ON HOLD: 2020 Wyman Memorial Challenge, "Rendezvous"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The George A. Wyman Memorial Project, in cooperation with the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum organization, is pleased to announce the 3rd bi-annual Wyman Memorial Challenge, "Rendezvous" Grand Tour and 50cc GOLD:  Saturday, May 23 through Saturday May 30, 2020.  Details can be found in the links above.

Wyman Memorial Challenge Coin
(Available at the IBA eStore - Wyman Project)

The "Rendezvous" Grand Tour offers enthusiasts the opportunity to travel to the 150+ Wyman Waypoints from San Francisco to New York City.  As in past events, daily "Rendezvous" locations have been designated so riders of the Grand Tour can gather to share their adventure.  

2020 Wyman Memorial Challenge

Wyman Memorial Plaque - Cheyenne Depot

The George A. Wyman Memorial Project is pleased to announce the installation of the Wyman memorial plaque at the Cheyenne Depot.  On June 4, 1903, Wyman arrived in Cheyenne about 10:30 at night.  He took his motorcycle to the baggage room of the Union Pacific Depot for storage before seeking lodging.  Read his account of June 4 - Across America on a Motor Bicycle.

Today, the Cheyenne Depot Museum is the "Heart of Cheyenne History"  It is Cheyenne's premier visitor and information center.  Pictured here is the Wyman memorial plaque displayed in the very baggage room he stored his motorcycle those many years ago.

Baggage room display at the Cheyenne Depot Muesum

Cheyenne Depot Visitor & Information Center

The George A. Wyman Memorial Project thanks Doug and Karen Leath, sponsors of the Wyman memorial plaque, Journey and Waypoint poster displays at the Cheyenne Depot.

Doug & Karen Leath
Motorcycle Tourer's Forum Members

Gift Shop entrance
Cheyenne Depot Museum

Wyman Memorial Plaque Dedication - Clinton IA

The George A. Wyman Memorial Project is pleased to announce the placement of the Wyman historical marker at Clinton, Iowa.  The Wyman memorial plaques are are mounted on a piece of the historic Lyons-Fulton Bridge that Wyman rode across the Mississippi River on June 18, 1903

Left-Right:  Arlen Brunsvold, Robert Rehkopf, Mary Seely and Tim Masterson

The dedication event was be held at 1:30 pm, Monday, October 21st, Liberty Square at the intersect of US30 and South 5th Street.  Turnout was excellent and included Clinton Mayor, City Council members, local dignitaries and other citizens of Clinton IA.

The George A. Wyman Memorial Project wish to think Mary Seely, Executive Director, Convention & Visitors Bureau for her outstanding efforts to bring the Wyman story to the citizens of Clinton, IA.  We also thank Arlen Brunsvold and Robert Rehkopf, Wyman memorial plaque sponsors for waypoints 617.1 Clinton RON and 618.1 Mississippi River Crossing. 

Wyman Plaque in Denison, IA

The George A. Wyman Memorial Project is pleased to announce the City of Denison, IA as hosting authority for the 613.3 Denison RON Wyman waypoint.  The Wyman memorial plaque and Waypoint sign is mounted in the beautifully landscaped area in front of The Donna Reed Center for the Performing Arts building at the southwest corner of Broadway and Main Street, Denison IA.

Mayor Beymer, John & Nadine Huval, Tim Masterson

Denison Mayor Jared Beymer hosted the dedication event at 5:30pm on Saturday, August 24, 2019.  Plaque sponsors John and Nadine Huval did the ribbon cutting honors.

ON THE LEVEL - Rediscovering the Original Adventure Rider

Click here for PDF

Interview by John M. Flores, Editor in Chief of OTL Magazine.  OTL is the official magazine of the BMW Riders Association.

OTL - Pages 40 - 44

Appearing in the July/August 2019 issue of OTL is John's article...

Rediscovering the Original Adventure Rider
Speaking with Tim Masterson of the George A. Wyman Memorial Project

WYMAN is in "The Iron Butt Rally"

The 2019 Iron Butt Rally is taking place across America and Canada June 17th through June 28th.  Long-distance motorcyclists from around the world ride in the "World's Toughest Motorcycle Competition" on a motorcycle scavenger hunt.  Over the 11 days of the IBR, riders rack up between 10,000 to 12,000 miles of hard riding.  During the three 'legs' of the IBR riders select from a list of 'bonus' locations and plan their routes accordingly.  This year and during leg one 4 Wyman waypoints have been selected to be IBR bonus locations.

The George A. Wyman Memorial Project thanks the rally organizers Lisa Landry - Rally Master, Jeff Earls - Routing Master and Mike Kneebone, President of the Iron Butt Association for including this 'hat tip' to the first long-distance motorcyclist.

There are five bonus locations in the WYMAN combination.  Riders are awarded points for riding to and claiming each location.   The extra WYMAN combo points are awarded to those riders who successfully 'score' all five of the bonuses in any order:

Click on the highlighted bonus code name to see their location in Google Maps.

LNHWY - HQ of the Lincoln Highway Association in Franklin Grove, IL

OGDEN - Ogden, IA  Wyman stopped here overnight to fix the 'final drive' of his motorcycle at a local blacksmith shop across from the current City Hall.

See: THE WYMAN DISPATCH June 14 - Across America on a Motor Bicycle

Wyman memorial plaque and Waypoint sign outside City Hall were dedicated by Team Strange in memory of Eddie James.

SHRM - Sherman Summit rest area along I-80 between Cheyenne and Laramie WY.  Wyman stopped at the top of Sherman summit on June 4th and rested at the base of the flagpole.  He carved the following into it's wooden base:

"G.A. Wyman, June 4, 1903, 11:30a.m. - First motorcyclist to cross the Rockies, going from San Francisco to New York."

See:  THE WYMAN DISPATCH June 4 - Across America on a Motor Bicycle

Wyman memorial plaque and Waypoint sign was dedicated by Cliff Wall.



TECOMA - Near Montello, NV along the Transcontinental Railroad west of the Great Salt Lake.  Wyman travel along the rail bed after his overnight stay in Wells.

See:  THE WYMAN DISPATCH May 26 - Across America on a Motor Bicycle

PALI - Palisade, NV a few miles south of I-80 just west of Carlin.  Wyman stopped here for lunch on May 24, 1903, following the transcontinental railroad.

See:  THE WYMAN DISPATCH May 24 - Across America on a Motor Bicycle

This Day - Across America on a Motor Bicycle

May 16th, is the anniversary of the start of Wyman's historic journey "Across America on a Motor Bicycle."  To celebrate and commemorate Wyman's hard riding adventure, the Project is publishing the daily account of his journey..one day at a time!

We have sliced 50 days, 5 articles and 26,000 words of Wyman's ride report into just a couple of paragraphs covering each day of his epic journey.  Starting May 16, and for everyday until July 6, our 'What's New' section will feature Wyman's description of his ride that day in 1903.  Follow along, as Wyman reports the thrills, spills and challenges of his epic ride, one day at a time.

Subscribe to 'What's New' to You! Get the Wyman Dispatch direct to your inbox.  Enter your email address in the box at the upper right, click 'Submit'.  

Wyman was inspired to make his 1903 epic ride by an experience he had the previous summer.  Sometime in 1902, after his return from a bicycle tour of Australia, Wyman acquired a motor bicycle from the California Motor Company.  That July he rode it over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Reno to attend the "Fifty Mile Bicycle Race," becoming the first person to cross the formidable Sierra Nevada's by motorized vehicle.  It was on the ride back to San Francisco that Wyman got the idea to attempt the transcontinental motorcycle ride.

"During the previous summer I had made the journey on a California motor bicycle to Reno, Nevada, and knew that crossing the Sierras, even when helped by a motor, was not exactly a path of roses. But it was that tour, nevertheless, that fired me with desire to attempt this longer journey - to become the first motorcyclist to ride from ocean to ocean."  George A. Wyman, June 1903

The Story Behind the Headlines?

California Motor Company offers bicycle racer George Wyman $500 prize money to ride their motor-bicycle from San Francisco to New York City.  The Goodman Company gets exclusive rights to publish the story and helps with the trip expenses.

To get the latest Wyman Dispatch is easy...

• Visit our What's New section:  http://wymanmemorialproject.blogspot.com/
• Subscribe to our 'What's New' to You! service (upper-right corner). Receive the latest edition directly to your email inbox.  (Unsubscribe at any time)

Truckee Wyman Plaque Dedication

The Truckee California Information Center held the dedication ceremony of the Wyman memorial plaque and Waypoint sign at 12:00 noon, Monday, May 20th. (Truckee Visitors Welcome Center, 10065 Donner Pass Rd)

Left to right:  Chaun, Tim, Greg and Ruth

The dedication ceremony was conducted by Greg Zirbel, Vice President,  Chaun L. Owens-Mortier, Secretary, representing the Truckee-Donner Historical Society and Ruth Geresy, Director of Operation, Truckee Chamber of Commerce.  Ruth is also the manager of the California Welcome Center that occupies the historic Truckee RR Depot pictured in the background.  Tim Masterson, President/Project Manager, represented The George A. Wyman Memorial Project.

