To San Antonio - Steve Tennant

Day 4.   Fort Worth TX to San Antonio TX.   This was a short day of riding which was a treat as it allowed time to see some local attractions.  Visited the Alamo and the River Walk.   So much history in this city, but as always, people want to know who we are and what we are doing.  It’s so exciting to see their faces when we share our story.  Scott has said it for so many years,there are really good people all across the U.S. and we get to meet them every day.   Thats all for today.

Day 3 - Brian Brock

Great day yesterday Brice...thank you for the ride across Lake Pontchatrain...Sheriff...nice speedy glide into Fort Worth, a little less water would have been better...

It really takes a lot to organize this ride. We start several months in advance. We have a marketing consultant we meet with almost every Wednesday for dinner. (Donates her time) We have media partners that need to plan weeks ahead. We have logistics, like where are we staying each night. You can’t just drop in anywhere with 21 guys and get a room. We have great sponsors, but we had to plan that too. Who’s going to ask? Who DO you ask? What do you ask for? The guys scatter all over town, telling the story, how we help children to get those sponsors. Then we have to plan our personal lives, so we can go out for two weeks. We pay ALL our own expenses, so we need to save up some money. Many of us work, so we need to save a little vacation time. We need to make sure our work continues while we are gone. Country’s doesn’t hang out a sign, “Be back in two weeks”...Hair needs cut, corporate jets need maintenance and somewhere, Grainger customers need their stuff. And this year had some different challenges. Scott was working on the Midnight Express, and we also put on Rockin’ the River, which took a tremendous amount of planning as well. Each of us were trying to take vacations with family, beach trips and other events. The day we pull out on the ride, all the stress is gone, it’s now the easy part, just ride. But there are people (Karen) back in Columbus that have a tremendous amount of work keeping up with us on the road. This is not easy. It takes a ton of effort from a bunch of dedicated people. And all we are trying to do is make a difference in one child’s life. Every bit of planning, every meeting, every phone call is focused on the children. Every decision is made from that lens. What we do is nothing compared to what circumstances the kids we are trying to help face every day. We are trying to tell a story, to capture your mind, to touch your heart, so you can see what we see. The difference we can make is right there. Go ahead and scroll on down to the donate now button. Leave a quick comment here that you too want to join us in making a difference. I’ll have more about the people side of this work tomorrow.

 

Today’s song of the day...Got No Shame by Brother Cane.

 

Day 3 - Dallas Texas - Steve Tennant

Started off with a very colorful sunrise followed by a brief heavy shower (before leaving the hotel).  Rode west along I-10 for short while with the gulf to the left. Headed North towards Dallas-Fort Worth.  With Mike Jolley at the lead, we knew we were good.  He found a quaint little comfort food buffet place for lunch.  These two boys sure loved their poppers and an anonymous person bought all our lunch.  Thank you. Into Fort-Worth. LARGE bodies of water around us all day, mostly overhead.  In between the showers we able to dry out a bit. 

Day 2 - Biloxi to Lake Charles - Steve Tennant

Day two started out with breakfast at Waffle House and a half rainbow just before getting on the bikes.   About 20 minutes down the road was a yard/craft sale with an antique car show. Brice has a passion for antique cars and has a few “projects “ of his own so he did a u turn and back to the car show.   Turned out to be a fundraiser for the middle school cheerleaders.  After some face painting, test drives of new vehicles, rookies making a purchase, and of course walking around the old cars and sharing our story with a few we were back on the road.   Nice ride along the coast for most of the morning to the “bridge”.  If you’ve never been across a 24 mile draw bridge on a motorcycle, I would highly recommend adding it to your bucket list. Oyster house for lunch, continuing West, but on the interstate.  Some big dark clouds, and you immediately see the wall of rain, knowing your gonna get soaked with this one.   Sure enough.  It was cooling and refreshing though.  Continuing Into Lake Charles.  First dinner attempt was Buffalo Wild Wings via hotel shuttle.  We learned of an hour and a half wait.  Scratch that idea.   Call the shuttle back and take us to Darryl’s.  (Called ahead and had reservations).  Ana was a little overwhelmed, but did a good job.  Back to the hotel and get a group text that kickstands up at 7:30, having already had breakfast.  Wait a minute, must be new sheriff in town or at least new leader.  Sheriff is our leader for day 3.   More later.  Steve.

