09 WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT RIDE

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21 MARCH 2009, Kansas City, MO -- It was one early day. The riders wanted in at 7:30AM or something like that. They were going to serve breakfast burritos to the riders that came that day. A free will offering for the food. I was there at 6AM because TAG (Thomas Gillespie) was going to start his bun burner back to CA. A Bun Burner is a certified Iron Butt Association ride of 1500 miles in 36 hours. He wanted to leave at 6AM and I volunteered to be one of the witnesses. TAG on the Wednesday before that Saturday morning was in Iraq. He is a US Marine and member of our post, that is how I met him. He reminds me of my son. Always smiling, always eager. All he wanted when he got back to the US was 96 hours to fly home to Kansas City and ride his bike back to CA. Wish granted. He had a bunch of people here in KC getting his bike and gear ready. His mom got a laptop, so he could use a GPS I had wired up for him. And Liz and Nac Nac had gotten the bike back from the person he had lent it to. Central HD had tuned it up and fixed it as it had a few problems. Don't ever lend out your bike. We had also been rounding up his gear. Anyway running late he had left the Post at 7:08am on his way to CA.

At 7:20am 8-Ball and Radar showed up to start breakfast. I needed to clean the legion and prep the back hall for an event on Sunday so I was hard at work when they showed up. At 9:30AM I am running for home to shower and get the bike. I am not going to miss rides this year like I did last year. "Kickstands up" at 11:30am. That means they are leaving the post at 11:30.

Back in no time I would have time to partake in a couple burritos and look around. So for the $20 registration fee we were getting the ride, a cigar, lunch, beer and a t-shirt. I paid $5 for 2 burritos. When I rode into the parking lot, there was a purple bike. I took my helmet off and looked at some fellow riders and said "Man, that is a purple bike!" it was bright. One of the guys said are you sure its not blue? I thought he was just trying to joke around. It was bright purple. I took some pics and went into the post. There were several people inside and Daniel Gilyeat was in there. Daniel is the vet that Extreme Home Makeover built a house for. He lost a leg in Iraq and when he came home his wife left him, leaving him their 4 children. Our Post ALR group rode escort for the unveiling of the house, I have a blog about all that: 08 My "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" experience

Somebody asked me if I saw Daniel's bike outside and was informed it was the bright one. It was the one I had noticed. When I had a chance to speak with him I said I had noticed his purple bike out there and he informed me that it depended on the sun at the time, that it was actually blue but in some light it came off as purple. The frame paint is chipped on the left side under the saddle. This comes to find out is where his artifical leg rubs the frame. He said they were going to fix the paint as it had that and some other smaller nicks in it.

We packed up and were in a riders meeting about 11:30am. The riders meeting is always important. The ride leader will discuss the route, the speed that the group will travel at. He will introduce the other ride captains within the group and identify who the sweep is. The sweep is the last bike and looks out for all members of the ride. If someone breaks down its the sweep that will pull over with them and make sure they have resources to either get fixed or get home. The sweep was 8-Ball the ride leader was Tator and the middle ride captain was Medic. We were told to not worry if we were separated at the traffic signals that the group would be waiting or traveling slowly for the group to reform. We are going to go to FT Leavenworth. The Wounded Warrior Project ride actually is starting in 4 different locations this morning. Topeka, Blue Springs, Leavenworth, and our Post at Overland Park. So the riders that are starting at our post are going to ride to Ft. Leavenworth and meet up with that group to ride to the final destination of Outlaw Cigars in Liberty. During the riders meeting 8-Ball informs the group that $1100 has been raised just by our location.

When we headed out it was a great day for a ride. We headed up Metcalf to I-70 then to I-435N off at Hwy 5. Hwy 5 from KC to Leavenworth is great (for Ks). Tail of the Dragon is a well known ride in TN. 218 curves in 12 miles or something like that. Well in KS we have Hwy 5 the 'Tail of the Gecko', its no Tail of the Dragon, but for KS it ain't bad. The ride to Leavenworth was refreshing!! Of course we were staggered through several stoplights by the time we got to the Fort. We were not there long before we formed up for another riders meeting and heard that there would be police escort and all intersections were going to be blocked the rest of the way. As usual big Flags up front of the line.

The rest of the ride in was pretty awesome too. With so many patriot guard banners on the bikes, I think many people thought we were on a funeral procession. Cars were pulling over to let us pass, even cars in opposite lanes of a divided highway. When we got to the strip mall that Outlaw Cigar is located it really appeared that they were not prepared for us. We ended up parking in the lot where everyone is standing around. They actually fill the main area with bikes packed in and parking 3 abreast. I really lucked out and as I was entering this area me and the guy ahead of me were motioned to park off to the side right there. That left me right at the entrance. a few minutes later bikes were parking in front of me. The band was playing and there was a long line of people standing in line heading toward a small grill. I got off the bike locked up my GPS and stuff then headed to find some of my group. 8-Ball pointed me toward the cigar store to get my t-shirt. I assumed that the t-shirt would be an event t-shirt. What they really are were just random t-shirts. Mine was about some 2008 event. I did take the cigar and then started looking for Steamer to offer it to him. Steamer usually had a cigar with him. He was the one that chose me to do door detail at the last KIA funeral I was at. I wanted to repay the favor. It must of worked because he said "I love you Techie". After the t-shirt I head to the tent where the band was to see what was going on there. There were lines of people everwhere, everyone kind of guessed on what they were in line for. I don't drink when I am on a bike so I wanted in the food line. Finally one of the other AL riders grabbed my vest and put me in front of them.. thanks! I was in the food line. We were headed toward a roasted whole pig with some cookies or something right before it. Would you believe that the pig was empty by the time I got to it. I did however pick little pieces until I had a mouthful or two of meat for my sandwich.

I got a plate and sat down to eat, the band was playing, Rock of course. As Bruce Holmes (Medic) put it "I hate OP music". Other Peoples music. I was ready to leave my bike was luckily at the entrance way. I headed that way to find Curt Gray there waiting for me. He had seen my bike and decided to wait there with his friends until I showed up. We talked for a while then I decided it really was time to get gone. I only had a few bikes to get past to get out. I rode the long way home as it was such a great day for a ride.

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Photos

Daniel Gilyeat's bike
Suicide shift, includes a grenade.

Daniel Gilyeat's bike
First thing you noticed when you came into the parking lot. It sure is bright. Looked purple then cobalt blue.

Daniel Gilyeat's bike
The chips in the frame paint is where Daniels artifical leg chips it.

Daniel Gilyeat's bike
Other side

Wounded Warrior Project
The banner that was hung at American Legion Post #370 the morning of the ride.

8-Ball post riders meeting
So before any group of bikes leave get on the road, it is customary for them to have a riders meeting. Discussing the route, the speed, and any issues that might be found on the route.

Bikes waiting their riders
This is at the post.

Xman (Tom Allen) riders meeting
This was at the riders meeting in Leavenworth. We had police escort all the rest of the way to the final destination.

Da Group
This is the Leavenworth group and the Post 370 group. We rode the rest of the way as a single group.

Final Destination Outlaw Cigar
Outlaw Cigar normally has a band and food on the 3rd Saturday of the month, this month they just combined the ride with it. Ran out of food pretty early.

Steamer
At outlaw cigars, Steamer. I gave my cigar to Steamer. he said he loved me, but only after I gave him the cigar.. :)