After a long ride and an emotionally taxing Saturday, I arrived home around 12:40 to clear skies and a temp of 81 F (27.2 C) I rode a total of 1107 miles (1,781.5 kilometers). My ride out there was uneventful and mostly on boring interstate highways. I didn't have time to take my usual back roads. Another rider joined me at Lake City and we headed west at a steady 80 mph (128.7 kph). Our goal was to arrive before dark. We did get slowed down by rain when were about 40 miles from our destination. We had to stop and don our rain gear.
We pulled under shelter at a gas station in a little community called Mossy Head. This town's claim to fames is that about two years ago a local man was arrested and convicted for his love affair with a goat! They even sell tee shirts commemorating the event! I did keep listening in case I heard Dualing Banjos so we could get out of there!!!
At this point, my friend rode south to Eglin to spend the night and I rode about 22 miiles west to Milton to Mae Lyne's daughter's house.
It was a really well attended PGR mission, we had around 200 bikes and at least seven cages. Riders came from Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi to honor a 23 year old who was killed in Afghanistan. We all assembled at Eglin Air Force Base and formed up on the flight line tarmac to await the plane bearing SGT Medley. I left my daughter's house at 05:30 for the 45 minute ride to Eglin. It was dark, breezy and chilly - about 50 F (10 C); fortunately the winds kept the fog away. As the sun came up it warmed up into the 60's F and by the afternoon it was in the low 70's F.
Listening to the briefing
At 09:40, I saw the landing lights of the aircraft bearing SGT Medley. Silence descended over the 200+ PGR members and the 100 Air Force personnel waiting on the tarmac. The base was closed to air traffic and all was quite. Kallita Charters (a charter service contracted to deliver the fallen from Dover AFB in Delaware to the fallen hero's home town) taxied to the ramp and immediately cut the engines. All came to attention as the hatch opened and the flag draped casket appeared in the doorway. Slowly the casket was gently lowered to the waiting hands of the US Army pall bearer detail. As the detail carried the casket through the flag lines, the Army escort retrieved a rucksack and as two plastic bags from the aircraft - the personal effects of SGT Medley and the paper work.
Flag line and pall bearers
A view of half of the PGR members not on the flag line
The aircraft is approaching the ramp
After SGT Medley was place in the waiting hearse, we mounted up and fired up. Base Security force personnel led the procession from the air field through the base and oout one of the gates. Olaloossa County Sheriff Deputies then led the escort 22 miles to the church in Crestview. I was near the front of the escort I I never could see the hears behind me. All I could see were motorcycles and flags as 200 bikes escorted SGT Medley and his family. Pulling into Crestview all traffic stopped. People lined the streets holding American flags. My face shield got very blurry.
Arriving at the church we formed a flag line as SGT Medley was carried into the church and held the flag line as family and visitors filed in.
Following the church service, we again mounted up and escorted SGT Medley on his final ride to a country cemetery where he was laid to rest beside his mother. We lined the walk from the parking area to the grave side with double flag lines. His young widow, 23 years old, walked passed me on her way to the grave side. Her eyes were glazed and her legs shaking. I know she could not have walked without the help[ of her Army Casualty Assistance officer. Behind her was someone carrying her two year old another carrying her four week old new born. Again, my sunglasses got awfully blurry. Three rifle volleys shattered the quiet of the cemetery followed by a bugle playing the mournful taps. There was not a dry eye to be seen. Slowly, we left the cemetery and left for our respective destinations as the sun was low in the western sky.
After a dinner at Cracker Barrel and a time to decompress with friends, I started eastward with a group of riders from Tallahassee. One of those riders is a 77 year old WWII vet. She was on her BMW with sidecar. This lady still runs three days a week and participates in marathons. She is a BMW distance rider and still travels all over on her bike. She is a pistol.
Darkness fell and the temp dropped into the 40's. By the time we reach the second interchange in Tallahassee, only four of us were still riding eastward. Two of them were getting off at that interchange and my riding buddy decided he had had enough. He got off and went to a motel. I continued on alone and about 45 miles later, I had to stop refuel and answer nature's call. There was a motel there and I was cold. So I called in a night and traveled the remaining four hours home today. I wanted to make another 60 miles which would have been the half way point. But the chill and emotional day caught up with me and I wisely stopped for the night. That was around 21:30.
