After Action Report
After
Action Report: Memorial Day Weekend 2010
Okay we
should first note that our Webmaster has been really
slow at putting things on the web. If he were
being paid we would have fired him a long time ago
but since he works for free and is a Brother, we're
letting him slide this time.
What a
weekend! We had a fantastic time this weekend – how
could we not when Chickenhawk was hosting his 13th
annual Crawfish Boil. The mudbugs were spicy and the
beer was flowing freely. It was a great time with
great friends and we congratulate Chickenhawk on his
usual success.
Lots of friends and Brothers in the mix this year.
Gary came down from PA with PX – even took a shower
along the way with that nasty storm that came
through Friday night. Friend of the Few Will joined
Hickory in the ride over and stayed for the weekend
as well. Brother Mule braved a hurt butt to make the
5 ½ hour ride from his place. It was great to have
the extended family and brothers from the outposts
join us in the revelry.
Mainshaft put everyone up for the night on Saturday
and fed the masses on Sunday. Good thing – there
were some hurtin’ pups from all the beer and fruit
preserves the night before. We still managed to get
on the road, but not in time to make the procession
at the Pentagon. We opted to visit Arlington
National Cemetery instead, to pay our respects to
the fallen. Will’s father is buried there, so we
paid him a visit before moving on to watch the
parade.
It was damn hot by the time we got over to
Constitution Ave! The Thunder was Rolling along
nicely though and we were able to find some shady
spots to keep relatively cool. We had the
opportunity to meet up with some of Hickory’s
friends from White Trash Networks –
http://www.bikernews.org/wtn - Lakota, Blackwolf and
Handlebar Mike. Awesome time visiting with them and
finally putting faces to names. The web makes the
world a much smaller place and when you get to meet
good folks, it makes it all the more enjoyable.
Did we mention it was hot? We thought we’d never get
back to the bikes (they were parked at Arlington)
and get in the wind. Once we did, we managed to cool
off enough to pay a visit to the Marine Corps War
Memorial. Impressive! If you have never seen it, you
should make it a stop on your next trip to the area.
Let Hickory know – he’ll get you there one way or
the other.
Although we were having a good time, we always kept
a thought in our head for those who could not be
with us. The Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen
who gave their lives in combat and the veterans who
yet live but have sacrificed so much of themselves
so that we may have the freedom we enjoyed this
weekend were always in our hearts. We thank them and
we thank those who currently serve – including our
own brother, Blaster – in harm’s way.
That’s all there is to report this time around. As
usual, look us up if you are in town – we’d love to
have a beer with ya!
Semper Fi
Proud Few MC
After
Action Report: St Patrick’s Day Party/Benefit 2010
That’s right.
We’re still around and we’re still having fun. The
Proud Few MC hosted its third annual St Patrick’s
Day Party/Benefit on 13 Mar 2010 and it was a blast
– literally, if you were there around 9am (you know
who you are). Anyway, we had a great time and, by
all appearances, so did our guests.
This year’s benefit was for the Raina LaBonte
Custodial Fund. We were deeply saddened in 2009 when
Darren LaBonte, a member of our club’s extended
family, was killed during combat operations in
Afghanistan. Raina is his two year old daughter and
it was our honor to hold this function to help her
and her mother. We were blessed once again to have
dedicated friends and neighbors who came out,
despite the inclement weather, to help us in the
cause and we were ultimately able to raise more than
$1,000 for Raina. Our sincere and heartfelt thanks
go out to all who contributed.
Our good friend QBall was there again this year – he
managed to take a few shots of the festivities,
which you can see here:
http://www.vtwinbiker.com/BikerPhotos/StPattyFdaytona10/stpattyfdaytona10.html
QBall also graciously donated a copy of his and
Sorez the Scribe’s book, Living the Life, for us to
auction off. It is a great work and we appreciate
QBall helping us out like that. If you haven’t
picked up a copy of it yet, you’re wrong.
