Road King Blog

On Sunday, 11/8, myself and 4 other students had the pleasure of attending the Ride Like a Pro course in Port Richey, Florida. If you’ve seen the video, you have a good idea of what the general flow of the course is like. If you haven’t seen the video, you really ought to go get it. It’s one of the best investments you will ever make in your riding safety and enjoyment. We had three female and two male students representing a variety of experience levels, riding a mix of cruisers and touring bikes.

Like the video, we began by discussing the proper use of the friction zone, rear brake, and using the head and eyes to direct the path of travel. Then we made some slow, straight “slow race” passes down the parking lot, maintaining a walking pace with the rear brake and the friction zone.

That mastered, we moved on to the slow cone weave. There were two lines of cones set up, the first on 15 foot spacing, and the second at 12 feet. With “Motorman” Palladino offering commentary on the PA and Donna Palladino at the far end of the line pantomiming the rhythmic rocking of the handlebars, we swayed our way through the cone weave one after another. With just five of us in the class, we were pretty continuously moving, and in short order everyone in the class had the weave down.

This brought us to the circle exercise, and the introduction of serious lean angles. Starting with a large circle, we did a few slow passes, and then moved into the 24′ inner circle. Wandering out of the circle elicited commentary from Motorman - “hey, it’s a free country, ride wherever you want”. After a while, everyone in the class was handily orbiting inside the line, and after a break, we moved on to the Offset Cone Weave.

As Motorman says, the Offset Cone Weave builds a quick left-to-right transition and a quick left-to-right transition is exactly what you need on the road when someone violates your right of way. In order to successfully negotiate the Offset Cone Weave, you have to learn to trust the bike and follow the natural preference of the motorcycle to make large ‘S’ shaped turns between the gates. As with the cone weave, we started off with wider spacing, and soon the group was scribing sweeping S turns through the gates.

It is worth noting here that the staff of the course was excellent in offering advice and guidance on all of the exercises, showing where us where we should be looking and helping us get a feel for the proper speed and turn in points. When a student was having problems with an exercise, there was significant individual attention and encouragement, and even at one point Motorman even had a student ride through the exercise as a passenger with him, so the student could get used to the feel of the bike running through the maneuver. I was very impressed with the instructors and the quality of the instruction.
After the Offset Cone Weave gates were moved to the tighter spacing, the exercise became much more challenging, requiring more precision in the positioning of the bike through each gate and consistent, quick left to right transitions. More challenging and more fun, with the exercise being punctuated with the occasional sound of floorboards scraping as a student executed a very tight turn through the gates.

From the Offset Cone Weave, we moved into the Intersection Box, and moved through the Plus shaped box doing a series of U-turns (and even 540 degree turns) and then back out to run the Offset Cone Weave again.

Once Motorman was comfortable with our skills, we started putting multiple bikes into the intersection box. This required a bit more concentration, as the other bikes in the exercise provided another factor to consider. In short order, we were all comfortable with running through the exercise in multiples, and we were having a lot of fun with it.

From the Intersection Box we moved to the Figure 8. Although the turns were the same radius as the Offset Cone weave and the U-turn box, the different appearance required some adjustment (but less than when moving from the circle to the Offset Cone, at least for me). In short order, we were looping through the figure 8 singly and in pairs, with one of the instructors riding with us.

From the figure 8, we moved on to the high-speed weave. Not really high speed, but about 20 miles per hour. The object here was to do the cone weave at countersteering speed as opposed to the handlebar direct steering speeds we had been running all day.

Next, we moved to a braking exercise, entering the box at 20 mph, and stopping firmly and in control. Everyone had this down quickly, and we moved into the next to the last exercise, making a turn from a stop. Starting off with the bars turned is a different sensation, and it definitely takes getting used to. Fortunately for me, this is an exercise I have practiced quite a lot, so when I came up to the line, I cranked the bars over to full lock.

Eventually, everyone in the class was making turns from a stop with the bars turned well over, and we were on to the last riding exercise, a game of “follow the leader”. With Motorman in the lead and Rick running chase (and occasionally yelping his siren), we ran a 6 bike nose-to-tail line around the range, doing circles and figure 8’s and running through the intersection box in both directions.

