We have arrived.

We met our friend Tim Gillette somewhere outside of Mesa - he caught up with us on the road, literally. It was 118 degrees or more that day - hotter than ever for me. We were riding thru Arizona with desert and red rocklike hills and mountains lining the highway, the heat was alsomst unbearable, it really felt like we were riding thru a kiln.
Tim led us to our hotel in Mesa. After checking in, unloading our bikes and cooling off, the three of us walked to a little mexican place for dinner, it was good, then Tim had to go meet the friends he was staying with. We went to Chester's Harley Davidson to check in. It was almost time to finally learn about and go on - the 2011 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge.  Some of these memories are not real clear, so keep that in mind. We rode to Chester's - saw a few people in the parking lot that looked like they were lined up. I figured they were parked there for check in and inspection. So I rode up and parked there. LuLu missed the turn into that part of the lot - so I pulled in alone right behind them. I turned off my bike, got off - all excited and happy and looked at the guys. They just stared at me. I smiled, nothing. So I said Hi! they barekly acknowledged me. My heart sank. This wasn't part of my vision. I saw LuLu coming over, she parked beside me and I told her about my "greeting". We saw the building where we thought we supposed to go and headed that way. At this time I saw a dude with a "Staff" shirt on so I signaled him and called him over. I asked him where we were supposed to park and go for check in. He said we could stay where we parked and I told him about the ass wipes and how they treated us. He said oh, they're lined up for the start of the ride there. They've been there sleeping in a tent so they could be the first ones out. I guess they thought these two females were going to try to pass them and beat them to the finish line. Whatever. We promptly moved our bikes away from them. Luckily, we had a room waiting for us for the next two nights. We went in and checked in. It wasn't all I had hoped, but to be true I didn't know what to expect. I guess I thought there'd be more people. They were nice though. We got our much coveted and cherished challenge coins, each engraved with our own rider numbers, and to be honest I have had mine in my pocket every single day since - as I do now and hopefully always will. We got Hoka Hey stickers and T-Shirts and some papers and stuff. I think we met both Beth and Jim Red Cloud on this day. We also saw the video camera team dudes that were going to be interviewing people for the documentary. It was exciting, but still so much seemed unknown. We hung out there for a while but then went back to the room to sleep.

I'll attempt to catch up now.

It's Ocotber 17th and I haven't posted since August 2nd. How will ever fill in the lost days?
I guess I'll start at the beginning and try to recap the events and feelings while they're still pretty fresh in my mind. We left on the 2nd of August, it was 110 degrees in Dallas. I worked that day so we rode West until we got tired and it was dark. I think it was over 500 miles before we started to find a hotel. I was happy thinking about the last few nights before leaving would be in comfy hotels before the sleeping outside kicked in, but not on this night. All the hotels were sold out in West Texas - and this was a Tuesday night! Seems all the oil field workers snag up all the rooms during the week. Plus there was some championship softball tournament or something somewhere. So here we were - having to sleep outside beside our bikes, early. We rode around looking for a place - couldn't find one that felt safe, couldn't find a campground either. We finally went to a State Park - it was after midnight, and we found Sandhills State Park, a pretty strange, weird and almost creepy place. We rode our bikes out far into the white sand dunes on narrow roads until we saw some picnic tables in a cul-de-sac area. We never saw a soul. We each got out our mosquito nets, rolled ourselves up in them and each grabbed a sandy buggy metal picnic table to sleep on. Weird. All I could think was, this is what we're in for for the next few weeks, better get used to it. We slept a little, tossed and turned alot and got cool that night in the desert.
Next morning we packed up and rode into Mesa Arizona - the excitement of the event we were about to embark on was really getting intense now.

All Ready to Roll!

Whew! The day is finally here for us to head out to Mesa Arizona. It's been a tough few days with last minute things and stresses... but we're good now. It's 107 degrees outside and not even 2pm yet. I'm leaving work in 15 minutes to meet Louann at Maxim, a place where she ordered some riding pants. They had my size, but not hers. Hers will be delivered by UPS today - around 2pm - we'll see! Talk about last minute. So we'll put the pants on, soak our cooling vests in cold water, get our motors running and head out on the highway!!!
I cannot wait. I don't think I've ever been so excited in my entire life. I will try to keep posting here and eventually tell people about it - other than my mom :) I love you mom! I'll be in touch. Next post, we will be in Mesa Arizona!!!!

