From the Editor
Iron torch 2
As most of you, Ed Chrisitan of the Special Olympics Georgia LETR Program, has coordinated an Cross Country Motorcycle Ride (6,788 miles total), called the Iron Torch Ride. I wanted to send a quick update to the programs of their progress since they officially started last week in Alaska.
Last week on Tuesday, June 19th 41 riders left the comfort of Fairbanks, Alaska to head up the dreaded Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay. The Dalton Highway is 414 miles long, with only approximately 74 miles of actual pavement, the rest is gravel and rock – which is hard enough to drive on regularly, much less on a motorcycle. After being warned numerous times of its dangers, ride coordinators and riders decided to continue on this journey. Truckers and the DOT were made aware of this ride and aided in the safe travels of the group, although they too all thought we were insane! After a grueling 20+ hour drive up there, we all slept for a few hours and turned around and did it all over again. There were countless broken bikes, riders too worn out to do it again – so a few riders hired a tractor trailer to haul their bikes back for them, and others were loaded up in the back of the pick up trucks and taken back to Fairbanks.
Unfortunately due to the dangers, we did have one officer total his bike and take a few broken bones, but all are aware that it could have been much worse than it was. He is back at home now and resting up. After the 2 day grueling trek, we are down 3 riders – 2 due to injury and 1 unable to find the right parts to fix his bike in time.
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After that all being said, they took a much needed extra day in Fairbanks, Alaska to fix bikes and rest up. By Friday morning, June 22nd – all the bikers were gone to make their next stop and catch up on a lost day of traveling. These men and women have encountered every type of scenario possible – wind storms, hail, rain and a lot of beautiful country in Canada. Bikes are continually being brought into Harley Davidson dealerships to be serviced, and even our escort truck was hit by another car!
Today, they are entering back into the Lower 48 states into Montana – and all will be glad to get back to familiar roads, areas, and shorter days of riding. I’ve attached a few photos from their travels thus far. This is an amazing group of riders who are all doing this for the athletes of Special Olympics. They are continuing on in the same spirit and determination that we all witness everyday from our athletes. Even though over 80% of the riders have sustained damage to their beautiful motorcycles, they’ve ridden 10+ hour days every day straight, and overcome very obstacle placed in front of them. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t witnessed it myself personally in Alaska!
My hat goes off to this fine group. Riders are representing the following states: Georgia, Florida, California, Washington, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. Updates are being made periodically to the main page – visit www.specialolympicsga.org and click on the Iron Torch Ride link. Their travels will now bring them through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia and ending in Key West.
If you’d like any additional information, please let me know. You can reach me via email at allison.hicks@specialolympicsga.org <mailto:allison.hicks@specialolympicsga.org or via phone at 770-414-9390 x 115. Thanks for your support! And please feel free to forward this email
to anyone else!
Allison Hicks
Senior Special Events Manager
Law Enforcement Torch Run Liaison
Special Olympics Georgia
p: 770-414-9390 x 115 f: 770-216-8339
e: <mailto:allison.hicks@specialolympicsga.org
allison.hicks@specialolympicsga.org
Visit us at <http://www.specialolympicsga.org/ www.specialolympicsga.org
Help support the Law Enforcement Torch Run through the Iron Torch Ride!
A group of 50 motorcyclists will be riding from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Key
West, Florida in June & July!
To follow their adventures or to make a donation, log onto
www.firstgiving.com/irontorchriders
Iron torch 1
We got off to a bit of a rough start. Gate A2 is at the very end of the 'A' concourse. I was traveling pretty light, after all everything possible was shipped on my bike. Just the same, my small bag with a pair of leather pants, fairing cover and assorted electronics got a little heavy. But, when I got there WATWOOD was nowhere in sight.
When I pulled my phone out of the bag I had stashed it in for security I had three missed calls from him. We had been relocated to A25 which was all the back thru the center of the concourse and then some. The bag just kept getting heavier, especially after deciding to go back to the center of the concourse again for some food.
The whole gate change was due to a problem with the original plane that meant several people got bumped from the flight. Chuck is on top of things.
He already had our new seat assignments.
After a 45 minute delay we finally got airborne. The flight crew made a decision to show Wild Hogs instead of the scheduled movie. Pretty ironic considering a couple of the Iron Torch Riders were on board. The movie ended just as I began to write this. Some of the passengers especially a seniors group of 16 knew of our ride so the movie inspired more interest in our journey.
When we arrived in Seattle I hoped to have a few minutes to check out the airport. Instead we ran from Gate A to Gate D. It was a long haul. We made the plane and settled in for a 3 and a half hour flight.
The view was spectacular with the mountain peaks poking thru the clouds.
The sky cleared as we came across Canada and on into Alaska. If you've never seen this part of the country you have to make plans to do so.
More coming later for now lots of work to do to prepare the bikes for a thousand miles of unpaved road.
