What a great day! The event was able rasie over $40,000 for the education fund for the children of those who lost their lives in operation Redwing. That operation took 11 Navy Seals and 9 Army Aviators when the check was cashed that is written by any servicemember who serves this country in the amount payable up to and including my life.

Over 400 riders assembled on the morning of May 16th with the mission already accomplished, to raise the funds, the ride was just for the fun of it. It itself holds two things, 1) the World's Largest Saddlesore as sanctioned by the Iron Butt Association, and 2), the largest IBA ride within the commonwealth.

I must note also that I had the honor and priviledge to ride along with a active duty Navy Seal. Though I rode along on my extra plush Vision, he road his Harley with stock seat and did it without complaint. At our second gas stop after riding 2 1/2 hours I asked who made the seat? He said stock. I then ask how you are doing it with the stock seat so easily. His reply was, "I thought it was suppose to hurt." I gained a whole new respect and recalled those days when serving my country hurt in the late night and early mornings and throughout the day without the creature comforts and at times it hurt very much. He wasn't riding to be macho man, he had nothing to prove, nor did I. My thoughts from that moment on never left those children of who will never see that parent again, and the ones who lost their lives protecting this great nation saying "I thought it was suppose to hurt."

It was not about the bikes we rode or about a certificate that really says nothing, it was about mission accomplishment of what we set out to do by a group of great Americans. Most of the riders were on their big plush Wings and beamers, but there were a few on smaller bikes, like this Seal. There was one young soldier and his wife on a Vrod, I told his wife if they make it, she was truly married to a real man. It was these folks that truly would have the Iron Butt.

Chris,

Glad everybody got through the ride safely.  That's a lot of people pushing the envelope at one time. 

Nice job keeping it all in perspective for us.

Nice to have met you VARYDER. Enjoyed talking with you on Friday. I did see you as you were headed back to DC on I-81. I finally got back in to Devil Dawg cycle at 3:10 AM. Got to witness a pretty bad accident as it unfolded infront of me on I-81 around 11PM in the pouring rain. Got to try out my evasive manuevers and then pull over to the emergency lane to shake it off and then try to call the rest of my riding group behind me to warn them.

By the way, i waited just a little over an hour for my friends to catch up in Bristol. I had let them go ahead at one of the fuel stops and then finally got to ride out a full tank of fuel headed to bristol. I just happened to be 250 out of Bristol when i fueld up. Lets just say i cheated the devil numerous times during that little trek. My GPS had a Max recording of 103 and i did that in the twisty section of I-81 where all the truckers have to gear down. Can not belive i did not get pulled over by one of the many State Troopers. I HAD A BLAST!!!!! Can not say enough about having that power windshield in the rain, able to adjust if as i needed no matter my riding position.

Looking forward to running into you again as we travel Virginia.  I hope later this year i can plan a trip to San Antonio to visit my brother.  Basically any excuse to go back to Rudys Country Store.

Glad to have met you to David, I am going to come down and get that bug remover one day also. Glad to hear you didn't get tangled in the accident, I hope it wasn't a bike, and hope the folks involved survived.

Not that I wouldn't have wanted to ride with you, I just know riding with a group is dependant upon the circumstance of anyone of the group. I decided to ride alone so I would not hold up anyone or be held up, but ended up riding with the Seal. I let him ride point as he kept a steady paced and I stayed with him.

Since he had no cruise, I didn't use mine the entire time except to "throttle lock" to shake my hand a time or two. His refuel point was the same as mine and we actually stopped within the places I had pre-planned, so it worked out. We never even went to the Harley place in Bristol, which it was 3:30pm when we stopped there at the turn-around. We were filling up with the Pro-IBAers and I think a couple might had gone there. When I saw you I calculated you were 2 1/2 hours behind as we were about an 1 1/4 hours north of Bristol.

When we hit Harrisonburg the sky opened and stayed that way to just west of Chantilly. We had just got gas and I kept reading the sky and since I didn't have on my jacket we stopped for a split second so I could get it on and just as we rolled back onto the interstate the sky opened. We were pumpin' iron through the storm and just as we were getting to the opening I hear Harley pipes roar up beside me, like some mythical "Storm Rider". He rolls up and gives a thumbs up and heads on ahead. We pace him back to the end point and he says "Dude, I was rolling through thinking there was no way there's anybody riding through this and then I see the lights of another bike and say "no way"". I'm sure there was a few more storm riders among the group but it was just cool how the sky lightened up and the rain slowed and here comes these bikes bustin' out.

Keep me posted on your San Antoin trip as I plan on riding to see my son in McAllen about two hours south of there. Be warned though, I working up to do it in less than 24hrs, as it is 1,654 from my house to his.