Mostly Riding AND showing RESPECT

[old2soon]

Friday-9/11/2015-had a P G R mission in Waynesville Mo. My Valkyrie and a friends H/D ere the only 2 wheeled bikes there. A H/D trike-Ride Captains-and 3 Cam am Spyders comprised the escort. Even on a L E O lead escort we cursed near lost the R C. The L E O had her Squad all lit up we were rollin a red light and a young female type person-high school or MAYBE college-when her light went green she made the left from her road almost into the R C on his trike!  Plus ALL of us had ALL of our headlights on and the 4-way flashers were all on. The L E O put her squad sideways and got the female type person stopped on the side and once the L E O saw the F T P was stopped-left her on the side. When I got up to the F T P cage she was crying. While we were getting Flags at the cemetery the RC told me the F T P was either texting or talking on the cell phone!  He was rather busy" with evasive type manuvers.  What was a bit strange on this mission-the deceased felt that being as he was not in combat his request was no other honors other than Army pall bearers and the presentation of his Flag to the family. NO taps No rifle volley. I did 2 missions on 9/12/2015-an escort to a cemetery In Springfield Mo.-11 M/Cs and 17 people in the Flag line-and then a H O T H mission that I met in Waynesville Mo. A Navy Nam vet missed an Honor Flight due to medical issues. The folks from Honor Flight took him to the Nam Memorial in Branson Mo. in a cage. I mention the act that this Hero is wheel chair bound. From Waynesville to the V A Veterans home in St. James Mo. I was one of the 3 M/Cs escorting from Waynesville to St. James. When we got to the V A Veterans Home There was 2 Missouri Highway Patrol cars-all lit up-and 1 St. James L E O local car-all lit up. The smile on the Vets face told me all I needed to know.  Also about 8 M/Cs were lined up on our left as we pulled in! Lets just say I got my bike stopped and the kick stand down in time! 9/11/15 when I left I needed my leather jacket. On the way home the mesh done just fine. On 9/12/15 I needed the leather to Springfield back to Waynesville and up to St. James. Needed the chaps and the pendelton shirt under my lather jacket on the way home. 195 miles Friday and 315 miles Saturday. When I got home last night it was 48 degrees F. 3 missions in 2 days and the best part-I got to meet and greet and talk with another Nam Vet!  RIDE SAFE.

[John Schmidt]

Good for you Dennis, always like to read of your missions. I had joined PGR some time back but was never able to take part in a ride, I never knew ahead of time if I could leave the house for extended periods so withdrew. I think it's a great service for those of our military that have "Gone West."

[Oss]

Thank you both for your service and for doing the PGR

Glad nobody was hurt in that incident with the cage

[old2soon]

John and Evan-it's-at best a small gesture of thanks and helping out as best I can. I get a LOT of personal satisfaction just being there for he Veteran or First Responder we are standing for on a given day. The "icing" on the cake as it were-is when a family member takes a moment out of their grief and comes up to us and lets us know their Father-Husband-Brother-Friend would have loved what we did with the M/C escort and the Flag line. Down here some of the R/Cs-me included-with the Families permission-either at the start of the service or towards the end of the service walk up one at a time to the Coffin or the Urn and render a Salute. At this point in time the P G R is a good "fit" for me. On the other hand I have had MORE "close calls" while riding P G R escort then I have on my own. Watching Doc almost get creamed and NOT being able to help at his time of need makes one KNOW how cursed helpless we are at times.    P G R is my other family!  The V R C C is my lead Family!  Back on a high heat index mission day 2 of the lady riders were getting waylaid by the heat and the skipped the ceremony at the cemetery. I called them later on to make SURE they got home alright and weren't sick. Last night because of how cool it got my senior R C called me to make sure I got home alright! AN my senior R C is ONLY 52!  RIDE SAFE.