HOKA HEY!
It was June 15, 2010. The bikes were packed and ready to go when members of the WITW Shore Riders Chapter started showing up to escort us, Pearl and Wrong Way, out of NJ on our journey towards the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. After the stopping at an Elementary School that one of our Sisters teaches at, to take send off pictures with her students who would be tracking us along our journey, my husband Chuck and his best friend Bill escorted us all the way to Virgina where we stayed overnight with Bill's Brother and family. In the morning Chuck and Bill helped load us on the Auto Train where we had a relaxing 17 hour train ride into Sanford, FL. Here, Michele (Zebra) from the WITW Space Coast Riders Chapter met us at the Amtrak station. Zebra escorted us through our first 100 miles of Florida before we said goodbye and headed to the Keys, putting a total of 720 miles on the bikes to get to where the Hoka Hey would eventually take off from. We met TONS of other Challengers in the 2 days prior to the Challenge start. Then, on June 20th I called my husband Chuck bright and early, to tell him I love him and to share my excitement for the journey I was about to embark on. "I'll call you when I get to Alaska" I said to him, just then at 6:10 am, Big Jim Red Cloud (the main Organizer) yelled “Hoka Hey, Let’s Ride!" Engines were started and we were off! Hundreds of motorcycles headed towards the Start of the Challenge. I (Pearl) ended up the 15th rider! With only 14 bikes in front of me, I was the first woman to cross the Starting Line!
After passing a horrible accident, riding through a flooding storm, and a bit of confusion about going left or right due to lack of street signs, we made it to our first checkpoint in about 14 hours. We left that check point with Bob, a Challenger from Quebec. (BTW... Bob's Support Crew were so good to Mary and I, they even had food ready for us at the checkpoints!) This leg of the Challenge took us through Florida then Georgia, where we slept at the pumps of a closed gas station somewhere around 4am for only 2 hours. Around 10 am we found ourselves riding down Lamar Rd., right through a farm. The red clay on the road, the tractors moving about, the sprinklers watering the fields, it really gave you an appreciation for the American Farmer. It was hot heading into Alabama and for me, dehydration set in followed by some serious toxicity in my legs, it slowed us down a bit but we got back on the road. At night we were on a road that had no right to be called a road! We felt that we were riding to the ends of the Earth! This bringing us to full exhaustion, we slept on the front lawn of a local church… again for only 2 hours. Now heading into Mississippi, Mary and I were very fortunate to have had Bob riding with us, as I was on point and he was drag, I was apparently missing an entire page of directions! After seeing Bob turn left out of my mirror, Mary and I pulled over to figure out where Bob went. When we caught up to him, and discussed the route, we realized I was missing a page. How far out of our way might we have ridden before becoming completely clueless as to where we were? After a few more wrong turns, the 3 of us finally made it to the next check point in Mississippi where we were told there weren’t quite 100 Challengers in front of us. At the check point, we saw Rooster, Kelly (NJ), Josh and a few other Challengers. Saying goodbye to Bob for our next leg of the Challenge, it was just us girls again, riding through Arkansas and the Ozark Mountains. Here we met-up with Dos Equis (AK) and Jeff (FL) and compared stories of the voices we were hearing (some say the Ozarks are a very spiritual place). Mary and I continued on through the mountains dodging deer, dogs and Elk before sleeping on benches in front of “Grandpa’s Place” in a little town square off Rt. 43. This is where we met Brody (AK). Brody rolled into the town square out of gas, I had plenty, so we siphoned from my tank to his before the 3 of us headed out to find the nearest gas station. We rode with Brody through the rest of Arkansas and headed into Oklahoma by ourselves. Again, some missing street signs caused us some trouble, but we were on our way and it was a beautiful ride through the cow farms. Straight and flat were the roads of Oklahoma. This was one of our most joyous days riding and one of the hottest. We each carried one bottle of water to drink and one bottle of water to pour on ourselves. Just for a little while, we rode with Bryana (CA), boy that girl can ride! We lost Bryana because the urge for Mary to take photographs was just too much to resist.
