alaska, and all the people I met along the trek.
Lessons learned from doing the 2024 challenge = 1) I over packed and under packed. There was stuff I had and didn’t need and stuff I needed and didn’t have. 2) At 65 years old, to sum up what the bare minimums for me to “challenge the challenge” were: Time, Money, and Energy. The absence of any one of those elements are deal breakers…as it was for me in prior plans to do three previous challenges. In 2024 I was blessed that everything came together, albeit at the last minute…getting on the road from NJ on August 2nd at 3:43 PM and arriving at Teddy Morse's Destination Daytona on August 3rd at 3:30 PM. Just in time, being the last tracker to be installed on my 2017 Victory Gunner, aka “The Animal”, and for the challenge briefing. From then on it was all up hill – North to Alaska, but first south to Key West.
For the 2026 challenge fundraiser I’m being sponsored by CopperFox Coffee Roasters, a family operation and independent roaster located in Colorado Springs (copperfoxcoffee.com). Annually CopperFox raises funds for Pro-Life initiatives and antihuman trafficking. This endeavor will be in addition to my personal fundraising effort at this link: DONATE
Lord willing…see you in Woodstock, IL!
Ktentowshketon Mnopmatsowen!
No comments:
Post a Comment