For you Long Distance Riding Iron Butt FJR Forum Members in the Austin, Texas Area: On Saturday, December 10 Lone Star BMW is going to honor Voni Glaves and Ardys Kellerman for their Million Miles at the Holiday Open House.
https://www.lonestarcycle.com/ Free BBQ lunch with homemade desserts; live music and door prize give aways; the event is running from 11am to 3pm.
BMW Motorrad USA Million Mile Riders: Travelling epic distances is nothing new to BMW Motorrad adventurers – but while many ride tens, or even hundreds of thousands of miles, two American women have racked up a record few could even contemplate. Ardys Kellerman and Voni Glaves are officially recognised as the first female BMW riders in North America to cover one million miles. The distance, which is more than 40 times the circumference of the globe, took decades to accumulate and between them, the women have used 31 different motorcycles.
"I’ve had 15 bikes and Ardys has had 16," says Voni. "My favourite tends to be whichever one I’m riding at the time, but I do have one which really stands out. More than 350,000 of my million miles were completed on my BMW R1100RS, which I bought brand new in 1993, when the oilhead was first introduced. I keep coming back to BMW because my mechanic husband Paul has learned so much about how they work that I'd have a hard time changing brands! They've been amazingly reliable for us and I appreciate the technology – especially ABS brakes."
Voni, 64, and Ardys, 79, met up to ride their millionth mile together, and the odometers finally clicked over this landmark achievement at Red Mountain Overlook in Colorado. Confirmation of their successful target has already been awarded by BMW Motorrad USA and the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, after the pair sent off paperwork confirming each of their 100,000 mile milestones. The Iron Butt Association also plans to make it an official record. "Our record is for being the first two women in North America to do this – we might be the first in the world, but I don’t know how we can confirm it," explains Voni.
Both have ridden for more than 25 years, with Voni getting her first bike in 1977 and Ardys in 1985. Voni has a trademark color of red – most of her bikes, including her current F800S, are red, as is all her riding gear. The friends are both retired now, but Ardys formerly worked as an electronics technician, and is a licensed pilot, while Voni was a teacher, working with special needs pupils.
"Arriving at work riding a red motorcycle and wearing red leathers did attract student attention," she says. "My high school students, with special needs, were quite proud of me and learned lots of extraneous information about geography when we'd track my weekend and summer trips. More than once I gave them the assignment of writing about their summer vacations just so I could share mine! I still hear from students now and again and they are universally proud of me and didn't doubt for a minute I'd make this milestone!"
Voni’s 35-year journey to one million miles has taken her through all 50 states, all the Canadian provinces, five countries in southern Africa, and New Zealand. Asked what she will do next, the proud grandma to two motorcycle-mad boys jokes 'two million miles'. But despite her achievement, Voni says she doesn’t think of herself as an extreme rider.
"I don’t see myself like that, but I do like to set personal challenges that are a bit beyond what I think I can do. And then do them. I challenged my students to do the same – and they have. I didn’t set out to ride a million miles, but I really just enjoyed riding and travelling by motorcycle. I found myself going everywhere on my BMWs. When I reached 600,000 miles some friends told me I was close to a million kilometers – well, that seemed doable and after that, a million miles started to seem possible too. Every one of my miles was accident free, so I’d like to continue to safely explore this vast country of ours close-up, on two wheels."
Both Voni and Ardys are experienced long distance endurance riders. Voni finished the 11-day Iron Butt Rally in 2003, while Ardys has completed the same event on four separate occasions.
Voni Glaves and Ardys Kellerman became the first two women in North America to document riding one million miles on BMW motorcycles. As they approached these accomplishments they arranged to meet in Ouray, Colorado to ride their one-millionth miles together on U.S. Highway 550, the "Million Dollar Highway". They reached this milestone at Red Mountain Overlook between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado the morning of August 30, 2011. Dealership documentation of their achievements has been sent to BMW Motorrad U.S.A. and to the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, each of which provides mileage awards at 100,000 mile intervals.
Glaves, 64, is a retired teacher who resides in the Texas Big Bend just north of Big Bend National Park. Kellerman, 79, is a retired electronics technician who resides in Lexington, Texas. Both have been riding BMW motorcycles for many years. Kellerman bought her first BMW in 1985. Glaves first BMW was her Mother’s Day present in 1977. Glaves accumulated the million miles on 15 different BMWs over the years since then. Her highest mileage on a single motorcycle was 357,658 miles on a 1993 R1100RS, which she still owns. Kellerman has owned 16 BMWs including a 1999 R1100RT with 170,000 miles.
Both Kellerman and Glaves are experienced long distance endurance riders. Glaves finished the 11-day Iron Butt Rally in 2003. Kellerman completed the biennial 11-day Iron Butt Rally four times.
Million Mile BMW Riders Ardys Kellerman and Voni Glaves
For additional information contact Paul Glaves at:
[email protected]
Lone Star
BMW / Triumph
10600 North Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78753
512-451-7979
800-729-3807
fax 512-452-5137