Over 4 hours, we learned a lot about our bikes and how to negotiate a variety of exercises with them, and we had a lot of fun. Motorman’s instructional style makes the lessons fun as well as educational. Over the span of the day, Donna had taken a great many pictures of the class, and she’ll be sending out picture discs. We picked up the course cones, and got our course certificates.

I’d highly recommend this course to any motorcycle rider who wants to develop and enhance his or her riding skills. An excellent, very worthwhile investment of time and money in the safety and enjoyment of one’s riding. You’ll leave the class with the skills to handle your bike in slow, tight quarters where other riders fear to tread.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 832-09
October 26, 2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Oct. 23 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

Spc. Eric N. Lembke, 25, of Tampa, Fla.
Pfc. Kimble A. Han, 30, of Lehi, Utah.

And with that somber announcement, the Patriot Guard were once again called to honor a young American Hero who gave his life in the service of our nation.  Unfrotunately, this mission would be further complicated by the presence of “them”.  “Them” refers to the Westboro Baptist Church, a group of vile, loathsome individuals who attend the funeral services of American service members bearing signs that say “Thank God for IED’s” (and even more revolting things).  They are a bunch of sick, pathetic, freaks who get off on torturing the families and loved ones of the fallen to advance their moronic cause.  This being a PG-rated, family friendly blog, I can’t tell you what I really think of these freaks.  I can, however, tell you that we in the PGR won’t abide that garbage.  The PGR makes certain that when these uninvited guests sleaze into town to try and torment a servicemember’s family, we show up in large numbers to create a human wall between the protesters and the family to shield them from the vile hatred of these so-called Christians.

And Saturday was no exception.

I left the house in the cool, pre-dawn darkness at about 0530 to meet up with a group of PGR members from the area to make the 80 mile trek from our area down to Plant City to honor Spc. Lembke.  We rolled out of staging at 0630, with the fiery hues of dawn beginning to light the landscape and headed down the interstate in formation.  As the sun rose further in the sky, the morning chill began to fade, and we made our way down Interstate 4. A flotilla of hot air balloons over Celebration added an element of beauty to the ride, and I reflected that but for the somber nature of the day’s purpose, it was a great day to be riding.

We rolled into Plant City ahead of schedule, and stopped to top up our fuel tanks in preparation for the second ride of the day, when we were to escort Spc. Lembke and his family from the church north to Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.  But that would come later.  First, we had to get through the service.

There were about a dozen bikes in the staging area when we arrived, along with a pair of support vehicles.  When we arrived and checked in with the Ride Captain, we got some very welcome news.  It seems Plant City has an ordinance that states that no person may protest within 300 feet of the property line of a church or funeral home during a funeral service.  That was the good news.  The great news was that the church where Spc. Lembke’s service was being held happened to own not only the plot they were on, but the plots on all sides of the church.  The protesters were issued a permit to hold their protest at the public library some 1/4 mile away from the church.  They were never heard or seen by anyone at the church, and their mission to torment Spc. Lembke’s family was a dismal failure.

Meanwhile, the bikes continued to roll in.  The final count was 85 bikes at the church, with a couple dozen more waiting for us at Bushnell.  We set a flagline that ran nearly all the way around the church, and were joined by some local residents who brought their own flags and signs to honor Spc. Lembke and show their support and love for the family.

It was a great honor to stand the flagline with the PGR at this mission. Just as it is with every mission.  The turnout for Spc. Lembke was impressive and humbling, and I was proud to play my small part in it.

Following the completion of the service, we broke down the flagline and prepared for the 60 mile trip to Bushnell for the internment.  While we were standing the flagline, the winds began to build, and by the time we left the church for Bushnell, we were contending with 20-30 mile per hour gusting winds.

The sheer size of the procession caused some complications, and the Ride Captain decided that we would send out a large group of bikes ahead of the procession, without escort, to arrive at Bushnell first and set the flagline there to receive the procession.  And so off we went.  The streets along the route were lined with local residents holding flags and signs, and the fire department had an aerial device up over the road with an enormous American Flag hanging down over the route.

Oh, yes, and the processional also handed the protesters their final plate of fail.  The protesters thought that their site was along the route, and that the family would see them as they passed.  Wrong - the processional route was changed to leave the church via a different route, and never passed any closer to the protest.  It must have been hard on the protesters - all dressed up and no one to torment.  Tragic.

