2022 | Rider Year | Rally for Rangers

As an 8 year old I didn't eat school lunch so I could buy my first motorbike. I had no idea my early love for riding would eventuate into a mission that might do someone some good in the world in majestic places with outstanding people. This task has tested every measure of my motorsports/driving instruction background, paired with great support from blessed team members. I still pinch myself to be involved in such a beautiful endeavor that would be so much fun! I treat Rally for Rangers as a pivot or jump start to a vivid perspective of great things in life......

I am a native Los Angeleno with deep family ties to Mexico. I attend school and worked in both countries and am also a citizen of both. I started riding motorbikes when I was 12 until I was 16, spending that time on motocross tracks, deserts and vacant lot shenanigans. I resumed riding again at 48 once my daughters were in college and have not stopped since. I try to take at least 2 lengthy motorcycle trips, domestic and international as well as 1 or 2 different types of motorcycle classes a year. I own my own business which gives me the freedom to pursue this passion. Our family consists of my wife, 3 daughters and 2 parrots. I owned and ridden many types of motorcycles, I enjoy eating all foods except coconut and experimenting with unknown cuisines . I believe a good martini after 5 is good for the soul. I enjoy wandering whenever possible. I am excited to be part of this journey, which came my way on a lark. I met Tom at a pre-pandemic Rawhyde event, after a bit of chit-chat he gave me his card. I decided to reach out to Tom after seeing that card sitting on my work bench for over 2 years now... and here we are. I’m really looking forward to being more than a tourist.

I was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. but don’t hold that against me, I learned an incredible appreciation for nature here. I’ve spent time living in and riding Motorcycles in Portland OR, Chico CA, Brooklyn NY, Atlanta GA and currently reside on the South Shore of Boston MA. I’m avid hiker, runner and camper and am so in love with our state and national parks here in the US. I fell in love with two wheels as early as I can remember, starting out with BMX bikes and taking advantage of motors whenever possible. I love riding, all kinds of riding, and do my best to get as many hours in the saddle as possible. I studied finance in college and have built a career in software sales in financial services, primarily working with startups that serve financial advisors with automated solutions. My amazing wife and 3 daughters encourage my motorcycle habit and great outdoor adventures, and I’m forever grateful for their support.

Wesley Thornberry is a visionary leader and a driving force behind the inception and ongoing success of the Rally for Rangers project of the Mongol Ecology Center. As an ardent motorcyclist and conservation enthusiast, Wesley co-founded the Rally for Rangers and has been instrumental in elevating its profile on the global stage. Since 2014, he has actively participated in all 13 rallies, using his passion for adventure to draw international attention to the preservation of Mongolia's National Parks.

In addition to his conservation efforts, Wesley is the founder and CEO of Trend Digital LLC, a renowned company specializing in post-production imaging services tailored to the e-commerce clothing and fashion industry.

Wesley is a seasoned photographer, adventurer, and world traveler, having explored over 80 countries. His lens has captured the indigenous tribes of Ethiopia's Omo Valley to the mesmerizing depths of underwater national parks worldwide. He currently lives in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

I’ve been riding for more than 15 years. In the last 5 years, I gave up my sport bike and fell in love with adventure riding. Since then, I’ve been able to explore the backcountry mountain roads of the Appalachian mountains of Virginia and West Virginia, the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and the sand dunes of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. In 2021, I completed the MidAtlantic Backcountry Discovery Route (MABDR). This year I’ll be riding the North East BDR before heading to Bhutan.

Motorcycling is in my family, and even though I and my brother was raised without them, we somehow both ended up with motorcycles being a major part of what defines us. My father used to ride dirt bikes (and race) in the army, and I have photos of my grandmother riding in WW2. Since I was 14 I knew the bike I wanted was a R1150GS Adv - big enough to travel long distances and adventurous to take me to places I have never heard of. I got my license at the earliest opportunity and have been riding daily since. I study maps during work hours (guilty) of places I wish to explore, spend hours figuring out how to mount my soft luggage, and day dream about seeing what nature, geology/geography, ecosystems/fauna the world has to offer. The motorcycling nature of RfR puts it in its own league of adventure travel.

Jessie Jobst has been around motorcycles from a young age but didn't get over the fear of riding until she got her first bike at 26; a 1976 Honda CB 125 to ride around London with. Falling in love with the sport and discovering heroines such as world riders: Anne-France Dautheville and Elspeth Beard, she decided she would also like to see the world by motorcycle.

So back in 2019 she packed up her life in NYC and set off on a trip around the world! Unfortunately this was cut short due to covid but she managed to ride over 15,000 miles and crossed 13 international borders landing her in Chile before shipping her moto back to NYC. To make up for the shortened trip she spent the rest of the pandemic riding extensively throughout the USA + Baja Mexico with her husband.

Jessie is from a design background, graduating from London College of Fashion with 1st Class Honours Batchelor of Arts degree in womenswear; her graduate collection was bought by boutiques in Japan and dressed celebrities such as Lady Gaga. After having a 360 degree experience in the fashion industry; from design and art direction in London to producing in New York City; she launched Meridian Child Motorcycle Club.

She currently lives and works in Los Angeles, producing fashion photo shoots and living by the MCMC philosophy; that riding is a form of meditation, and using the motorcycle as form of respite for city living.

Jessie see’s the motorcycle not only as a way in which you can transform yourself but also as a key to exploring the unseen corners of the world. As Theresa Wallach says: “Motorcycling is a tool with which you can accomplish something meaningful in your life. It is an art."