After Oklahoma was New Mexico, which both Mary and I were amazed by! Coming down the mountain at about 7:30 am in the cold brisk morning mountain air, the mountain just opens up to the beautiful lake in Eagles Nest, absolutely breathtaking! If we could have stayed there, we would have! After riding most of the night from Oklahoma into New Mexico, a MUCH needed rest was had on a side street in Eagles Nest, just leaning over, resting on our tanks for about an hour. The rest of New Mexico proved to be much more of a challenge than we expected. Street signs were removed leaving many Challengers lost for up to 6+ hours, sending some straight north into Colorado completely off route. We made a phone call to Beth, the main Organizer for the Challenge, and told her what we were encountering with the road signs. She reassured us that we were not that far off time or route. Frustrated, over heated and dehydrated, deciding only the locals could help, we waved down an Officer and he put us back on route and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful places we’d ever ridden through.
In Arizona at our next gas stop, we met up with “Stumpmaker” (Bob,Soldolta, AK) Louis (CA) and Eric (?). They too suffered the same frustrations we had with the street signs in New Mexico. We headed out behind them, Eric on point, riding hard through Arizona. Coming into a mountainous area in the dark, we came upon a very fast and unexpected 14% grade down the mountain. Eric immediately had a front brake problem, and stopped quickly with the 4 of us behind him. I could feel my bike slipping from me as I locked up to stop right in the down grade. Having a 23” inseam, riding an 800 lb. Road King was not pleasant at this moment as I had a very difficult time holding the bike up-right. Louis got off his bike and helped me with mine so I wouldn’t drop it. So far, this proved to be the most challenging part of the ride for me and scared the crap out of me… it was a breaking point and reminded me this truly is a challenge! We got down the mountain and found a Target parking lot to sleep in for a few hours. In the morning, heading to breakfast, we passed a terrible motorcycle accident. A group of Challengers rode off together and for whatever reason, 2 of them collided. So we later heard, one Challenger didn’t have his helmet strapped on and suffered some serious trauma and the other’s helmet split in half. Both are alive to live to tell of their Hoka Hey experiences. (I later found out that the Challenger’s helmet that split was a man named Ralph from North Carolina. Mary and I had met-up with him several times before and during the challenge, sad to not see him in Alaska but very glad to hear he survived the accident!)
The 5 of us stopped in Winslow Arizona for some breakfast. Getting back on the road, we headed into the Tonto National Forest. This is when I started to notice that my bike was having problems. At first, I thought maybe it was just me being overtired and hot, but then, it really became uncomfortable in the front end. Temperatures were 112+ so the boys decided to stop at a camp ground to use the showers just to cool off before anyone would get heat exhaustion. After many phone calls home, it was about this time that Mary and her husband Ed starting planning to have Ed fly out and meet her in Alaska.
Finally heading out of the camp area, I slowed my speed because of the shakiness of the bike and we lost the boys. Mary and I stopped at a CVS to sleep a bit and headed back out on the road in the dark. Winding through the mountains, we stopped at a gas station around 5 am, not too far from Flagstaff. We rested there for a while and discussed what we should do about my bike. Do we take it to Flagstaff Harley or continue on. Now it is time for me to finally call home, so after an extensive talk on the phone with my husband, and feeling that the bike problem is only minor at this point, we decided to ride on and see if we could get as far as the next checkpoint which was to be at a Harley Dealer in Wyoming and I’d have them look at the bike. So on we went, riding on through Grand Canyon National Park where we stopped to take pictures and leave our mark. Then on through the Navajo Nation, the Painted Desert, the Hopi Indian Reservation, and Monument Valley, we crossed into Utah. We truly enjoyed this part of the ride, absolutely beautiful!
