Travis Burgen, a.k.a. "The Marriage Counselor"
Travis is the current bachelor of the bunch. A status he has worked long and hard to perfect. A successful marriage has eluded Travis like his first wife did when she broke the code and wandered to the WSW side of life. He found his second wife in Russia after traveling the globe. (We like to think he found her as a mail order bride on the Internet). But Svetlana decided that staying married to Travis was worse than the fall of the Soviet empire. So she jumped the fence faster than you can say Perestroika.
A solid guy and the most responsible person in this group (ouch!), Travis will surely keep the Range Riders in line and out of trouble. A schoolteacher at a public school in N. Idaho, Travis is a longtime rugby player and enthusiast where most post match parties end up in his back yard. He loves woodworking, the Playboy channel, online dating, building Lego's, Shitzu dog breeding and long walks in the park. Travis recently started an alternative country and western garage band and hopes to go on tour upon the launch of their new CD "Ball Busters" in 2010.
Travis rides a 2005 GS 650 (Marginally Farkled)
Steve Fischer, a.k.a. "Survivor"
The youngest and most experienced rider in the Range Riding Group is Steve Fischer. His keen survival skills and mechanical aptitude is surpassed only by his ability and tendency to delegate key important duties and responsibilities of this epic trip to others in the group. His personal motto which has served him consistent albeit rather mediocre results throughout much of his adult life is: "First to Blame, Last to Know" Steve remains firm in his commitment to be critical of others while overlooking his own shortcomings.
When he is not pursuing his passion for hunting and fishing, Steve tries to earn a living drilling for and producing oil and natural gas primarily in Oklahoma. Thanks to abnormally high oil and natural gas prices, some of his projects are finally starting to break even or even show positive cash flow. Previous to his commitment to the oil and gas industry, Steve was a stockbroker for 14 years and spent 3 years in the investment-banking arena specializing in the energy sector. Steve and his wife Janet reside in Morton, Illinois where Janet holds a real job.
Steve rides a 2005 1200 GS (Fully Farkled)
Ron Hawn, a.k.a. "A-Train" or "The Ronmower"
A-Train is a man's man in every sense of the word. Rugged, handsome and highly sensitive. Ron actively plays rugby, adventure rides every chance he gets, smokes a mean peace pipe, is fanatic about men's grooming products and shares his love for natural hot springs with Curt Smith. A constant adventurer to the wilds of Montana, Washington, Idaho and all points north. Ron's famous moto is "if it is not an adventure, don't call me". A-Train spends his career days as the Director of Information Technology for the Spokane County Department of Health where he is responsible for keeping networks and computers from getting sick.
A graduate of Ball State, Ron has a firm grasp of his family jewels. The only grandparent in the group, A-Train is a doting grandpa, dad, father and friend. Ron has 3 children, 1 grand child and a warm and nurturing wife Jana. When he is not with his family, Ron is usually on his Motoguzzi headed to a natural hot spring, rugby match or political caucus. His life long dream is to participate in the "Running of the Bulls" in Pomplona, Spain and watching Scout get gored. His hobbies include updating his MySpace page, ballroom dancing, red beer tastings, origami, lawn bowling and is president of his local pastry chef club.
A-Train rides a 2003 Motoguzzi (Mostly Farkled)
Lanny Lang, a.k.a. "Langer"
By day, Lanny is a principal in a Phoenix based private equity and investment firm. By night he is a raging outlaw rock & roll biker. A veteran motorcyclist and outdoor enthusiast of all kinds (motocross, dirt biking, Jeep off-roading, Harley Davidson cruising and adventure riding), Lanny measures his success by the number of hospital day visits per year. A strategic thinker with a zest for the quest, Lanny has been an official suburbanite and desert loving resident of Phoenix, Arizona for over 20 years. A proud father of 3 college aged kids and a loving husband to an incredibly understanding and adventure-supporting wife Carol.
The Lang family has pursuits in just about every sports and action venue imaginable. Living life to the fullest from all corners of the map. Can you say gusto? Lanny's hobbies include reading and preparing financial statements, strategic business theory, cost benefit analysis, inventory management, reading annual reports, adventure riding, motocross, beaches, margaritas, travel and sleeping walking. Lanny is conducting detailed research into early retirement lifestyles and planning. He hopes to publish a "how to" guide in 2009.
Lanny rides a 2007 BMW GS 1200. (Fully Farkled)
Curt Smith, a.k.a. "Scout" or "C-Note"
Curt is the fire starter for this adventure. The point person and general navigator. So we have aptly named him "Scout". Curt will be in charge of leading the Range Adventure Riders into the wide open spaces of British Columbia, The Yukon, Alaska and all parts in between. A resident of North Idaho for over 20 years and a veteran of the logging and sawmill industries, Curt is a supervisor for a major veneer plant in the NW. When he isn't pulling splinters out of his ass, Curt is an international FIFA soccer referee and a certified USA Rugby referee. One of a very few dual zebras in the US. Curt rides his BMW GS to work, school events, soccer matches, rugby matches, the grocery store and numerous destinations across the Pacific Northwest, Canada and Montana.
Curt is a father of two girls, Haley and Jill, and is married to the world's most understanding wife, Rhonda. His hobbies include, adventure riding, camping, heavy equipment rodeos, rugby drink-ups, Karaoke, nano technology, gardening, soaking in natural hot springs, and flipping burgers with one hand while holding an ice cold red beer in his other hand. An excellent marksman, Curt mainly shoots blanks these days.
Curt rides a 2003 BMW 1150 GS (Fully Farkled)
John Swieter, a.k.a. "Sweetman"
Describing John as a Maverick may be a slight understatement. John doesn't fare well by following conventional thinking. So this adventure is right up his unpaved road. By day, John runs a Dallas based brand identity and marketing agency. By night, he does the same thing. (Life in advertising and design is a 24-hour job.) A creative thinker who likes to embrace the twists and turns of life's journey, John is tapping into his inner adventurer to see what the human body and psyche can endure. John likes to think of himself as a modern day Lewis & Clark. Only with a GPS, Jetboil cooking system, dehydrated food, REI membership, iphone and Wi Fi. Sweetman (Lewis) and Scout (Clark) will be sleeping together throughout this trip. An experience they haven't shared with each other since college. Let's hope Sacagawea approves.
John plans to keep the 2008 trip well documented through HD video and still photography. Look for it soon on Amazon.com. A native of Iowa and a dual resident of Idaho and Texas for 20+ years, John and his monumental wife Jane have a son Jens who is a constant reminder that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.
John rides a 2004 BMW GS 1150 (Fully Farkled)