 

Memphis - Day 1 - Brian Brock

What a start. Scott and I met at WTVM at 6:15 AM to do the news with Chuck and get the trivia question that would lead us to our destination. I was not worried about it at all. When he mentions blues, I immediately thought of Memphis. As we were still live on the air my phone started blowing up. Thank you Lana Hardy...Biloxi it is. Then we’re at the send off...always a time of reflection. Load up on the bikes and we’re off...finally...but we got one last little surprise. Off our bikes and with a little help from my daughter Katie and lovely wife Linda, we had roses for Karen Cooks birthday. Mission accomplished, we made her cry. I was the lucky one to lead the ride today. It comes with responsibility for the other guys. But mostly it comes with honor. Leading these amazing gentlemen was a humbling experience I will never forget. 

Brice, you’re turn...

Today’s song of the day...Aint Waiting on Tomorrow by Drivin’ N Cryin of course...

 

Day One and we end up in Biloxi! - Steve Tennant

Day one.  Columbus to Biloxi.  The first day is the hardest for me.   Saying good bye to family and friends at home for an adventure of the unknown, but then the stop at Carver Middle School in Hamilton made it special.   Once Harris County Sheriff let us go at the county line, that’s was it.  We were on our own.   The ride is a lot of jockeying for position until everyone gets settled into their groove.  We got a little of everything today for riding.  Temperature was comfortable through West Point, then onto the interstate it got warm fast.  Then it got hot.   Then a brief shower.   So we got rained on first day.   But that’s okay because we were all dry by the final stop and no mention of the rain by anyone. Brian did a good job leading us here today and tomorrow we have Brice taking the lead so let’s see where he will take us.  Andrew was really glad to get off the bike tonight.  He even went to the hotel restaurant in his socks, no shoes.  All for today.  More tomorrow.

I'm sure we have forgotten something! - Scott Ressmeyer, 9/20/18

I'm sure we have forgotten something!!!!! I'm also sure that there could be a hundred different ways we could have gone about this trip. I also know that the uncertainty of this ride is unlike anything we have ever done. Then add in the fact that we have 5 new riders this year with a total group of 21 will make for a lot of challenges. With all that being said, as a group their is nothing we can not over come. As we ride out think of the obstacles that were thrown in the path of Andrew. Think of the smile on Martin’s face when he was sitting in that hot tub after going over the pass and Mike C.’s wreck. The stop in Joplin and watching Ronnie dance with his little girl friend and the look on her face the following year we came back.  A wrong turn that brought us To Bonesteel SD. My hope is that we have all new experiences that the new guys get to witness and understand why this happens. We need to just let it unfold and it will take us down the right road as it always does. I can not think of anyone else I would want to take on this journey with other then my miracle rider brothers.

Scott

Memories - Ken Tidwell

Hello everyone please forgive my writing skills because I have none.

Over the Holidays I told a story to some of my brothers about the events of my first Miracle Ride and in particular an event that happened afterward. You see I hadn’t been a person that anyone would call on for help, well except for my ole buddy Don. Anyway back in 2014 before the Miracle Ride had kicked off I mentioned to Gary McDowell that if there was a spot for another rider I’d love to go. Seemed like the next day Scott was calling me;  what a life changing event happened then. The Ride was pretty much what everyone tells you, Hot, Cold, Wet, Long, but what you don’t hear being told is the aches and pains of the first week or so. Yes! We all have them, but looking back it’s nothing in comparison to what it’s being done for! Sorry! Let me get back on track here, as many of you know in 2014 we were working to reach a goal for the Children’s Miracle Network at our hospital here in Columbus, Ga. and The PEOPLE of COLUMBUS and SUROUNDING AREAS did an amazing job in support, but it wasn’t until after that ride when I realized what I had gotten myself into.

