Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. They Left Key West This Morning For A 7000 Mile Grueling Ride.

About 1000 riders left Key West, Florida this Sunday morning June 20, 2010, for the challenge (another one) of their lifetime, a 7000-mile trip to Homer, Alaska. The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge is about endurance, grit and determination.

Each rider set his or her own schedule, while driving within the posted speed limits on all roads traveled. Participants must arrive at the final checkpoint not more than 14 days from the start date in order to be recognized by the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge Organizers.

Hoka Hey means “It’s a Good Day to Die” (to Ride!) and is said to have been the cry of every warrior that rode into battle with Chief Crazy Horse from the Sioux Lakota Nation. Participants should expect to travel along back roads and byways, sleeping along side their bike on the way.

The daily routes are secret until each morning during the 14 days. The first checkpoint will be this Sunday evening somewhere in Mississippi. All contestants pay a $1,000 entry fee. They can have their miles sponsored for charity, much like a marathon. The epic trek takes riders over 62 mountain ranges, 33 Indian reservations, 25 national forests, 8 deserts and 6 national parks. Riders are required to stay with their motorcycle throughout the Challenge, meaning no hotel, sleeping out under the stars next to the bike or under its own tent. The Harley that travels the 7,000 first wins $500,000 for its rider. Among the participants, a crew from the Cycle Source Magazine including Chris Callen, Rob Keller and Gene Stull. Hoka Hey Challenge.

34 Responses to “Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. They Left Key West This Morning For A 7000 Mile Grueling Ride.”


  1. 1 Boss Hawg Jun 20th, 2010 at 8:09 am

    God’s speed to all. a safe trip and great weather.

    Boss Hawg

  2. 2 Stingray Jun 20th, 2010 at 8:46 am

    They don’t have a clue as to what is involved with a 7000 mile ride over multiple days.This ride is set up by the promoters to eliminate riders. Bet there is a ringer supported by the organizers.

  3. 3 Shawn Jun 20th, 2010 at 11:55 am

    Everybody riding safe.

  4. 4 Jeff Nicklus Jun 20th, 2010 at 1:59 pm

    Vaya con dios ……

    Over & Out,

    Jeff

  5. 5 bigitch Jun 20th, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    there will be a standard drop out rate as the machines have problems and their bodies have problems.

    but the biggest drop out rate will come when they get to the canadian border and they find out their old criminal record is going to keep them out of that country, d.u.i, domestic violence, traffic tickets, parking tickets or having a pistol in their luggage to protect them from bears, will put them on the personna non grata list and their race will be over.

    i expect to see less than 100 even cross the alaska border.

    they would have been better off riding to panama… as in city… in florida.

  6. 6 Bill Jun 20th, 2010 at 5:50 pm

    Much respect to those willing to accept the challenge and give it their best effort. I’ve driven to Alaska and it’s a beating in a vehicle.

    Bill

  7. 7 jpooch00 Jun 20th, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    I don’t get why anybody would pay $1000 just to ride to Alaska. I’ve been up & down the Alcan 4 times and I didn’t pay anybody for the privilege, I just did it.

    If ya wanna ride to AK, why pay some organizer to do it? It makes no sense at all to me.

  8. 8 raycwheeler Jun 20th, 2010 at 6:28 pm

    ride safe and enjoy the road.

    ray usa

  9. 9 Larry Jun 21st, 2010 at 6:05 am

    Why do they pay $1000 to do the ride? Because the winner will receive $500,000! So, the organizer receives 100 riders x $1000 = 1 million dollars. Expenses: $500,000 (prize) + maximum $20,000 of expenses for organization. Organizer is going to make a minimum of $480,000 profit! Winner will receive $500,000 minus 35% of Federal Taxes withheld for uncle Sam ($175,000). Net gain: $ 325,000. All this for the love of riding? Come on!

  10. 10 Lance Dickwood Jun 21st, 2010 at 7:06 am

    Looks like, unfortunately, not a good first day . . .

