The Countdown Begins. Are you ready?

As I write this, we are three weeks away from Million Mile Monday. Are you ready? I’ll admit I’m starting to get a little nervous. Will we do it? Will we log five million miles in one day? 

I’m ready. This year, I’ll be doing something different. Normally, due to work schedule I fly to our annual rally. But this year, I decided screw it, I’m riding to CLUB H.O.G. OKC. After all, the work will be there when I get back, and what better way to mark both CLUB H.O.G. OKC and Million Mile Monday by riding. Joining me on the ride will be one of my co-workers (and frequent riding partner) Cindy Johnson. We have to be back in the Milwaukee office before Noon on Tuesday, June 30.  (i.e. As I have to be back in time to gather the final mileage numbers and announce our results. Remember, all miles must be logged by Noon Central on Tuesday, June 30).

We plan to head out on Sunday and get a few hundred miles in and then on Monday hopefully finish up the ride and get home that evening. However, in all my years of riding I’ve learned that the best laid plans always change. So whatever happens happens. We’ll ride as far and as long as we can safely, and we’ll get home when we get home. 

Are we ready? I may be a bit nervous, but the comments posted to my first blog (Strive For Five - Can We?) have helped ease some of that nervousness. We have members who are planning to skip work (we won’t tell – your secret is safe Brian and Austin), celebrating graduation (congrats Lynn), and retirement (congrats Glenn, and I’m jealous; I’d like to have lots more time to ride too).  Others are adding Million Mile Monday to already planned trips (Joe and Rett, Tinker, Jim and Melanie, Patricia – you have some great trips planned), and for Dan this will be his first Million Mile Monday on his new Street Glide – welcome to the H.O.G. family, Dan!  We have chapters in Hawaii (thanks Gary), Pomona Valley (thanks Mike and Marcia), Yampai (thanks Michael), and North Fresno (thanks Bryan) planning rides, plus other chapters that haven’t posted yet. We have members who are embarking on dream journeys (good for you Jeff) and another who is using MMM to help him with ABCs of touring (good luck Bryce). Plus, we have members around the world taking part: Amer in Saudia Arbia plans to ride 700 km and a fellow H.O.G. member who is in Afghanistan and can’t ride asked us to put on a few miles for him. I’ll be sure to ride some miles for you Gary! 

The H.O.G. staff also plans on putting on the miles on Monday. Some of us will be riding from CLUB H.O.G. OKC, others have trips stopping at several dealers along their routes. While other staff members will ride to work and take the long way home. We ride, too, and want to do our part to help us reach five million miles!

One last thing I’d like to say is for those of you who can only ride to and from work – that is fantastic. There's no need to say "I’m just riding to work" or "I’m sorry I can’t do more."  No need to apologize – every mile counts! And in the end, all that really matters is that you're out riding and having fun!

As you can see, I read all the posts so keep the comments coming. You never know if your name may show up in my next post. Do you think we are ready? Let us know your thoughts.

Comments

[Kevin]

This Million Mile Monday will be a escape for me for a little while. My wife is passing away from terminal liver cancer. This ride is to escape from watching this slow death for a hour or so, to honor how good a wife she has been. I bought my anniversary edition FatBoy in August of 2007, she was diagnosed in Sept 2007. With all the treatments, sick days, etc, she has got to ride 3 times since then. She is only days from the end, but still wants me to go ride to get away for a while. When on my Bike, this takes my mind away from the watching of her death, a chance to escape as I said before. Gives me time to think of the times we rode when I had a sportser. Thank you Harley Davidson for a chance to escape.

[Cathy]

This will be my first MMM. My 2007 Sportster is ready to do some miles. This is my first Harley and I really love to ride. Cathy, Florence, AZ

[Mike]

I plan to ride my 1996 Road King 650 miles on MMM. Leave Portland, OR 5:00 AM and head for Crater Lake via Bend, then through Roseburg on to Reedsport, North to Lincoln city and back to PDX. Looking forward to a great day. See ya on the road.

[Bill]

I'm a career firefighter, and have Monday off. I will be riding out to my mother's house(40 miles roundtrip)and doing other "errands"! I should get 100 miles on very easy. LOVE my '02 Ultra Classic Fire Fighter Special!! Riding safe in southern Minnesota!

[Paul]

Getiin' ready to tear it up! Turning asphalt into miles is the name of the game and nothing is more fun than to see a ribbon of highway rolling under your heels while watching the landscape change. It's really what it's all about. Everyone please be safe while watching the odometer do it's thing!! WOOHOO!!!! Here we gooooo!!!

Paul, Aurora, CO

[paul]

i am more than ready. i plan on riding out at midnight sunday night and riding all day till midnight monday night.the plan is doing 1,300 miles when its all said and done.giddy up!!!!!!!

[Jeff]

I plan to ride my 2008 Heritage to work on the Monday and then I'll ride out of the city ( Melbourne, Australia ) and up into the mountains. I should cover about 250 miles on Million Mile Monday.

