May 18, 2016 - Day 1 to DC --- Ontario, CA to William, AZ

YEAH!!!!  The big day is here.  Lots of hug to FNGs, lots of old friends meeting again after a year, lots of food, lot of organized chaos. Larry and I are all geared up. Arm sleeves say "Leadership Support".

 Before I get to far, I have had a few people ask me how I remember the day.  Well I cheat. Note pad and pen are with me pretty much everywhere.  They are attached to my pack, literally.   This is so if I drop it, it will not hit the person behind us, and I do not lose my notes. 

 First thing we have to do is stage.  Every route has a staging crew to get everyone in the right platoons.

We end up in "L" for Leadership. This will have the missing man formation and 6 pack (This is where Larry and I will be riding)

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"Missing Man" is the formation that has an empty spot for someone that has passed.  This is a huge honor, and Larry and I were able to rid this last year. 

"6 Pack" is normally asst route coordinator, state coordinator, medal of honor recipient,....and whom ever that route coordinator selects.  Jenny, Larry and I will ride here the full run. 

Lots of bike so need to have them tight

All of ones coming from Cincinnati will be volunteer some how. Tim is tail gunner in trike platoon

Brian will be a road guard

Tim with Aaron, and Larry, Aaron is on staging crew for platoon 9 (trikes)

This never a good thing but to not even start is disheartening. 

There will be lots of line over the next 10 days. Here we start with breakfast.

All volunteers

 Even the dogs get out for support

This lady's road name is Chalk.  A few years ago she was on the staging team.  To make is easier to see where the platoons started, she suggested using chalk. Hence the name.  Also a side note, this parking lot was gravel last year.  Biker hate gravel.  It is newly blacktopped and they can use chalk.

 Papa Smurf bike.

 Our bike is on the left.  Notice this one on the right. This belong to "Gump". I only had a few minutes to talk to him, hope to talk more tomorrow. He will only be riding with us for 2 days. then Midway then southern routes.  He was a POW for 22 day in Iraq in 2003.  He said he had great people inspire him.  He know of 2 guys, one was POW for almost 10 years, another was for about 8. 22 days was nothing compare to this.

Here is Gump with Boilermaker

 Here is the crew counting all the money at the gas stops to pay the stations.

 Chaplin Curtis says morning prayer

Taps: I have a hard time with this one. I am not the only one.  

National Anthem sung and the 2 girl scouts signed it.

Ken is a road guard (Ken is standing left of the guy in the blue hat) and on the board as treasurer.  Just to let you know he has served as tail gunner, assistant route coordinator, route coordinator and now road guard.  I think I got them all.  All as a volunteer.  Guy on right it he president: Greg Smith

The 3 guys with the black hats are the 3 route coordinators.  Chicken Joe, Papa Smurf and Top

 They were then challenged to review hand signals.  They did pretty good.

 Here is Ken as we head out for the day.

As we leave the parking lot

 Check out these next several pics.  Expressway closed for us to get on the road.  Looks pretty weird.

 Our first set of well-wishers.  Hope we see more alone the way like last year

 Here is Harry. You met him earlier,  He is the VP and Chairman of the board.  He also at one time was route coordinator.  Been around a long time.

 PRETTY COOL!!

 I got lucky on this shot. Double click to see how long this is.  Papa Smurf mentioned in our meeting the other day that we can be as long as 2 miles with all the bikes . WOW!!

Here is our exit guy.  Need to find his name.He is at all the exits to make sure we do not pass them

 First gas stop. This happens to be Jenny.  Guys in the yellow hats are the fuel team.  I guess you have figured out that each team has different colors.  Makes it easy to find your groups.

 Not sure exactly how many bikes. I would guess about 300. Finished fueling in 17 minutes!!!

 Jenny , Larry and I had to break from the pack for the next gas stop.  we were split between 2 stations, This is Jenny on the road.

The day started out GORGEOUS!!  I have to share some. I could have taken 100s.

 Staging team gets ready for the platoons after a gas stop

 Since we left ahead of the pack , I was able to get these pics.  See our guy at the exit standing in Yellow?

 Everyone already is getting the hang of this. It is truly organized Chaos.

Sorry you have to look at more of this but I was so beautiful: blue sky, white clouds....

 Here are a few of the road guards heading back to the front.

 Here is Brian.

 We see lots of individuals like this.  Check out the fence post on the right.  What great SUPPORT!!

 Here is what we see heading into Needles, CA

 As you come off the ramp there are many of these.  This one happens to say "ARMY"

Saw this cute guy in the side car of one of the riders

 Lunch provide by the people of Needles.

 Presentation by Papa Smurf thanking them.

 Kids make these up and are on every table.

 "I am proud to live in the best country in the world. We have Freedom"

 Finishing up lunch and looking for shade.  It was 94.

 As we leave.  Unbelievable the support and patriotism

 Crossing the Colorado River as we get ready to go into AZ

 There goes Ken.

Check out the rain.  We dodged it for the most part.  

 Heading into Williams. Our stop for the night. 

 People on every corner

 Those not on the corners we in here serving us some great homemade food. And the desserts... wow!

Prior to the start of the day: 2623 miles so far
400 miles today
Started at 61 degrees.to 94 in Needles, to 74 in Kingman, 57 in Williams
We left CA 15 minutes early and arrived 7 minutes before our projected time.

Larry does not ask me to add much to the blog but he wanted this one added with this comment:

I lost the bell but still have the dinger.  For non-bikers, this is supposed to be a bell that is put on the bike to keep you safe. We lost part of it. Pretty funny: