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Riding a 2005 BMW F650 Dakar off-road bike for 27 days seven hours, and 52 minutes
It’s a long and winding road from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Ushuaia,
Argentina – 15,051 miles to be exact – from the most northern
milepost in North American to road’s end in South America. Now
imagine riding that distance on a motorcycle. Then imagine doing it
as fast as you dare, day after day, for nearly a month.
David Gerulski, of Atlanta, Ga., did more than imagine such a ride:
he did it. And he did it in record-setting style, setting a new
motorcycle world record for the Trans-Americas journey: 27 days,
seven hours, and 52 minutes. Riding a 2005 BMW F650 Dakar off-road
bike, equipped with PIAA auxiliary lamps and halogen headlight bulbs,
Gerulski departed Prudhoe Bay on September 1st and cruised into
Ushuaia on September 28th, breaking the previous record by seven
days.
More important than the record – far more important – is that
Gerulski took on the challenge as a fundraiser for the Pat Tillman
Foundation. Tillman, as most Americans are aware, was a standout
professional football player for the Arizona Cardinals. After 9/11,
he gave up his gridiron career to become a member of the U.S Army
Seals. Tragically, Tillman lost his life in Afghanistan. Gerulski,
a family friend of Tillman, wanted to give something back to America
in Tillman’s name.
The 15,000-mile ride crossed 17 borders and traversed 14 countries.
Many of the roads were unpaved. The weather varied wildly, putting
Gerulski through rain, snow and high winds. Temperatures ranged from
freezing to triple digits.
To cover the distance in the required time, Gerulski rode an average
of 16 hours a day, sometimes more, and four-to-six of those hours
were at night, where the PIAA lighting kept the 43-year-old high-tech
business executive on a safe path.
"I started a bit slow, so I had make up time by riding long hours at
night through jungles, mountains and deserts," explained Gerulski,
"The PIAA lamps and bulbs not only provided a clear view, but a real
sense of security. Without them, I would never have set the record.
Plus, it didn’t mater if I came across a moose, a cow or a llama, I
lit 'em up from a hundred yards away with my PIAAs!"
Despite the severe conditions – weather, vibrations, road debris –
Gerulski’s PIAA lamps and bulbs – a BMW 650 kit (PIAA p/n 74650) that
included two 510 driving lights and a custom mounting bracket --
performed flawlessly, with no failures of any kind.
Gerulski’s fundraising goal was to raise a million dollars for the
Pat Tillman Foundation. To date, he is shy of that ambitious goal
but continues to push towards it. The Pat Tillman Foundation seeks
to carry forward Pat’s legacy by inspiring and supporting young
people striving to promote positive change in themselves and the
world around them. Inspired by Tillman’s passion, the Foundation’s
Leadership Through Action program enhances young people’s leadership
skills, helps them use their skills to develop solutions to today’s
problems, and ultimately funds those projects that have merit.
Further, the program creates a forum and a network for current
leaders to give back and help shape the leaders of tomorrow.
For detailed information on Dave Gerulski’s incredible journey on
behalf of the Pat Tillman Foundation, visit www.34for40.org, and read
his ride diary and view photos of the trip. The website also has
details on how to donate to the Tillman Foundation.
From a PIAA Corporation press release
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