5th - Day #5
MAX & BAILEY ARE IN MAGGIE VALLEY, NORTH CAROLINAAfter a beautiful 130-mile ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Max & Bailey arrived in Maggie Valley tonight. Highlights from today's ride included selling several Max and Bailey t-shirts to vacationing motorists atop Mount Mitchell and Janet almost being hit by a flying turkey!
Tomorrow will have us riding to Knoxville, TN, where we'll visit with Ann Jurrison's students at the Knoxville Montessori School.
6th - Day #6
HELLO FROM KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE Max and Bailey traveled from Maggie Valley, NC to Knoxville, TN today. After a scenic (and curvy) trip over the Great Smokey Mountains through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, we arrived at the Knoxville Montessori School for our first school presentation on our journey. The school's director, Jan Goddard, welcomed us to the school along with many of the teachers, including our host, Ann Jurisson. After our presentation, Ms. Jurisson presented Max and Bailey with a $285.52 donation from the students and faculty. Way to go Knoxville Montessori School.Earlier in the day, over breakfast at Country Vittles in Maggie Valley, we were interviewed by Shirley Pinto, the editor of The Tourist News for Maggie Valley. Shirley will be running a story about Max & Bailey's ride in an upcoming edition and will add updates throughout our journey. The owner of Country Vittles, Judy Miller, also made a $100 donation to Max & Bailey's ride. If you pass through Maggie Valley -- stop in, have some Country Vittles and say hello to Judy for us.
Tomorrows plans are to stay in Knoxville for laundry and a day of rest. If you're in Knoxville, keep an eye out for our crew.
7th - Day #7
HOT IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE Today was a non-travel day spent in Knoxville, where we caught up on some errands like laundry, email and event planning. Our 'Lesson For The Day'came as we were riding back from the bank. If you see an accident, go find a cool place to hang out and wait for it to clear. We learned that lesson the hard way. We sat in traffic for much too long dreaming of cold drinks and air-conditioning. Don't follow our example.Tomorrow, Max & Bailey will travel to Leipers Fork, TN (southwest of Nashville). For those who'd like to catch up with us, we'll be leaving Knoxville at 0700 tomorrow morning.
Our route takes us west on Hwy 70, then Hwy 96 and 46 into Leipers Fork. It's Saturday, so throw a leg over and join Max & Bailey for a few miles.
Since we didn't travel today, our photo of the day is from a few days back: Bailey enjoying the view atop Mount Mitchell. He almost rolled off the mountain!
8th - Day #8
HELLO FROM BEAUTIFUL LEIPERS FORK, TENNESSEE We want to wish our mothers, and all the mom's out there, a very Happy Mother's Day.Max and Bailey traveled the 210 miles from Knoxville to Leipers Fork, in the rolling hills just southwest of Nashville.
We all got an early start to the day in order to beat the hotter than normal temperatures. Our first stop was for breakfast at Nana's Country Kitchen, on Hwy 70 in Kingston, where 'Nana' is actually five sisters. Well, four sisters now; One retired.
Either way the grub was hot and delicious. The view from the bikes was a mixture of blue sky, red barns and white country houses all framed in green grass with yellow clovers. We crossed over the Clinch and Mammy Creeks and we also passed through Prosperity, but it didn't look very prosperous anymore. SATURDAY 7:30 PM CDT -- LISTEN FOR OUR LIVE INTERVIEW WITH STEVE DALE ON ANIMAL PLANET RADIO Our photo of the day is of one of Leiper Forks' more famous (infamous?) characters. Uncle Lester has been tap dancing for 30 years and has been on TV several times. He now travels with a local band to entertain in retirement communities and nursing homes. In this picture, he's showing us his famous shoes.
9th - Day #9
LEIPERS FORK TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Happy Mother's Day from Memphis.Max and Bailey, being the intrepid explorers that they are, followed in the footsteps of this country's pioneers when they traveled slightly more than 60 miles of the Natchez Trace before turning west onto Hwy 64 for the remaining 170 miles into Memphis.
The Natchez Trace is famous for many things, but one in particular is that it holds the gravesite of Meriwether Lewis, of Lewis and Clark fame. We visited the gravesite in the early morning hours to pay tribute to his accomplishments in navigation and exploration.