The scene at Bushnell was much like the one at the church - a massive group of PGR and other riders holding flags, lining the entire walkway around the committal pavilion, showing the family our respect and sorrow for their loss and our deep respect and gratitude for the service and sacrifice of Spc. Lembke.

Following the internment ceremony, the massed riders broke up into small groups and soloists as we made our way out of the hallowed grounds of the Florida National Cemetery to our respective destinations. Words can’t express the pride I felt leaving the cemetery.  Not for my small part in the events of the day, but for the overall effect of the large turnout.  I hope with all my heart that our presence there was a comfort to the family, and that they were left knowing that Spc. Lembke’s sacrifice will not be forgotten.

On August 19th, 2009, 4 members of the Army’s elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment lost their lives in a training accident in Colorado.  The family of SSgt Tucker invited the Patriot Guard Riders to attend the service and honor SSgt. Tucker.  We were privileged to be able to do so.

Some background on the 106th SOAR is probably beneficial here.  From the USASOC website:

The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment’s mission is to organize, equip, train, resource and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and warfighting commanders. Known as Night Stalkers, these Soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations. They are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, day or night, with unparalleled precision. They employ highly modified Chinook, Black Hawk and assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters.

Soldiers of the 160th have been actively and continuously engaged in the combat operations since October 2001. Today, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment continues a sustained and active forward presence in the U.S. Central Command area of operations at multiple locations in support of operations Enduring and Iraqi freedom, in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively. Our crews also provide support to U.S. Southern and Pacific command.

These skilled aviators don’t push the limits of the envelope - they define the envelope. It was an honor to be invited to attend the service and pay our respects.

As is so often the case, a group of us from the area met up to ride to the church together.  Lisa and I met up with the group at a gas station on route 46 and rode east toward the shore and then down US 1 to Titusville.  Along the way, we passed over the wide, marshy bed of the St. John’s river and rolled by a large alligator sunning himself on the shoulder of the road.  In short order, we arrived in Titusville.

One thing that made a large impression on me was the dedication shown by SSGt. Tucker’s fellow soldiers from the 160th, who were acting as the honor guard and pallbearers for the funeral.  I got the impression this is not a duty they normally perform, but that the bond they shared compelled them to handle this final task for their fallen brother.  While we were getting organized and waiting for the family to arrive, the soldiers were practicing the drill for their duties during the funeral over and over again.  It was hard to watch, because you could feel the pain under their professional pride, and see the drive to make sure they performed their tasks to perfection because nothing less would do.

As the family arrived, we set the flag line and stood in silent respect as the honor guard performed the drill one final time, removing SSGt Tucker’s casket from the caisson and bearing it into the church with precision and reverence.  In due course, the service ended.  As is often the case, we sent several bikes ahead to the cemetery to set up a flagline there to receive the soldier and his family.  Lisa and I volunteered to go with the advance group, and we soon set off on the short trip to the cemetery.

At the cemetery, another group of soldiers from the 160th were rehearsing for their role in the internment service.  They displayed the same fierce dedication to making certain that they performed their duties flawlessly in final service to their fallen brother.  Once again, it was very humbling to watch.  And very inspiring.  These young men and women in our armed forces possess a quality of character all too seldom seen today.

During the internment service, a police helicopter overflew the grave site in tribute.  This was an emotional service, and I know that several of us - myself definitely included - got more than a bit of blurry vision from the tears that gathered but never quite fell.

After the conclusion of the service, each and every one of the soldiers from the 160th SOAR came over and personally thanked each of us for being there.  It was very moving - and very humbling.  I mean, compared to the hardships these young men endure and the sacrifices they make serving our nation, I’ve done absolutely nothing by riding a handful of miles to stand the flagline.  At one point, one of the soldiers shook my hand and thanked me for being there to honor SSGt Tucker.  Both of us were holding back the tears, and we kind of paused there for a second hanging on the edge.  I told him that the honor was mine for being there, and that I was grateful for all that they do.  As we were preparing to leave, one of the members of the 160th presented us each with a pin with the 160th SOAR unit crest.  It sits on my desk as I write this, and I will cherish it always as a reminder of the day.  I’ve not the right to wear it, and would never even consider doing so, but I feel quite honored that SSGt Tucker’s brothers in arms considered me worthy to receive it.

This was a tough mission for me, and it took me a long time to write it up.  It was just so humbling to have these dedicated soldiers thanking us for what we were doing, and it effected me for quite a while.

