Veteran's Day and Remembrance Day

[Jess from VA]

So I had finished all my house and yard work over the chilly weekend, and planned to ride today because of perfect sunny high 60s low 70s weather.  Took off after breakfast at about 10AM.

I get out to old Middleburg VA (so named as it is about half way between DC and W Va), and the site of several civil war battles.

As I ride in the backdoor to town, I see a passel of full regalia Scotsmen (kilts, hats and rows of real miniature medals and pipers playing the bagpipes).  I've got to see and hear this, so I pull a quick Uturn, park, don my military crush Boonie and walk over to watch.  Man I love bagpipe music and they are really good (my family heritage is nearly all Scots and Irish).  It's in front of an old American Legion hall and there's many American Vets wearing old miltaria too.

I stand away, as I'm not a member or guest, but a couple guys come up and ask if I'm a vet and I am, and then it's like old home week.  I'm invited to join in, and the ladies all want to feed me a meal in the big hall (I politely decline, I've just eaten breakfast).

It turns out there's a good number of immigrant Scotsmen (veterans) out there, and they have their own veteran's organization, and they have partnered up with the this big American Legion Post and they are all celebrating Veteran's Day and Remembrance Day together.  Remembrance Day is originally a celebration of WWI Armistice, but it is long now the UK, Canada, Scots and Irish Veteran's Day (both 11 Nov).  

I meet the 3-star American Legion commander and a bunch of Scotsmen with brogue so thick it's hard to follow (combat vets).  I'm invited to join the Legion Post and treated like a long lost son.  I politely decline since it's over 50 miles from home, but I am overwhelmed with the brotherhood of these good men (and few women) (the lead bagpiper is a woman, and I speak with her for some time about the pipes and the kilted uniforms, which are terribly expensive).

A while back, I posted about having a good day.  Today was another very good day.

I'm going out there next year for certain.  

 

[Oss]

I rode to work on the Valk

But by far, your ride was better and more meaningful

[Robert]

[carolinarider09]

Great story Jess.  Very good.

[Oldfishguy]

Jess, and that is a great story of acceptance!

I was a member of our local Legion for a few years but never really felt accepted.  Most patrons do not qualify for membership.  A lot of HD's in the biker group, and they do good work with fundraising that is distributed by the Legion.  That fact alone makes me want to try a little harder to find connections next summer.

Good for you in lucking out and finding an accepting group; sounds like fun.

[Jess from VA]

Well, I didn't mean to sound like I was universally accepted.  I briefly met a bunch of people (who were all friendly), but only stood and talked for a while with three of them.

Groups of people can often be pretty cliquey, especially over time.  VRCC groups included.

I've been shunned before because I was an officer during service (which is pretty common).  Even though I was only a mere captain, and only ever had one paralegal SSgt assigned to me.

I've also been shunned because I was a lawyer (which is even more common).  We're about as popular as undertakers.