Just like our expedition, Lewis and Clark had a dog along for their journey. But, unlike their expedition, ours isn't funded by the U.S. Government. It is, however, widely supported by the American People -- Thank You.
Our photo of the day is actually a collage of today's journey along the Natchez Trace.
10th - Day #10
MAX & BAILEY ARE IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE TODAY Blues and Barbecue -- both things that Memphis is famous for, and both things that we never had the chance to experience while in the city. Our day was spent, instead, chasing down legal paperwork and getting the bikes serviced at Bumpus Harley-Davidson. Our photo of the day is a tribute to Gary and the guys at Bumpus H-D who got the bikes in and out in a single day. If you stop by the Bumpus dealership in Memphis, be sure to tell them you saw their picture on this website.TUESDAY'S PLAN -- Memphis to Little Rock on Hwy 70. If you're near the Little Rock area, come join us for the Cruising In The Rock event on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. down near the River Walk.
11th - Day #11
MAX & BAILEY ARE IN LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS Max and Bailey traveled from Memphis to Little Rock today in preparation for their 'Cruising In The Rock' event to be held along the beautifal Riverwalk Park area of Little Rock. If you're going to be in the area, come out to meet Max & Bailey at the event which runs from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday with lots of fun events and live music.Our photo of the day is a simple shot marking another milestone in Max & Bailey's journey.
WEDNESDAY'S PLAN -- Radio interview in the morning and then participating in the 'Cruising In The Rock' event.
12th - Day #12
CRUISING IN THE ROCK - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS Kevin and Jennifer from KKPT 94.1FM welcomed us to Little Rock with a morning on-air interview. We arrived in the pouring rain, but were happy to have the opportunity to share Max & Bailey's story on the air in Little Rock.The rains continued to fall most of the day with a break in the late afternoon - just in time for us to leave for our evening event - Cruising In The Rock. Since it will be too late to give you an update about the event today, we'll fill you in tomorrow.
Our photo of the day is a shot of Max & Bailey at an appropriately named biker establishment.
THURSDAY'S PLAN -- Ride from Little Rock to Jordan, Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains.
13th - Day #13
MAX & BAILEY ARE IN THE OZARK MOUNTAINS Thirteen must be our unlucky number. The three-hour ride from Little Rock to Jordan, Arkansas was spent driving well under the posted speed limit while looking through rain- covered goggles that fogged much too often. At one point, it was raining so hard that we couldn't see the road. So, we pulled over. Hence, your photo of the day.After today's ride, we'd like to nominate Shrirley, Arkansas as the town with the most twists and curves in America. There's no need for the police; you simply can't go much faster than 25 mph without killing yourself.
14th - Day #14
HELLO FROM JORDAN, ARKANSAS -- IN THE OZARK MOUNTAINS Max and Bailey were invited to visit with the kindergarten through third-grade classes at Arrie Goforth Elementary in Norfork, Arkansas. As usual, they were a big hit and allowed us to leave a lasting message with the students about people with disabilities and the service dogs that assist them. We presented the principal, The photo of the day comes from our school visit. Teachers from Arrie Goforth help a student in a wheelchair get close enough to get a kiss from Bailey. Bailey was happy to oblige.
15th - Day #15
HELLO FROM BAXTER COUNTY, ARKANSAS -- IN THE OZARK MOUNTAINS Norfork, Arkansas held their annual Pioneer Day Parade and Festivities today. Max & Bailey were honored to be included in today's parade. After the parade, we set up a small booth to speak with the local residents about Max & Bailey's ride. Of course, the children were the real hit of the day.Today's photo of the day was a tough choice among clowns, the Pioneer Day Queen (Amanda Whitehead) and one special little girl. Well, the little girl won because she must have spent 3 hours petting and visiting with Bailey. She's the one in the Brownie uniform.
Do you have a town event that you'd like to invite Max & Bailey to? Send us an email and maybe we can join your community for a visit.
16th - Day #16 MAX AND BAILEY ARE IN FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - HOME OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS After 15 long days on the road and longer evenings of work, we took today off. We still rode nearly 200 miles towards our next destination, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, but we did it at a very leisurely pace and in the company of Dennis and Debbie Charbonneau - Janet's brother and sister-in-law. It was a good day to see the Ozarks and the Grand Canyon of Arkansas. The photo of the day is from our first stop on today's ride -- breakfast at the Front Porch restaurant in Yellville, Arkansas.