The Wyman memorial plaque and Waypoint sign will be on display in the historic Truckee RR Depot in the Truckee-Donner Historical Society.



Here is what Wyman wrote about his departure from the Donner Summit Hotel to Truckee the morning of May 20, 1903. 

     "It did not help me get through the dark, damp, dismal tunnel, 1,700 feet long, that afforded the only means of egress from Summit. I walked through that, of course, and emerging, continued to walk, or rather, I tried to walk. Where the road should have been was a wide expanse of snow - deep snow. As there was nothing else to do, I plunged into it and floundered, waded, walked, slipped, and slid to the head of Donner Lake. It took me an hour to cover the short distance. At the Lake the road cleared and to Truckee, 10 miles down the canyon, was in excellent condition for this season of the year."

G.A Wyman, Over the Sierras and Through the Show Sheds, The Motorcycle Magazine, June 1903 Vol 1, No. 1

Donner Lake to Truckee Ride  The festivities began at 11:30am with a group of modern day motorcyclists recreating Wyman's ride from the head of Donner Lake, along Donner Pass road into historic downtown Truckee.  The Wyman riders are:  Rob Leftwich, Truckee Police Chief, Jim Riley, VP of Truckee Dirt Riders, Scott Bonneville, Rob Lynn Stu Wik and Paul Spencer.

Wyman Riders - Donner Lake head to Truckee.

In the background, on the side of the snow capped mountain, you can see the railroad snow sheds that Wyman left to make his way down the side of the mountain to the head of Donner Lake, where he rode his motorcycle along Donner Pass Road into historic downtown Truckee.

The 520.2 Truckee waypoint is sponsored by Dave McQueeney
Dave is a legend in the long-distance riding community.  Member of the Iron Butt Association and Iron Butt Rally finisher number 29.  Dave has logged and certified over 2,000,000 miles in his long-distance riding career.  His name appears in the official Iron Butt Association record books 128 times as of this writing.  He is truly one of...

"The World's Toughest Motorcycle Riders"

Lotta's Fountain Plaque Campaign

FLASH!  The George A. Wyman Memorial Project has gained approval from the City of San Francisco to mount a memorial plaque at the base of Lotta's Fountain.   The plaque measures 32x26 inches and is being cast in bronze by the Franklin Bronze Plaques.  It will be mounted as a historical marker placed flat in the brick pavement just in front of Lotta's Fountain at the intersection of Market, Kearny and Geary Streets.

Campaign Certificate

This marks a significant milestone for the Wyman Project and is due to the hard work of Jim and Marti Wyman Schein.  We are working very hard to have the dedication event take place on the May 16 anniversary of Wyman's historic start from Lotta's Fountain.

We supply the marker and the City of San Francisco will install it at the base of Lotta's Fountain.

The cost of the bronze historical marker, permit fee from the City of San Francisco and general contractor installation will be around $7,500 to $8,000.

Let's Make This Happen!

Join the Lotta's Fountain Plaque Campaign!

We need your help to make this happen.  Our 2019 fund raising campaign is dedicated to the Wyman memorial plaque mounted at the base of Lotta's Fountain.  Our goal is to raise over $7,500 to purchase the plaque and reimburse the City of San Francisco for mounting expenses.

Make tax-deductible donation of $25 or more and receive the Lotta's Fountain Commemorative certificate along with your choice of a Wyman Journey or Waypoint poster.

Contribute $50 or more, receive the certificate and both posters.

Wyman-Lotta's Fountain Commemorative Coin
Antique finish, 1.75 inches, 35g

All 110 Wyman-Lotta's Fountain commemorative coins have been issued!

Click this link DONATE NOW or the yellow " Donate " button at the right to begin the process securely through PayPal or by credit/debit card.  Type "Lotta's Fountain Campaign" if prompted for the sponsorship level.  Be sure to include your US Postal Service mailing address.

