{"id":751,"date":"2024-12-06T12:36:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T16:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/?p=3243"},"modified":"2024-12-06T12:36:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T16:36:00","slug":"member-story-sheldon-barroquillo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/member-story-sheldon-barroquillo\/","title":{"rendered":"Member Story: Sheldon Barroquillo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

H.O.G. member Sheldon Barroquillo has clocked an incredible 1 million miles \u2013 and the journey is far from over<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Greta Barroquillo saw an advertisement for the newly formed Harley Owners Group in 1983, she took immediate action. \u201cShe signed me up right away for a lifetime membership,\u201d her husband, Sheldon, recalled. \u201cIt was my 50th birthday, and that was my birthday present.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number on his brand-new H.O.G. membership card read 1013, which actually meant he was the 13th person to join \u2013 a charter member. \u201cWe started membership numbers at 1,000,\u201d confirmed Steve Piehl, the first manager of Harley Owners Group. \u201cWe did assign some earlier numbers to special folks, like the 13 people who owned the company at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, Sheldon celebrated his 89th birthday by completing his millionth mile on his 2019 Harley-Davidson Road Glide. \u201cI bought my first Road Glidein \u201981, and I\u2019ve owned 10 altogether,\u201d he recalled. \u201cMy first new Harley was a \u201977 Electra Glide, but when they came out with Road Glides and we started touring, we\u2019ve been with Road Glides ever since.\u201d He also owns a 1954 H-D Servi-Car, \u201cthat I use for running around the farm with,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sheldon and Greta have been married for an incredible 69 years, and until just a couple years ago she accompanied him on all his travels. \u201cWe rode all the states, all the provinces of Canada, including Labrador and Newfoundland, and a trip down through Mexico and Central America.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheldon\u2019s preferred state for riding is Colorado. \u201cWe went across every pass there is up there,\u201d he recalled. \u201cMy favorite is Durango [Silverton] to Ouray, the Million Dollar Highway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first time Greta got on the back of Sheldon\u2019s new Electra Glide in 1977, no one could have imagined she\u2019d ride almost a million miles with him over the next several decades. \u201cThe kids had our other vehicles, and we wanted to go somewhere, so it was either get on the motorcycle or stay home. So, I first rode with my eyes closed, then I began to peek. And I decided I like it!\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheldon began his riding career at age 16 in 1949 aboard a 1937 Indian Chief. In later years, his nickname was \u201cBarrokillowatt\u201d after he outfitted his 1988 Tour Glide with a series of computer-controlled moving lights, entering it in motorcycle light competitions all over the country. \u201cWe won first place for lights at the 50th anniversary Sturgis rally, the 50th Daytona rally and many others,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Greta no longer accompanies him on the motorcycle, Sheldon says he still averages 15,000 to 20,000 miles a year, mostly local riding with his two chapters: Michiana-Elkhart H.O.G. in Elkhart, Indiana, and Rockstar H.O.G. in Fort Myers, Florida, where the couple spends their winters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheldon keeps impeccable records of his travels and has filled 10 logbooks since he started record keeping in 1982. \u201cThe first thing I write down is the date. The next thing is the mileage on the motorcycle. Next would be the gallons [of gasoline]. Next is how much I spent for the gas, and next is the location where I gassed up.\u201d After he crunched all the numbers last year, Sheldon determined he has used 22,000 gallons of gasoline, with a total cost of $45,000 since he began keeping records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riding a million miles is something few motorcyclists accomplish in their riding careers. \u201cIt was kind of a relief,\u201d Sheldon chuckled. \u201cI was really pushing to get it done on my [89th] birthday. I\u2019m taking it easy now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now 90 years old and with a million miles under his belt, Sheldon has no plans to slow down anytime soon. \u201cAs long as the Lord lets me ride, I\u2019ll be there,\u201d he said. Here\u2019s to many more happy and healthy miles, Sheldon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Words by Glen Abbott
Photos courtesy of Sheldon Barroquillo and Fred Lamphear<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First published in Vol. 106 Issue 04 of<\/em> The Enthusiast\u00ae<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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H.O.G. member Sheldon Barroquillo has clocked an incredible 1 million miles \u2013 and the journey is far from over<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":377,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[9],"class_list":["post-751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-comunidade"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/751\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/br\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}