Leaving The Motorcycles Behind - Tom Medema

Why would anyone ride a motorcycle to an exotic location in a faraway place and then just leave the bike behind? To date, there are about 175 riders who have done just that. They’ve ridden these motorcycles on epic motorcycle adventures in which they traverse sand, mud, tough ground, through streams and even over mountains to deliver the motorcycles to park rangers working in underfunded areas. The ceremonial hand-off of the new motorcycle from the adventure rider philanthropist to park ranger is an emotional affair that is so powerful that it draws some of these riders back, year after year. And the great thing about it is that you could be going next.

Delivering Tough Rides

Tom Medema recently returned from a trip with 15 volunteers who rode Yamaha XTZ 125’s to Nepal. They delivered the much needed motorcycles to park rangers in Chitwan National Park, where the rangers protect Rhinos and Tigers from poachers. The ride was rough and challenging, they ran into problems with the lack of oxygen, snowy conditions, traffic and even an accident which left a rider with a broken hand. We talk about this trip and another one that Tom led to Mongolia earlier this year, and how they’ve made a difference to rangers who work tirelessly to protect park lands in those countries.

Harley Davidson Camper Rig | Mongolian Steppe - Rally For Rangers

For Jackie Heyen, the road is her home, but hitting the road wasn’t as easy as throwing a sleeping bag on the back of her bike because she’s not into sleeping on the ground, but Jackie’s got it all figured out. And Tom Medema from Rally for Rangers rides the Mongolian Steppe while helping park rangers do their job.