Ten Thousand Miles In Ten Days

By: Carl (KSolo DaRy er) Harri

Ho a Hey Motor y le C allenge 3r Pla e Fini er.

en thousand miles in ten

days.

You’d have to be insane with just that part alone. Now add in no GPS, no electronic maps, sleeping outside next to your motorcycle, turn by turn instructions only provided at the next checkpoint, and all the while averaging 2-3 hours of sleep a night. Welcome to the most formidable motorcycle challenge in America, the prestigious HOKA HEY Motorcycle Endurance Challenge, founded by James G. Red Cloud in 2010, which is held every two years.

“Many hear the call, but only a few are chosen.” I heard the call and l accepted the challenge. Coming off of a spectacular 2019 riding season which took me to all fifty states, as well as Canada and Mexico, numerous Iron Butt Association certified long-distance rides, the Ultimate Coast to Coast ride from Key West, FL to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and The Southern California

Motorcycle Association (SCMA) Four Corners Tour Ride.

The HOKA HEY Motorcycle Challenge was my sole focus for this year’s endurance ride. I started getting into shape in January and continued all the way up to August. I participated in the Mexico IBA, DiscoverMoto SS1000 Rally in Baja California Sur, Mexico in February, before the COVID-19 pandemic restricted the country and closed the borders. In June, l rode the SCMA’s True X riding 10,355 miles in 9 days, 18 hours, and 14 minutes as a train-up ride.

The 2020 HOKA HEY Motorcycle Endurance Challenge started on August 9th in Panama City Beach, Florida. At 0545, we received our first set of directions and were given a few brief minutes to look them over. At 0600, we were led out from Panama City Beach HarleyDavidson, 153 eager riders, some first-time riders and veteran riders alike. The journey

took me through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and on to New Mexico, where l ended my first night of riding in Santa Teresa, Texas along Highway NM 9W sleeping under the stars on the ground just a few yards from a U.S. Customs and Border observation post. The challenge took us on to Arizona and through the beautiful but treacherous Apache National Forest, and Alpine, AZ where free-range cattle, deer, and elk were constant sightings and hazardous obstacles. I was challenged more at night during which I encountered a family of elk crossing the road in front of me and I ended up striking an elk calf. It shook my nerves for the remainder of the challenge and l dreaded riding at night for the next eight days.

On day two, we started receiving reports of riders involved in accidents and a compound of broken legs, bike wrecks, and the loss of my friend, Todd Moreland, in a fatal single vehicle wreck where he succumbed to his injuries. The HOKA HEY Motorcycle Endurance Challenge tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally because even though l lost a friend, l had to remain focused and continue on this journey, know

ing we would not be celebrating at the finish line together, something we had talked about doing for over a year. The journey took me through 28 states, three time zones, deserts, mountains, and flatlands. Through Arkansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New York, and down the north east, back into Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia, North Carolina on the US 421, “The Snake”, and Deals Gap. We crossed backwoods, secondary roads, and country roads with some of the most breathtaking scenery in America. The HOKA HEY Motorcycle Endurance Challenge takes on a different meaning for each rider. For me it exposed my strength, my perseverance, and my commitment to be the best rider l can be. My journey didn’t go without missed turns, wrong calculations, and redirections. I completed the challenge, finishing in 3rd place. My motto is Aspire To Inspire. Ten thousand miles in ten days. HOKA HEY!!!

KSolo DaRyder Rider #990 would like to thank sponsors: Boneyard Harley-Davidson Winterville, NC, Dead Center Cycles, Lacey, Washington, Custom Dynamics Lighting, Jessica’s Philly’s Raleigh, NC, Bullitt Auto Wraps, Smithfield, NC, and MOTOJUG Hydration Systems.