Long-distance dedication

H.O.G.^® members Bill and Connie Maier are determined to see as much of the U.S. as possible from the saddle of their Harley.

Story by Jeremy Pick

It’s fair to say that Bill and Connie Maier are keen long-distance riders. The couple from Albuquerque, New Mexico, bought their first Harley-Davidson^® motorcycle in 2009 and have ridden in every U.S. state, completed multiple H.O.G.^® challenges, including 50 Rides, One Nation, and have logged 325,000 H.O.G. miles to date.

“That first Harley-Davidson, a 2009 Ultra Classic, was to celebrate our 10^thwedding anniversary,” says Bill, a power plant supervisor who retired in February 2026. “We put nearly 150,000 miles on that bike together.”

Purchasing the Ultra Classic generated a year of H.O.G. membership, quickly followed by membership of the Turquoise Trail Chapter, which in turn created more opportunities for Bill and Connie to fulfill their retirement dream of seeing the country from the saddle of a Harley-Davidson.

“The 50 Rides, One Nation challenge was a great way to do that,” says Bill. “We ended up completing 49 of the 50 states on our own bike and got Hawaii on a fly and ride. When we completed the challenge, there were only 28 people nationwide who had finished it, and eight of those were from our chapter in Albuquerque.”

The Maiers have also tackled some of the 10 for ’23, 10 for ’24 and 15 for ’25 rides, despite Bill still working full time. They are soon set to finish 15 for ’26 this year, with just Leavenworth, Washington, left to complete the full set. They have also ridden to Milwaukee for each of the last three Harley-Davidson Anniversary Celebrations — the 110^TH, 115^TH, and 120^TH, and plan on attending the 125^TH.

Bill is also a Road Captain for his chapter, a position he has held for the past 13 years. This experience came in handy when planning and riding with a group of 10 riders on six Harleys for a 23-day, 9,500-mile trip to Alaska for the 50 Rides, One Nation challenge.

“We rode up to Thompson Pass and on to the Arctic Circle. What an incredible odyssey that was! After riding pavements with so many potholes and frost heaves, we were pleased when the road turned to dirt — we covered hundreds of miles of mud and deep gravel.”

With their desire for long-distance travel undiminished, in June 2026, the couple led a ride with more than 25 bikes to Tombstone, Arizona, for a photograph at the O.K. Corral, followed by a trip which took them to Santa Monica, the western end of Route 66, a week later. Two weeks after that they set off to complete 12 more of the 15 for ’26 rides.

“That was a 7,100-mile round-trip where we saw things we wouldn’t have without the challenge,” says Bill. “We saw everything from the Nation’s Smallest Post Office at the southern tip of Florida to so many of the Route 66 roadside attractions. Other highlights included the Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina, the Iwo Jima Marine Corps War Memorial in Virginia, Big Muskie Bucket, Ohio, and Washington, DC, where they were setting up for America’s 250^th anniversary celebrations. In 17 days, we rode through 27 states!”

Bill and Connie’s travels have not been restricted to America. In the spring they traveled to Rome to meet up with a H.O.G. member they first met 10 years ago at Thunderbird Harley-Davidson in Albuquerque.

“That’s an example of how wonderful the camaraderie of the Harley Owners Group^® can be,” says Bill. Marco Bid from the Forvm Roma Chapter said he would be honored to host us. We rented a bike from Harley-Davidson Store Roma, and the chapter led us all over Rome, down the Amalfi Coast, and treated us as guests of honor. They also introduced us to the PWR UP Salerno Chapter. We were treated like royalty, showered with gifts, and treated to the most delicious cuisine on the beach in Amalfi! We also attended one of their weekly meetings, with all three Rome chapters in attendance. One of our greatest memories is riding up the Appian Way, led by the chapter through the chaos and cobbled streets right up to the Colosseum. That’s the sort of experience H.O.G. can make possible.”

Connie and Bill have also done fly-and-rides to Australia and New Zealand, riding bikes on the left-hand side of the road, as well as four Canadian provinces, and a ride to Mexico for the Rocky Point Rally on the Sea of Cortez. Next on the list is Leavenworth, followed by a group ride to Cripple Creek, the historic gold-mining town at the base of Pikes Peak, Colorado.

“From Riding Death Valley to Mount Blue Sky in temperatures ranging from -8°C to 48°C, we’ve endured it all and loved every minute of it,” says Bill. “We enjoy meeting H.O.G. members from all over the world. We all speak the same language — Harley-Davidson — and share the same love for our bikes. You just can’t find that anywhere else.”