Ride Report posted for Spike

This was a 2 part mission due to Taylor arriving in the early a.m. We met Taylor at the airport and his flight was on time. Due to the early time, a lot of our riders could not attend but we still had an honorable turnout with four bikes. We left Oakland Airport and headed to the house, which was deep into Livermore Wine Country area. We got to the house and wished Taylor a Welcome Home and told him we “might catch him sometime while he’s home”. The thing with Taylor is that he is a Combat Medic and he made the trip home to be a speaker at the next day’s Welcome Home & Thank You to our Vietnam Veterans. So, we just told Taylor, we’ll see you tomorrow & left it at that.

2taylor

We returned several hours later at a local gas station down the street from a restaurant where Taylor & his family were eating. This is a very popular Mexican Restaurant in Livermore. Taylor’s brother Austin met us at staging. I got the phone call from Mom saying they were ready. We rolled over to the restaurant & parked right at the front door with 27 bikes. We ALL walked inside the restaurant and I could see Taylor staring at me as I led the way. He bowed his head and began shaking it back & forth, which led me to believe he had a clue what was about to take place. I leaned over & said to him “since a lot of my friends couldn’t make it this morning, I brought them to see you now”. You can imagine all the patrons in the restaurant with their families watching 30 or so bikers walk up to this one table. Taylor was in his uniform so we started to head out the front door & I stopped in the middle of the restaurant. I yelled “can I have your attention please – Army Soldier back from Iraq”. At that point, EVERYONE stood up and clapped. Taylor couldn’t believe his eyes! When we got outside and headed to the house with Taylor on the back of Ron’s bike up in the front of the pack with me. He had the biggest shit-eatin’ grin on his face! As I blared CCR on my stereo, we took the long way around town – up First Street and thru downtown Livermore where all the restaurants are and up the back way to the house. As we got onto Taylor’s street, up in front I could see everyone standing out and waiting for him. Taylor wasn’t paying much attention so I hollared “eyes up”. When Taylor looked up, he could see all the people standing in the street in front of his house with flags flying. I read his lips “oh f**k”. There must have been 25+ folks at the house to welcome him home. We had such a great time with Taylor and what an honorable young man! This was the first Welcome Home for our newest support group – Livermore Military Families led by our very own Tami Jenkins. Job well done – Welcome Home Taylor!