Ride Report posted for Spike

This mission started off with an email from a fellow WWR Member – Mark Melser from Georgia.  He informed me that David Markowitz had passed away and his ashes were being flown to California to the family.  Mark stated the family were his neighbors when he lived out here.  I made contact with the family.  They wanted to have a burial at sea in Monterey, CA, even though their dad was Army.  They were also in posession of their mom’s ashes (David’s wife).  The plan was for them to drive up to Watsonville in an RV and spend the night at a local campground.  Since this was our very first burial at sea and pretty much an hour and a half ride for us, we staged early in the morning and headed down south.  The news reported high winds and cool temperatures by east coast standards. 

David’s grandson, who lives on the Peninsula, joined up with us on his bike along the way.  We staged at a local gas station for other riders from the south bay to meet up with us.  In all, we had 15 bikes rolling into the campgrounds.  I tried to arrange for the local PD and CHP to assist us since this area was very high in tourist traffic, but to no avail.  They said they were very busy and could not help us.  I then called the local Fire Department –  statione 1 in Monterey.  I was trying to request a fire truck at the pier for a flag & ladder arch.  The Captain informed me “I do not have a truck for you Spike, BUT I have a boat”. 

Once I made the calls, we headed over to the campsite.  The family greeted us and proceed to feed us lunch, which we were not expecting.  After we were honored with a viewing of David Markowitz’s shadow box of medals, we grabbed the family and headed towards Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf.  Once there, we all parked and headed down the pier.  Now, this pier is a very high traffic tourist pier where the charter boat office is located.  The Army’s Honor Detail were waiting in the charter boat office located in the middle of the pier amongst the stores.  At the end of the pier are sub-piers where the charters go out to sea.  We escorted the Honor Detail and the family to the location of the boats.  The Honor Detail then unfolded the flag, Taps was played and the flag was re-folded and presented to the family while WWR encircled them with our flags waving.  At the conclusion of the flag presentation, I made contact with the FD Captain who was sitting out in the water on the fire boat.  The plan was for the fire boat to escort the family’s charter boat out to sea and to shoot a water cannon salute as the ashes were spread.  The family walked down the pier, where “Chappi” who is the PGR Chaplain said a final prayer.  The family boarded the chartered boat and as we all stood at the end of the pier watching, the FD boat put on its lights & siren and escorted them on their way for the final farewell.  Special thanks to all the WWR riders who made this ride as well as PGR riders.