I’m Valerie Stewart, rider #985, my road name is Gypsy.
I am 72 years old, and this will be my fourth Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. My goal is to
finish as quickly as possible while staying safe.
Like many of us, I started riding motorcycles as a child, though horses were my primary passion back then, so I mostly rode other people's bikes. I married young and had my two children by the age of 22. Life was busy with work and raising my family, but we spent a lot of time camping and enjoying the outdoors together.
My journey back to motorcycles
began when a work friend set me up on a blind date with a Harley rider.
We eventually married, and after spending some time as a passenger, I
bought my own 2000 Harley 883C Sportster. That was a turning point for
me; I discovered a true love for riding solo. Living in Northern Nevada
at the time, I worked a schedule that allowed for long trips. I often
finished a 12-hour night shift at 6:00 AM and would immediately ride to
Oregon to visit family before heading back for my next shift.
In 2009, I traded my Sportster for a Street Glide to make those long-distance trips more comfortable. It was during one of those night shifts that I first discovered the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge online. I was immediately intrigued by the riders' experiences and knew I wanted to participate, but my job didn't allow for that much time off.
Everything finally aligned after I moved back to Oregon, and I was able to apply for my first Challenge in 2020. Now here we are 2026 and prepping for another Challenge. Crazy how time passes so fast. Hoka Hey is an amazing experience.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to
ride this year and to have my son Craig Tooley #1156 and daughter Andrea
Tooley #1066 take on the Challenge again. I have been told insanity is
hereditary. Peace, Love, Hoka Hey!
My
charity is Mile Monsters Inc. We love doing EPIC to raise money for our
Heroes. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is fatal and takes so much away. We
want to help them live their best life. Check out what we do at Mile Monsters Inc
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