It's August!

I got my bike back from Jud yesterday evening. New tires, fresh fluids, a connection to charge to phone and the tracking device installed. I love my mechanic Jud, he worked on a Saturday and Sunday, during his busiest time of the year for us. He has also given us some good tips, and always has - smart guy he is.

I think we have Lulu's bike squared away - but she's got some issue right now with her radio...

 

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Heat Continues to Worsen Across Plains

Read More   |  2011 Heat Superlatives 

Details

Today Aug 1

Tue 2

Wed 3

Thu 4

Fri 5

Mostly Sunny	Partly Cloudy	Mostly Sunny	Sunny	Sunny
108°FHigh	109°High	108°High	107°High	106°High
80°Low	81°Low	82°Low	81°Low	80°Low
Chance of Rain: 10%	Chance of Rain: 10%	Chance of Rain: 0%	Chance of Rain: 0%	Chance of Rain: 0%

We got the bikes pretty much packed now. We have lots of stuff but not a lot of clothes! I still cannot imagine how hard it's going to be to be in the heat all day, day after day with no cooling. We'll be living in the elements regardless of what conditions we're presented with. Choosing to suffer I guess, and realizing how truly blessed we are to have the life we live. People live their lives sufferring thru whatever the elements throw at them - for years on end. In the streets, the dessert, the jungle -  everywhere with no end in sight. And I'm also aware of all of the other forms of sufferring people miraculously seem to endure and survive. Keeping all this in mind while I struggle for a mere 3 weeks or so will really keep things in perspective. I expect to cry and to be very uncomfortable and at times so mentally, spiritually and physically weak that we want to quit - but we will not.

The reality of this challenge has been setting in for a while now. I expect to be scared too - and I don't scare easily. Reading the accounts of some people from last year's challenge - is eye opening. Lots of obstacles will be thrown in front of us. And also, lots of wild animals could be in front of us it seems. Travelling parts of the country that are not widely traveled will have it's plusses (less traffic) and minuses (less services). I'm thinking of gas stations, and water/drinks stops. There are so many, many unknowns ahead. Still, I just want to get on my bike and ride.

I really look forward to meeting all the characters in this story :)

Tracking

My bike is still at my mechanics and still has not had the tracking device installed on it :(
But, LuLu's is installed and she's out riding and I am tracking her, along with many of our friends on Facebook. It's pretty cool, and funny. We can see that she's speeding :) and she doesn't know we're looking!

The website: http://www.hokaheychallenge.com/ will have a link to what seems like a really cool tracking site for family and friends to follow us around the country. I can't wait to see it!

Packing and Planning

I think we're in good shape. I still don't want to pack clothes! Ugh. But WooHoo, Louann got us some mesh riding pants! Now we don't have to bring jeans, or not as many anyway. We can wear shorts under these in the hot temps, and they have a rain/wind liner for cooler or wet conditions. This will free up more space because we can wear these pants day after day after day... what a blessing. We won't need our rain pants anymore either. We have so much stuff to pack though - this weekend, by Sunday evening we will have our main bags packed and we'll go on a practice run to see how the weight feels.

I. Cannot. Wait.

Speechless

Last night we got together with our lady friends for our monthly spaghetti dinner we have at a different home each month. Much to our surprise, upon arrival we were presented with a couple of visa gift cards we can use on the trip by a couple of friends, along with a beautiful card and some hot tamales road candy. Wow, too generous for them both but what could we say? A little while later, an announcement - we were presented with a card and a small paper handbag full of cash. They had taken a collection for us to help with gas and expenses on the challenge. It was very humbling, I really feel the love from these ladies and I count my blessings for being able to share our lives with such wonderful people as these. A little while later, yet another announcement. There was going to be a big welcome home party for us at Debi's beautiful house on the Saturday after we get home. Again, so very humbling, for lack of a better word. We really have to finish the challenge now I'm thinking! We ate dinner, laughed, hugged, kissed, hugged, laughed - what a great night, and what a magnificent set of friends we have.

Lulu's Getting a New Bike

She traded in her much loved and cherished Fatboy last night, for a 2011 Heritage Classic. Paul at the dealership made her what sure seems like a good deal on it. And LuLu doesn't roll over or get walked on when it comes to making purchases, especially major ones. So we don't get the free tire, installed that he had offerred us but we did get the seat cover things. So then he gives us these big huge honkin' Harley Davidson  of Dallas patches and wants us to wear them, on our vests to let people know he's sponsoring us!!
Really? They will cover up our HOG patches for one thing, and for another, I'm just not real sure we want to do that for $89.99. T-Bags has asked us to display their bags and wear the cool T-Shirts they sent us (3 each, short and long sleeve) They were so generous and are so excited that we WANT to wear those shirts and promote their business. But I just don't know about the shop....as far a sponsoring us goes either you sponsor us or you don't - you can't reap the rewards (if any) either way. You gotta pay, you know?

Talked to our Local Dealership

All over the country it seems, Hoka Hey Riders are being sponsored by HD dealerships and their HOG Chapters. Well, we approached ours and his first response was "my attorney's or my Insurance" or some crap (admittedly, it may not be crap - but it felt like crap)... He then gave us a few pointers on how to go about getting sponsors which was valuable. BUT - really.... We ll eventually he said he'd do something for us then we never heard from him, then he went on vacation, so on and so on. We finally got him to sit down and talk. He was going to give us a back tire for LuLu's bike, installed and two seat cover things. Not much really, but still, very nice. We have nothing to complain about, we have several sponsors who have sent us their products, generously. We are very excited to see that complete strangers are excited for us and see this as a good opportunity for them to get exposure for their businesses. They have all been more generous than our "sponsoring" dealership. I'm just saying that because it doesn't really feel that great, and I don't think it's at all cool.

We Got a Press Release?

Ok so, one of our wonderful sponsors offered to get a press release written up for us - so I said sure.
Now, I don't know what we're supposed to do with it, and I don't know what she's going to do with it either but I know she got permission to use the Hoka Hey Logo on it and got it approved by Beth Durham, who's in charge of everything Hoka Hey it seems (can't wait to meet her). It's pretty cool but it just feels weird.
A press release? really?

Ummm... we started packing a little today

Oh my gosh. I don't want to take too much stuff, but we'll need lots of stuff. I want to take a pair of jeans and wear a pair - how would that do for 22  or 23 days? not very good I guess. Maybe 17 days - I can do laundry in Nova Scotia. That's about 8 or 9 days per pair. Ugh. Guess I'll bring 2 pair of jeans, which will give me three. I will be wearing the same pants and shirts as long as I possibly can. But then there's the other plethora of items we'll need. We have two cases of 5 hour energy, those little bottles get heavy in numbers!!

And then there's all the camping stuff, or sleeping stuff I should say... and hot weather gear, and cold weather gear, and rain suits and rain boot covers. I think if we get rain, we'll be pretty lucky because that would mean no extreme heat, or at least we'd be cooled down while riding in the rain. We have to plan for rain because we can ride pretty hard and fast in the rain - we don't stop unless we really cannot see anything at all, and even then we still ride for a while. If we have rain gear, we'll be good to go and may even have a leg up on some of the riders, so we will be prepared. I don't expect it to get very cold, but it can be in the 50's on the way up to and in Nova Scotia, at night and that is pretty cold on a bike.

By the time we get up there, we'll be pretty desperate for good conditions so I'm planning on being as warm and comfortable for those last all important couple of days.

We have tons of stuff to pack and load. When we get to Mesa, we'll have to unload our bikes and repack them back on at like 3:30 -4:00AM on the day of departure, what a drag that will be. But truthfully, we'll likely be so damn excited to finally be getting on the road after waiting so long, wondering, reading, learning, guessing - it will finally be time to give it what we got.

