When David Gerulski bought his first motorcycle at the age of 22, his mother, a nurse, warned him that if he ever rode it he'd never be welcome back in her house again.
Gerulski took heed and returned the bike, but now 21 years later he's about to ride over 17,000 miles on one in what he hopes to be a world record 34 days.
Gerulski's ride stems not for personal pride or thrill, but for Pat Tillman and the legacy he left behind.
Titled "34 for 40", in reference to his targeted 34 days and Tillman's pro football jersey number, Gerulski's journey will stretch from the Western Hemisphere's most northern city, Dead Horse, Alaska, to its most southern city, Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina.
The route crosses through 16 borders and 13 countries, from smooth interstate highways to rugged dirt paths and temperatures ranging from below freezing to triple digits.
"I decided that I was going to follow Pat's legacy and get up and do something about it," Gerulski said. "Too many people sit around and say, 'Well, I'd like to go do that' but don't do it."
The 43-year-old from Atlanta, Ga. knew Tillman through his nephew, who was one of the pro linebacker's best friends growing up. He said he'll never forget where he was on the day he heard Tillman had decided to join the US Army Rangers.
"One of the neatest things about Pat was he was the smallest guy around," Gerulski said. "That meant that Pat took all the abuse all the time, so you can see how he got so tough."
Gerulski hopes to raise $1,000,000 during his trip for the Pat Tillman Foundation, an organization created by Tillman's family to inspire young people to make positive changes in their lives.
All though donations have been minimal so far, Gerulski expects more people will catch on once the ride begins on September 1.
"It's a testament to the power of Pat," said Alex Garwood of the Pat Tillman Foundation. "It's reached Dave all the way in Georgia and inspired him. That's a very powerful statement."
To break the current Trans Americas Motorcycle World Record of 35 days, he will have to average over 500 miles a day. His longest trip in a single day to date is 700 miles, after which he took a day to rest before returning. But this time Gerulski won't have that luxury.
"This trip will be a lot more grueling than any other that I've taken," he said.
But while Gerulski expects the ride to be a test of his endurance, he said the key to beating the world record is logistics. Some strategy will come into play, such as traffic reports, short cuts, and updated road conditions.
Gerulski plans to travel in the United States for as long as possible to utilize interstate highways, suggesting he might exit out of the southern tip of Texas as opposed to Arizona, where the current record holders crossed.
He will have dealerships standing by in Mexico City and Chile, located approximately one third and two thirds of the way into his trip respectively, to assist with what he expects to be major maintenance work on his motorcycle.
Gerulski will also require an air lift from Panama City, Panama to Cartagena, Colombia due to the lack of any road connecting the two countries. But Cartagena is located farther north than Panama City, so Gerulski will actually lose miles in the transfer.
He anticipates the most difficult part of the trip will be riding through Colombia, a country tarnished with drug trade, violent civil conflict, and the highest kidnapping rate in the world.
"It's an iffy situation with me being American and riding through the country," Gerulski said. "But I think we'll get good support through it and I intend to ride with other riders from Colombia. It'll be one of the most difficult but exciting portions of the trip."
Gerulski hopes to attract supporting local riders to accompany him through their region or country during his journey. His helmet will be equipped with military grade audio and video to capture his world record attempt.
Supporters can find more information about the ride and pledge donations on his website, www.34for40.org.
Reach the reporter at steven.bohner@asu.edu.
