Wesley is a founding member of the Rally for Rangers. Since its inception, as an avid motorcyclist, Wesley spearheaded the Rally for Rangers, raised awareness internationally about the National Parks of Mongolia, and rode in all rallies.
Wesley is the founder of Trend Digital, www.trend-digital.com, which specializes in post-production imaging services for e-commerce clothing and fashion retailers. Wesley is also a photographer, adventurer, and traveler and has documented the tribes of Omo Valley, Ethiopia, to the nomadic shamans of Mongolia. He currently lives in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Tom Medema developed a passion for national parks at a young age on family vacations throughout the American west. This passion turned into a career as a park ranger spanning nearly 30 years. Tom is equally passionate about national parks and public lands around the world and has worked with parks and monuments in South America and Europe as a subject matter expert in the field of interpretation and education. The opportunity to support the protection of natural and cultural heritage of parks and protected areas around the world is an opportunity he is excited and humbled to be a part of.
Tom is a sports and outdoor enthusiast, spending much of his free time enjoying two-wheeled travel by mountain bike, road bike, and motorbike. Over the past 20 years he has owned Harley-Davidson and BMW bikes and is currently riding an F800GS on the back roads and trails of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia in preparation for the next epic and compelling adventure protecting the worlds special places one motorcycle at a time.
Robert (Hamilton’s brother) is an artist who lives in Toronto, Canada. He has been involved with many charities over the years including volunteering in Port-au-Prince, Haiti with an organization called Artists for Peace and Justice, as part of an initiative building free public secondary schools for youth in the poorest neighborhood in North America. He has also raised extensive funds for stem cell research and local hospitals.
Growing up in British Columbia, Canada, Robert has always had a love for riding and anything involving the great outdoors. Robert now rides a Yamaha R3 on the road in Toronto and plays on a KTM 250 up in the country in a place called Caledon. He has travelled to over 25 countries and his riding experiences range from the sand dunes of Namibia overlooking the border of Angola to the outback of Australia.
As a sculptor, Robert often finds inspiration for his work through developing diverse relationships and cultural experiences while traveling the world. He is very much looking forward to the journey, building new friendships, and equipping his Ranger with the means to protect the truly majestic environments of Patagonia.
Hamilton grew up on the beautiful West Coast of Canada where he first rode a dirt bike and has since ridden in various countries including India, China, Indonesia and the Philippines. At an early age he developed a love of the outdoors and remote environments while skiing, sailing and hiking whenever possible.
For the past few years he has been involved in the development of renewable energy projects in Asia and is currently based in Hong Kong and Bali.
He is thrilled to have been chosen for the 2018 Rally for Rangers along with his little brother Robert and can’t wait to explore this incredibly beautiful country on two wheels. He is honored to have this opportunity to be able to help the dedicated Rangers in Patagonia to conserve and protect these important natural resources and raise awareness for this amazing cause!
Lance was born to be an adventurer. Early days in Minnesota with a pack of cousins on mini-bikes and fishing skiffs kindled a life-long love of the outdoors and passion for two-wheeled travel. Fishing led to climbing and after a stint in the Navy he became serious about alpinism. Climbing and skiing led to work as a guide in the US, Europe and Latin America. “I’ve been fortunate to spend time in so many wild places around the world. Preserving and protecting them for future generations is really important to me.” A 2004 trail ride down the Baja 1000 route cemented offroad enduro riding as his new passion.
“Some of my outdoorsy friends assumed that off-roading ran counter to conservation and stewardship of wild lands. My friend Kacey Smith, avid Baja rider and guidebook author calls herself a tree hugging dirt biker. That could be a tagline for Rally for Rangers!” Naturally, when Lance heard about the Rally for Rangers, he signed up immediately. Lance rode in the 2017 rally to Otgontenger and is excited to return to Mongolia in 2018. “Mongolia is one of those places that exists in our imaginations as the embodiment of wild and untamed. It’s worth saving.” Lance invites you to join this grass roots movement, where the simple gift of some little motorcycles pays such exponential dividends.
Originally from the east coast, Mike is a freelance engineer based in Oakland, CA. He’s spent his entire career designing, building, and working with machines of all types. He thinks riding a motorcycle is the by far best way to enjoy the beautiful weather and majestic landscapes of California.
Mike Kennan heard about the Rally for Rangers from riders that did it in previous years and he’s extremely excited to be a part of the ride in 2018. In addition to the excitement of having the opportunity to ride a motorcycle across some of the most amazing terrain in the world, it’s a unique opportunity to help protect this same area before it gets developed or otherwise spoiled. As someone from the West, he thinks they have a limited appreciation for how things work in developing nations. While it’s good that a government can make laws, it doesn’t matter if no one is able enforce those laws. This is a chance to give the rangers the tools they need to help protect this ancient landscape.
Elias Bikahi became interested in participating in the Rally for Rangers after assisting with a fundraiser for fellow rider, Tom Medema. Watching the video footage of the rangers in Mongolia moved him to volunteer to ride a bike out to support these rangers who have devoted their lives to protecting the park. Offering the bike to help the rangers better preserve their park and forest and protect the land more efficiently is an important adventure for him.
He started riding in 1986, on beautiful, paved American roads – so the Patagonia landscape will be an exciting off-road challenge. Riding long distances with friends and taking in the scenery in remote areas is his favorite kind of riding.
Charles “Chuck” Flinton is a forensic psychologist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Patagonia is his second “Rally for Rangers” outing. Raised in Saratoga Springs, New York, he became an early fan of state parks. Having ridden a motorcycle in every state except Louisiana and Alaska, he became enamored with gifts of nature. Over the years, he became aware of the threats to our environment, and the importance of protecting it. This starts with preserving national parks both locally and around the world.
When the opportunity arose to assist in providing motorcycles to the park rangers in Mongolia in 2015, he signed up immediately. The motorcycles empowered park rangers to access areas of the park more quickly and safely.
Protecting our environment against corporate forces and un-informed individuals is a mountainous obstacle. We can climb it together with education and providing resources to those at the forefront of protecting nature. Specifically, our PARK RANGERS!
On a more personal note, many years ago, Chuck was immobilized with pain due to ankylosing spondylitis (a spine and joint disease) forcing him to give up riding motorcycles. With the help of friends and science, the ride continues. So, in addition to promoting national parks, Chuck promotes the awareness that anyone (or any community) can overcome challenges on any level (personal, local, or global). Let’s save ourselves while we protect our parks.
I graduated as a lawyer from the National University of Mongolia in 2015, but my passion has always been the mountains. I love to sing as I traverse the park. As a ranger, it is my excitement to see the increase in the population of wildlife.
I have been working as a ranger for 22 years at the Altai Tavan Bogd National Park (ATBNP) since it was established by the 43rd declaration of the State Great Hural (Parliament) in 1996. I patrol 74 thousand hectares (183 thousand acres) of the national park which covers Eki-Ashi, the headwaters and shorelines of the Eki-Asha river. I give the utmost significance in finding ways of promoting community participation in conservation of the glaciers and wildlife.