Near the Valley of the Gods, I realized my bike problem is getting worse, I can no longer control the bike in gravel and dirt or when I need to come to a stop. I feel like I have completely lost my front break. The next leg is supposed to be ridden on the Moki Dugway, and there is no way my bike will make it. So we ask the locals for an alternate route. It takes us out of our way and adds miles, but it keeps me safe and upright. Mary and I pull over for the night on the shoulder of the road. We sleep for about 2 hours and awake to a dead battery on Mary’s bike. Another motorcyclist, participating in a different motorcycle challenge, pulls over to help. Then a car stops too. After completely unloading Mary’s bike of all gear as to remove her seat, we break out the jumper cables and get her started thanks to Carl and his car. Just as we get all her gear re-loaded, the bike dies again. So we unload everything into Carl’s car, jump the bike again and get her engine running. With Mary's bike running, she is afraid it won't stay that way, so she takes off with Carl in his car behind her. They take off and I start my bike… (ok, don’t laugh!) and I can’t lift her off the kick stand! The angle of the road and how far she leans over because of being lowered and having a shorter kick stand, my 23” inseam isn’t long enough to push the bike off the kick stand. In the middle of nowhere Utah, after watching Mary's & Carl's tail lights head away from me in the dark, with no signal on the cell, I am stuck here alone. An hour and a half goes by and by using the satellite phone, Mary finally answers her cell phone. She is worried and doesn’t’ know where I am, but laughs out loud when I tell her. (ok… so it is funny NOW that I couldn't lift the bike, but it didn't feel funny when I was out there alone!) Mary now jumps in the car with Carl and they drive an hour and a half back just to help me lift the bike. In the 3 hours I spent alone on the side of the road in Utah, NOT ONE car, bike, truck, person, anything came down the road, no one to flag down for help. It was very peaceful though and I did get about an hour of sleep… with one eye open! I am now on my way to the gas station where Mary left her bike, an hour and a half away.
I pull in to get gas and am having an even harder time stopping. After the pump, I ride the bike to the gravel area where she is parked and I can’t stop! No front break and a shaky front end, the bike goes down in the gravel. This is where we decide I have to get if fixed. Mary is overtired from extreme lack of sleep and is not happy for the decision I have to make for our safety. Our route ahead of us is aprox. 250 miles of winding mountain roads. I won’t make it, it is Sunday and the HD Dealer (our next checkpoint) in Wyoming says they can’t fix it today anyway. So I start calling around. The checkpoint in South Dakota says they can fix it if I can get it there. I called home and my husband suggests I take the straight route as it is safest. So again, I talk to the locals and get a highway route to South Dakota. Yes, this takes us off the route but safety comes first. I can ride the bike straight, she levels out at a much higher speed, I can’t do the curves and swerves anymore. We get on the highway reluctantly. 75 miles west of Denver, CO. the front end is completely uncontrollable! We roll into a little Ski town and grab a hotel. As we try to move the bikes off the main road to the rear of the hotel, again, Mary’s bike won’t start, so we push it! I call my insurance company and set up for a tow first thing in the morning. Mary's insurance company isn't as helpful, so I called my tow company and got her set up with me. Both bikes unrideable, same tow truck, headed to Sun Harley Davidson on Pearl Street in Thornton, CO. My bike is fixed that day… burnt front disc rotors and compressed fork bearings. Mary’s bike, well, it's another hotel for that evening cause they don’t know what the problem is. It's in this hotel that Mary is contemplating what to do. Her husband Ed is doing whatever he can to get up the $$ for a plane ticket to meet her in Alaska, but with Mary’s bike out of commission, we don’t know how long before we will actually get on the road or make it to Homer. She talked about just going home if the bike problem is too bad. We made a deal that if her bike wasn’t ready by noon the next day, I would go on and she would head home. My husband asked me if I wanted him to fly out because Ed was. I told him no, I needed to do this by myself... to find out who I am and what I am capable of. He understands and supports me. So the next morning it's off to the dealership for Mary and me. Turns out it was the Stator on Mary’s bike causing her problems and they would have her rolling by 1pm. Now with both bikes fixed, what do we do? Do we go several hundred miles back to where we had to get off route in Utah? Do we just give up and go home? We decide that the Hoka Hey is important to us, and so are all the other Challengers we met along the way. The breakdown cost us 3 days, we can’t get that back, BUT we can do our best to get back to a farther part of the route, to finish the ride and make it to Alaska in time to celebrate with the other Challengers. Again, we call Beth (Hoka Hey Organizer). She is glad to hear from us, rumor had it the Jersey Girls went home. NO WAY… not us, just a minor set back.
