Posted October 5,2018: Welcome! Thank you for visiting my website.
Well, I'm back! The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge was everything it was said to be. Exciting, punishing on machine and body, challenging and revealing as to what one can accomplish if one refuses to give up. I was one of 130 riders who "took the challenge" and only one of four over the age of 70. We gathered on Friday, July 13th for a meet and greet social, provided by the Wind River Harley Davidson dealer in Lawton, Oklahoma where I met some friends from Illinois and made some new friends among the seasoned riders who had completed the Hoka Hey is prior years. I gathered as much of their knowledge as I could to help me in my rookie attempt. Saturday, July 14th at 8 am, rider registration was held. Since I couldn't sleep and fearful of a long line of riders waiting to register, I arrived at 6:30 AM. Needless to say first in line. At registration you were issued a challenge coin, personalized with your rider number. Mine was #939. Your phone was programmed to receive text messages which would be broadcast to all riders in the event of route instruction changes or road hazard warnings. The text number could also be used to notify the organizers that you had an emergency or other related issues and needed assistance. Your motorcycle was then inspected to verify its compliance to the rules of the event and for safety, such as good tires, headlights, brakes, etc. Later that day a memorial ceremony remembering the founder of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, Jim Red Cloud was held before the rider briefing meeting when the route instructions were explained along with a brief review of the events do and don'ts.
Sunday, July 15th, we were instructed to assemble at 4 AM. Again unable to sleep I arrived early at 3:30 AM only to find about twenty riders already lined up for the start. Everyone was milling around waiting for the bike blessing at 5 AM. A native American Indian "medicine man" performed an authentic Indian ritual, blessing each rider in a traditional tribal custom reserved for warriors about to set off to battle. As 6 AM approached the riders were issued their route directions no more than 10 to 15 minutes before departure. Barely enough time to secure those turn by turn instructions to our motorcycles. At 6 AM, moments after daybreak, we were off. One of the organizers lead us out of the wildlife park there in Medicine Park, Oklahoma as a pace car leads NASCAR drivers around the track. Once we cleared the wildlife park the lead rider turned us loose and away we went. Almost immediately some riders were overtaken by the urge to make time that some of them missed the first turn and had to turn around once they realized their error.
Posted June 2018: Welcome! Thank you for visiting my website.
My friends call me Gopher, my real name is Robert (Bob) Goffinski, but many many people know me as Gopher, a nickname I have had since fifth grade. Of course as a motorcyclist/biker most of us have aliases and Gopher is mine.
Hoka Hey? What is that you say? "Hoka Hey" was a Lakota battle cry used by Crazy Horse to rally his warriors as they rode into battle, it means "A good day to die." The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge event has chosen to alter the meaning to "a good day to ride."
Every other year the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge organization puts together a grueling 10,000 mile course which they challenge an elite group of motorcyclists to complete in 12 days using no GPS or electronic devices, fuel tank limitations, no hotel or motel lodging, no interstate highways, sleeping is restricted to within close proximity of the riders motorcycle. The route is issued in turn by turn format and adherence to the route is monitored via satellite tracking device which is installed on each participants motorcycle, (which can also be viewed online by friends and family to "watch" a riders progress along the route). If one leaves the designated route the rider must return to the route at the point were he left the route and continue. If a rider experiences any mechanical issues and leaves the route to obtain repairs or service, he must return to the point where he left the route and continue. There will be no makers or indications verifying the rider is on the designated route. The rider must rely on his abilities to execute the directions to the letter. I inquired as to how a rider will know whether he is on the route or not? As it was put to me: "therein lies the challenge."
This years event will start and finish in Medicine Park, Oklahoma and take the riders to Panama City Beach, Florida, Bettendorf, Iowa and Spokane, Washington. Again the exact route will not be revealed until time of departure.
This years event will involve just over 100 riders, many of which have completed similar challenges in years past. This will be my first, and hopefully not my last, Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge.