Meet The New Rider # 1118 Greg Oliver

 


My name is Greg Oliver I am married to my wife Jenny of 32 years. We have two boys and 3 grandkids. I
have always been an avid outdoors person with hunting and sports. As a young man, I started out riding
dirt bikes and raced them through high school. Raising our boys we would all hunt pheasant, quail, dove
and deer together. Guiding my wife and boys hunting was a natural progression to eventually start
guiding on the side with pheasant hunts for others. As my boys graduated high school and left the house
I got back into riding a motorcycle and encouraged my wife to learn to ride her own. Now we ride
together and love to travel as often as we can in the spring summer and fall. Our goal is to ride in all
lower 48 states, and we have no doubt we will have that accomplished sooner than later.

I want to ride the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge to challenge myself and see what I can do and not do. The endurance that I have seen others go through has enticed me to do this for myself. I like to ride my motorcycle as it gives me peace of mind and adventure in life.

The non-profit I have chosen is Mile Monsters Inc. who support boys who have DMD. We are not the
heroes they wanted; we are the monsters they needed. Riding for others in the hope of helping some
kids live their best life. Raising money and awareness one mile at a time. I chose this non-profit as I have
a choice to do so when these boys did not have a choice in fighting this battle with this illness. I want to
be a part of helping them live the best life that they can while they are here on this earth. The money
will be used for medical expenses, medications, and anything that the boys need to accommodate them
as they go through different stages of life and DMD. This could be wheelchair ramps, wheelchairs,
accommodations to their homes to accommodate wheelchairs etc.

                                                                    

Meet The New Rider # 1132 Rick Dukehart

 

Ride name/ trail name???   

I'm still thinking about that.  (Rick, RickyD,  Tool Man, Duke, Bravey,  Capt. Kale,  Renegade, Little hero)  The most common has been "Yer Crazy". Except when someone yells "Yer Crazy" everyone seems to turn around.  Maybe the Challenge will provide me one?

    Steve McQueen "The King of cool" made an impression on me early.  Maybe at 10 years old. I grew up riding the training wheels off my first bike. The hard rubber tires were the next to fail when all of the spokes fell out. I hadn't even started with jumps and ramps yet.

    I've always been an adrenaline junky I guess. Along the way I have done some pretty neat stuff.

Riding motorcycles"

Flying in a glider

Piloting a plane

Jumping out of perfectly good airplanes

Running with Bulls.

Rock Climbing

Rappelling 26 stories from the Westin Hotel In Pittsburgh for addiction (picture above)

Whitewater rafting and canoeing

Dragon Boating

See a theme here?

I hope Steve McQueen would be proud.

    I can't remember exactly where I became aware of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge.  I do remember watching a video after I learned about it. All I remember was riders crossing the finish line.  They were completely exhausted, spent.  Hardly able to show any emotions except a smile and where can I get off this bike and rest.

    I was immediately drawn to this event. It may have even been the inaugural event I was watching.

    Last February 2023 my buddy Mike Clark and I had met in Virginia for a winter biker lunch with friends. He was seated next to me and asked me if I

'd heard of the "Hoka Hey". I said yes and he told me he had sent his entry in. Knowing what it was I was immediately envious and said I'll have to check it out again.  He told me to hurry as the cut off for entry was close. I said I would and then forgot about it. When I remembered I was right at the cut off and didn't make it.  I watched as a few riders backed out and hoped I would get the call. Well here I am.

    I have chosen "Shatterproof" to support for this ride.  I had previously supported them several years ago.  I rappelled from 26 stories from the Westin Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.  Shatterproof is dedicated to providing people help with addiction.  I have known and lost more people than anyone should have to.  

    Last year alone there were 112,000 overdose deaths.  The highest number ever.  Addiction seems to affect everyone.  According to a study by RAND Corporation, about 42% of adults in the U.S. know someone who died from a drug overdose. Who did you know?

Looking for any help I can achieve for this organization

I'm Supporting Shatterproof 

 

 I'm excited to meet everyone and nervous as well.  See you in August!

Meet The New Rider # 924 Adam Tuft

 

My name is Adam.  I have been around motorcycles my entire life, I cannot remember a time when my father didn't own/ride a motorcycle, my mother worked for the Camel race team in the 80's.  I couldn't imagine life without 2 wheels.  I have been married to My Beautiful wife Jennifer for 25 years and have 5 amazing children i am so proud of everyday.  I am a mechanic by trade for the last 20 years starting in the US Army in 2004 including 2 deployments to Iraq, since 2010 i have been doing  mechanic work all over the country and the middle east in the oil field. I enjoy riding with my Wife all over the country 

 

   I entered into the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge after reading about amazing individuals doing ridiculous long rides for charities, the more I read and looked into their exploits I felt a change from admiration to a need to participate and challenge myself.  In fact it's all i have been talking about since i signed up.  The challenge of living off of my motorcycle, seeing this amazing country and relying on my skills and endurance absolutely fascinates and intimidates me to a point I cannot put into words.