We missed some key points of the ride. We will always be upset about that, but with our ambition and integrity intact, we make our way north through Wyoming and then through some very scary red lightening and wind in Montana. Time to cross the border into Canada. We break out our Nexus cards (EZ Pass for border crossing, if you will) and cross with ease. After a few directions from 2 local police women, we head northwest. Mary and Ed have now finalized their plans and we know that he will be in Alaska to meet her on July 4th, they will ship her bike home and she will fly home with him. We are still in touch with my husband Chuck, Stumpmaker, Choo-Choo (MA) and a few other Challengers letting them know we are on our way to Alaska!
July 2nd at Dawson’s Creek, we enter The Alcan…. The Alaska Highway.
We meet up with Stumpmaker and Louis in Pink Mountain, BC and they informed us that Eric went home once he heard there was already a winner. We overnight in Pink Mountain and head out before the boys in the morning. Riding through British Columbia, over metal grated bridges longer than any either of us have ever seen… through road construction that takes the entire road down to dirt and gravel for miles, through Fort Nelson, Summit Lake, and then there it was, the billboard reading “Watch for Bison in Road”. Not a little sign like we have back home with the picture of the deer on it, instead, it is a full fledged billboard! So we keep riding, and eventually come upon the herds. They don’t looks so bad, laying in the grass along both sides of the highway, tails wagging like giant dogs, not paying any attention to the campers parked on the shoulder with people snapping photographs. Not 2 minutes later, Mary and I pull into the Laird Hot Springs Lodge to gas up. Mary she says she is going to double back to take pictures of the Bison, so I gas up and pull around to the lodge to wait for her. She comes back grinning about the experience.
After a quick pee break, we exit the lodge to get back on our bikes. A pick-up truck pulls in and parks next to us. We notice the Hoka Hey sign in its window. The driver exits and Mary asks “Hoka Hey?” At that, the driver points to the passenger who is now walking around the truck towards us. The passenger, a Challenger, had to be over 6’5” tall, walks up to us without uttering a word and reaches out to Mary and hugs her, then reaches out and hugs me. He looks both of us in the eye touching our shoulders and says “You girls need to be safe out there”. Confused, we ask him if he was on his way to Homer. He told us no, he was already there for several days and is on his way home. He points to his motorcycle, in pieces in the back of the pick-up truck as he tells us he was in 3rd place and fell asleep on the bike at 85 mph, woke up in a ditch. He was in terrible pain and lucky to be alive. This Challenger didn’t wait for us to see his bike and console him with our concerns, instead, he was concerned for us… he hugged us. That moment was truly… Hoka Hey.
During the next few minutes of our conversation, he went on to say he recognized my license plate (WONIT) and that he passed us 3 different times. That made us feel pretty good, to know that we were in there with the best of them before our break down! We say good-bye, get back on the bikes and head north west. Beautiful sunny day, a little chilly so I am wearing my heated gear with my orange rain jacket to break the wind. A nice long stretch of paved highway, iPod on listening to some awesome road music, 72mph, about 15 motorcycle lengths between the two of us and there he was. Out of the corner of my eye up ahead on the right, one lone Bison. We must have spooked him. He jumped up landing on a diagonal facing me. We lock eyes. Up go his front hooves and down they come hard, he’s in a full charge towards me. (here’s where all that motorcycle training comes into play) I scream! Instantly “death by Bison” is running through my head! I let off the throttle, slowing the bikes speed very quickly… he’s still charging. I quickly and as hard as I can, press the handle bars left, then a quick hard press forward and to the right and I rock that throttle so fast! The bike straightens up and quickly picks up speed. I refuse to look in my mirror because if he changed his direction and is coming for me, I don’t wanna know. I am chanting “PLEASE DON’T GET ME, PLEASE DON’T GET ME!” then I realize and chant “PLEASE DON’T GET MARY, PLEASE DON’T GET MARY!” Sorry Mary, I am still NOT looking in my mirror. If he gets you, I don’t wanna see it! I will come back and look for you later! Next thing I know, Mary races up next to me yelling “That was the coolest F’ing thing I ever saw!”
I look at her and yell back “What happened?”
