After our customary committee breakfast, we gathered at the Post and set to getting things ready. Cones and caution tape were laid out in the parking lot, wooden kickstand pads were laid out in the grassy areas, the raffles were set up on the tables, and the cooking pits were started up. We had a big day ahead of us!
A friend of the run stopped by in full Scottish regalia and hit the pipes, to welcome the arriving bikes.
The bikes began trickling in as the morning wore on. First one or two, then slightly larger groups, and by noon-thirty, there was almost a constant stream of bikes pulling in. We had representation from three other Legions in the area, as well as a myriad of other clubs (Leathernecks, Combat Vets, etc.), and it was great to see the support coming out to help.
At 12:30 sharp, the official military flag retirement ceremony kicked off, and a flag which had been flown in Iraq in Shayne’s honor was first hoisted, then lowered and prepared with respect. (Yes, that’s Kevin in the front.)
The silence was amazing while this ceremony was going on – here we had a parking lot filled with hundreds of bikers, yet the only sound you could hear was the slight rustle of a light breeze through the trees.
Oh wait – there was one other sound - the sound of another motorcycle run that rode by out front. This didn’t take anything away from things, as they beeped and honked as their procession roared by. After that run had passed, the silence descended like a welcome blanket once again. When the ceremony was complete, and loud round of applause went up, accompanied with cheers and whistles. The guys that had performed the ceremony had done a great job!
And with that, it was time to ride! We got the bikes fired up and began rolling out. (We had a few issues which I am going to be addressing at our next committee meeting, but there’s no need to go into details here. Suffice to say that everyone had a great ride and that’s what counts.)
After the food line had quieted down, it was time to start calling raffle ticket numbers. Once again, I didn’t fare very well with the regular tickets, but did manage to pick up one of the premium items; a neon sign for the bar. Not too shabby at all!
As the afternoon wore on, folks began firing their bikes up and making their exits toward home. The parking lot was cleared of cones, tape and kickstand pads, tables were washed, trash was picked up, and the Post was returned to its pre-event state. We had one bike that went dead in the parking lot, so a few of us dug out our tools and set to work while others held flashlights to ward off the gathering darkness. This motley group of Dr. Frankensteins managed to bring the bike back to life, and it’s owner was all too happy to head off toward home.
This year’s after-party was held at Rex’s and a bunch of us gathered there to while away the late evening hours and talk about the day. There were plenty of laughs all around, and it was a great way to cap an awesome day.
Whew – there’s a lot of work that goes in to a day like this. The best feedback we can get is to raise a good chunk of change for the scholarship foundation, as well as to hear that everyone had a great day. Judging from the posts on Facebook, it looks like we definitely achieved the latter. As for the scholarship, we’re still waiting for a final tally after all shirt sales and proceeds are calculated, but the advance word we’ve gotten is it’s well over 10 grand. Not too shabby at all.
So thanks to everyone that came out and helped us make it a great day, and thank you Shayne, for your courage and sacrifice. We ride to honor your memory.
Ride Hard, Take Chances, Thank a Vet
No comments:
Post a Comment