                                                                                                           

     I plan or raising funds for Mile Monster Inc. and possibly another charity.  I have been following them for about a year or so and the amazing things they things do for those kids is absolutely awesome.

Meet The New Rider # 1143 Brad Luepnitz

 

My name is Brad Luepnitz, rider #1143. Some call me “LOGIC”. I grew up in
northern Michigan where I enjoyed skiing and snowmobiling during the cold
winters. I went to college and earned an engineering degree from Michigan Tech.
From there I moved on to the University of Wisconsin at Madison where I
completed my master’s. Upon graduation in 1987, I joined a global consulting
firm in Milwaukee. During my 30-year career with that firm, I served hundreds of
clients, worked in over 30 states, and visited more than 20 countries.
Along the way some important things happened. In 1995 I bought my first
motorcycle, a new Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200. I had never ridden a
motorcycle, and I didn’t know anyone that owned one. To this day I can’t explain
why I did that. I learned to ride, and in 1996 I bought a new Road King. I was
hooked, and motorcycling became my thing. In 1998 I moved to Miami for work.
Although I had been raised in a Christian home, it wasn’t until 2003 that I
committed my life to Christ. I married my wife, Fay, in 2004. In 2016 I retired and
moved to Punta Gorda, FL. I joined the boards of a couple of non-profits that I
support. Fay and I enjoy spending time with friends and family, volunteering,
traveling, staying fit, golfing, dining, boating, and riding motorcycles.      

 I first learned of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge while visiting Key West prior to the inaugural event.  

                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            At that time, I was too busy with work to participate. I didn’t think about it again
until it came up in conversation during a motorcycle trip to Alaska in 2022. I
researched the Challenge and determined this was something I needed to do. At
60 years old, I need to know if I have what it takes to complete “The Toughest Ride
for the Toughest Riders on Earth”. I have met many participants; this is a great
community; I want to be part of it.
I have chosen to support my local church, Deep Creek Community Church (DC3),
where I attend and serve. The DC3 mission is to turn unchurched and unplugged
people into totally devoted followers of Christ. I can think of no more important
mission. I believe, “If it doesn’t matter in eternity, it doesn’t matter”. This helps
me put the trials of this life into perspective. It also reminds me of the awesome
responsibility we, as Christ followers, have to spread the gospel to the world. To
learn more or to contribute visit the DC3 site at: Deep Creek Community Church

Meet The New Rider #1212 Greg Miller

 

My name is Greg Miller #1212, I was born in Calgary Alberta but moved to rural Saskatchewan at a young age. My family and I lived in Melfort, MooseJaw and finally ended up on a farm in the small village of Bjorkdale Saskatchewan.  My brother and I helped our father on the family farm, which included seeding, swathing, combining and so on. In our down time I always found something to do, whether it was hunting, fishing, or ripping around on quads and motorbikes. I was forever busy getting dirty and having a blast doing so. I got into motorcycles at the ripe age of 7, ever since then I was hooked on riding on 2 wheels as long as my gas tank had fuel in it. The old man always told me you break it you fix it, and I did many many times. As time went by, I got into going on longer rides all over the country and the United States. I enjoy seeing a lot of different countryside on my many travels. 

I first heard about the Hoka Hey from a longtime friend of mine Trevor Borstmayer, he was always wanting to do the challenge but hasn’t yet. Then I met another good friend that has been in the Hoka Hey a few times by the name of Jimmy Milas # 848. He told many stories about the challenge and it really peeked my interest. The fact of living with your bike 24/7, sleeping wherever on the ground and not knowing where the hell I’m going. Relying on a piece of paper to get you to your destination just sounds like a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to all the challenges and whatever expected and unexpected things that may cross my path. 

So here’s to 2024 HOKA HEY, it’s gonna be an unforgettable experience I’m ready for.

Meet The New Rider # 1149 Bryan Kern

My name is Bryan Kern, Hoka Hey Rookie #1149. I’m 51 years old and grew up in Northwest Ohio (Clyde).

I’ve been married to my wife Terra for 19 years and we have 6 kids (Braelynn, Kaylee, Mason, Jacob,
Quinnela, and Dexter). I’m have a degree in engineering; and currently lead a manufactured housing wholesale distribution company with 800 employees. I wish I could say I have been riding motorcycles all my life,but that just isn’t my story. I did get my first 3-wheeler at age 10 and enjoyed riding with my friends during my younger years, but only occasionally made it onto 2 wheels. My mom was having nothing to do with motorcycles and had that almost permanently ingrained in me.