We were honored once again to have Snakebite provide
the live entertainment. Listening to those guys
never gets old – what a great band! We really
appreciate them and are elated that they seem to
enjoy playing our party as much as we enjoy having
them. A great partnership, to be sure.
We’ve noted that we get rained on every year. The
first year it was raining cops; the last two have
been liquid sunshine. We think St Patty is angry
with us for pre-empting his day, so we may do this
one the week following SPD next year. Stay tuned.
Semper Fi
Proud Few MC
After Action Report: Beirut Memorial Run 2009
On
24 October 2009, we saddled up once again for what
has become an annual run for the Proud Few: the
Beirut Memorial Run. It is always humbling to see
the names of our Marine brethren on the wall. Now,
more than 25 years after the incident, we remember
those who fell in the opening volley of the
continuing war with those who would destroy our way
of life. It was a good visit - made all the better
by the number of Brothers and friends present. We
were particularly impressed this year with the
progress they have made with the Vietnam Memorial,
which is just down the walkway from that of Beirut
and the 9/11 monument - we highly recommend you pay
a visit if you haven’t done so already.
Seems everyone’s work schedules lined up this year,
as we had the best membership turnout to date.
Brother Mule, having been reassigned to the
Jacksonville, NC area this past Summer, provided the
base of operations. All told, we had 80 percent of
our membership present, and a rather sizeable
contingent of “Friends of the Few.”
In case you’re wondering: “Friends of the Few” is
not another club - it’s what we call citizens and
Independents who ride with us. This year we had
Carl, Mike, and their Ol’ Ladies; Will, from
Hickory’s neighborhood; PT, a NC local and long-time
friend of a couple of Bros; and Coop’s Daughter,
Nicole, who drove the support vehicle. Thanks to all
who joined us - it was great to have you along.
As with the previous year, we left in two waves -
Mainshaft led the first wave out on Friday and
linked up with Carl, Mike and PT the Jax area that
night. One of our number, who shall again remain
unnamed (see the AAR for the Scottish Christmas
Walk), conducted a late-night raid on the sleepy
little town of Swansboro. After a relatively short
visit with the local cage-mounted constabulary, he
conducted a lengthy foot reconnaissance of Beaufort
in search of Blackbeard’s treasure…or his
motorcycle, whichever came first. Finding no pirate
booty (he didn‘t stay with the constabulary long
enough for that) he managed to locate his parked
scoot sometime after sunup and return to friendly
lines before the second landing team made it to
town. Just barely, that is.
Fish, our CO, led the second landing team down on
Saturday; our ride was considerably less eventful
than that of the nameless one from the preceding
paragraph. No raids. No search for pirate booty. No
bonds posted. Having therefore been thoroughly
bored, we rallied at Mule’s house and formed up with
the rest of the crew. Amazingly enough, the weather
held out for all of us. The rain didn’t really hit
until we pulled into Mule’s driveway and came down
for an hour or more. Mule got us all fed in the
meantime - no small task, considering the numbers -
and we rolled out after the showers to pay our
respects.
Sunday entailed the usual return trip ritual:
breakfast for the masses (again, thanks to Mule),
hair of the dog for the overachievers, and a mad
dash north in hopes the skies would clear. No rain,
but it was decidedly cooler during the morning.
Still, the ride up through Kinston and Goldsboro was
excellent - the Fall colors were sharp and traffic
was light. The first wave made it back by 1400 - the
rest were in by 1800 or so. It was a great run, to
be sure. All the more reason to do it again next
year - and for the foreseeable future.
Semper Fi
Proud Few MC
The PROUD FEW MC St Paddy’s Day Party & Fundraiser
for Sgt Eddie Ryan USMC was a grand success this
year. Many a Patriot made a showing and helped the
Proud Few to support Eddie and have a grand evening
celebrating St. Patrick's Day in true Irish
tradition. Please see the following link from
Q-Ball's web site for pictures:
http://www.vtwinbiker.com/BikerPhotos/PROUD_FEW_MC_0309/proud_few_mc_0309.html
Thanks to everyone who came by. We will try to make
2010 even better. The club, Eddie, and his family
salute you all. Semper FI !!
