Ride Organizer

I'm Mike Tuccelli, on the faculty at the University of Florida. I teach the world's most exciting foreign language, American Sign Language. I'm profoundly deaf since birth but have clear speech (at age five I still couldn't speak) and I use American Sign Language with enthusiasm. After being against cochlear implants for 25 years, I decided to get one and I love it as I finally can hear a cat's purr, my wife's beautiful laugh (and unfortunately, the computer's fan).

You don't have to be deaf to join and you don't have to know sign language!  Most of the riders are regular folks who love adventure, want to help deaf babies, and want to put more years in their life!  In fact, a 82-year-young bike enthusiast who had three Gold Wings and had a heart attack two years ago missed riding so much after he sold his Gold Wing bought a maxi scooter and plans to ride with us in 2008!

I've been riding since age 14 (I'm 60 now) and have had Kawasaki 1000, a Pacific Coast, two Gold Wings, a Helix (41,000 miles) a Silver Wing (had 133,000 miles when a lucky guy in New York bought it and it still runs terrific), various Honda 50ccs, 150ccs, 350 ccs, 750 Hondamatic, etc.

My daily commute is from 700 to 1100 miles and my '05 Gold Wing currently has over 80,000 miles.  If I could get 133,000 miles on my '02 Silver Wing, imagine what the Gold Wing will do!

My dad in California is 94 but he rides his 1985 Honda 250 Elite daily. In the early 1930s, he had an Indian 4-cylinder motorcycle, the largest in the world at that time! To be like my dad, I am determined to do this Alaska Bike Run yearly until I am 100! I want to start this small so did this by myself in '02, '03 and '04 (no one joined me until 2005!) to get the experience and am now seeking around 20 to 30 bikers for 2008's run. Patrtick Henry joined me in '05 and you got to see his website!

In 2008, hope to get 50 bikers, then 150 by 2010 and let it take off after that. I anticipate getting more and more sponsors (corporate) to help with advertising, placing display racks in motorcycle shops nationwide, and to distribute tens of thousands of flyers at Bike Week in Daytona.

What I like to do with these annual Florida/'Alaska trips is to (1) give riders a chance to explore Alaska with a group; (2) be available for news conferences and/or presentations at various stops so parents of deaf children will know they have hope and help (did you know Helen Keller said that being deaf was worse than being blind?); (3) to keep lots of life in my years; (4) to help SKIHI in their wonderful mission to give parents of deaf and blind babies motivation, guidance, and resources.

As I work on this website, you will be able to see exact starting times, locations, etc. Bikers registering will be given listing of camp grounds, motels, etc. at each location.

Bikers can ride as little as one day or for the entire trip. There will be incentives such as ride pins, t shirts, etc. Check this web page often as it should be complete with sponsor forms ... you can get people to sponsor you at so many cents per mile. 100% of the sponsor pledges will go to SKI HI Institute to benefit deaf and/or blind children and their families.

We can leave the starting point each day in groups ... perhaps all the Harleys in one group, the Gold Wings in another group, etc. This way, the Reflex or Helix scooter groups can do a leisurely 55 MPH and arrive at each day's end point at a comfortable time.