Even though you raise money to go to the support of your community hospital not all circumstances can be covered. Well I know I’m stretching it out a bit but as an organization grows they put in place rules that must be followed and my story begins here. The Riders were just getting settled at home back to the grind, the hustle and bustle when the help call comes. (Remember the guy that doesn’t get help calls?) A nurse at the hospital had a patient that  touched her in such a way that she wanted to share with the Miracle Riders and ask for help.. The patient was a young man 18, from a semi broken home who had been diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. In the time that he had been in the hospital he and the nurse shared stories. But one moved her so much she reached out to The Riders for help. With everything this young man had going on, he shared that if only he had an Ipad he could stay in touch with his friends while going through treatment and spending so much time in the hospital. The nurse loaned her I pad to the young man. Now back to rules, there’s no way that this young man was going to get an “I”anything during this time of need, Ipads don’t cure cancer but in this case there was a heart that needed his friends. I believe the nurse saw the young man looking for a lifeline to help him through. A call to The Miracle Riders was made and within hours they had the money for the IPad and all the stuff that goes with it. Once telling the Miracle Riders about the young man we had to meet him. The day we met the young man we were all dressed in hats and dusters walking into his hospital room to surprise him with a new Ipad but got a surprise of our own. The young man was being released, there was nothing more the hospital could do. He and his girlfriend were so excited to see us but it was us that were even more excited that we didn’t miss meeting him. The young man left the hospital to return to his loving grandmother. The Miracle Riders visited several weeks later as the young man went four wheeling in heaven. I tell this story because of the impact my Miracle Rider Family has had on me. This group of brothers touches me to the core.

(Heath died about 6 months after receiving his IPad. His grandmother said he was never without it until the day he passed away. The Miracle Riders attended his funeral.)

Reflections - Scott Ressmeyer

Reflections, no not the kind you see in the mirror in the morning that scare the hell out of you cause you can’t believe you have gotten this old. Reflections of your life for this past year, that’s the one I’m referring to. Now that I’m sitting here writing this some of this year's past events scared the hell out of me as well. In the first few months of 2017 we had made the decision to ride to the Arctic Circle and back. What the hell was I thinking? Then one by one as we went around the room 16 of the guys raised their hand and said they were up for the challenge of the Arctic Ride, what the hell were they thinking? 

So on the morning of July 21st our adventure started, 14 bikes with one of those being a rookie and 2 guys in a chase truck. It was an incredible send off, thanks to Synovus and a whole lot of supporters. At the end of the first day we all had a pretty good idea that none of us knew what the hell we were thinking and we were in this for 20 more days;  some of the most challenging riding any of us have ever done. It’s safe to say that we had all lost our mind and with age you would think we would have more sense about us than to take off to the Arctic on a bunch of motorcycles.

Reflections!!!!! A different kind of hell, the kind that you for the most part have no control over. You see on July 21st the same day as we were leaving I’m sure somewhere a child woke up that morning as well and started his own adventure. Only theirs was not one like most of us have ever experienced. Good chance no one was even in the house when they got up or if they were they were only there to do some kind of harm to them. Sometimes this harm is physical and sometimes it’s emotional but it is harm to a child no less. You see at the end of our hard day we laugh and share our stories of the road but at the end of an abused child’s day they lay alone in their room and try to forget what the past day has brought to them. When the sun rises we all jump on the bike and eagerly head off into to the vast unknown. For the abused child they secretly hope the sun does not come up for fear of what the road of life will bring, my guess it’s always the same just a different kind of hell.

The reflection in the mirror, it’s me and I ask myself did we tell the story that needed to be told did we share enough with our community about the challenges that some kids have? It was easy to tell the story about the kids in the hospital. Also the kids in the hospital are surrounded by people who care for and love them. The kids that we are riding for this year are surrounded by darkness and fear. If you shut off the lights the reflections go away in the darkness. I feel it is our job as we go thru this next year to keep the light on. To help change what a abused child sees in their reflections as they look in the mirror. To understand that yes I came from a place of hell but I can crawl out of its grip and make a life for myself and that I can make something for my life, and there are good people in this world and I am loved.

