FZ6 US Pony Express

[Have2BeFree]

im in.. i could do CT and into NY or PA depending on the path of this progect. I wonder if we could get the local news agencys involved and do a mjor ride from say like ME to CA. would be cool to bring something from the east and give it to the west. something like sister citys or something like that. would be cool to get something back from the west to give back to the east. sounds like fun

Each Rider could be in charge of drumming up publicity for his/her ride (call newspapers, radio stations, TV and let them know what we are doing). Just a thought as this has the potential to explode to a very big thing. How big/small do you want to make it? Someone could call Yamaha as well since it will really highlight the FZ they are apt to make a donation.

 

[MarinaFazer]

What would the "sponsors" be sponsoring riders with? I understand pitching media, but I'm not sure what the sponsors would be putting out...touring gear? knick knacks? The bag for the postcards? Or just cash to sponsor whatever we are donating to?

 

[MarinaFazer]

Suggested non-profit groups

Cancer Research Foundation
Susan B. Kohmen Foundation (for breast cancer)
Arthritis Foundation
Make a Wish Foundation
Alzheimer's Foundation
Shriner's Hospital
St. Jude's Childrens Hospital
Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF) Ride-4-Kids

My preference is for the PBTF since they often are involved with various motorcycle fund-raising efforts and have an excellent cause too. I guess each person could select one of the above groups and make their check(s) payable to the above organization.

I see a few Cancer Institutes/Research Centers and Hospitals. I actually work for John Wayne Cancer Institute and also Saint John's Health Center and thought they could be added to the vote list. Why not, right?

 

[flamewulfe]

Another Florida rider here! I wouldn't mind riding in tandem with some of the other FL riders already signed up, I might even be able to get another non-forum FZ6 owner to come also . . . count me in!

Oh yeah, we should come up with a name for this endeavor . . .

This is sort of like the moto version of Relay for Life! A big event for my school.

 

[doc_simple]

Looks like we are talking about a June 1st start? I will be heading from Oregon to Vermont via FZ6 pony on June 13th. I will be heading back about the 25th of June to arrive back in Portland sometime after the 4th of July. So I can do huge swaths of the country or if we get it round the country by the 13th I could return it back to the east coast!!

Just throwing some ideas out there, this is not my ball game, I am just a courier

 

[MarinaFazer]

Looks like we are talking about a June 1st start? I will be heading from Oregon to Vermont via FZ6 pony on June 13th. I will be heading back about the 25th of June to arrive back in Portland sometime after the 4th of July. So I can do huge swaths of the country or if we get it round the country by the 13th I could return it back to the east coast!!

Just throwing some ideas out there, this is not my ball game, I am just a courier

If you're covering it like that that's great! But I'm not sure you'd want to spend so much time in one state as it seems the bag would do with each rider. If it was a time thing, then you could just get riders to ride with you through your state, but then you run in to the problem of people having to conform to your schedule instead of riding their area (probably more extensively than you would) at their own pace/schedule.

Plus it'd be neat to get a bag knowing that it's seen so many miles and you're entrusted to it. Just my 2c

 

[ant_mb]

Looks like we are talking about a June 1st start? I will be heading from Oregon to Vermont via FZ6 pony on June 13th. I will be heading back about the 25th of June to arrive back in Portland sometime after the 4th of July. So I can do huge swaths of the country or if we get it round the country by the 13th I could return it back to the east coast!!

Just throwing some ideas out there, this is not my ball game, I am just a courier

The weekend of June 5th a ton of us are going to be in NC. It's be cool if we could escort it as a group to the next state.

 

[Brandad]

I can take the hand-off from MarinaFazer and cover the central California area from San Luis Obispo to the San Francisco Bay area.

 

[opds9091]

The weekend of June 5th a ton of us are going to be in NC. It's be cool if we could escort it as a group to the next state.

As I was reading through some of the posts i seen that the time fram was right around the 2009 RC, and ANT hit it on the head, it would be cool to have an escort of all of us and the PONYMAN.....or PONYPERSON (not to sound sexist).

 

[rider1a]

I updated the ride link here.

The initial map for the route is here

We should basically start at the eastern tip of the US in Maine at the town of Fort Kent on June 1 and proceed along the eastern seaboard entering half-way into the boot of Florida then proceeding along the gulf states and into California through the southern US. There does not appear to be enough riders to fill in large gaps so this route should work.