    >>State Road 29 and Oil Well Road is closed after multiple motorclycles crash in Immokalee<<

    http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2010/jun/20/state-road-29-and-oil-well-road-closed-after-multi/

    http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=169060858080&share_id=131985643492924&comments=1#s131985643492924

  11. 11 BillMah Jun 21st, 2010 at 7:16 am

    Hey Larry:

    100 riders @ $1000.00 is not a million. It’s $100,000.

    The organizers had planned to cap out at 1000 riders @$1000.00 = 1 million.

    I haven’t heard how many actually started the race, but it seems several didn’t make it out of southern Fla. yesterday piling up at an intersection causing more than one life flight service to the hospitals.

    My concern is the race is all on secondary roads. With people getting tired, and they will get REALLY tired doing this on Harley’s, riding 20 hour days, that there will be some serious accidents later in the ride. I know people on this ride, and some of them don’t have the experience to pull this off safely. I do, and I wouldn’t join this ride.

    Think good thoughts for them all. They’ll need the support.

  12. 12 mad dog Jun 21st, 2010 at 7:27 am

    when you run a race things should be equal. It was fishy that the people who knew the roads already started in front. There was alot of wrecks at the start. My money is on someone from Flordia winning the race.

  13. 13 brew154 Jun 21st, 2010 at 8:57 am

    is there a site to monitor progress??

  14. 14 Tyler Malinky Jun 21st, 2010 at 8:59 am

    Good luck the the Cycle Source crew, Chris I hope you end up with that gold!

  15. 15 Widella Smith Jun 21st, 2010 at 9:25 am

    My youngest brother and his best friend is riding in the Hoka Hey.
    I would just like to say God bless all of you and please ride safe.
    Peace and love to each and everyone of you.

    Hoya Hey!
    Love Wid

  16. 16 Darin Maltsberger- Instructor@MTI Jun 21st, 2010 at 9:26 am

    Good luck to all………keep us posted with updates. The students and I will be watching anxiously.

  17. 17 Lance Dickwood Jun 21st, 2010 at 10:40 am
  18. 18 z-man Jun 21st, 2010 at 11:15 am

    I’m part Lakota (Sioux) and the translation for Hoka Hey is not “Its a good day to die”. The loose translation is “lets go” or “hurry” or “get ready”…when the word is used today its usually just “Hoka” !

  19. 19 John Jun 21st, 2010 at 4:48 pm

    ZMan, thanks for setting that straight, I knew that Hoka Hey couldn’t mean what Mr. “Red Cloud” Durham claims it means.

    According to published news stories, nowhere near 1000 riders started, closer to 300 is more like it.

    According to the organizers, the prize money has already been deposited in a bank somewhere, they won’t disclose the location or who donated it but they’re claiming that the entry fees will not be used to pay off any prizes.

    Of course they’ve also stated that GPS devices weren’t allowed only to reverse themselves at the riders meeting, they’ve stated that they have no idea how much money will be donated to charity because they don’t know what their ongoing expenses will be.

    They’ve also decided, after accepting entry fees from some, that the “winner” must appear in Sturgis, SD to claim their prize after submitting to drug testing and a polygraph, neither of which is available in Homer, AK by the way.

    I’m amazed at some of the comments I read about this event, does no one even read the rules before they sent these clowns their money? Do you guys not realize that the simple fact that a SINGLE rider recieving a traffic citation or being involved in a crash gives the organizers the right to not pay a dime to anyone?

    Do some reading, do a Google search for the “Great Buffalo Caper” and then decide if this whole thing is on the up and up.

  20. 20 bigitch Jun 21st, 2010 at 5:09 pm

    wow now the report is there are only 500 riders and two alaskan riders crashed in naples.
    my bet is still less than a 100 at the alaska border.

  21. 21 W. Kelley Jun 21st, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    John, are you suggesting a possible money scam?