17th - Day #17
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA WELCOMES MAX & BAILEY Oklahoma marks the fourth state on Max & Bailey's 2004 Ride Across America. Janet and I chauffeured them on HWY 62 today from Fayetteville, Arkansas through Prairie Grove, Summers, Westville, Proctor and Tahlequah before arriving in Muskogee. Today was a great day for donations with one special person donating $200 via our website -- Thank you Jackie! (last name withheld for privacy).It was a tough day in other areas. Janet busted her kickstand when she bottomed out leaving the bank, our school visit in Tahlequah was cancelled and we had a few national media opportunities fall through today.
So, tomorrow -- before we head for Oklahoma City -- we're divert the 7 miles north to Okay, Oklahoma because after a rough day we're looking for someone to tell us that everything will be, well, "Okay." The photo of the day is a gratuitous shot of another milestone -- entering Oklahoma.
Send emails to your favorite TV talk shows and tell them about our ride. Enough emails and we might just get their attention. A few celebrity supporters wouldn't hurt, either.
18th - Day #18 MAX & BAILEY ARE IN OKLAHOMA CITY Max and Bailey left a trail of smiles from Muskogee to Okay and then to Oklahoma City today. We met so many great people today that I don't have enough room to list them all. So, how about just three? Gary and Mary Armstrong own the Club Lunch restaurant in Muskogee. Gary spotted us in the parking lot of a local bank and came by to chat. Next thing you know, he introduced us to Sue Harris from the Muskogee Chamber of Commerce. Sue's son was a recepient of an Assistance Dog from TheraPetics in Tulsa, so there was an immediate connection. And after all that, Gary offered us free lunch at his restaurant and a look back in time at all the unique antiques that adorn the restaurant's walls. Thanks to Gary, Mary and Sue for making us feel so welcome in Muskogee.
Look for another newspaper article about our ride in the Muskogee Daily Phoenix. Julie Hubbard tracked us down for an impromptu interview today. (www.muskogeephoenix.com) For those wondering - visiting Okay made everything all right. Thanks for all the supportive notes after our tough day yesterday. It just reminds us again that we're not out here alone; you're all along on this ride with us.
The photo of the day is a collage from today's ride showing our arrival in Oklahoma, a shot from the road, entering Tahlequah and a special moment caught on film.
19th - Day #19
HELLO FROM BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA Max and Bailey began their day in Oklahoma City where they visited with the students and staff at Positive Tomorrows - a school for children who are homeless, fleeing domestic violence or seeking refuge from an abusive home-life. It was our pleasure to join them and to have Barb Lewis from Paws With A Cause join us. Our next stop was to pay our respects at the Oklahoma City Memorial and remember the scores of innocent people who gave their lives there. It was a solemn time, but we were thankful to have had the opportunity to honor them in our own way. The day ended with our arrival in Broken Arrow after a day's ride along historic Route 66. We were treated to dinner and a tour of some local biker hangouts by Debby "Sungirl Parker from Thunder Roads Of Arkansas magazine. Collages seem to be the norm here lately. Today's photos are divided between our school visit (top) and our trip to the memorial. I think the last photo says it best : God Bless America.
20th - Day #20 GREETINGS FROM TULSA, OKLAHOMA Max and Bailey entertained the students at Arrowhead Elementary School today. We want to extend a special thanks to Pam Wood for inviting us. We had a great time.
We also made a visit to the Route 66 Harley-Davidson dealership. We want to thank the entire staff for their friendly reception and especially General Manager Jim Strickland who comped us two great t-shirts! We left him with one of our Max & Bailey shirts.
Today's collage - I've almost given up on individual photos -- highlights our visit at Arrowhead Elementary, a photo with Jim Strickland at Route 66 H-D and a photo of Janet and I atop the Grand Canyon of Arkansas a few days back. We included the last photo because it was a perfect photo to share on our wedding anniversary -- the two of us smiling with a view that seems to go forever, just like our bond.