 Skipping through 30 years of details, life was full of raising a family and participating in their activities. Finally, in 2017, with only two of the kids left at home, Terra and I decided we needed some hobbies of our own. Golf or a place by the lake with a boat were in the running, until my wife (who grew up riding motorcycles with her dad) asked about a bike. It was in that moment that I realized I was a grown ass man and could get a motorcycle now (although I still called my mom and told her what I was doing!). With the purchase of a 2017 Street Glide Special as my first bike, the addiction was on. I know that all of you reading this will understand when I say, being on a bike is where I am meant to be.

While I haven’t been riding for a long time, I have quickly learned that I love all types of riding. Riding to
work, day trips, group rides, overnights, long trips, camping trips, slow speed cone riding; it doesn’t
matter. I’ll do it all and I enjoy it all. I’m not even 100% sure how I first came across Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, but I believe it was on one of the various Facebook groups I follow. What I do know is that when I saw it, I was immediately drawn in. I read the history, I read the stories, I followed the Facebook pages, and I knew it was something I should do. With overwhelming support from Terra, I was all in for the challenge. I’m not sure I have a real answer as to why I want to do it: Is it the challenge itself (10,000 miles in 14 days…or thereabouts), is it the personal journey, or do I have something to prove to myself? Whatever the draw is, I’m going to lean into it, and I’m fully committed to crossing the finish line in Homer!

As part of my challenge, I will be raising money for the New Perspective Foundation. New Perspective is
an organization that helps individuals in Florida, Georgia, and Ohio who are hospitalized due to spinal
cord injuries. A chance meeting and a random boat ride placed Bob and Gloria Gentry into our lives, and
we learned their son Tyson’s story. Tyson Gentry walked onto the Ohio State Football team as a
punter/wide receiver. During a scrimmage in his sophomore year, Tyson caught a pass in the middle of
the field and landed awkwardly. He was instantly paralyzed from the neck down. During his recovery, he
never forgot the people that sent him cards, letters of encouragement, and wishes for recovery. Others
sent gas cards to help alleviate the costs of travel incurred by his family. It was these acts of kindness
that ultimately inspired Tyson to start the New Perspective Foundation in 2014. The Gentry’s are an
amazing family, and we want to support Tyson and New Perspective in their efforts. The money raised by
New Perspective is used to help other families with travel related expenses while supporting and caring
for loved ones recovering from spinal cord injuries.
To quote Yoda, “Do or Do Not, there is No Try”. I am going to “Do”!
Bryan Kern
Hoka Hey #1149

 

New Perspective Foundation 

 

New Perspective Foundation donation link 

 

Meet The New Rider # 1145 Chris Mc Cann

 Hello! My name is Christopher McCann, and I will be participating in the 2024 Hoka Hey MotorcycleChallenge. I’ve been riding for 10 years. I was drawn to riding by the freedom and

adventure that accompanies it. I wanted to start riding 20 years ago, but my wife told me that
she was pregnant with our second child. I have been working as a carpenter since 2001 and
began my own carpentry business since 2003. I’ll ride from Pittsburgh, PA to Daytona, FL;
Daytona, FL to Homer, AK; and Homer, AK back to Pittsburgh for a total of 16,387 miles. I will
complete this challenge utilizing only paper maps and no lodging.
I am excited to participate in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge next summer as rider number
1145. Throughout the journey I will learn more about myself as a rider, and I am looking
forward to the obstacles and difficulties along the way, which will build and strengthen my soul
on and off the bike. I’m also excited to make new friends and expand my rider circle.
 

Through this challenge, I will be giving to three nonprofits: Easterseals, The American Heart
Association, and St. Monica Catholic Academy. Easterseals provide for children and adults with
disabilities as well as veterans and older adults to help them live, learn, and play within their
communities. Growing up, my three brothers had special needs. I watched them struggle, and
I’m hoping to help others with disabilities.

The American Heart Association provides education and support to fight heart disease and
stroke. My mother passed away in 2015 from cardiovascular disease. My brother passed away
shortly after in 2016 from the same disease, as a complication from uncontrolled diabetes. I am
hoping that the donation to the American Heart Association will fund research for improved
treatments and preventative measures for heart disease and stroke.
St. Monica Catholic Academy is a local Catholic school in the Pittsburgh Diocese. My two
daughters, Morgan and Courtney, both attended this school, when it was called Divine Mercy
Academy. While they were students there, my wife was back in school for education and
completed her student teaching here. After teaching GED classes, and third grade in Ohio, she
found her way back to the small Catholic school that provided a phenomenal education to our
children. Morgan went on to study biochemistry and music at Bucknell University, and Courtney
is currently studying early and special education at Bloomsburg University. With the donations
from the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge I hope to help provide necessary tools to improve
education for years to come.
Please consider donating to the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge for me, rider number 1145, as I
make the journey from Daytona, Florida to Homer, Alaska in 14 days to support these three
nonprofits.
To donate to EASTERSEALS
To donate to the American Heart Association
To donate to St. Monica