So as I reflect I know my work is not done yet for this cause and hopefully a chance to make a difference in one child’s life. There are a lot more stories to tell and a lot more roads to travel. Hopefully we will see you on the road as we take on the Mr. Magoo ride the last half of 2018

 

Christmas 2017 - Mike Langford

In January of 2017 one of our grand daughters had a baby girl, Sarah. This is by no means the first little person to come into the family, but it is the first in a long time. And since I decided to leave the wonderful world of work several years ago, I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Sarah during her first year.

We keep her two days a week while Mom and Dad work. Sarah has gone from a tiny thing to almost too much to pick up. Mom brought her over the first time, she set her carrier down and Sarah woke up. She looked at me and smiled the biggest smile, almost like "hey Pop-Pop, glad to see you, lets play". She still does that when she wakes up and she has added waving both hands at the same time. 

She at first just kinda layed around and rolled over sometime and looked at things, pushed her toys and banged on her little piano. Now she is walking all over, looking at everything, exploring, loves to touch new things, open cabinets, pull out pots, and throw her magazines Grandma gave her on the floor. We used to hold her to feed her, now she is in the high chair and has discovered a new game, "uh-oh". Put something in front of her and look away, she throws it on the floor and tries to say "uh-oh" cause she knows I will pick it up. And she looks so innocent.

From day one she has napped laying on my chest at least once a day. And if I go out of the room she will look where I went till I come back. Sometime she will just come over, put her arms around my neck and give me a hug and pat my shoulder.

Do I sound like a proud Great Grandpa? Of course I do 'cause I am. She is wonderful and we spend many hours playing on the floor, looking at trees and deer outside, and just having fun.

So why am I telling you this? Cause the thought struck me today that a lot of Grandpas and Great Grandpas don't get to experience a lot of this. A lot of kids are laying in hospital beds. Too sick for too long to enjoy or even to be able to do what Sarah does. And often even after going home they can't play and run around. 

And the Grandpas can just look and hope that one day it will be better and they will get to hold that little one.

We have tried to help reunite some Grandpas with the little ones in the past by riding all over the country to raise money and awareness. This past year we tried to help out the older kids at Our House. They need our help, and yours, just as much as the little ones, many of them don't even have Grandpas to hang out with.

This year we will spread the word about Our House again and let everyone know how they too can help. And even tho' Our House is our main goal, we will still think about the little ones that we rode for so many times, and try to make a difference in some of those lives also.

So in 2018 we will ride again and this time I am dedicating my ride to all the Grandpas and Great Grandpas. They need to be able to sit and hold that grand child and make complete fools of themselves making noise like a 10 month old or just sit with one of the kids at Our House and talk.

 I know you Grandpas are out there and we will do the best we can.

Get moved by what can happen. Brian Brock, Christmas 2017

Read this at your own risk. It's going to get political. It's going to get racial. It's going to get you thinking. And it sure as hell is going to get real.

I love this country, with all my heart. I also love football. Next to auto racing it's my favorite sport. One of the absolute best shows on TV is A Football Life on the NFL Network. It tells the WHOLE story of famous football players. From childhood, to NFL stardom to the Hall of Fame, and unfortunately sometimes the bad places poor decisions can leave you. I have players I love, I have players I can't stand. But when you see the long odds some of these players face, and their ability to have that singular focus to make their dreams come true, it causes you to reflect.