The Time is Getting Near

So much has transpired since my post. I really do hope to keep this blog updated, but we'll just have to see how that goes. Busy, busy, busy. We've got our wonderful neighbors to take care of precious Betty and look in on Emma and Norman, feed them and scoop their box daily. How blessed we are to have them. So lucky.

We have gotten more sponsors, let's see... Ride-On tire protection stuff, T-Bags luggage, Riderswraps, Long Ride Shields, Missing Link and as of today, Harley Davidson of Dallas. All of these people have agreed to give us some free stuff, very cool of them. We are especially pleased to be able to add our designated dealership to the list. What a relief. Although they are not doing a true sponsorship like many shops around the country are, they are providing us with some things we need, and will be slling us more stuff at a discount. Paul Langford is being very generous and I can't express how much that means, because he is the sponsor of our HOG Chapter and our chapter is a major part of our lives. We want to support the shop and now we can fully. I was feeling a little unhappy about the situation but it was all made good today and we couldn't be much happier.

So, back to friends...I'm starting to feel uneasy about the spotlight being on us. I just don't want what we're doing to be so dominant in conversations. Of course, it's all I've been able to think about, sleeping, waking, working, driving - it's always on my mind - Hoka Hey! It has overcome me,  I am totally consumed by it. But I don't expect everyone to be - so it's just a little awkward I guess. I hope we are not being too-too with it...

Today we were out most of the day riding in 100+ degree temps. I couldn't help but think about going 800 miles or more in it, and then sleeping in it without getting a chance to cool down. Yikes. The heat waves are all over most of the country, it's really HOT. I hope we, especially I, do alright. Louann is worried about my heat tolerance - I wish she wasn't because I wiull the best I ossibly can and that's all I can do. Sleeping in it, and not being able to get out of the heat will be tough but I imagine we'll get used to it. Humans have a way of acclimating to all kinds of less than desirable situations so this should be the same thing, right?

The other day our T-Bags stuff came in the mail. WOW - they gave us two of the top of their line luggage bags, plus two map holders that mount on the tanks, plus 3 really cool t-shirts each, plus chapsticks (24) at least, a couple of koozies, patches, stickers, magenets, and tote bags! hey are our primary product sponsor so we'll be sure to try to be seen in pictures wearing the t-shirts and hopefully with our bikes with the luggage on them. They had patches sewn onto them before sending them to us, pretty cool, that makes them even more special. NOW we can finally start packing which is what are going to do tomorrow. It's going to be quite a task to figure out how to pak optimally. I am not brining many clothes....

Friends are funny

Louann and I have a bunch of friends, I think some of them don't think we can do this, but some of them do think we can do it. Some think they could do it, and don't even know what it really is. I feel the love and support from so many of them though -it's genuinely warm. I love our friends a lot, I really do.

Things are really starting to come together.

As you probably already know, Louann and I are preparing to take the ride of our lives, the 2011 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. It's an undertaking of enormous proportions, and we are beginning to feel the excitement build as we guard from becoming overwhelmed by it all.

Last week we received our welcome packets, I can't tell you how exciting that was! We now have our official rider numbers, which will be imprinted on the challenge coin that we must keep in our pockets at all times during the ride. We also received our tracking devices which will soon be hard-wired onto our bikes so we can be tracked, live every 10 seconds while riding and every 30 minutes while stopped.

We also have been contacted by a couple of the companies that we asked for sponsorship from - one of them is T-Bags, we really love T-Bags motorcycle luggage, have used them for years and years so we are very happy that they are sending us two of their very best touring bags and some T-Shirts.  We'll proudly wear the shirts and hopefully get into some photo opportunities with them. We will also have patches on our bags to display. Another company is Ride-On Tire Protection System, this product looks really, really cool and it could end up saving us from having to quit the ride early. It works in tubed and un-tubed tires.
It's really comforting to know there are companies that are not afraid to sponsor a couple of women in such a challenging event. We are to be Hoka Hey warriors afterall, I commend them and suggest you visit their websites to see what they have to offer!