Purpose and faith measured in 1000 miles
IT ALL BEGINS WITH FAITH
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IT ALL BEGINS WITH FAITH ✦
BREAKING BARRIERS
At 65 years old, I’m racing the Baja 1000 solo on a motorcycle—over 1,000 miles, up to 36 hours straight, across some of the most brutal terrain on earth. If I finish, I’ll become the oldest person to ever do it. But this isn’t about records. It’s about purpose. I’m sharing the preparation, the doubts, the mental toughness, the faith, and the lessons that go far beyond the race.
No matter our age, we are all wired for purpose. And sometimes the higher the risk, the greater the reward. What do you do when you fail at something big—twice? When your prayers seem unanswered…until you realize they weren’t? When the odds are completely stacked against you, and you choose to go anyway.
That’s my story in 2026.
If you’ve ever felt called to something hard—something meaningful—come follow along. This is more than a race. It’s a journey...and I could use your company!
JOHN HODEL
Before this 1,000 mile solo race, there was an 18,000 mile solo ride
- Lessons from the Back Roads tells the story that helped shape who I am today.
My life was shaped early by loss: a brother killed in Vietnam when I was seven, and the sudden loss of my father in a motorcycle accident during my senior year of high school. Those moments forged perspective long before I fully understood them.
But I was also shaped by strength—the unconditional love of a faithful mother, the guidance of an older brother, and a Christian faith that carried me through life’s hardest seasons.
And I was shaped by the ride. From a small field behind my childhood home to the Baja Peninsula, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and backroads across the country, motorcycles taught me resilience, freedom, and purpose.
Every mile, every loss, every lesson prepared me for this journey.