It is interesting how life often circles back around.  About a month ago, we found a lost puppy wandering the streets near our home.  He had no collar or tags, but he was well fed and looked cared for.  Naturally we assumed someone would be looking for him, so we picked him up and printed up some fliers with his picture and posted them at every intersection for a couple miles around.  Nobody called.

We called our local vet to see if they had someone in the office who could scan the pup for a microchip, and we were lucky enough to catch someone there.  Success! He had a chip.  Surely we would have him reuinited with his people shortly.  Or not.  The chip was never registered, and the trail dead-ended at a shelter in Oregon.  They had apparently adopted out the dog, but never recorded his chip number.

Days went by, and nobody called about the dog.  It was becoming more and more apparent that someone had just put him out rather than making an effort to find a home for him.  We could not keep him long term, because we already have two big dogs.  So we turned him over to a local rescue group, Pet Rescue By Judy.

Fast forward to this weekend.  The local Harley Owners’ Group held a charity ride to benefit Pet Rescue By Judy, and Lisa and I knew we just had to go.

We rolled into the starting staging area around 8:30, and joined the large group of riders already on hand to raise money for this worthwhile group.

The first stop on the ride was, appropriately enough, the Rescue’s main shelter.

The shelter doesn’t normally allow visitors in the animal lodging areas, but because it was a special event, they allowed us back to visit with some of the dogs. In the kennel area was a familiar face - little beast, the dog we had found and turned over to the rescue! He seemed to remember us, and promptly flopped over for a tummy rub when he saw us. The rescue staff told us they had a foster placement for him, and he would be going there soon. It’s good to see he’s with people who care about him and are taking care of him now. A horrific pox upon whomever dumped him….

The ride continued through a couple more stops, where the riders had to locate items of information about each of the stops for our ride forms.

The ride culminated at the Green Parrot in Fern Park, where the final turnout proved to be very impressive.

It was a great day for a ride, and a great turnout to support the work of the Rescue. Lisa and I were glad to be a part of it.

Well, it’s been a long couple of weeks, and Lisa and I really needed to get out for a bit.  So we decided to go somewhere for a ride.

We have a local travel book called “Best Backroads of Florida”, and one of the chapters discusses some of the roads in Lake County near Lake Miniehaha.  One road is identified as “the most scenic in all of Florida”.  Well, that sounded too good to pass up, so we put on our gear, gassed up the Road King, and hit the road.

As it turns out, the author of the book clearly had not been to the road he lauded so heavily in quite some time.  It is, perhaps, home to the most scenic landfill in Florida, but that’s hardly the same thing.

Oh, well, live and learn.  We headed North out of there along Lakeshore drive, which was in fact quite lovely.  A dense canopy overhangs the road, with long tendrils of Spanish Moss hanging down like party decorations long forgotten.  The views of the lake are spectacular, and quickly redeemed the trip.  We rumbled along around Lake Minnehaha, and then north along Lake Minneola and Lake Palatakaha before joining Route 19 northward toward Howie-in-the-Hills.

At this juncture I’d like to note that I’ve no idea what or who Howie is, nor why he / it is in the hills.

Route 19 wanders along past farmland and dozens of smaller lakes and ponds before crossing Little Lake Harris via a long bridge 2 lane with low railings.  The views of the lake from the bridge are strikingly pretty, and well worth the trip.  In due course, we arrived in Tavares, where we turned East along the north shore of Lake Dora and began to head back home.  It was our longest outing to date, with a little over 4 hours on the bike, and a great way to get out of the house for a while.

When I bought the Road King, it had a Harley Davidson Badlander seat on it.  The badlander was sleek, and it looked nice, but it was a bit on the firm side.  The passenger pillion on the Badlander is part seat, part medieval torture device.  Narrow, hard, and curved the wrong way for a person to sit on.

We’d compensated with an Airawk pad for me, and a Butty Buddy for Lisa, but I was still pretty sore after an hour and a half or so in the saddle.

The other day, I was at the dealership and saw a nice looking Mustang seat hanging on the rack.  After some research, I talked it over with Lisa and bought the seat.

Other than managing to drop and temporarily lose the seat bolt, installation was a snap, and the seat looks very nice on the bike.  More to the point, it is very comfortable for both of us.