I guess, if you could zoom into the above map link and tell us specific portions you would like to ride realizing there may be some other riders tagging along etc. This could be accomplished by a specific start and stop area such as a small town. Riders should expect to ride most of the entire day-light (like the real Pony Express) to keep the momentum going, which comes out to around 400-500 miles per day.

Which rider wants to start the ride in Ft. Kent, Main on June 1?
How many riders have a Garmin compatible GPS on their bikes so we can share route maps via e-mail?

 

[ant_mb]

I updated the ride link here.

The initial map for the route is here

We should basically start at the eastern tip of the US in Maine at the town of Fort Kent on June 1 and proceed along the eastern seaboard entering half-way into the boot of Florida then proceeding along the gulf states and into California through the southern US. There does not appear to be enough riders to fill in large gaps so this route should work.

I guess, if you could zoom into the above map link and tell us specific portions you would like to ride realizing there may be some other riders tagging along etc. This could be accomplished by a specific start and stop area such as a small town. Riders should expect to ride most of the entire day-light (like the real Pony Express) to keep the momentum going, which comes out to around 400-500 miles per day.

Which rider wants to start the ride in Ft. Kent, Main on June 1?
How many riders have a Garmin compatible GPS on their bikes so we can share route maps via e-mail?

Cool, I have Garmin.

 

[detpilot]

Im in for MI. I can also ride with the OH/IN riders if it passes south of Michigan.

 

[krid80]

I updated the ride link here.

The initial map for the route is here

We should basically start at the eastern tip of the US in Maine at the town of Fort Kent on June 1 and proceed along the eastern seaboard entering half-way into the boot of Florida then proceeding along the gulf states and into California through the southern US. There does not appear to be enough riders to fill in large gaps so this route should work.

I guess, if you could zoom into the above map link and tell us specific portions you would like to ride realizing there may be some other riders tagging along etc. This could be accomplished by a specific start and stop area such as a small town. Riders should expect to ride most of the entire day-light (like the real Pony Express) to keep the momentum going, which comes out to around 400-500 miles per day.

Which rider wants to start the ride in Ft. Kent, Main on June 1?
How many riders have a Garmin compatible GPS on their bikes so we can share route maps via e-mail?

Wow... that doesn't really cover much of the United States.

Guess most of the country gets the ole :shakehead:

Sorry, Midwest, guess we are out.

 

[flamewulfe]

Don't forget about me for FL (maybe route through Daytona?) on the rider roster list!

 

[Superchimp]

How about going global with this?

Don't we more or less have members all over the world?

Would be sorta like the Olympic flame if we could pull it off, and make carry the shipment around the world and back to it's starting place!

I'm in if Europe is involved, could cover for example Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. That'd be a great thing!

Let's make it worldwide!

 

[MarinaFazer]

We can always FedEx the bag over to Europe.

 

[CodeMonkey]

I'm in Oklahoma City, and I wouldn't mind volunteering for this unless there is someone already selected for this area.

 

[TKarrade]

I can volunteer for a portion of the journey. If needed.

I work in Pottsville PA, and could take the handoff there. I regularly commute home to Lancaster PA, so it wouldn't be hard for me to just extend my trip and drop off the package somewhere further along the route. Say Gettysburg?

I realize it's not 500 miles, but I could accomplish that during the workweek. If we did it on the weekend, I could take the package as far as Frederick MD. If needed. If someone overlaps that portion of the route, I'd also sign on as an escort.

I have one possible conflict, which may also be a potential opportunity. I'm going to Europe on June 15th to July 9th. So if you guys want to start two packages, I could take one with me and do a handoff either in Berlin, Rugen, or Essen Germany to our European pals. Likewise... I could do a pickup there as well.

-TK

 

[rider1a]

I'm in if Europe is involved, could cover for example Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. That'd be a great thing!

Let's make it worldwide!

It is too hard to coordinate a European version at the same time as the US one. Why don't you start a thread for the European version this summer? I guess you could have part of the route over a portion of the Tour de France course.

 

[rider1a]

We can always FedEx the bag over to Europe.

I don't think that would work, since the bag will contain cashier's check payable to the charity of choice based in the United States. Europe has a different set of non-profit organizations that could be solicited perhaps?

I am considering having an yellow riding vest with the name Pony Express on the back that can be worn by the rider during his or her route.