21st - Day #21
MAX & BAILEY ARRIVED IN EMPORIA, KANSAS TODAY The sun was just about to crest the horizon when we pulled out of Tulsa on Route 66 this morning. Our first stop was to visit the world's largest totem pole at Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park in Foyil, Oklahoma where one of the totem poles rises 90 feet into the air (see photo). Then we enjoyed a great home-style breakfast at the Main Street Diner on, you guessed it, Main Street in Chelsea, Oklahoma. Chelsea boasts having had the first oil well in Oklahoma. Next thing you know, we're in Kansas and the world just sort of flattened out and the distance between towns grew longer and longer. Today's collage - The Totem Pole Park in Foyil, Max waiting as we eat breakfast, a shot from the road and Bailey smiling as we enter Kansas. Enjoy.We want to extend a very special thanks to our nationwide network of volunteers. You are the ones who are really making this ride possible through local events and support.
Look for a full listing of all our volunteers in an upcoming journal.
22nd - Day #22
MAX & BAILEY ARE IN WASHINGTON, KANSAS TONIGHT The ride from Emporia to Washington, Kansas reminded us of our time in the Tenessee foothills with rolling hills, farmlands and cattle ranches. Very different from our ride through southern Kansas.I had the opportunity to visit Blaine, Kansas long enough to find out that I don't actually own the town. We were met in the afternoon by the Blackhawks Motorcycle Club from Marysville who escorted us the 60 miles from Randolph all the way to the KSDS headquarters in Washington. They also made a generous donation.
KSDS hosted us with a great cookout and live music event for the communtiy. We were honored to meet many of the staff, volunteers, clients and dogs involved in the KSDS program. Max & Bailey enjoyed hanging out with several of their service dog superheroes. We had a difficult time choosing today's photo and that's no bull.
We want to extend a very special thanks to our nationwide network of volunteers. You are the ones who are really making this ride possible through local events and support.
Look for a full listing of all our volunteers in an upcoming journal.
23rd - Day #23
MAX & BAILEY ARE IN WASHINGTON, KANSAS AGAIN TONIGHT Today marked our second day visiting with the staff, volunteers and clients of KSDS, Inc. Run by Karen Price, KSDS trains and places approximately 20 dogs per year and has now placed dogs with clients in 29 different states. That's pretty impressive when you know that the entire town of Washington, Kansas only has about 1200 residents.Max and Bailey attended a pancake breakfast fundraiser this morning and had dinner with the KSDS staff and Board of Directors this evening where Blaine and Janet presented Karen Price with a $1,000 donation as a partial payment on what we are sure will be a much larger total for the ride's proceeds. If you are looking for a town with charm and strong community ties, plan a visit to Washington, Kansas. You won't be disappointed.
Our photo of the day is a collage from the weekend at KSDS. Beginning with the top left and going clockwise: Blackhawk Motorcycle Club donates to Hogs for Dogs, our motorcycle escort for the 70 miles from Randolph to Washington, Our host for the weekend, Phyllis Burdge and her service dog Justice and finally our check presentation to Karen Price for KSDS.
More events are being planned around the country. If you'd like to start something in your area, please contact our National Events Coordinator Steve Metz at steve@hogsfordogs.com.
24th - Day #24
MAX & BAILEY ARE DODGING TORNADOES IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS Before we began this ride, we received some great advice from Jay Schwantes - our web designer and Executive Board Member. His advice: "Always eat at diners named after a woman and ALWAYS sit at the counter." So once again, we heeded his advice, eating at Carolyn's Kitchen Buffet (at the counter) and met some great folks. Our day was off to a great start.Next stop was for lunch with some KSDS puppy raisers from the Lawrence, KS area. Nancy Giossi hosted the lunch and arranged for both the local TV and newspaper to stop by for interviews. Check out our press release pages for more info on those media events.
Max & Bailey were gracious with the reporters, but would have preferred more playtime with the KSDS puppies at Nancy's home. We included a few photos of the puppies in our photo-of-the-day. You may look at the photos and see cute puppies. A person with disabilities waiting for a service dog will look and see independence and hope. Your donations are what makes that possible. Why not donate today? Photo-of-the-Day : Carolyn's for breakfast, KSDS puppy raisers and a look at our TV interview in the making.
More events are being planned around the country. If you'd like to start something in your area, please contact our National Events Coordinator Steve Metz at steve@hogsfordogs.com.