This morning, we headed out for a ride to see how it felt on a ride.  We headed out from the house for a lap of Lake Monroe, orbiting the lake in a counter-clockwise direction starting from Route 46 and Route 415 in Sanford.  About a mile north of Route 46 on Route 415, you cross a small bridge over the St. Johns river and enter Volusia county.  The view from the bridge and route 415 is spectacular, with sweeping vistas of the St. Johns river and the marshy surrounding environs.

About a mile north of the bridge, Route 415 meets Reed Ellis Road.  Turning left onto Reed Ellis, the trip passes several horse farms, and the road becomes tree-lined with a dense overhead canopy.  Reed Ellis Road meet up with Enterprise - Osteen road.  Traveling in toward Enterprise, the road continues through a tunnel of palm trees, and eventually becomes Lakeshore Drive.  Suddenly, the trees on the south side of the road give way to views of the lake.

Caution is needed here, though.  Sandy patches in the road make the riding interesting, particularly as you near the boat ramp on Lakeshore Drive.  After a storm, you may also encounter detrial palm fronds in the road.  When moist, these can be quite slick.

Lakeshore eventually turns north and meets up with Debary Avenue in Enterprise proper.  Traveling west along Debary Avenue, you pass under I-4 and encounter Route 17-92.  A turn to the south on 17-92 quickly returns you to Seminole County, crossing over a much wider, more robust St. Johns and then turning along the southern shore of Lake Monroe for another very pretty shoreline ride.  As we traveled along the shore line, we noted a lone large storm cloud over the opposite shore (back where we started the loop) pouring down rain.  Timing, as they say, is everything.

All told, the ride was a bit over 1 1/2 hours, and both of us got off the bike well rested and comfortable.  The new seat makes a world of difference, and we’re both looking forward to the additional comfort on future rides.

Sgt Lewis “Doug” Bishop

United States Marine / LEO Ret.

Vietnam Veteran

Sanford, Florida

Bushnell, Florida

Friday, 07 Aug 09

Doug’s wife Janet has asked the Patriot Guard Riders to stand in honor of Sgt. Lewis “Doug” Bishop.  Doug served in Vietnam as a Marine and was the recipient of the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, National Defense National Defense Service Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.  Doug was retired Commander from the Sanford Police Department.  He was also was a member of Masonic Lodge 62, Scottish Rite of Free Masonry, SJ, USA, Bahia Shrine, American Legion Post 53, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8093, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 30, Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels,  and Elks USA.

This has been a busy week for the PGR in Florida, and although I could not make all the missions, I did manage to get away for the morning to make this one.

It was an honor to stand for Sgt. Bishop.

A group of 5 of us linked up in Sanford to ride over to Bushnell for the PGR Honor mission for Specialist Coleman.  Our group consisted of the Rids Captain, Lee, riding his BMW R1100, myself and another rider on Harley touring bikes, and Carl and MaeLynn riding their triumph sidecar rig.  It was a warm but clear morning for a ride as we set off across the state along the back roads.  Our route took us through some scenic Florida terrain along Route 46, Route 19 and Route 48 through Howey-in-the-Hills and Okahumpka.  The bridge across Little Lake Harris is particularly picturesque.

With the APRS setup on the bike, I was able to reach the network most of the way, and produced a nice track.

Apart from one or two impatient idiots in cages, one of whom cut into the middle of our group in an unsafe manner after running out of room trying to pass, the ride over was relaxed and easy.  I was much more comfortable riding in the group after my riding time in Maryland with Sean, and the relaxed formation we were riding was a help as well.

The actual mission at Bushnell has been covered in a previous post, so I will not recount it here.  Following the completion of our mission at Bushnell, we headed out for some food and the long ride back home.  A gathering cloud mass in the West promised rain in the near future, but we figured we had enough time to grab some chow before we headed back.  The original five of us joined with another group of 5 PGR riders and we headed for Sonny’s barbecue for a little food and some fellowship.

A short while later, having been well fed and having swapped riding stories, we broke into our separate groups and headed out for home.  The storms to the West had gained ground as we ate, and a light drizzle began to fall as we mounted up in the parking lot.  To the West were dark skies laden with moisture and pierced with all too frequent strokes of lightning.  To the East, blue skies and scattered clouds.  Made one glad to be headed East….

We played hide and seek from the rain all the way home, receiving a good steady soaking on Route 19, followed by intermittent showers the rest of the way.  You have to love Florida summertime weather, where it is not uncommon to be under bright blue skies and pouring rain.  At least it kept us relatively cool on the way home.