[Wayne]

Just broke in a new 09 Road King so I've decided to skip work and take a 370 mile ride from Binghamton, NY up through the Adirondack Mountains (Raquette Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, Indian Lake) and back. Going to be great if the weather holds out.

[John (Canary)]

To do our part for Million Mile Monday five riding buddies from HOG 76 (Foothills Chapter)
Chandler Ariz. will be doing an Iron Butt ride and add our 5000 plus miles to the total. Good luck and safe riding to all HOG members everywhere. Myself I'm working on 100,000 miles in 3 years (62,000 in 23 months). 13 months to go, I will make it.
I love my Electra Glide

[pops]

Gonna ride out to the wife's work(28 miles one way), take her out for lunch somewhere. Then back to the house to get my but ready for work(11 miles one way). Hopefully will be able to get in at least 100 miles or more.

[Jaromey]

Monday, June 29th is perfect timing as I will be riding home from a fun weekend of riding with Ladies of Harley, Oliver BC back to Kamloops BC. Still love my 2003 Lowrider!

[Kevin]

On Million Mile Monday, my brother Jason, myself and our wives will be taking the CAT ferry from Bar Harbour across to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia on our way to the Cabot Trail...do nautical miles aboard the ferry count? We plan to ride about 200 miles after disembarking in Yarmouth - should be a fun ride!

[Mallory]

Will be on the last leg of the return trip from OKC. We will be logging about 500 miles that day alone after a few thousand miles being logged from 10 days on the road!!!

[Tom]

If I can get off this walker by the 29th,I plan on a 200 mile run in the Southern Oklahoma Plains. Wish me luck!

[TJ]

I'm looking forward to my first MMM! I am registered in an ERC that day, and it will be about 75 miles round trip to&from, then the mileage in the course, then maybe I'll take the looooong way home :)

[Tim]

Hi all
I am planning on riding to the Mackinac Bridge from where I live in Eaton Rapids MI. It is a little over 500 miles round trip. I took the ride in May and had a blast. On the way back though I came through over 100 miles of Mayfly Hatch. My visor was a mess and I had to stop 3 extra times to clean it. Chaps, coat and boots were a mess too. IT WAS AWESOME!!!

[Mike]

I normally lead "Call In Sick" rides for the Florida Bay Area Clearwater Chapter HOG on Thursdays, but I saw this as an opportunity to do something different. I plan to lead a ride from Clearwater to Naples,FL approx. 325 miles round trip. We'll go over the scenic Sunshine Skyway Bridge and then burn up some asphalt on I-75 heading down to Naples. The plan is to have lunch at Cheeburger, Cheeburger in Naples. I hope to see some other HOG members out on the road.

[John]

I am looking forward to another Million Mile Monday. Last year I rode about 330 miles and had a ball. I am planning on riding about 500 miles this year. I have encouraged my Chapter to participate as well. I am confident that the 5 Million mark will be met. If we all get just one more HOG member to ride it will be easy. Good luck and Ride safe.
John, Burlington Ont. Canada

[Sal, Director Orlando Chapter 0708.]

We are going to have 2 rides one breakfast for those who must go to work and at 10:30 we will have a ride from HD Orlando East to Cocoa Beach, enjoy lunch then depart for Ice Cream to Kissimmee/Poinciana and return to Orlando HD South for a total of 150 miles at least per rider plus the distance from their home. We notified our members via e-mail blast this morning, will have it in the upcoming newsletter and one more e-blast Friday prior.

[PETE]

After 28 yrs of working in the same office the company I work for has decided to close our office and relocate people to a bigger office 70 miles away. Looks like a 140 roundtrip is planned for Million Mile Monday.
Pete (St. Cloud,MN)

[Steve]

I am new to the H.O.G. family
and have just gotten a 2009 Street Glide. This is my first Harley, Looking forward to Million Mile Monday I will do what I can.

[Dr. Oscar]

Oscar Moore´s American Thunder in Costa Rica we are preparing for Monday and expect to have a great ride. Lot´s of miles coming up.
Let´s ride to live!!!

[CJ]

I'll be riding back from OKC with Hanaway. I suspect we will have 400-500 miles left to do on Monday. Should be a blast!

[Sheryl]

I am looking forward to another Millioin Mile Monday -I am certain that we can achieve the Strive for Five. We are attending the Indiana State HOG rally rather than the National rally and we are staying over one more day so that we can all ride home on MMM. We are looking forward to the ride! It will be a great feeling knowing that we are just a few of the 1000's of Harley riders across the world that will all be working to achieve the same goal - 5 Million Miles!!! Screw it, lets ride!!!!!

[Ken "Hardcore"]

This year is especially significant as it was May 30, 1959 when I got my first Harley-Davidson, a 1959 red
Hummer 125. 50 years of Harleys have come and gone and to commemorate this 5 Million Mile Monday and my 50th Harley Anniversary I will be riding from Gallatin, TN to Ft. Walton Beach, FL and back to earn my first Iron Butt Association Saddle Sore 1,000 award for riding over 1,000 miles in less than 24 hours. What better way to start my second 50 years with Harley-Davidson.
Ken "Hardcore"