Plattsburg Residents Surprise Nz Harley Riders

Plattsburg Residents Surprise Nz Harley Riders

A New Zealand trio, who are riding their Harleys across America to raise $30,000 for the local Hospice in their home city of Palmerston North, are in awe at the power of the media in the United States, after they appeared on Plattsburg’s television newscast on WPTZ 5 yesterday.

The three riders were interviewed by News Channel Five Plattsburg for the station’s 6.00pm prime time news soon after they arrived from Niagara Falls Ontario Canada. The exigent 800 kilometre ride took them more than eight hours. WPTZ 5 has an estimated audience of more than one million viewers. It reaches into neighbouring State of Vermont, & Province of Quebec Canada, including the city of Montreal, who’s wider population is almost four million.

About 90 minutes after the newscast ended, Roger Clausen and one of his Harley colleagues Larry Robb, decided to dine at a nearby city restaurant. Inside, three local residents immediately recognised the two riders, and stated “Oh! You guys are from New Zealand.”

When Roger Clausen asked how the group knew he and his friend were from New Zealand, the local residents said they had seen them featured on the local television station newscast.

The group interacted with the two kiwi riders and extended American hospitality to them. In the course of the conversation among the two parties, Roger Clausen was asked about the name of the Hospice and how the name Arohanui was spelt. Minutes later just as the Harley riders from New Zealand were preparing to leave their table, the group of three Americans wrote out a cheque for $US150.00 and duly presented it to Mr Clausen.

The amount raised solely in North America by Mr Clausen since he began his epic coast to coast journey from Vancouver to New York now exceeds $NZ4,000.00 Donations to the Hospice appeal have been received from local Rotary Clubs in Milwaukee, New Zealand ‘s Ambassador to Washington DC John Wood, HOG members, and many others, who’ve heard about Clausen’s mission of riding his Harley across America, for the cause of Hospice.

Roger Clausen and 400 other New Zealand Harley riders and enthusiasts attended the Harley Davidson 100th Birthday Bash in Milwaukee It’s estimated that about one million people were at the August 2003 celebrations. The kiwi trio’s comments to Plattsburg’s News Channel Five covered their ride across America, the nature of the Hospice appeal, & Palmerston North city.

The trio’s 12,000 kilometre ride from the Pacific to the Atlantic ends Tuesday when they ride their Harleys across New York City to Stuyvescent Park where New Zealand’s Consul General in New York Jane Cunliffe, will officially welcome them to the Big Apple. The speedometer on Roger Clausen’s Harley will then be read. At the start of his journey it read 10,000 kilometres.

Mr Clausen is now just a few days ride to finally achieving a life long dream. His mission has always been to ride his Harley across America to raise funds for his local Hospice. He’s been on the road for more than 40 days, and while he’s found the ride extremely challenging, he’s never faltered from his intense desire to complete and accomplish, a great ride, across a great country, for an even greater cause.

NOTE; The name Arohanui, means “House of Love”

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