I watch the NFL. I told you I love football. Colin Kaepernick decided to make a statement during the national anthem. President Trump thought he should weigh in to stir the pot. The NFL Commissioner and the owners all wanted to get on this negativity train. I've had my moments with the anthem. My family knows very well where I stand. To keep peace, we typically just turn the channel, or I leave the room. When I am at a live event, I stand respectfully, but really don't like the creative license some "performers" take with the song. I love football. You are not going to politicize it, and take it away from me. If you choose not to watch the NFL, that's fine, I love football. I enjoy it, entertain me. Step away from Facebook for a minute, have an original thought and look for the good. STOP PAINTING WITH A BIG BRUSH AND BROAD STROKES. STOP THE NEGATIVITY. YOU. STOP.

Today I just watched an episode of A Football Life. It was about Aeneas Williams, an outstanding corner back. In college he focused on his studies, didn't even play football until his junior year. He played on some pretty bad teams, never complained. He wound up in the Hall of Fame. He actually wrote his obituary. If you know the end, it makes everything else getting to the end goal easier. He talks about dying empty. Think about that one. Die empty. That means you got all you could out of this life. You met your potential. You did all you could, left it all here. That puts "all in" to a new light.

In 2014, Michael Brown was killed by a police officer in Ferguson MO. His killing sparked racial unrest in Ferguson. At the time, Aeneas Williams and his wife were serving a church in St Louis. The mayor of Ferguson reached out and asked him for help. Aeneas went into the community. He wanted to listen, learn and see what he could do. Mr. Williams was born in New Orleans. His parents were both in the home, and well educated. As he met with the youth in the area, he really had a difficult time understanding their situation. Many of them without fathers, some raising themselves. He wanted to understand their perspective. As he was meeting them on the street, and he finally understood where he could help, he told them, "don't get stuck by what's happened, get moved by what can happen". I had to stop the show, rewind it, and make sure I heard what he just said, blew me away. He is there in that community, showing everyone, black and white, to "get moved by what can happen".

I was born a white kid in rural northern Indiana. I don't have a lot of perspective of southern racial interaction. I don't need it. Aeneas Williams has shown me what to do. How can I help the kids at The Methodist Youth home "get moved by what can happen". That's all the perspective I need. How can you help them get moved? I'll talk to anybody, anytime, anywhere about these kids. I need to tell their story, and show them how to get moved by what can be.

 

Feeling appreciation!! Thank you Alison Evans; Our House CEO

Dear Miracle Makers -   I wanted to write and make sure as many of you, your families, and wonderful friends saw this post. 

OUR children are truly blessed by you!  2017 saw the Miracle Ride of all RIDES...the ARCTIC CIRCLE!  Your commitment went further, harder, longer than any before...and we are so blessed by you!
Thank you for your perseverance, your dedication and your love for our teens!  The kids we work with often believe they are on their journey alone.  You proved to them that the most challenging journeys often lead to the most valuable rewards.  You example also showed them that "together is better than alone." 
So as Christmas draws near - thank you for being "together with them".  Your sacrifices, and the constant support of your families and friends, not only taught us valuable lessons for life, but also made a significant, HUGE, WONDERFUL gift of financial support to make OUR children's lives so much better. 
Words alone cannot convey our gratitude for choosing to support  OUR HOUSE!  I wish you could see my heart - it is exploding with THANKS for your AMAZING love and support.
May GOD bless and protect each of you - YOUR gift is for HIS children and we are truly blessed.
MERRY, MERRY Christmas! - Warmly, Alison

Christmas 2017 - Brad Hansen

It’s that time of the year where we spend a great deal of time giving, whether that be from our talents or treasures. I thought I would think of and share one of the many times I witnessed an act of giving while on the road.

I have been fortunate enough to ride the 48 states 5 times and ride to the Acrtic Circle and back so there are many acts of giving I can choose from. But I am going to tell of a time that many of the riders have forgotten, but will remember after I tell it.

One leg of our 48 state route took us through Belle Fourche, SD. We stopped every year in Belle Fourche at Jumpin Jacks for fuel and something to eat. I don’t remember what year it was but there would have been between 12 and 16 of us in the group.