25th - Day #25
MAX & BAILEY ARRIVED IN JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI TODAY Hey Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. And, funny enough, we didn't have to dodge tornadoes today, only rain. It was a wet ride from Kansas City, KS to Jefferson City, MO today. Max & Bailey enjoyed the ride in the comfort of their sidecars and rain covers. Janet and I were wishing we had rain covers, too.Check out our press release page if you haven't seen the latest TV and newspaper coverage of our ride. The video and text are now available live online.
A big thank you goes out to Teresa from Chicago, IL today for making a $200 donation via the website. Donating online is easy and you can select any amount you want.
Large or small, each donation combined with those from others will help partner more service dogs with the people who need them. You've gotten this far, you're only a click or two away from helping us make a difference.
Photo-of-the-Day : The constant rain made for challenging photography today. So, instead, I wanted to share one of my favorite photos from a sunny day just a few days back. As the main photographer for the trip, there aren't many photos of me. Here's one.
Get your community involved. Start a fundraising event today. If you need assistance or ideas, please contact our National Events Coordinator Steve Metz at steve@hogsfordogs.com.
26th - Day #26
RAIN, RAIN, RAIN ON THE WAY TO ST. LOUIS TODAY Rain, thunderstorms and tornadoes have been the highlights of the day -- and many of the recent days. Max & Bailey spent the day hiding underneath their sidecar rain cover and the camera never came out of its warm (and dry) storage location. Tonight we find ourselves staying in the home of friends in St. Charles, just outside of St. Louis. Check out our press release page if you haven't seen the latest TV and newspaper coverage of our ride. The video and text are now available live online.Donor Spotlight: Bob from Virginia brightened our rainy day with a $250 donation. Thanks to Bob and everyone else who took the few minutes to make an online donation.
Photo-of-the-Day : Today's photo of the day is one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it. If the rain lets up long enough, we promise new photos soon!
27th - Day #27
MAX & BAILEY VISIT THE GATEWAY ARCH IN ST. LOUIS The Hogs For Dogs crew has now entered Illinois -- their 7th state; only 41 more to go on their 48-state tour. Max and Bailey began the morning with a visit to St. Louis' Gateway Arch. While visiting the Arch, we had the chance to meet with Debbie Dornfeld, a Caseworker for Senator Jim Talent, who came out on her day off (and birthday) to meet with us. Happy Birthday Debbie! Then, we left Missouri, crossed the Missippi River and entered Illinois. We also met some great young folks during lunch today and want to congratulate Adam on his graduation and say hello to Aaron. They know who they are. Aaron -- you owe us a guestbook entry.The sun honored us with its presence for our ride today, but the severe storms have moved in this evening. Happily, Max & Bailey (and their sidecar chauffeurs) are tucked in safely for the night because many areas are seeing large hail.
Donor Spotlight: Greg and Mary from St. Charles, IL made a $100 donation today, making them our Donor of the Day. We thank them for their generosity and willingness to help people with disabilities.
Photo-of-the-Day : I promised new photos if the sun came out. It did and I kept my promise. Hope you like this shot from our Gateway Arch visit.
28th - Day #28
MAX & BAILEY HAVE ENTERED KENTUCKY - THE BLUEGRASS STATE With the hopes of leaving severe weather behind, the Hog For Dogs team traveled from Salem, IL through storm ravaged areas of Indiana and then into Louisville, Kentucky.Detours were the play of the day due to severe flooding and downed trees and power lines. Our prayers go out to the many folks whose homes we saw destroyed and our respect goes out to the volunteers and disaster response teams helping them in their time of need.
For those traveling through Salem, IL, we can highly recommend the Super 8 Motel. The General Manager, Joyce Shuler and her staff were wonderfully nice -- making a $25 donation on behalf of the hotel. The rooms are clean, modern and ours even had a recliner; all the comforts of home. In addition, motorcycles have special parking under cover and in full view of the front desk staff. Max & Bailey attracted the attention of the Lawrenceville, IL Daily Record during a stop for lunch. Reporter Sylvia Thompson took the time to interview us and the article will soon appear in the print and online editions of the Lawrenceville Daily Record. Check our Press Release page for a link when it becomes available.
Donor Spotlight: We met our donor of the day at the Montgomery Mart gas station in Montgomery, Indiana. She wore a lovely pink dress, stood about 3' tall and was too shy to have her photo taken with Bailey. Her name is also Bailey and she made a generous $2.00 donation to help people with disabilities. She must take after the other residents of Montgomery who donated a total of $50 during our short refueling stop.
