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‘Rally for Rangers’: Bend man will help deliver motorcycles to Mongolian park rangers

(Update: adding video, more from interview)

BEND, Ore (KTVZ ) -- When Bend's Ed Ochs first heard about "Rally for Rangers," he knew he had to sign up.

"When I first saw it, it kind of hit me in the face, saying, 'This is you!'" Ochs told NewsChannel 21 Thursday. "I like adventure, I like riding motorcycles -- and I hate poachers."

Ochs will be traveling to Mongolia in August for two weeks, where he'll pay for and ride a motorcycle across the country, hand-delivering the bike to a park ranger.

"I hope that the park rangers, if they get a call about poaching, will be able to ride the motorcycle and stop it before it goes too far," Ochs said.

"Rally for Rangers," a nonprofit organization. has been delivering bikes to park rangers in countries like Bhutan, Mongolia and Peru since 2013.

Ochs tried signing up for a "Rally for Rangers" in June, but was told he'd have to wait two years before he'd be able to go. However, a couple of weeks later, one rider dropped out of the trip to Mongolia, and Ochs was able to join.

It wont be a cheap trip for Ochs. He'll spend about $11,000 for the motorcycle, domestic flights, food and hotels while he's in Mongolia, then an additional $9,000 to pay for his flight there and motorcycle gear -- money well worth it for Ochs.

"They mentioned the snow leopard was getting poached in Mongolia, and I used to have a poster of a snow leopard on my wall as a kid, so I thought, 'They are poaching the snow leopard -- I've got to help,'" Ochs said.  

Once the trip is complete, Ochs is anticipating an emotional meeting with the park ranger he will gift the motorcycle to.

“I think there will be tears, I really do," Ochs said. "It’s something that they desperately need to do their job and I think it will be pretty emotional when I hand that bike off.” 

If you'd like to help support Ochs' journey, you can help by donating to his GoFundMe page.

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Jordan Williams

Jordan Williams is a multimedia journalist for NewsChannel 21. Learn more about Jordan here.

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