I'm
a grandfather to five girls. Each amazing in their own way. My son
just sent me a video of his three year old Ember sitting on the tank of
his dirt bike riding around his lower field. He says she loved it.
Motorcycles, I started with go karts and mini bikes as a kid like most of us here I suppose.
I've been riding off and on since then. My most recent years I've found
the long distance community and it's like having a new family.
My best friend Ronnie and I had been planning riding off into the sunset on our bikes with retirement. When we didn't have bikes we were sending each other pictures and ads of bikes we were thinking of. His nieces husband sold him a Yamaha cruiser and I followed with a VTX 1800 not too long after. We made a bunch of trips back and forth for long weekends to each of our homes. He in Columbus and I in Pittsburgh. He was diagnosed with cancer and was gone within 6 months.
It was then that I realized there was nothing left to wait for.
Tomorrow isn't promised and it was time to start doing those things that
I always wanted to do. I developed friendships with the VTX riders and
started attending some of their get togethers. I made it to their
annual events and found a new family I just hadn't met yet.
After some long rides with my new found friends to Sturgis, Daytona, the Dragon etc. I thought about trying an Iron Butt. I have a sister Karin transplanted in Denver. I decided to head out there to visit by motorcycle. I completed my first Saddle Sore 1000 and Bun Burner 1500 Silver.
I
did several of those and filed the required documentation got my patch.
I've done a few where I seemed to fail getting the correct receipts
required. Completed as many say but not documented.
I don't remember where I first heard of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge but I was
familiar with it. I recall a finish line video after reading about it
and thinking I wanted to do that. Um, could I do that? I forgot about
it till 2023 when Mike Clark #1188 mentioned it to me at one of our
winter lunch get togethers. I sent an application in but was late and
put on a waiting list. Luckily I made it.
I went to the Taco Lunch Run with Mike and we met up with the folks
that wore the Hoka Hey patch set. We found everyone helpful with the
million questions we had. I figured out rather quickly that there is no
secret sauce to completing the Hoka Hey. It's an individual endeavor
and your going to make mistakes. It was designed that way. It's meant
to be a CHALLENGE!
Hopefully what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger.
Everyday was a new adventure. Riding in a Hurricane. Seeing a Tornado
warning pop up a mile ahead while your watching the Hurricane make
landfall just ahead of you. The rainbows coming off the mountains in
Utah while riding switchbacks down to sea level again. The wildlife
Bears, Eagles, Bison, snakes.
Most
memorable for me were people. Everyone everywhere were helpful and
friendly. Though there was someone who's boss told him to turn a leaf
blower on us for sleeping in their parking lot. He didn't, he had his
phone make alarm clock noises. I think he was afraid of the big bad
bikers.
Statistics are what helped me select Shatterproof. I wanted something
that was important to me personally. Something that I felt strongly
about. It seemed to me everybody was raising money for some type of
Cancer or Nationally known charity. I chose Shatterproof.
Me 26 stories up
In 2015 I rappelled from the Westin in Pittsburgh 26 stories. Then in 2024 for the Hoka Hey and now in 2026.
In 2015 I rappelled from the Westin in Pittsburgh 26 stories. Then in 2024 for the Hoka Hey and now in 2026.
The
Why? I have a bunch of dead friends. I lost count. I've had two
friends reach out to me before they committed suicide. I live with those
last conversations. Addiction is a disease that has stigma attached to
it. It's hidden in plain sight. You know someone with a problem,
everybody does. Yet no one talks about it. Shatterproof wants to help
change that and so do I.
Some amazing statistics.
49 million people over age 12 are living with addiction
One in every three American adults has lost someone to addiction
87,000 people died from a drug overdose in 2024
Fentanyl is the top cause of death for Americans 18-49
Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable Cancer
On any given day more than 360,000 people are incarcerated for drug offenses
How many do you know?
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