Mary: “You got around him and he stopped dead in the middle of the road!”
Me: “What did you do?”
(mind you, we are still barreling down the road at full speed)
Mary: “I stopped dead in the middle of the road!”
Me: “Then what?”
Mary: “I tried to get my camera but didn’t have time. He looked right at me, snorted, shook his head and just walked away! I will never forget the sound of his snort or his hooves on the highway! Scared the sh*# out of me!”
I just looked at Mary with a sigh of relief, slowed down a little and cried for the next hour.
Crossing another long grated bridge, we pull in for gas and give Stumpmaker a call. Turns out there’s a group of Challengers at the gas station across the street, so we head over. It was great to meet-up with Stumpmaker, Louis, Kelly (NJ), Curly (SD) Elijah (SD), Roger (not sure if that was his name or not) and Shelia. All but Shelia decided to ride together for the rest of the day/night. Chuck, a Challenger from SD & his support truck were also with us. Riding into Whitehorse, the group decides we are going to ride through the night. Collectively we purchase every gas can we can find, fill them and fill our tanks. Curly takes off on point. It’s not long before he decides to pull over in a pull off and the group gets out their Oregon Bedrolls, sleeping bags, and blankets to rest for a bit. Once again, I plug in to the battery and sleep laying on the bike. We rested for about 2 hours and got back on the road. We stop in Destruction Bay for breakfast where another challenger joins us. (I never got his name but he is in one of my pictures at the party). Our group of 8 stays together through the rest of the Yukon. Riding through the frost heaves was fun at first, but it became extremely tiring as you really have to watch your speed and road placement, moving your bike from side to side to avoid huge holes, heaves and dips in the road… for miles! We make it through the frost heaves, through one last loooong section of road construction and finally cross the boarder back into the United States!
Once through customs, the 8 of us stop at the first gas stop and top off. The group splits at this point, stating we'd meet up in Tok, Ak and wait for each other there. Going through a mountain range, we run into a bit of hail. Roger and I pull over to put on our rain gear. Finally making it to Tok, AK where all 8 of us were supposed to meet, the group is gone so Roger goes on and Mary is waiting for me. We are physically drained but aren’t stopping until we get to Homer. This part of the trip was the longest yet. We stopped to take a few pictures just beyond Anchorage. As it gets darker near 1 am, we start seeing Moose on the side of the road. At one point we were stopping every 30 minutes to cat nap for 10 minutes. 8,400 miles later on July 4th, 3:40 am in front of us we see the sign…. HOKA HEY FINISH, we made it!
After crossing the finish line and being greated by other Challengers, Mary and I head down the Homer Spit to get Mary to our hotel, as her husband will be there in a few short hours. She and Ed will rent a car and enjoy what Alaska has to offer, flying home together July 13th.
I didn't stay at the hotel and instead I head back to the finish line to call my husband and sleep up against the building along with maybe 5 other challengers. My husband Chuck is so happy to hear from me as I haven't had a phone signal since getting on the Alcan and way up in the Yukon, he lost my tracking signal. After about 2 hours rest I was logged in by Beth as finisher # 190 and I got to sign the Challengers banner. I went to breakfast with Stumpmaker, Kelly, Louis, a Challenger that is running for Governor of Alaska, a woman that works with the Homer Chamber of Commerce and the head of the Hoka Hey Film Crew. After breakfast, we head back to the Finish line to hang out with Challengers and Organizers. Choo-Choo calls me to see if I made it and then tells me his wife is at the laundry mat and they have showers there. I called my husband again, told him I was going to take a shower and that I would call him again after I get to the Challenger Party.
At the laundry mat I run in to Greg (FL). We start chatting and head off to a local biker bar for a few beers. We chatted with a local bike club and other Challengers, including Frank Kelly who stated that he crossed the finish line with Will Barclay, the man who was eventually declared the winner of the Hoka Hey.