Photo-of-the-Day : We had lots of cute photos from today's ride, but felt like this one was the more appropriate given the challenges facing the residents of Borden, Indiana.
HELP US REACH THE MEDIA -- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2,2004 We're asking all Hogs For Dogs supporters to email their favorite local and national TV and radio stations on Wednesday June 2nd. Send them a short email telling them why they should log onto our website and learn about Max & Bailey's Ride Across America. Make Wednesday the day when the whole nation learns about our ride.
29th - Day #29 MAX & BAILEY ARE IN HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA TONIGHT Max and Bailey enjoyed a sun-filled ride through the hills of Kentucky, covered in bluegrass and lined with beautiful horse farms. It was one of those rides that we won't soon forget because the sights looked like an artist's paintings, the smell of spring seemed more alive than normal and the roads were left empty as though we requested them all for ourselves. Now that we're in West Virginia, we wanted to highlight the Golden Rule Assistance Dogs program. Run by Program Director Rick Yount in Bruceton Mills, WV, Golden Rule Assistance Dogs combines a program for high-risk teens with an Assistance Dog training program that teaches the teens about civic involvement. They graduated recently graduated their first seven service dogs -- all Golden Retrievers. You can learn more about this great program at www.gradogs.org.
Donor Spotlight: Our donor of the day comes from Paris -- Paris, Kentucky, that is. Nova, the General Manager of the Paris Shell Station, donated $10 in honor of her friend who is currently benefiting from the services of a Guide Dog. Thanks, Nova.
Photo-of-the-Day : Rolling hills of Kentucky. Put yourself behind my windshield and enjoy the ride.
30th - Day #30
MAX & BAILEY ARE IN FAYETTEVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA TONIGHT Day #30 got off to a wet start with rain falling on the bikes as the sun came up. Not the best start for a ride. After loading the bikes between heavy showers, we quickly tossed Max & Bailey into the sidecars and put on their rain covers. We should have put them in first, because we didn't feel a drop of rain for the rest of the trip from Huntington to Fayetteville.The skies were still overcast, but dry, and the roads filled with 90-degree switchbacks and sharp inclines; great for two wheels, but a bit of work with three.
The views, however, were worth the work. And while there wasn't a rainbow at the end of our ride, there was a familiar face. Executive Board member and the Hogs For Dogs web designer, Jay Schwantes (aka Muthuh) came up to meet us for the holiday weekend. Now that we're in West Virginia, we wanted to highlight the Golden Rule Assistance Dogs program. Run by Program Director Rick Yount in Bruceton Mills, WV, Golden Rule Assistance Dogs combines a program for high-risk teens with an Assistance Dog training program that teaches the teens about civic involvement. They recently graduated their first seven service dogs -- all Golden Retrievers. You can learn more about this great program at www.gradogs.org.
Donor Spotlight: Today's donor is four-year-old Shanda from Hurricane, West Virginia who made a $10 donation ($5 to Max, $5 to Bailey) while we were visiting the Kanawha Falls area. She had some help from her parents with the money, but it was her donation.
Thanks Shanda.
Photo-of-the-Day : A collage from today's ride. Clockwise from top left: A gorgeous waterfall near the Kanawha Falls area, Blaine posing on the walkway at Hawks Nest, Jay (aka Muthuh) and Janet catching up at a stoplight, and a view of the train bridge from Hawks Nest (look closely and you'll see the train).
31st - Day #31 MAX & BAILEY CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY WITH A RIDE WITH TO SNOWSHOE, WEST VIRGINIA Executive Board Member Jay Schwantes led another day's ride through the scenic back roads of West Virginia. Friends David and Jennifer Marshburn joined us for the ride and then we were met later by more friends and board members along the ride. It was a good break from our normal rides and allowed us to enjoy our friends and a few miles of beautiful riding.
In honor of Memorial Day, we will forego any charity stuff and devote the next few lines to the men and women who have made our freedom possible. Without them, our rides might not be as peaceful, our lives not as full and our liberties not as great. If you haven't already, take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have gone before us and by those who fought for us around the world yesterday and didn't have the luxury of celebrating a holiday with their families. God Bless our Troops and GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Photo-of-the-Day : Max poses for his All-American photo outside an interesting shop in Millpoint.
