Ride Report posted for C-Bear (Chaplain)

 

This was my first time as RC (I guess John Delivers is getting desperate for help) and I really wanted this to go well, for the Hero to be honored and the family to be blessed.  I showed up early at the parking lot to Champp’s Restaurant, did a lap, and found that one side of the building had no windows, and would be perfect to gather our group un-noticed.  I waited what seemed an eternity, and finally one guy, Steve, showed up    in a cage.  Hmm    maybe they weren’t just desperate, they were unavailable.  We waited and waited.

I steeled myself that if I were the only bike this Hero was going to have an escort.

Then out of the restaurant walks John Delivers, happily full and laughing.  “Didn’t you read the e-mail?  It said the far south end of the parking lot!”

There they were all waiting and wondering where I was.  Relief and embarrassment, but relief was the greater by far.

Now we were ready to do this right with about 16 bikes and a couple of cages. More laughter and (good natured?) ribbing ensued as I pulled out my page of notes for the pre-ride talk.  A check with our person inside the restaurant revealed that they needed 10 more minutes. LEO had not shown up yet, maybe this would buy the time we needed.  Unfortunately, the skies only needed 5 minutes before the rain started.  It wasn’t bad, just a light shower.

We formed a flag line in the circle in front of the restaurant, and as we waited in the drizzle, a man was looking at us as tears welled up in his eyes.  He had served from 1959 to 1964, and was deeply touched to see us welcoming our Hero home, as he had never received any such treatment … at least not until that evening.  Somone coined him faster than a quick-draw artist.  He remained with us to honor the Hero, his leaking eyes almost masked by the rain.

Shortly after that, our Hero Dan came out with his family and was completely surprised and somewhat taken aback as he was mugged by the WW crew.  This particular Hero is best friends with Mike Drummond, Jr. and the “adopted” son of  the Drummonds of YRC fame, so we mounted up to escort him back to their house.  Still no LEO, but the rain was picking up.  It was a short and uneventful ride to the house.  The Methodist church had agreed to let us use their parking lot, so the limited space on that tiny street wasn’t going to be an issue.  At least it wouldn’t have been if we had been able to reach the driveway!  No matter, we scrambled and parked virtually everywhere else for a block and a half.  By now the umbrellas were out, and they were needed.

Even all the less than prime circumstances could not dampen the site of the Evesham Fire & Rescue truck with the 50 foot American Flag hanging gloriously, the firefighters standing sharply across the foot of her and the
many friends and family that had remained to cheer and honor their native son.  The Evesham Police Dept. cruiser rolled in behind us, completing the assembly.  Presentations were made by Evesham Mayor and Counsel, Warriors Watch Riders, and the Yellow Ribbon Club.

 

It was an exciting evening, and for me a comedy of errors.  I consoled myself with the thought that it has GOT to get better than this next time!  Then, to my surprise, John Delivers e-mailed me thanks for a job well done?  I laughed and figured he was crazy, but his words stayed with me.  “Nice and smooth ride (even without LEO), a happy warrior, beaming ‘parents’, all good signs of an escort done right.  Good work bro.”    Thanks John.

 C-Bear (Chaplain)