LIHU‘E — Polio survivor and Rotarian Robert “Motorcycle Bob” Mutchler kicked off the Kaua‘i leg of his Hawai‘i tour Monday morning atop a BMW motorcycle equipped with a sidecar. “The sidecar is 45 years old, and has over three million
LIHU‘E — Polio survivor and Rotarian Robert “Motorcycle Bob” Mutchler kicked off the Kaua‘i leg of his Hawai‘i tour Monday morning atop a BMW motorcycle equipped with a sidecar.
“The sidecar is 45 years old, and has over three million miles on it,” the good-natured Rotarian said as Kaua‘i motorcycle enthusiasts gathered under the shade of the monkeypod tree on the lawn of the historic County Building.
“The BMW has 175,000 miles on it,” he explained of his marathon rides that have taken him and his motorcycle to all parts of the United States, Canada, and even Australia.
“Aloha Airlines flew the bike (with sidecar) in from Hilo,” said Mutchler.
Arriving on Kaua‘i late Sunday, Mutchler and wife Patty were up early yesterday morning to arrive at the historic County Building, where they were greeted by Councilman Mel Rapozo, who presented the polio fighter with a council commendation. Roy Asher of the Kaua‘i Police Department had barely enough time to exchange the bike he rode in the Kaua‘i Off Road Riders’ 500-rider Easter Poker Run before leading the pack of over a dozen motorcycle enthusiasts for the short hop to the mayor’s office, where Mutchler was greeted by representatives of the six Rotary Clubs of Kaua‘i, as well as presented another proclamation by Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste.
Acknowledging Mutchler’s efforts at aiding the Rotary campaign to wipe polio from the face of the earth, Baptiste also acknowledged the PolioPlus program and Rotary’s involvement in polio eradication that began in 1979 with a fiveyear commitment to provide and help deliver polio vaccine to six million children in the Philippines.
PolioPlus was established with the goal of immunizing all of the world’s children against polio, the Rotarians backing the pledge with a $120 million to fund the PolioPlus program.
Baptiste acknowledged the thousands of dollars raised by Rotarians of all six Kaua‘i clubs, with funds going to the Rotary Foundation to assist in the effort of eradicating polio, and to join Mutchler in his marathon ride through 50 states, the ride starting with the Hawai‘i leg.
While waiting on people to arrive, Mutchler toyed with a Rotary bell, the symbol of Rotary clubs everywhere.
“This is a mixture of three bells,” Mutchler pointed out while changing the Rotary placard atop the bell. “The goal is to get the bell to the capitals of all 50 states.” As a Rotarian, Mutchler has served in every avenue of service during his tenure as a member of the Rancho Cordova Rotary Club in California. A multi Paul Harris Fellow and major donor, Mutchler is an avid supporter of the Rotary Foundation, and has received several awards for his work with PolioPlus.
Considered one of the world’s top marathon motorcycle riders, Mutchler has set many world records, drawing attention to his story and the story of PolioPlus. He and the PolioPlus program has been the subject of hundreds of publicity spots, on television and the radio, and in newspapers and magazines. Mutchler will finish his Hawai‘i tour on O‘ahu starting, this Saturday, March 26. Once leaving Hawai‘i, Mutchler will start in California and tour the 48 lower states and Canada before ending the tour in Madison, Wisc., just before the Rotary Centennial Convention that starts on June 14 in Chicago.
- Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