After we all had eaten, we made our way to the register to pay. We are generally always on separate tickets so it takes a bit of time to get everyone paid. As we are standing in line, a short gentleman comes up to the end of the line. This guy looks like a “Tim Conway” wearing a cowboy hat, shirt, cowboy boots and “SHORTS”! Someone says, “Let this gentleman through to the top of the line or he will be here forever”. Immediately, Ronnie yells out, “Give me his ticket, I will pay for his lunch”. After some reluctance and coercive discussion, the man gives Ronnie his lunch tab. Then the man asks the question we get everywhere, “Who are you guys and where are you going?”  We tell him our story of riding the 48 states for kids back home. He thanked us for what we do, reached into his pocket and hands us $200 for the kids. Wow!

Buying that gentleman’s lunch was not Ronnie’s way of trying to get a donation. He did so as an act of giving. These guys I ride with are all like that. They are a great group of givers whether from their talents or treasures.

And the gentleman in the cowboy hat. We have met so many people like this. This is just one of many acts of giving we have encountered during our journeys across this great country.

Christmas 2017 - Brian Brock

We have been fortunate to meet many great people because of The Ride. We got to meet our US Congressman on the steps of the capitol. We got to meet baseball player, manager and commentator Bobby Valentine at his restaurant. We got to meet a kid named Martin, another named Andrew and one named Cooper. Recently we got to meet Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, the man behind the great movie Rudy. During Rudy's speech he talked about perseverance, attitude and hard work. None of those three matter, and cannot create results. He made it clear it takes a dream. Not vision, that's corporate mumbo jumbo for someone who thinks they know the way. A dreamer has no idea where they are going. They know why. The next part is when. And if you have the dream, when is right now.

 

Scott had a dream. Let's raise one million dollars for children in Columbus. Then a few other guys shared his dream, and then a few others. In 2015, the million was surpassed, by 20%. We had a big celebration, mission accomplished. It didn't feel right though. A part of me was not satisfied. Scott and the rest of the guys had that same feeling. We had so much more to do. What do you do when you achieve a dream? Have another dream!!!! And that is where we are today. We have a dream. We have no idea where we are going next year. We only know that we are going, and we know why. To make a difference in one child's life.

Christmas 2017 - Vernon Griggs

As I think back on the first Miracle Ride that I was on I was excited about the sights and the places that we would visit, I would get to see all 48 states and different sights as we would travel  I would see different billboards of all the tourist attractions advertising thinking that we would stop and do theses but we kept passing them up finally some one said over the CB radio that if I would look to my left about 40 miles I could see the Grand Canyon I was getting a little disappointed about not seeing the different attractions. But when we made our first stop to the Children's Hospital and saw the kids there with a tear in my eye I said this is better than any tourist attraction that I missed on our journey. I am so blessed to have been on all of the different rides over the years, yes I would have loved to stopped and seen the different attractions, but I wouldn't have traded it for the looks and joy from watching these children that we visited. As for me I'm a better man after each Scottsride.com that we made. 

Christmas 2017 - Andy Whatley

Why would a relatively sane person straddle a hot, air-cooled, V-Twin motor for 10-12 hours a day for fourteen days straight? 
Why would he subject himself and his motorcycle to such tortuous conditions? As a rookie rider preparing for his first ride with The Miracle Riders, it all goes back to one little boy that I won’t name out of respect for his privacy. 

As a teacher, I meet hundreds of new students every August. This child wasn’t one of the students on my team, but he did come to me for the Guitar Club that I sponsor on our bi-monthly Club Days. A meek, yet personable child, he loved holding and playing the guitars, and I immediately began to look forward to seeing him come in every other Wednesday.  

His resource teacher/case worker came in one day to thank me for taking time with him during club days. She explained to me that he had been removed from his family home because his father had intentionally poured hot grease on him. The father had subsequently been sent to prison, and the boy had been placed in one of the group homes in our district.  I cringed imagining the pain this sweet kid had been forced to endure. 