I resumed my travel around 08:00 this morning properly suited up for the cold. As I turned south on I-75 it was definitely warming up. I pulled into a rest area and shed layers. By the time I got home at 12:40 it was a balmy 81 F {27.2 C)
We pulled under shelter at a gas station in a little community called Mossy Head. This town's claim to fames is that about two years ago a local man was arrested and convicted for his love affair with a goat! They even sell tee shirts commemorating the event! I did keep listening in case I heard Dualing Banjos so we could get out of there!!!
At this point, my friend rode south to Eglin to spend the night and I rode about 22 miiles west to Milton to Mae Lyne's daughter's house.
It was a really well attended PGR mission, we had around 200 bikes and at least seven cages. Riders came from Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi to honor a 23 year old who was killed in Afghanistan. We all assembled at Eglin Air Force Base and formed up on the flight line tarmac to await the plane bearing SGT Medley. I left my daughter's house at 05:30 for the 45 minute ride to Eglin. It was dark, breezy and chilly - about 50 F (10 C); fortunately the winds kept the fog away. As the sun came up it warmed up into the 60's F and by the afternoon it was in the low 70's F.
Listening to the briefing
At 09:40, I saw the landing lights of the aircraft bearing SGT Medley. Silence descended over the 200+ PGR members and the 100 Air Force personnel waiting on the tarmac. The base was closed to air traffic and all was quite. Kallita Charters (a charter service contracted to deliver the fallen from Dover AFB in Delaware to the fallen hero's home town) taxied to the ramp and immediately cut the engines. All came to attention as the hatch opened and the flag draped casket appeared in the doorway. Slowly the casket was gently lowered to the waiting hands of the US Army pall bearer detail. As the detail carried the casket through the flag lines, the Army escort retrieved a rucksack and as two plastic bags from the aircraft - the personal effects of SGT Medley and the paper work.
Flag line and pall bearers
A view of half of the PGR members not on the flag line
The aircraft is approaching the ramp
After SGT Medley was place in the waiting hearse, we mounted up and fired up. Base Security force personnel led the procession from the air field through the base and oout one of the gates. Olaloossa County Sheriff Deputies then led the escort 22 miles to the church in Crestview. I was near the front of the escort I I never could see the hears behind me. All I could see were motorcycles and flags as 200 bikes escorted SGT Medley and his family. Pulling into Crestview all traffic stopped. People lined the streets holding American flags. My face shield got very blurry.
Arriving at the church we formed a flag line as SGT Medley was carried into the church and held the flag line as family and visitors filed in.
Following the church service, we again mounted up and escorted SGT Medley on his final ride to a country cemetery where he was laid to rest beside his mother. We lined the walk from the parking area to the grave side with double flag lines. His young widow, 23 years old, walked passed me on her way to the grave side. Her eyes were glazed and her legs shaking. I know she could not have walked without the help[ of her Army Casualty Assistance officer. Behind her was someone carrying her two year old another carrying her four week old new born. Again, my sunglasses got awfully blurry. Three rifle volleys shattered the quiet of the cemetery followed by a bugle playing the mournful taps. There was not a dry eye to be seen. Slowly, we left the cemetery and left for our respective destinations as the sun was low in the western sky.
After a dinner at Cracker Barrel and a time to decompress with friends, I started eastward with a group of riders from Tallahassee. One of those riders is a 77 year old WWII vet. She was on her BMW with sidecar. This lady still runs three days a week and participates in marathons. She is a BMW distance rider and still travels all over on her bike. She is a pistol.
Darkness fell and the temp dropped into the 40's. By the time we reach the second interchange in Tallahassee, only four of us were still riding eastward. Two of them were getting off at that interchange and my riding buddy decided he had had enough. He got off and went to a motel. I continued on alone and about 45 miles later, I had to stop refuel and answer nature's call. There was a motel there and I was cold. So I called in a night and traveled the remaining four hours home today. I wanted to make another 60 miles which would have been the half way point. But the chill and emotional day caught up with me and I wisely stopped for the night. That was around 21:30.
I resumed my travel around 08:00 this morning properly suited up for the cold. As I turned south on I-75 it was definitely warming up. I pulled into a rest area and shed layers. By the time I got home at 12:40 it was a balmy 81 F {27.2 C)