After Action Report:
Scottish Christmas Walk 2008
On
6 December 2008, the Proud Few assembled in
Alexandria, VA to attend the annual Scottish
Christmas Walk, a parade of local (and not so local)
Scottish clans, bands, and enthusiasts.
Because everyone was coming in from different
directions, we opted to link up at the Marriot in
Alexandria. Fish and Rule had rooms reserved, as
this was to be their own annual birthday
celebration. You see, Rule and Fish are Father and
Son and, as luck would have it, they share the same
birthday. So every year they plan an outing such as
this – and of course include their club Brothers in
the celebration.
So we linked up at the hotel and quite
uncharacteristically started our pre-flight checks
with a round of beer. Needless to say, as the day
progressed, we continued to imbibe to ward off the
cold…as you will note from the pictures, some of us
needed it more than the others. Kilts on a cold day…brrrrrr!
I am happy to report, by the way, that our kilted
Brothers were wearing their Scottish ensembles in
accordance with highland custom.
After the parade had passed our little section of
Old Town, we adjourned to Murphy’s Pub which was,
conveniently, just up the block. We managed to get
in early, thankfully – they eventually had to turn
folks away – and grabbed a table not too far from
the bandstand. There were some really talented
musicians – and all the pipe bands you could ever
want in one location. We must have stayed in
Murphy’s for three or four hours before moving on,
eventually ending up a Pat Troy’s.
Now, we have to point out that the only reason we
went to Pat Troy’s is we thought the owner, (Pat
Troy himself) was dead. A couple of our guys had
previously had a bad experience with him (we hear
that’s not uncommon) and had pretty much sworn the
place off. Well, we got some bum scoop from
somewhere that the old man had croaked, so we
figured we could go have a beer and not be bothered.
We were mistaken. Not only was he inhospitable, but
his bartenders jammed us for several rounds of shots
that had already been paid for by one of our guests.
At the end of the night, we paid more than $500 to
close out the tab. On a positive note, we were
regaled with two pipe renditions of the Marines’
Hymn while at Troy’s: one from a lone piper and the
other from a full pipe/drum band. We were truly
honored by both and appreciate the fact that
patriotic Scots-Americans thought enough of us to
play for us.
Pat Troy notwithstanding, we had a great time. Mule,
the Sgt of the Guard, got us all back to the hotel
safely (thanks, Bro) – no small task, considering
our group was at various stages of…holiday cheer. We
were able to get the basket case of the night (who
shall remain nameless) to his room with minimal
incident. Well, ok, there were incidents, but no
witnesses other than ourselves…the public will thank
us for that. Anyway – we got him secured for the
night and finished off the beer in the fridge before
turning in.
We got in, we got out, nobody (from our crew) got
hurt. A great day to be with Brothers – and no
better crew than the Few! Semper Fi to all – hope to
see you out there on the road.
Proud Few MC
PFFFPF! PFFFPT!!
“They Came in Peace”
After Action Report: The Proud Few MC Beirut
Remembrance Run
On 23 Oct 1983, a despicable act of cowardice took
the lives of 241 U. S. Marines, Sailors, and
Soldiers in Beirut, Lebanon. Having been called to
duty in response to a request to the United States
from the Lebanese government, the Marines, Corpsmen,
and attached soldiers of Battalion Landing Team, 1st
Battalion, 8th Marines (BLT 1/8) were murdered in
their sleep by a suicide bomber driving an
explosives-laden truck. This act, to us, was the
first shot fired in the current Jihad against the
West.
On 25 Oct 2008, the Proud Few MC rode to the Beirut
Memorial in Jacksonville, NC, to remember those who
lost their lives 25 years ago. 2008 was the first
year of our run, but we hope to make it an annual
event until the threat from Islamic Terrorism is
neutralized.