  22. 22 Dan Patrick Jun 21st, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    When asked if the crashes concerned him, organizer Jim Redcloud from south Dakota, said, simply, “Hoka Hey,” which he said means “It’s a good day to die” in Sioux. The riders know the danger and the difficulty. These people are warriors and come from all over the world to stand up and be counted. They are real men.”

  23. 23 RUB Jun 21st, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    that’s a long ride , wish all involved a safe trip .

  24. 24 Ghost Jun 21st, 2010 at 9:14 pm

    Hey,
    I found this link last year on a webpost. The thing just sounded so great and seemed so wrong under the most cursory examination. Read the story attached and make up your own mind about a certain someones background.
    ghost
    The Great Buffalo Caper
    When two Boulder businessmen financed the creation of a one-of-a-kind piece of art—a buffalo skeleton with Native American myths carved over every inch of bone by an artist named “Big Jim”—they thought it was an opportunity to be a part of something important. And, just maybe, they might make some money. But what started as a hi…
    By Maximillian Potter
    January 2009

    Read the full story…

    Or paste this URL in your web browser:
    http://www.5280.com/issues/2009/0901/feature.php?pageID=1513

  25. 25 Pigeon Jun 22nd, 2010 at 12:12 am

    The crowd at the riders meeting looked and acted too rough for my taste. Jim D or AKA Redcloud had a Svengali like hold on his audience. It reminded me of what the Jonestown followers must have been like.Jim D is a foul mouthed,vulger and common man who avoided issues,concerns and most questions by going off on some tangem about waving the flag,being real men and blah,blah,blah….an elaborate smokescreen for what I perceived as a big scam.My partner paid the fee and after carefully accessing the situation had the foresight to forego the ride.I am proud of his decision to avoid this scam

  26. 26 Vintage Bobbers Jun 22nd, 2010 at 1:21 am

    Wish I Could’ve Did This Amazing Trip..Just wasn’t In The Cards For Me,Hope Everyone Has A Safe Great Trip Enjoy!!!

  27. 27 cwglide Jun 22nd, 2010 at 11:27 am

    7,000 in 14 days, thats 500 mile days, its due-able. Every road trip is an adventure in one way or another. Good luck to all, and remember your having fun when you start feeling iron butt.

  28. 28 Renig Jun 22nd, 2010 at 4:35 pm

    Looks like they have mutiple routes but guess thats for the best rather than have all 500 – 1000 riders on the same coarse. Interesting to follow different riders and their progress.
    Gud Luck To All of Em

  29. 29 HULK Jun 27th, 2010 at 6:18 am

    GOD SPEED TO ALL, REMENBER THE RIDE IS WHAT IT’S ABOUT. ALL THE REST IS WASTED WIND. HAVE THE BEST TIME IT IS SHORT LIVED

  30. 30 DEUCE(DON) Jun 27th, 2010 at 10:48 pm

    Hey Terry and Able ! God Bless ! You two are gold ! See you all when you get home,.! Shiny Side Up !!

  31. 31 Vicki Bortz Jun 30th, 2010 at 7:42 pm

    Where can I buy a Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge mens tank in size xxl?

  32. 32 kelly Dec 13th, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    Hoka Hey was something the legendary Sioux warrior Crasy Horse was shouting while going to war. “Hokay hey” can be interpreted as “It is a good tim…2 “Traditional Lakota warriors would shout ‘Hoka Hey!’ to one another as they charged into battle. In the context of battle hoka hey meant, ‘it is a good day to die.’ In his When The Tree Flowered, however, based on his conversations with Lakota Holy Man, Eagle Voice 3.In non-battle contexts, “Ho’ka hey” is said to mean “Welcome to the soul.” 4.

    Siouan language “phrase” spoken by the Lakota people of the Sioux tribes – shouted by Crazy Horse upon going into battle.
    Hoka Hey is to live life in such as way that one has done all that one should upon one’s last day, so it is indeed a good day to die.

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