Now it’s time to celebrate! Greg and I leave the bar and ride out to the Challenger Party at Step Stone Lake. When we pulled in, it was great to see the faces we met along the way, to see who made it and congratulate them for what they accomplished and to share our stories of what Hoka Hey meant to us. Only 211 Challengers made it to Homer, AK. Those who rode with heart and soul found themselves. We felt the spirituality and the true meaning behind the ride. We have a bond and a connection that can never be broken. The only way to describe it is to compare it to joining a new motorcycle club, meeting new friends with the same love and passion for the sport as you have. The only difference is that no new meeting date has been set, leaving your heart a bit empty as you say good-bye and head home.
The party was a blast. I did see Mary and Ed early on during the party, and that was the last time I saw her while in Alaska. I had a ton of offers to stay with other challengers as most knew I was going to pitch my tent at Step Stone that night. Dos Equis wasn’t having that. He took down my tent and insisted that I stay with him and his family. His wife Heather was so welcoming to me. When I met her, she asked me if I was the Pearl from "Pearl and Wrong Way’s Ride". I said yes and she was so happy to meet me and thanked me for the updates that had been posted on my website. See, Dos Equis didn’t have a tracking device, so she frequently checked my website just to have some sort of idea of what State her husband might have been in. I stayed with them in Homer on July 4th and again at their home on Elmendorf Air force Base in Anchorage on July 5th.
Only July 6th I was going to meet-up with Choo-Choo and 2 of his new friends. We were all going to ride up to the Artic Circle before we leave Alaska. Once again my bike is having front brake problems and I am hearing this horrible noise, so Heather suggests I stop at Denali HD in Wasilla first. I roll in and explain my problem. They guys at the dealer then send the technician out to me… Greg, 6’2”+… ha ha ha, he has to ride my bike and I am 4’11”. Now that was a sight to see! It takes him all of 5 minutes to tell me that he knows what the problem is and I will be stuck in Alaska for 7-10 more days, hard to get parts up in Alaska. The other 2 Challengers tell me they don’t have that kind of time and need to be on their way. I understand and we say good-bye as they head to the Artic Circle. Choo-Choo stays behind, as an ex-Marine he tells me “we don’t leave anyone behind”. So Greg takes me over to a hotel where I know I will be stuck for a bit. Turns out that Miyagi (SC) is staying in the same hotel as his motorcycle is also broken down. The next day, July 7th, Doug (NV) and Mike (AZ) also ride in to the dealership in Wasilla, as Mike’s bike is down; we are all having similar problems. Greg tells us there are at least 3 other Challengers in Soldotna and Anchorage, all with similar problems, all 2008 touring models.
Now I need to make use of my next 6-9 days in Alaska, so on July 8th I rent a Yamaha XT250 and Choo-Choo rides with me to Fairbanks where I visit with my friends Sarah and Bink who live in North Pole. From there, Choo-Choo and I ride to the Artic Circle, as originally planned with his 2 friends. Not being able to get gas on our return, we get stuck overnight at the Yukon River Camp (creepy place in the middle of no where). The next day we head back towards Wasilla. My bike still isn’t ready. Choo-Choo has no more time and needs to head home. I totally understand, he was very gracious to stay behind with me. I called my husband and told him I would be alone from here on out. Then I told him what my next step was... off to the Tatoo Shop in Wasilla to get my new Hoka Hey Ink. Shelly was great, she does such good work! This is a souvineer I will have for my entire life!
After 7 days, Maybelline (my bike) is finally ready around 6 pm, so picked her up and instead of leaving Alaska so late, I head back to Dos Equis & Heather's house for the night. July 14th I start my journey home. I am gonna ride home alone. I am going to ride the Alcan in the other direction, alone. I know, most Challengers did this ride alone, but I never planned to. I always knew that I had Mary with me. It’s different when you plan something with someone else. We had places to be and people to see on our way home. We had family and 3 different WITW Chapters waiting to hear from us as we rode through their towns. But on this day, July 14th, I will leave Alaska alone and Mary has already been home for 1 day. After one more phone call home to Chuck to say I love you, I take a big deep breath… here I go.
