Ride Journal
May 14, Day 2, Starting in Battle Mountain, NV
I set the alarm for 6:00 am, I thought! It went off at 6 alright. Only the time was not right. I never checked it. It was an hour early and we really got up at 5:00. We still didn't figure it out until we were walking back from breakfast. I wondered why nobody else was around. Sheriff Ron and Michelle stopped by to say hi again. Ron was on the phone all the time and they had to go before Headdog got to meet him. Busy guy!
We left at 8:00 like normal and it was a bit chilly. Our lunch/fuel stop was in Wendover Nevada at the border. We were all on our own for lunch, so Mike, his brother Tom and I went to the Rainbow Casino for their buffet lunch. We all got full enough and we got back to the rest of the crew just in time for the 5 minute warning of saddle up. Another 100 miles to the next fuel stop and then into Salt Lake City for a stop at the Utah State Veterans Hospital.
The patients were inside waiting to be 'adopted' by a biker and wheeled out to see the bikes. We all split up with a few of us pushing patients out side to check out the bikes, and a few more people going downstairs to the "locked up" patients, and even more going room to room. Joni & I went downstairs a couple of years ago and it was a very emotional experience. This time I chose to not go downstairs. I wheeled out Vern and Tom had Bob for the tour of the bikes just to name the ones that I could remember. After a while, Jim G. walked out and really wanted to go with us. Jim is in the picture shaking hands with me by my bike. We also had quite a talk with Delbert who has been married for 57 years and named off just how many kids, grandkids, and great grand kids he has as well. The greatest reward comes from the nurses saying that the patients that we were talking to don't ever talk except to a bunch of bikers!!! That is a feeling that exceeds all expectations on this journey of goodwill. Our goodbyes said and it was almost 5:00 and rush hour traffic.
Our road guards did an excellent job of letting us clear all the intersections safely. When we finally got on I-80 again it was still very crowded. We did ok getting through SLC traffic and on the open road again. Up in the hills going toward Park City the weather was getting cooler all the time with the altitude change. We were running a little behind so Headdog sent the road guards ahead to tell the folks at the Evanston VFW hall that we will be a little late.
As we pulled in to park across from the hall, I saw George Duncan and
Bill from Cheyenne. They were in the parking lot waiting for us. Peggy
was with them too. George is the Wyoming State coordinator for the ride.
Peggy lives here in Evanston and has done a lot to help George with the
efforts to plan everything out. The VFW
post 4280 had a great dinner waiting
for us. JR is in charge of the post and made us feel real welcome. After
dinner we walked around the corner to check out their progress on their
war memorials. The black walls on each side were cut from the same material
that the Wall in DC is. I had to take 3 pictures to get it all in. They
are doing the landscaping and sprinkler system as you can see in the pictures.
The setting is in front of their historic courthouse. When it's done, it's
going to look awesome.
A few of us left to find the High Country Inn and were greeted by Amy & Heather.
They were very friendly and having fun with their jobs and were real-people
people! You could tell that they were enjoying our arrival and check ins!
More news tomorrow.................