Lotta's Fountain Plaque Donors - Thank you!
(Names added according to PayPal donation email date/time stamp)

1. Tim Masterson - Coin

   

   Lotta's Fountain Plaque Campaign
   Sponsor Gifts

2. Cliff Wall - Coin
3. Howard Entman - Coin
4. Duncan Ragsdale - Coin
5. Marti & Jim Schein - Coin
6. Danny Dossman - Coin
7. Paul Meyer - Coin
8. Brent Allen Cornell - Coin
9. Annette Hart - Coin
10. Matt & April Wise - Coin
11. Robert Stransky - Coin
12. Greg Rice - Coin
13. Steve Aikens - Coin
14. Daniel Thaler - Coin
15. Paul Partin - Coin
16. Chris Comly - Coin
17. Glenn Royal - Coin

    

    Tim Masterson at the Wyman Project 'shipping department'
    U.S. Postal Service, Wimberley, TX

18. Roger Nisbett - Coin
19. Chuck Lacky - Coin
20. Dana D'Arcy - Coin
21. Kenneth Andrews - Coin
22. Deborah Hierrezuelo - Coin
23. Edwin Jarvis - Coin
24. Mark Griffin - Coin
25. Jim & Donna Fousek - Coin
26. Gene Kicenski - Coin
27. Ira Agins - Coin
28. Robert Mark Wood - Coin
29. Jesse Lucas - Coin
30. Brian Thorn - Coin
31. Brent Dent - Coin
32. John Cooper - Coin
33. Heidi Weldon-Still - Coin
34. Chris Rasmussen - Coin
35. Brent Cornell - Coin
36. Greg Hintz - Coin
37. Robert Durrstein - Coin
38. Dan Crowley - Coin
39. Bill Watt, Canada - Coin
40. Steve Diederich - Coin
41. Lawrence Telling - Coin
42. Harvey Schirrmacher - Coin
43. James Feighny - Coin
44. Bob Rippy - Coin
45. Doug Leath - Coin
46. Ray King - Posters
47. Patrick MacRoy - Coin
48. John Graham - Coin
49. Frederick Germain - Coin
50. Robert Pettyjohn - Coin
51. James Burriss - Coin
52. Joe Green - Coin
53. Danny Lee - Coin
54. Mark Campbell - Coin
55. Bruce Edwards - Coin
56. Bill Cumbie - Coin
57. Jeanie Cumbie - Coin
58. John Koval - Coin
59. John & Nadine Huval - Coin
60. Janus Motorcycles - Coin
61. Sarah Burriss - Coin
62. James Epley - Coin
63. Mike Jenkins - Coin
64. Jack Watkins - Coin
65. Brad McFarland - Coin
66. Richard Kalor - Coin
67. Greg Hintz - Coin
68. Christopher Brown - Coin
69. Dennis Peters - Coin
70. Jerry White - Coin
71. Tom Loftus - Coin
72. Katherine Dossman - Coin
73. Emily Dossman - Coin
74. Nicholas Dossman - Coin
75. M. L. Cover - Coin
76. John McLaughlin - Coin
77. Sarah McLaughlin - Coin
78. Charles W. Goad - Coin
79. Cathy Davies & Larry Johnson - Coin
80. Gregary Galvan - Coin
81. Gerry Arel - Coin
82. Jim Orr - Coin
83. Del Brand - Coin
84. Steve & Lori Wishard - Coin
85. Changing Gears - Coin
86. Brian North - Coin
87. Marc & Deirdre Beaulac - Coin
88. Kerry & Katie Walker - Coin
89. Michael Kneebone - Coin
90. Stuart Ostroff - Coin
91. Roger & Kathy Allen - Coin
92. Peter Gintner - Coin
93. John Cassity - Coin
94. Paul Slaton - Coin
95. Jenny Young - Coin
96. Russell Dickerson - Coin
97. Jason Jenkins - Coin
98. David Url - Coin
99. Gar Arnett - Coin
100. Mark Burns - Coin
101. Dave McQueeney - Coin
102. Spencer Bennett - Posters
103. Greg Fizer - Coin
104. Lionel Ramos - Coin
105. Mona Loftus - Coin
106. Loftus family members - 5 Coins
107. James Handley - Coin
108. Christopher & Mikki Ross - Posters
109. Lester Mills - Posters
110. Mark Starrett - Coin
111. Robert Foster - Coin
112. John "Doug" Vance - Posters
113. Charles Weir - Posters
114. Robert 'Bob' Higdon

"Motorcycle Men" Podcast Interview

The Wyman Project is pleased to share a podcast interview on the Motorcycle Men show, hosted by Ted "Wrongway" Kettler, 

Motorcycle Men - Episode 179 - Interview with Tim Masterson of the George A. Wyman Memorial Project, conducted Wednesday, January 16, 2019