Jack Shoalmire of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma signed up for the inaugural Tour of Honor and rode it like nobody else. He loved the concept and told us so in every email.....and there were a number of emails because he dedicated a large part of his summer riding to every state and capturing every bonus site except in Hawaii. He'd made plans to visit Hawaii, but his Tour of Honor was cut short when he died in a solo car accident on August 27, at the age of 68.

Jack was well-known in the motorcycling community, having won two AMA national motocross championships in his younger years and had a house and garage full of trophies and awards to prove it. He was known to ride the pants off anyone who tried to challenge him.

He was active in the Iron Butt Association, perhaps earning more certified IBA rides than any other rider in the 50,000 member community, and winning a Silver Medal Finish in the 2007 Iron Butt Rally (11,000 miles in 11 days). One of his goals was to ride an in-state SaddleSore 1000 (1,000 miles in less than 24 hours) in every state, and he was close to accomplishing that. So on October 15, 2011, in Jack's honor, more than 200 riders accomplished his goal by riding in-state SS1Ks in all 50 states. Three of those people, son Jon, daughter Rebecca, and Rebecca's husband, Barry Bennett, rode their 1st Saddlesore 1000s that day!

A week later, a group of Jack's friends and family, Barry Bennett, B.B. Neeley, Howard Entman (who organized the JS Memorial Ride), and Jack's longtime friend, Jim Mulcahy, placed a memorial stone in the IBA "Circle of Honor" located near Nevada's Black Rock Desert.

Jack never bragged about his accomplishments, and a lot was learned about him after he passed, including the fact that he was a highly-decorated Vietnam veteran, earning a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Service Medals and many more. He was active in many veterans associations and was a big fan of, and donor to, the Wounded Warrior Project.

In his honor, the Jack Shoalmire Achievement Award goes to the rider who visits the most TOH sites in a season. It will include a special certificate, free TOH registration and the #1 flag in the following year.

Jack's #115 flag was retired in 2012, then reinstated in 2013 and up for bid to those wanting to ride in Jack's honor. All money exceeding the registration fee went to the Wounded Warrior Project. Because Jack would have liked that.