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Coast to Coast The Hard Way to Eradicate Polio - A BMW Fund Raising Ride

Wkoppa

Member
I am a member of Rotary and our organization has been working worldwide to eliminate Polio since 1985. It is now down to three countries and once it is eliminated they can redeploy those health dollars to other issues. Our incoming District Governor took me up on the offer that if I would try to cause some excitement with a motorcycle ride (and pay for the ride out of my own pocket) he would promote it widely and we could raise some money to eliminate this terrible disease. We decided to call the ride Coast to Coast The Hard Way.

http://www.razoo.com/story/Coast-To-Coast-The-Hard-Way

I am in Prudhoe Bay and depart in the morning for Key West. Until June the 20th we have a Rotary family that is going to double all contributions up to $15,000 and after that the Melinda and Bill Gates foundation is going to triple the amount raised. A $5.00 donation ends up being $30.00. A $20.00 donation ends up being $120.00. Please consider a donation to this worthy cause.

In the end we will not only raise some money for the Polio eradication effort but also place a BMW motorcycle in a favorable light.

You can watch my progress (or lack of) on the web site.

Please pass this information onto anyone who may find it interesting.

My G650GS was really really fun on the way up the Haul Road but it could be a little warmer.

Wayne Koppa
71,449 Life
Grayling, MI
 
As Motorcycle Rides Go $100,943.00 is Quite a Bit.

Finished the fund raising ride this last Saturday. Was just informed that our on-line, off-line and matching contributions are at $100,943.00 to help in the Eradication of Polio. I covered 13,170 miles (twenty days) all together (Grayling to Prudhoe to Key West and then home). My leg from Prudhoe Bay to Key West took a little under 175 hours. My wife Marcia and I paid for the motorcycle part of it and all the donations went to the Polio effort.

All my Rotary friends thought it was pretty nuts but they stayed glued to the updates.

Met many interesting people along the way, riders, people with Polio in their family history.

The Haul Road was a special treat. Had a dry ride out and a wet ride back. The G650GS loved to be ridden hard on the Haul Road rough stuff.

Thanks to all who supported the effort.

Wayne Koppa
Grayling, MI
71,449 Life
1977 R100RS
1996 R850R
2013 G650GS
 
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