We left in two waves, as work schedules dictated.
Unfortunately for Hickory, Mule, and our guest,
Link, that meant a couple of hundred miles of rain.
The temperatures were up though, so it wasn’t so
bad. The crew who left the day before, Tarr and
Mainshaft, hit some rain during the last leg, but
was otherwise ok.
We owe thanks the North Carolina Leathernecks for
coordinating with the local MCs on our behalf. Also,
thanks to a very good friend of the club, we had a
great place to stay for the night. A retired Master
Gunnery Sergeant gave us run of his house while he
was in Washington DC for the Marine Corps Marathon.
That was very generous of him and we sincerely
appreciate his hospitality.
This was not a fundraising run. This was
remembrance; this was about honoring our dead from a
war we did not seek; this was rededicating our lives
to ensuring the scourge of Terrorism and what it has
brought upon our country is never forgotten, and
that our children will not suffer the horrors of
this war after we are gone. We were honored to be
there, 25 years after that horrible tragedy, to let
our fallen brothers know we have the torch.
We really didn’t have the time we would have liked
to visit friends in the area, but as we mentioned
before, we hope to make this an annual run. For
those we were able to see, it was great to get
reacquainted; for those we missed, we apologize for
the quick turnaround and will try to allot more time
for visits on the next run. The local Leathernecks
chapter informed us of a larger memorial event that
had occurred the weekend prior – we’ll probably try
to make that one next year and maybe tack an extra
day onto the trip so we can make the rounds.
Semper Fi,
Proud Few MC
Still Kickin
Haven’t written anything in a while, so we figured
we’d better throw something out there to keep the
website refreshed.
Got a few pics here from the St Patrick’s Day
fundraiser. Hickory’s no photographer, but there are
a couple of decent ones in there. Some folks just
look good enough to overcome the lack of skill on
the photographer’s part, I suppose.
On April 12 2008, Hickory, Mule, and Fish – along
with Hickory’s eldest boy and Fish’s neighbor – ran
in a 5k Race/Fun Run to benefit the Injured Marine
Semper Fi Fund. Not sure about Mule and Fish, but
Hickory was definitely concentrating on the “Fun
Run” side of the event…’nuff said
The race was held at Patuxent River Naval Air
Station, and was sponsored by the Marine Aviation
Detachment. Not sure what they ended up collecting
at the race itself, but overall the Detachment has
raised over $13,000 for the Semper Fi
Fund…Outstanding work, Marines!!!
As this is being drafted, we have a detachment
rolling to Colonial Beach, VA to support a benefit
for EOD technicians who have been wounded in combat.
The IED threat in Iraq largely defines the conflict
against terrorist/insurgent elements which, we fear,
will be fought by our own kids before it is won. As
such, this was a benefit we had all wanted to
attend. Unfortunately, work precluded many of us
from doing so – just the way things play out from
time to time. At any rate, hopefully our Brothers
will get a pic or two we can paste up here on the
site.
Although it’s a little late, we should mention
another event this weekend (17 May 2008). The VFW
post in Indian Head, MD is in danger of having to
shut its doors. A couple of the local MCs are
putting something together to assist the post –
starting at noon on Sunday, 18 May. This post is
very good about hosting events for the local clubs –
they’ve been good to the MC community, and we need
to try to give something back. If anyone feels
compelled to assist, contact us through the link at
the bottom of the page and we will put you in
contact with the right folks.
We’re gearing up for Rolling Thunder and Memorial
Day next weekend. We hope everyone will take some
time to remember those to whom we owe a debt of
gratitude for preserving the freedoms we enjoy
today. Do not let their memory fade.
It’s gonna be a busy Summer. Ride safe and give us a
yell if you’re in the area.
