By Lulu

Challenges in life are to be conquered. Victories in life are to be celebrated. So, when Diesel decided to enter the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge he set his mind to be victorious. Diesel (Dustin Arledge) is a personable 33-year-old originally from Laurelville, Ohio. He started riding motorcycles as early as age 3! When asked how old he was when he got his first bike, he quickly answered my Dad got a bike “for all us boys” when I was about 8 and the three brothers shared it. In February 2007 Diesel joined the Marines and did a tour in Afghanistan where he suffered multiple concussions from explosions finally resulting in brain injuries that caused him to be medically retired. He took the photography session with Honoring Our Veterans and later used his GI bill to get a AS degree in photography which he uses as a release. “Honoring Our Veterans” mission is to improve the quality of life for combat wounded veterans by offering them activities that strengthen their physical, cognitive, emotional and social functioning. This organization helped not only Diesel, but also his friends Beetle and Smuggler’s wife which made him choose to raise funds for them when he decided to ride the Hoka Hey. This was a way for Diesel to give back.

The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge is a 10,000-mile challenge to test the fortitude and determination of the rider. The Lakota Sioux of Wolakota celebrates all that is pure and powerful in the warrior spirit by this event, which is presented by the Medicine Show LLC. The 100 new riders and any previous riders pay $500 to register for the torturous ride. No cash award is given. A trophy is presented to the winner which they hold for two years. The motorcycle challenge takes place every two years. 2020 started and ended in Panama City Beach, Florida. This year for the first time a pandemic has affected others coming into the country to do the challenge. The route took riders through 31 states with directions to check points along the way. Diesel started in the first group of 25 and finished in 10 days and 3 minutes! The actual mileage this year was 9,661. To make that distance in the 10 days Diesel traveled 1500 miles in the 1st 24 hours, sleeping only 2 hours on the ground by his bike. After day 3 he hit that wall of wondering why in the hell he was doing this, but after getting more rest (4 hours instead of 2) he got a second wind and was more determined to not only finish but to WIN. He led most of the 10 days, although with some bike problems, including new tires and brakes in Vermont, blowing the left rear shock, needing to use brake cleaner to clean the air filter and being lost a time or two he lost some of the 3-5 hour lead he had established early on. One rider did pass him on the last day, so he was not positive that he had won until later that day when he learned he was back in the lead.

This is not only a physical and mental challenge; it is a challenge with risks. On the second day rider, Todd Moreland #909, died on the challenge this year. Another rider hit a deer and broke his leg. The second-place rider arrived at the finish two hours behind Diesel. Another part of the challenge is to raise money for the charity of your choice. I mentioned earlier that Diesel chose Honoring Our Veterans to ride for, he was able to raise $7,355 in sponsorship dollars. Diesel set lofty goals, then went for them as a warrior (or Marine) would. Depriving himself of sleep and a bed when he did sleep, enduring miles and miles of road weariness, thirst, hunger, dealing with frustration of accidents, closed bridges, bike problems and just mental fatigue…he pushed through it all. Even more important to me is that he did not neglect the importance of the charity aspect of the challenge. To raise thousands of dollars during a pandemic is remarkable. Job well done Diesel. I know he would like me to thank his sponsors Legend Suspensions, Heise LED Lighting, Bad Apple Orchard, The Original First Turn, Iron Axe, Ormond Brewing Company, McKenna’s Place, Tailgatorz Sports Bar, Dan Newlin, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley Davidson, Destination 4X4s, More Altman’s Cooling & Heating, Street Thunder, Inc., Gunner’s Cave, OnlineLabels.com, Curly’s Barber Shop and East Side Tattoo. All of which in one way or another helped Diesel with his challenge. A special thank you to Bad Apple Orchard for creating a second trophy as Diesel will have to return the one, he holds until the next challenge in 2022, when once again Diesel will ride to win! If you would like to donate to Honoring Our Vets, you can go to PayPal.me/Diesel171 or directly to HonoringVets.org