Met Some Great Folks in My Travels This Week

[just strum]

Well, yesterday morning a worker at the hotel said there were a couple hundred bikers due to arrive late afternoon. She really didn't say much more and I had visions of beer cans and bodies laying in the hall way when I was getting ready to leave this morning.

Well, a couple hundred did show up, but it was these folks.

http://www.rftw.org/

I sat outside the hotel talking them to about 11:30 last night. Most of the ones I met were Vietnam vets, although there were a few that were Gulf War vets. Since the Vietnam vets were my age, I chatted with them. We talked bikes (want one, don't have one) and just joked around. One guy I was talking to commented that in his younger days he looked forward to a beer after a ride, now it's water. Then another walked down to the gas station to get something to drink for him and his friends. As he walked up the drive with a bag in his hands his friends yell out "Hey, did they have it?" He opens the bag a produces two half gallons of chocolate milk - the guys went nuts as if it was some beer or whiskey.

So this morning I'm at the restaurant next to the hotel and there were three couples having breakfast. I called the waitress over and told her to give me their checks. When I was finished eating I walked over to the table and they all looked at me with that "what's he up to". I told them that I thought what they were doing was great and showed a lot of devotion to the men they served with both alive and passed away. I then told them breakfast was on me, but they would have to take care of the tip. Within seconds the three guys get up and shake my hand, one of the wives pull out a camera and tells her husband and his buddies to gather around me for some pics. We chatted for a couple of minutes (they were all from Arizona) and the woman that took the pics told me to email her and she will send me copies when they get back to Arizona.

Last night and this morning was the highlight of the trip. I figured that they invested a lot of time and money for the trip, and me buying breakfast was just a reflection of my admiration of them and appreciation. I also have to admit their was some self satisfation in it for me too, I just felt really good (actually still do) about the small gesture.

I'll post a pic in a couple of weeks when they arrive back home.

I had two pics from last night, but Photobucket keeps giving me error messages - maybe later.

[marnold]

That's awesome, Strummy. I just buried my uncle on the 6th who was a Vietnam vet. Cancer got him at 61. So I've got an extra special reason to remember Memorial Day.

[just strum]

That's awesome, Strummy. I just buried my uncle on the 6th who was a Vietnam vet. Cancer got him at 61. So I've got an extra special reason to remember Memorial Day.

Sorry to hear that - far too young.

[piebaldpython]

Good show Strum.....good show!! Surprises are all around us in life. You just never know what POSITIVE thing will happen when you "pay it forward", do you? :D

[just strum]

Here are two pics.

This one is of two of the guys that first rode in. Not a great pic, but the guy in the back was a great guy and we sat around bs'ing for some time.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/004-1.jpg

This one is a bike that some woman (biker chic) was riding. It looked like a snowmobile on wheels.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/005-1.jpg

[oldguy]

Nice pictures, Mark. That ladies bike looks like it's mad at something.....or watching something closely..............

[tot_Ou_tard]

Very cool story Strum. Dig them photos!

[just strum]

Before you start reading let me make two things very clear before this gets twisted. 1) I didn't post this as any kind of political statement. 2) Don't ANYONE twist it into a political statement. The letter that follows the pictures is from someone that was truly touched by the entire event that they had the pleasure to experience.

These people left a very positive impression with me that I will carry for a long time. They are six people that I had the pleasure to meet for no more than 15 or 20 minutes, but I feel I will be friends with at least a few of them for years to come.

Well, I received two e-mails today from the folks that I met from the Run to the Wall group passed through Lewisburg, WV

The one email was very touching and personal, the other one I will share with you below the pics. The letter was written after they arrived at the wall and had spent a couple of days there.

Here are two pics. The first is pic of the guys that I met at the restaurant and the second of the guys and their wives.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/IMG_6403.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/IMG_6401.jpg

hi all,

we completed the 10-day run for the wall with memories to last a lifetime. as mentioned earlier, limited computer access made it impossible to make daily reports. so i can only offer these comments.

after the first couple of days, the bike count grew, running between 225 - 250 per day. about mid-country, near kansas city, counts were 300+ bikes each day, and increased as we neared the east coast.

riding in "platoons," which were 20-25 bikes each on the west coast, but then growing as the ridership increased heading east, rising to 40-50 bikes per platoon.

police escorts played an important part in the ride - not only in the small-town events, but in getting through metro areas such as albuquerque, kansas city and st. louis, as well as our entry into the congested virginia/washington dc area. (actually, the new mexico state police gave escort through the entire state, to the border, where six officers stood with salutes as we entered into colorado).

much of the trip was ridden side-by-side. we rode staggered positions on two particularly windy legs of the trip and in a couple of construction areas. only twice (in a winding, two-lane canyon area of new mexico, and in a curvy, winding coal-mining area of west virginia) did we ride single-file. reasoning for the side-by-side positioning was that it formed a tighter formation that would reduce the chance of cars breaking into our tight formations, thus reducing risk of accidents.

the only precipitation on the entire ride was felt in northern new mexico in the form of light rain/sprinkles. high winds forced us to ride single file for a couple legs of the ride, but then sunshine and partly cloudy conditions prevailed the remainder of the time. a huge blessing for a 10-day, cross-country ride.

we are filled with memories of the stops along the way. the generosity of local vfws, american legions, small town communities, area bike groups - meals, water stops, donated fuel stops, snacks, etc . . . the list goes on. visits to VA hospitals provided opportunities to chat with veterans of all ages, hearing stories that we wouldn't have otherwise.

we have vivid images of the patriotic vein that flows throughout our country. our hearts were constantly tugged at by the mainstream populace dotting the streets in the small towns as well as those who found their way to the overpasses, waving and holding large american and POW-MIA flags. salutes from vets to the riding vets were also prevalent along the way. the ride, among other things, was a refreshing view of the american people and their pride in our country.

the day after arriving at our destination (arlington, va) was unscheduled, allowing for visiting the d.c. area at our leisure. we joined with some family members, touring the various memorials.

along with our u.s. flag and POW-MIA flag, we had flown a yellow banner with the name of paul's brother, which had also been signed by family and friends. a personal mission was accomplished when we were able to lay it at panel 17W of the vietnam memorial.

many of our riders were vietnam vets who were visiting the wall for the first time, finding names of friends and buddies and facing memories that have been tucked away for years. tears, hugs and healing took place throughout the day and night.

the culmination of the trip was on sunday, may 24. we woke at 4 a.m. so we could have the bikes packed by 5 a.m. so we could join our pack and stage by 6 a.m. we left our motel area in arlington, virginia, at 6:30 a.m. and headed en masse to join the Rolling Thunder Parade at the pentagon parking lot.

after staging, we had nearly 5 hours to meander the area until the parade began at 12 noon. there were vendors, and we made sure we stopped at the local harley davidson booth, which, with a HOG membership number, gave out special event pins to commemorate the day. and of course, it seemed most appropriate that we purchase an official HD Rolling Thunder shirt to add to our biker wardrobe!

when we learned we were only a walk away from the 911 Pentagon Memorial, we found our way and experienced the vivid and somber reminder of that day and those lives that were sacrificed.

we both feel that we truly experienced the ride to the fullest. our motto was "we ride for those who can't" - not only the ones who gave their lives, but those who are disabled, and even those who, because of daily life responsibilities or financial hardships, are unable to physically join the ride, but who support it in principle.

today, may 29, finds us visiting our son and family in rainy south florida. we will leave here sunday to head back to arkansas.

again, for more information and the daily situation reports, you can go to http://www.rftw.org.

we thank you all for you thoughts and support!!