PROUD FEW MC
After Action Report:
St. Patrick’s Day Fundraiser 2008
The
Proud Few MC hosted a St. Patrick’s Day
party/fundraiser on 15 March 2008 – and the turnout
was phenomenal! This was the first event we have
hosted as a club and although we had not
specifically planned it to be so, it turned out to
be the season opener for several some of the local
clubs as well as a good number of independent
riders. There were several area clubs in attendance,
some of which were so esteemed as to have a police
escort right to the parking lot... Snakebite took
the stage at 8:00 PM and was incredibly good. There
was plenty of food and lots of beer – everyone
seemed to enjoy themselves.
In recent months, we had discussed what charity the
PFMC would be supporting on a regular basis. We had
settled upon the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund,
which provides financial assistance to wounded
Marines, Sailors, or other service members who
served with Marine units at the time of their injury
(for information visit
http://www.semperfifund.org). As it turned out,
we decided to shift our focus closer to home this
time and raise money to assist Wendy Cooper (yes,
our Brother Coop’s OL) with their expenses as she
continues to recuperate from her accident last
September. Thanks to the generosity of those that
donated, we were able to raise over $2400 for them,
which will go far in making ends meet until Wendy
can return to her professional livelihood.
It was a great effort by all involved. We want to
extend our sincere thanks for all who came out to
support us. We also want to thank those businesses
and individuals who made donations of their time or
offered discounted prices for goods and services to
assist our cause.
We’ll post pictures as soon as we can.
PROUD FEW MC
After Action Report: Marine Corps Birthday &
Veterans Day Chesty Run 2007
On 10 Nov 2007, a detachment of the Proud Few rolled
out from MD to visit Mainshaft in Stafford Co., VA
for a Marine Corps Birthday celebration. It had been
looking like it was going to be a nasty ride, as it
had been raining the night before, and the sky was
threatening more of the same all day. Mule and
Blaster showed up at Hickory’s place around 1500 –
thankfully, the skies had clear somewhat and the
rain appeared to have left the area.
The plan was to roll south on Rt 301 and come up
through Frednecksburg – we figured I-95 would be
jacked up, with it being the Marine Corps Birthday
and the first anniversary of the Marine Corps
Museum. It as apparently a good call, as we made it
in to Mainshaft’s without incident. There was a bit
of a chill in the air, though. We figured the
following day would be a run to remember.
We pulled into Mainshaft’s garage where he and a
neighbor – Earl – had been waiting. Earl’s a retired
Marine as well and, though not a Patch Holder, has
been to a couple of functions with us and is always
a welcome addition. Anyway, Mainshaft and Earl
quickly produced some beers to warm us up after our
ride. We stood around and commiserated for a while,
watching someone get the whip cracked by his Ol’
Lady because he hadn’t started the grill yet. We
won’t say who it was.
Once he got the grill started, Mainshaft took us on
a tour of his shed, which was just out of yelling
distance to his house. Good construction – would
make a great clubhouse. When we got back to the top
of the hill, someone’s OL had already started
grilling. Observing the Code of Modern Chivalry, we
cracked another beer.
After dinner, we reconvened in the garage. At an
appropriate time, we held a cake-cutting ceremony to
celebrate the 232nd Anniversary of our Corps,
complete with a reading of the Commandants’ messages
and presentation of the cake to the oldest (Earl)
and youngest (Mule) Marines present. At some point,
our Brother Rover called and we shared a telephonic
toast to the Corps. We also called Bro Coop and
checked on Wendy’s progress (she’s at home and doing
great – thank God).
We rolled out early the next day en route to visit
Chesty Puller’s grave in Saluda, VA. We were
supposed to meet up with another Marine Corps club,
The Corps, in Spotsylvania but we were running late
and by the time we got there, they had already left.
We made our way down Rt.17 – the sun was bright, but
it was about 35 degrees out. By the time we got to
Port Royal, we figured a cup of coffee would be in
order. We ended up staying for breakfast at Horne’s
(great diner, by the way) and continued our journey
south. The sky was clear and the leaves were just
right – fantastic ride.