My journey home begins with rain. Rain from Wasilla to Tok, AK, where I stayed over night. Rain at the begining of the Alcan. Rain through the frost heaves, which was much more maneuverable in the rain cause you could see the water on the heaves and could see which way to ride over/around them. Rain through Destruction Bay finally letting up closer to Whitehorse. I rode into Whitehorse and there were NO available hotel rooms or camp grounds, so I pitched my tent behind the WalMart that night. The next day, I crossed the Continental Divide and rode to Watson Lake where I posted my sign in the Sign Post Forest. I carried that sign from NJ, to Key West, on the entire Hoka Hey, passing the Sign Post Forest on my way to Alaska, due to pooring rain. T he sign came with me all the way to Homer, to Fairbanks, to the Article Circle, back to Wasilla and back down the Alcan. I was so happy to finally post my sign! While there, I found some other people posting signs and we took pictures for each other of our memorable moments.
After posting my sign, I was hoping to make it to Laird Hot Springs for the night, but I got stuck in some serious road construction. I didn’t get into Laird until about 1 am. The lodge was still “open” but after ringing the bell tons of times, no one came down and I gave up. I had enough gas to keep going so I did. Riding the rest of the night, I stopped several times on the side of the road to rest. At one point I woke up to a trucker standing in front of me. Pepper spray in my hand, I said reluctantly said hello. He was so excited that I was awake! He saw I had a Hoka Hey sticker on my bike. He was a biker and hadn’t heard of the ride until he was talking to several Challengers along his Alcan route. He was so sad to have missed the opportunity to participate but overly excited to know that he can join in on the next one. So for those who may meet Trucker Joe on the next Hoka Hey, tell him Jersey Pearl says Hello!
After riding all night with not much rest, I pulled into a camp ground (I have no clue which town it was in but the food was awesome!) took a shower and pitched my tent 'till morning. It was around 7:30 am when once again, I came upon the Bison heard. They were scattered all accross the road, from one shoulder to the next. Little ones playing, big ones pushing them out of the way. I turn the bike off and coast to the shoulder of the road. I think "this is it, this is where I am gonna live. Right here cause I am NOT crossing through the heard!" All of the emotions that I had felt when I was charged by the Bison on the way to Alaska came flooding back. I couldn't do it, this was the end of the trip for me. So I just sat there, on my bike on the shoulder of the road, for about 10 minutes. Finally I gave in and talked myself into moving forward, but I am not gonna ride through until a truck comes by. Behind me I hear a pick-up truck coming, that'll do! The pick-up truck slows down and rides through the heard, slowly pushing them off the roadway itself. I got behind that truck and just took off as soon as I was through. Big sigh of releif, I can go home and don't have to pitch my tent forever on the Alcan.
Now I headed to Dawson’s Creek. What a beautiful day for a ride this was. I took a right turn and was now on my way to Prince George where I did try to contact one of the women from our WITW Chapter there. After no luck contacting her, I grabbed a hotel for the night. The next day, I rode through British Columbia on some of the best roads I have ever seen in my life! I can’t wait to bring my husband riding through there someday. At about 9 pm, I pulled in with family... so good to see Mike & Judy’s in Kent, WA where I had a much needed rest and enjoyed their hospitality for 2 days.
On Thursday, July 22 I leave for home. There is a storm traveling across the top part of the US so I am only going to do about 600 miles a day so as to stay behind it. My first stop was at a dirty little hotel somewhere in Montana. My second stop was a nice clean Marriott in Fargo, ND. My third stop was at a truck stop in Osseo, WI. My fourth stop should have been near Youngstown, OH but I was really tired of being on the road. From Osseo, WI. I rode 1215 miles in 22 1/2 hours straight home. To my surprise, my husband rode 300 miles into Pennsylvania to meet me. It was so great to see him and hug him!
After leaving my home on June 15th with Mary...
After riding with Mary for 8,400 miles in the Hoka Hey Challenge...
After a second break down, extra days in Alaska and riding home alone...
A total of 41 days on the road 16,081 miles later...
On July 26th, along with my husband, I finally rode into my driveway.
Many of my friends, family and WITW Sisters ask me if I would do a ride this like again. My answer is YES, and I plan to! Look for me in either the Guts and Glory Rally or the Hoka Hey 3/48.
They also ask me how I felt about riding home alone... Alaska to New Jersey. All I can say, is that it was Empowering!
~Pearl~