Along the route, our group shrank down to just Lee and I as the others split off the route to go home.  We rolled into Sanford just ahead of the rain, moving out from under it between traffic lights, and then having it catch up when we got caught at lights.  Lee and I parted ways in Sanford, and as I headed South from Sanford toward home, the skies in front of my path began to look as dark and foreboding as the black skies in the rear view mirrors.  I cautiously made my way through on and off showers through the final few miles to home.  Soon, I was safely parked in the garage, and the Road King shut down for a well-earned rest.

Shortly after I arrived home, the heavens erupted with very heavy rain and intense, frequent lightning.  I was most glad I had beaten that mess home.

On July 29, 2009, a statewide email went out to the Patriot Guard Riders in Florida:

Friday July 24th SPC Justin D. Coleman from Spring Hill, FL and members of his unit were conducting security checks in a remote, mountainous region of Afghanistan where military officials believed the Taliban held captive Army PFC Bowe R. Bergdahl. PFC Bergdahl disappeared from his outpost a month ago and appeared in a Taliban hostage video last week.

Our soldiers were ambushed. Justin and three other members of his unit were killed in the attack. A week before Coleman’s death, he traded Internet messages with his father telling him he was leaving for a mission. The e-mail ended, “Alrighty dad, talk to you when I get back.”

One of Justin’s concerns was that if anything ever happened to him that he would be forgotten. His family wants to be sure that their Hero lives on in the hearts of many. They have invited the Patriot Guard Riders to stand in silent respect for their Hero at services for him Sunday and Monday in Spring Hill, Florida.

A TRUE SOLDIER
A little boy was born one day and grew to be a man.
His career was uncertain; but he had no concrete plan.
He wanted to go to college; but the money wasn’t there,
And to be a loafer, Justin wouldn’t dare.
He chose to join the Army to be all that he could be.
To show his love of country, and to help keep her free.
He went through basic training enduring the drill and the grind,
And furthered his education with a special goal in mind.
Holding steadfast to his faith, allowing God to lead the way,
He became and ordained minister and often stopped to pray.
When orders cam for Justin to fight in foreign lands,
He asked, God safe;y keep me in your loving hands.
He bravely faced his duty in Afghanistan,
Where life is so uncertain and you dare not trust any man.
Soldiers group together in this world so far from home,
Where things are so very different from the life that they have known.
Strangers become brothers; they watch each others back.
They give no though or whining to the comforts that they lack.
They cross unknown territory, enormous weight upon their back,
Where the enemy lay hid just waiting to attack.
While on a special mission Justin’s spirit quickly soared,
When an angel came to guide him through the gates at Heaven’s door.
God welcomed Justin home with a gentle warm embrace.
His soul was filled with peace; danger never again to face.
And though this Solder’s laid to rest, he still has things to do;
He’ll join the choir in Amazing Grace and walk each step with you.
He’ll stand guard as you are sleeping and watch over you each day,
And pray that you find comfort until you pass his way.
The meaning of a hero has gotten lost along the way;
A her9 is not an athlete that makes a living while at play.
A hero is a SOLDIER looking out for you and me,
Fighting for our country to preserve our liberty.
Our freedom is a gift forged by bravery and pride.
Many soldiers fought for it and many soldiers died.
As you enjoy your freedom, let Justin’s memory live on;
Pray for those still fighting and those already gone.

Leaving on a mission, can’t say more.
If you want more details, I’ll tell you at heaven’s door.

Written by Annie Brown Bonnett

The response from the PGR and other organizations was just outstanding.  All told, there were nearly 100 bikes involved in the escort from the funeral home to Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell and waiting in the flagline at Bushnell. As the processional rolled along from Spring Hill to Bushnell, the roads were lined with members of the community holding up flags and signs and paying their respects as the procession passed.

Got some moderate rain, and no lightning, so I put on the rain suit and headed out to put my unease at riding in the wet away.  We live in Florida, for Pete’s sake, and it’s going to rain on us at some point.  There’s no avoiding it.

I spent an hour and some change riding the neighborhood, doing some PLP, and practicing hard stops on the wet pavement.  Riding in the rain isn’t particularly fun, and I doubt it will ever be a favorite riding activity, but I’m over the fear of it.