We made it to Chesty’s resting place – and managed
to link up with The Corps after all. Saluda is a
great little town. This being our first time there,
we had to ask directions to the chapel and grave
site. The locals were eager to help a Traveler and
pointed us in the right direction. We spent a while
at the site, reflecting on the stories of Chesty
Puller that each Marine knows so well; and perhaps
on our own contributions to the history and legacy
of our Corps, for all they are worth. It was fitting
that we were still shivering from the ride as we
stood there at Chesty’s stone – and we dared not
complain in front of he who led the 1st MarDiv at
the frozen Chosin Reservoir a little more than half
a century ago.
Our original plan was to roll into Haymarket, VA for
a Fisher House benefit – hosted by the Desert
Knights MC – as we headed back north. We opted out
of that due to the long day in the saddle and the
inevitable drop in temps after the sun went down. We
would each have had another couple of hours ride to
get home after Haymarket, and the potential for
hypothermia would have increased (especially if we
had partaken of any alcohol) – so we decided
returning to base would be the wise choice this time
around. We rolled back in to the Charles Co.
Clubhouse (Hickory’s) that evening and had ourselves
a celebratory beer.
Outstanding run. May have to do that one again next
year.
S/F
Hickory
CONGRATULATIONS MULE AND PX!!!
It is with great pleasure we announce that two
Brothers were patched in on 29 September 2007.
Brothers “Mule” and “PX” were issued their Proud Few
Colors at a function hosted by Mule at his house,
with family and friends present.
Mule had invited us over for beer and the occasional
bite to eat in celebration of his birthday. If we
didn’t know better, we would think he was trying to
set the stage for us to take a vote…but we had
already balloted and both he and PX were easily
voted in several weeks prior – we just needed to get
everyone (or as many as we could) in one place at
the same time.
It was a great party. Several friends and colleagues
from work showed up – as well as Mule’s folks, who
flew in from down south. We also had a guest from
one of the local MCs – Strength & Honor – who served
in the Marine Corps with Mule and Hickory. None of
them were expecting a patch-in, but hey, gives ‘em
something to talk about later, I suppose. Tonto, our
trusty Close Air Support, made sure we all had a
dose of his anti-bacterial, mason-jarred medicinal
water. Some of us who spent some time in nasty
places like Iraq and Afghanistan required an extra
dose, just to make sure the microbes were dead.
Quite uncharacteristically, we took advantage of the
opportunity to screw with Mule – he had offered to
take care of any patch sewing we needed a couple of
weeks prior, so we all hit him up about hemming
trousers, sewing Girl Scout patches, and the like –
and finally asked him if he would mind sewing his
and PXs patches on if he got a chance (they were
done in minutes, oddly enough).
We almost had to postpone PX’s patch-in due to an
encounter with the local constabulary. He eventually
made it to the party with no cuff marks, but we did
contemplate changing his road name to Lockdown.
The most pleasant surprise of the evening was when
Coop showed up. With Wendy still in the hospital, we
figured he would be (rightfully) preoccupied. Still,
we were overjoyed to see him walk through the door,
as he was in need of a break from the hours and days
in the hospital with her. We still pray for her full
recovery every day, and will be with them both every
step of the way while she recovers.
During the Patch In, Hickory read a letter received
that very day from Sgt. Eddie Ryan, the Marine for
whom the Poker Run had been the previous weekend in
New Jersey (see below). The letter was in two parts:
the first by his Mother; the second written by Sgt.
Ryan himself, using his left hand, thanking the
Proud Few MC for supporting him and giving him the
motivation to recover.
There really were no other words than Sgt Ryan’s
letter to better underscore the purpose for which we
all wear the patch of the Proud Few MC, and for that
reason we will end this AAR here with a heartfelt
congratulations to our two new Brothers. May you
both ride safe and wear the Colors proudly.
