The Southeast Texas Patriot Guard Riders and other PGR Groups around the nation met with, escorted and/or assisted the families of Fallen Heroes as they journeyed to Dallas, Texas for the 7th Annual Snowball Express. I had the privilege to take part in the Houston event and thought I would share it here. Before I post some of my photos and the slideshow from the event I thought I would add some information from the organization. The video from Snowball Express tells more of what it's all about than I or some website could express.
We arrived at the designated meeting spot, went thru our mission briefing, safety briefing, HPD briefing on where we were heading and how they were going to rush us thru airport security checks and a prayer. At that point we loaded up and headed into the airport with HPD escorts shutting down the roads for us. Once we made it into the airport HPD once again escorted us thru the airport around awaiting passengers trying to get thru security. I'm surprised we made it thru security so quick but we were all prepared for it and it went without any snags, well expect for the three rides that had implants in various locations (knees/arms/legs/etc) who got a little closer inspections.
We brought our own Santa with us or as we called him, Santa Chuck. He was in his element and having a blast with the folks here for the Snowball Express and the passengers for other flights in the terminal. While we were waiting for the families to arrive, American Airlines had a big brunch laid out for them Santa worked the crowd greeting all the other kids on other flights. As he worked the crowd he would look for and ask if there was any Vets. The Vets he found, if they had time he would bring down to meet us. Chuck, I mean Santa probably put more miles on his feet in the terminal than he did on his bike riding to the airport. We had the chance to meet a Korean War Vet that had never been welcomed home, not even by his family. Well one things for sure, he has now been welcomed home.
And then Santa's Helper (an American Airlines Employee) showed up. I don't remember Santa having helpers that looked like this when I was growing up.
Front row parking at the terminal
The bikes under the watchful eye on the Control Tower
Houston Fire Department saluting the families
My camera died at this point so I didn't get a photo(s) of the plane passing thru the cannon spray.
A short slideshow video of the photos from the 2012 Houston event.
[video=vimeo;54646082]https://vimeo.com/54646082[/video]
We arrived at the designated meeting spot, went thru our mission briefing, safety briefing, HPD briefing on where we were heading and how they were going to rush us thru airport security checks and a prayer. At that point we loaded up and headed into the airport with HPD escorts shutting down the roads for us. Once we made it into the airport HPD once again escorted us thru the airport around awaiting passengers trying to get thru security. I'm surprised we made it thru security so quick but we were all prepared for it and it went without any snags, well expect for the three rides that had implants in various locations (knees/arms/legs/etc) who got a little closer inspections.
We brought our own Santa with us or as we called him, Santa Chuck. He was in his element and having a blast with the folks here for the Snowball Express and the passengers for other flights in the terminal. While we were waiting for the families to arrive, American Airlines had a big brunch laid out for them Santa worked the crowd greeting all the other kids on other flights. As he worked the crowd he would look for and ask if there was any Vets. The Vets he found, if they had time he would bring down to meet us. Chuck, I mean Santa probably put more miles on his feet in the terminal than he did on his bike riding to the airport. We had the chance to meet a Korean War Vet that had never been welcomed home, not even by his family. Well one things for sure, he has now been welcomed home.
And then Santa's Helper (an American Airlines Employee) showed up. I don't remember Santa having helpers that looked like this when I was growing up.
Front row parking at the terminal
The bikes under the watchful eye on the Control Tower
Houston Fire Department saluting the families
My camera died at this point so I didn't get a photo(s) of the plane passing thru the cannon spray.
A short slideshow video of the photos from the 2012 Houston event.
[video=vimeo;54646082]https://vimeo.com/54646082[/video]
