Riding for Water
In June, Kleinfelder Vice President and East Division Water Market Manager Ali Mahan, PE hopped on his motorcycle and rode from Virginia to California in the name of water.
“Everyone deserves access to safe drinking water,” Ali said. “An easy way for you to play a vital role in achieving this goal is to support the Water Buffalos.”
What is a Water Buffalo (aside from the large bovid that originates in India/Southeast Asia), you ask?
The Water Buffalos (aka The Herd) is a group of people who participate in annual motorcycle charity rides, which begin from several locations across the U.S. and Canada and end at numerous conferences. The group’s goal is to raise awareness and funds that go directly to supporting water- and wastewater-related charities, including Water for People and Community Engineering Corps.
“This year makes the 12th year of my participation in the Ride,” Ali said, explaining how he rode his motorcycle from his hometown of Virginia Beach, VA to Anaheim, CA – the site of the 2024 American Waterworks Association’s (AWWA’s) Annual Conference & Expo (ACE24). “Being a part of the Water Buffalos has allowed me to combine my passion for clean water with my other favorite activity, long distance motorcycle travel. Since 2010, I have traveled to all lower 48 states and Alaska on my BMW R1200GS Adventure motorcycle.
“I met up with other members of the Herd along the way as I traveled from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast. My entire roundtrip was approximately 6,200 miles.
“We were fortunate enough to visit some of the most interesting parts of this beautiful nation, including a ride down the historical Route 66 in Arizona, Sherman Pass, and Death Vally in California, as well as the U.S. Route 36, the Pony Express Highway, in Kansas.”
Since 2005, the Water Buffalos have raised approximately $1.4 million from sponsorships and donations.
Ali noted that the money donated by the sponsors does not go toward the expenses incurred by individual Water Buffalos; rather, the members of the Herd donate their time and cover the cost of lodging, gas, and meals on their own.
To find out more about this worthy cause, check out their website: www.ridewithpurpose.org