S/F
Hickory
After Action: Sgt Eddie Ryan Poker Run
On
22 Sep 07 a detachment of the Proud Few MC rolled
north on I-95 to participate in a poker run to
benefit Sgt Eddie Ryan. Sgt Ryan was severely
wounded in Al Khaim, Iraq in 2005, suffering two
gunshot wounds to the head. He has since begun his
recovery and has improved beyond all expectations.
Sadly, the Veterans Administration has seen fit to
reduce his benefits, and his family is paying from
their own pockets to supplement his physical and
occupational therapy.
It was an honor for the Proud Few MC to take part in
this event. We were met with hospitality that would
rival that of a Southern town, and were treated as
VIPs during the event – a privilege we will not soon
forget.
Tarr, Hickory, and Prospect Mule, with Naval Gunfire
Support by Norm, the Token Sailor, rolled out in the
wee hours of Saturday morning. The first thing we
noticed was the rain…yup, it was raining outside,
despite the “80 degrees and sunny” forecast we had
just seen the day before. Surely, we figured, it
would burn off by mid-morning, as the forecast was
still for partly cloudy skies and no rain…wrong! As
we rolled north toward Mule’s place, it misted on us
intermittently, with the ever-present road spray.
Mule had coffee ready (good Prospect, that one) so
we warmed up a bit before rolling out.
The weather cooperated with us most of the
way…except for the last 30 miles on the NJ Turnpike,
when we got pelted with a sizeable rainsquall. You
know, I had wondered why those chicks were smiling
at us about five miles back…they musta had the
weather report going about the time they passed us.
Anyway, we got nailed just about all the way in to
the start point.
By the time we got there it was late in the run. We
paid up our entry fees (with a couple of extra for
our Brothers who couldn’t make it) and tried in vain
to dry out before proceeding. While we waited, the
Thunder MC, Central Chapter rolled in. Seizing an
opportunity, we asked if we could follow them (they
being locals and therefore familiar with the
terrain) on the ride to the end point (it was too
late to do the whole run by the time we got there).
They graciously agreed and we followed them through
the boroughs to the VFW at Carteret, NJ.
What a ride that turned out to be. While making a
left turn, Thunder put out a road guard and some
jackass in a cage, talking on a cell phone, decided
to go around him and get in the middle of the stack.
At some point, the realization that he had screwed
up seemed to dawn on him, as he desperately tried to
dial 911 with handful of patched bikers swarming
around him like hornets.
A couple of miles later, as we got near our
destination, they let the cager go with a wave and a
wish for a safe and happy journey.
The event itself was pretty impressive, even though
the numbers were down from the weather (RUBs). It
was, nonetheless, well organized and had a great
spread by a local barbecue place. A couple of
vendors were present, but it was not overdone.
Entertainment was provided and everyone seemed to be
having an enjoyable time, although anxious for the
guest of honor to arrive.
As we were waiting we were greeted by Jeri Kopin,
the event’s main organizer. We had met Jeri on the
return trip from Laconia, right there on the NJ
Turnpike, and she had informed us at that time that
this event was scheduled. Jeri gave us the royal
treatment, sitting us in the VIP area of the event
and making sure we were on the program as
presenters.
Eddie arrived and the main event started –
renditions of the Star Spangled Banner (to include a
piper – way cool), music written for and about
Eddie, color guard, and several presentations made.
This Marine’s tenacity is absolutely impressive.
It’s not surprising that the community has rallied
behind him, given the circumstances of his sacrifice
and his unexpectedly successful recovery. When our
turn came, the three of us gathered on the stage and
presented Eddie with Proud Few soft colors and
declared him an Honorary Member of the club.
We rolled out that evening and turned in relatively
early – except for a short spell in the hotel bar
with Jeri and her family. A great end to a great
day, to be sure. We jumped up in the morning and
rolled south…much dryer than the day before. We were
honored to have been able to participate in the run
– we’ll be back next year, for sure.
S/F
Hickory
After Action: July & August Rides
The Proud Few participated in two Veteran-related
rides in the months of July and August 2007. The
first was the “Fallen Heroes Memorial Poker Run;”
the second was the “Charlotte Hall Veterans’ Home
Poker Run.” Both are great causes which merit the
attention of all who value the sacrifices made by
those in uniform.
The Fallen Heroes Memorial Poker Run was a run
organized by Mrs. Debbie Higgins whose son, Lance
Corporal James Higgins, was killed in action in Iraq
during the Summer of 2006. LCpl Higgins’ last wish,
as expressed to his Mother, was that Veterans of our
country’s recent conflicts would not have to wait
50+ years for a memorial to be erected to remember
their sacrifices.
The run started in Frederick, MD, extended up into
Southern Pennsylvania, and ended at Hagerstown.
Great run! Great weather! Blaster and Hickory
represented the Proud Few MC, with an additional
rider from Hickory’s neighborhood riding support. We
had the opportunity to meet members of other clubs –
always a pleasure – and to share in an honorable,
common goal with them and the hundreds of
independents who participated in the run.
The Charlotte Hall Veterans Home Poker Run is an
annual event sponsored by the U.S. Military Veterans
Motorcycle Club, Southern MD Chapter (http://www.usmvmcsmd.org/).
What a great cause this club has adopted – well
organized, too! Coop and Hickory were in attendance
at this one, with Close Air Support by an Air Force
Reserve Officer who came out to ride with us. Coop’s
wife, Wendy rode her scoot as well. We had a great
time and, except for a wrong turn that delayed us
for a couple of minutes – not to mention a pothole
that nearly swallowed two of our scoots – it was a
highly enjoyable run.
We’re looking forward to supporting both of these
events again next year.
S/F
Hickory
A Veteran’s View…
Here is a
link to a letter by Red Burdett, also known as
the Highway Poet, which was posted to another web
forum by a good friend. The letter addresses a
veterans monument being built in Deltona, FL, but we
thought it was as clear a representation as one can
get, in writing, to the feeling each and every
Veteran carries with him when he stands before a
monument to our War Dead.
The Proud Few requested Red’s permission to post the
letter’s
URL
here. We also encourage you to visit
Red’s own webpage.
Semper Fi
Proud Few MC
Membership Inquiries
We are a small club of Marine bikers. We met under
the colors of another organization and, feeling
there were endemic flaws which threatened the
cohesion - or brotherhood - of the same, formed the
Proud Few MC.
In order to join this club, you have to ride with
us; be nominated; and survive two membership votes.
We are indeed a small club, and are currently
located in the Maryland/Northern Virginia areas
only. We have had a couple of inquiries from former
Marines in various regions, looking for information
on how to join, and we had to politely turn them
away.
This isn't an Internet club. That is, we will never
take an application via email and simply mail a set
of colors to the interested individual. That's not
what this lifestyle, or this club, is all about. If
you want to roll with us, you have to be known to us
- we have to be comfortable that you are as family
to each and every Brother that wears the patch.
That's not to say that if you like what you see in
these pages, that you won't be welcome to introduce
yourself and get to know us - quite the contrary,
actually. You can still contact us through the link
at the bottom of each page. We'll still be glad to
meet you and maybe share a round of beer. But do not
expect to be invited to join through this medium.
That's not the way the Proud Few rolls.
Semper Fi,
PROUD FEW MC
Welcome to the After Action Report – our own weblog
of Proud Few MC events. We’ll be making entries
periodically, just to give visitors a feel for what
we’re all about and to relate some of our
observations as we take part in rallies, runs, and
other events.
You may not like or agree with everything we put out
here, and that’s okay. All we ask is that if you
find something that you disagree with or that
offends you, you go somewhere else on the web. I
promise you we won’t follow and you’ll never have to
read our entries or look at our photos again.
On the other hand, if you like what you see we
encourage you to sign the
guestbook
or send us an
email
and let us know you stopped by - we like hearing
from other clubs, organizations, or individuals.
See ya on the road!
S/F
Hickory