On the last day before Holiday Break, this little guy showed up in my room to wish me Merry Christmas. I told him to enjoy the break, and he replied, “Mr. Whatley, do you know what I’m looking forward to the most? I’m going to get to see my dad, and I can’t wait!” Boy! It took everything I had to hide my shock, smile back, and wish him the best over the holidays. All this boy wanted for Christmas was to spend a little time with the person that had burned him so horribly. Oh the innocence of children and the power of the human spirit. 

I never saw him again after that holiday. He transferred to a group home somewhere across the state closer to his father. Now anytime the other teachers and I discuss boys and girls from the group homes, I find myself reminded of that sweet little kid that taught me a lesson in grace and forgiveness. 

 

 

Christmas 2017

“I see it this way. We are only here for a very short time, and I plan on making the most of it.  If I’m lucky, a child that we have helped will one day ride his or her Harley across the country and watch the sun set over the Pacific, and know that the people of this world are good.”  Scott Ressmeyer

It continues to be an incredible adventure thanks to YOU!  You have cheered us on, followed our journeys and most importantly believed in the lives of children who need our help; believing they are valuable and deserve love and encouragement. Your gifts of time, talent, prayers and donations humble us. We tell the story; YOU are making the difference in one child’s life.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Scott Ressmeyer, Rick Stinson, Mark Alexander, Brian Brock, Pat Carpenter, Doug Colburn, James Cole, Mike Cunningham, Ray Eckel, Billy Edmundson, Jonnie Ellerbee, Mike Frank, Vernon Griggs, Mike Hamby, Brad Hansen, Dave Hinson, Cody Jolley, Mike Jolley, Ralph Kingrey, Mike Langford, James Leatherwood, Hank Lewis, Gary McDowell, David McNeil, Brice Patterson, Walt Rosso, Kevin Simms, Steve Tennant, Ken Tidwell, Andrew Wade, Ronnie Wilson, Tim Wynn,*Andy Whatley, *Joel Reed, *Jerry Gilliland, *M2 and those we lost, Larry Suits and Martin Thiele.

*Photo taken on the front porch of Arabella, the Methodist Youth home for girls.

Final blog - Mike Jolley

Well this years ride to the Arctic Circle is over and I must say it was totally different than the past seven years. I rode the "lower 48 states" six times and the Great Lakes with the Sioux City Miracle Riders, but the Arctic Circle ride brought on a few different and unique challenges. Of course as we hit each new challenge someone would say "one child at a time" and we would just say "what a great day to ride". To me that would bring home the real reason we were being so hard headed, crazy, full hearted and sometimes just plain stupid. We ride for the children! 
For 21 days straight I got up at 6 a.m. (or earlier), repacked my bag on my bike, got a cup of coffee and breakfast (sometimes) then looked to see what type of jacket I would put on. Rain jacket or cold weather jacket, you see we rode no matter what the weather was like cause we had 500 miles to go (give or take 50 miles) that day. And to be real honest on this year's ride it was 550 miles a day more often than not.
The thing that made this year so different was we knew many miles once in Canada and Alaska would be on dirt or gravel roads. For those of you that don't ride big motorcycles let me reassure you that gravel/dirt and bikes don't mix well. And the further back you are in the pack the more dust you get unless it is raining. If it is raining it just gets slicker. Just to let y'all know I am the last bike. 
Gas stations in Canada were every 100 miles or so and even then they were one pumpers. So gas stops took just a little longer with 16 bikes. And if gas stations were small I want you to just try and imagine what restaurants along the way were like. You got it, "crackers, beef jerky, candy bars and sunflower seeds" were a normal lunch on this years trip. We even had two days of McD which is totally out of our norm. The main stay for supper at nights were chicken wings. Of course I did check out the local adult beverage at night. That part of our trip never changes!!
Guess I would have to say my bike took a beating on this years trip. And of course this 62 year old body took a beating on this years trip. Seems like it gets harder and harder for me to get up and ride 500 plus miles for 21 days in all types of weather on all types of roads each year. Then I look at the needs of the kids around me. Can not wait to see what we do in 2018. Yes I am one of those crazy Miracle Riders that wants to make a difference in one child's life. Sheriff Mike JOLLEY