2005 Torches Across America 9-11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride (TM)
All the information for the 2005 Torches Across America 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride is on www.torchesacrossamerica.com . On the home page click "More information and Ride updates" for most of the information.
1/25/2005
E-mail News Letter
Hi Everyone,
I received some great news from Toni Weddle, City Clerk, Kingman, AZ.
Kingman, AZ is the first city in the United States that I know of that has made 9/11 a day of Recognition for our First Call Responders. I can not say enough about Kingman, AZ Mayor, Monica Gates. She a long with the motorcycle community and the City of Kingnam, AZ made this possible.
I thank all of you that sent her a letter of support.
It makes me very proud to know they all think enough about there First Call Responders to take this type of action for them.
By this time next month I hope I can tell you about three more cities that have done the same as Kingman, AZ.
At this time I want to thank all of you that have helped with the Torches Across America Ride because you all helped make this happen. Without you this would not have happened.
At this time I also want to thank all of you that are helping with the ride this year for the first time. From the way I hear things are going I can not wait for the ride to start.
Here is what Toni Weddle sent me.
Have a great night.
Gary Covert
Mr. Covert:
I am pleased to inform you that the Kingman City Council unanimously approved the Resolution designating September 11 as Recognition Day. In addition, Certificates of Appreciation we presented to local First Responders by the Mayor. Agencies represented included:
The Kingman Police Dept.
The Kingman Fire Dept.
The Mohave County Sheriff's Office
Arizona Dept. of Public Safety (DPS)
DPS Air Rescue
Hualapai Valley Fire District
Golden Valley Fire Dept.
Pinion Pines Fire Dist.
Pine Lake Fire Dept.
Valle Vista Fire Dept.
River Medical
A picture and short story regarding this presentation are accessible on our website www.ci.kingman.az.us under "Kingman News".
Thank you for your efforts and commitment. If I can be of further assistance, please give me a call.
Toni Weddle, CMC
City Clerk
City of Kingman
(928) 753-8335
12/7/04
Part 2 e-mail list news letter for 12/6/04
Hi Everyone,
Well it is time to see how many people in this country would like to see 9/11 become a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders.
The survey pole is up and running. Paul changed the wording to National Recognition Day, restarted the counter and at anytime viewers can click on vote to vote and see how the vote is going. It is set up for you can only vote once but you can keep clicking vote to see how the vote is going.
I need your help passing the word out about the voting. Please tell everyone you can. Get it put up on your chapters web site. If you go to chat rooms let everyone in the chat rooms know.
99% of the people I talk to would like to see it happen. There are a few that do not. So with your help maybe we can make it happen.
I have put up more pictures today so go see them then sent me your pictures. Would love to have them. Remember all you have to do is from the www.torchesacrossamerica.com home page click photo gallery then submit your pictures. Before the first TAA ride Animal sent me pictures of himself sky diving in the Florida Keys and after I put the picture in one of the TAA news letters two gals e-mailed him. But what do you say about a guy that takes two women on vacation with him. He says it is the Irish in him. Animal your are a very special friend, thanks and more thanks.
Hi Carol Lemons thanks for the Christmas card today, now send in a picture of you and your husband. We will see you in Amarillo on the next ride “right”? We have a lot of very special people that help with the TAA ride and I thank you all.
If you want to read something special that will make you laugh go to the TAA home page and click on more information and read “Neighborhood Hazards”. Jeffrey France, President of the Chrome Riders in NJ sent it to me yesterday and I sent it on to a few people and tonight Paul said he put it on the web site.
The bottom line for this e-mail is I need your help to find out what the people in this country think about making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders. Please, again tell everyone you know and let them vote for we can see what they want.
This morning I was watching the news about the fire in the high rise building in Chicago. Some of the victims were thanking the Firefighter for saving there lives.
For all of you that know my wife go to the TAA picture gallery and click on Jim Bevens, Ohio pictures and click on the third picture. My wife is standing there with a great great big smile. For a person who did not get any sleep the night before because she helped fix the trike after we broke down in St. Louis she looks very happy. It was all because of the great members of the Ohio GWRRA. They also made sure if we broke down again there would be someone around to help us by providing us an escort all the way through Ohio.
Have a great night and I wish you all a Very Happy Holiday Season.
Gary & Marge Covert
12/6/04
Part 1 e-mail list news letter:
Hi Everyone,
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.
I am going to send this update out in two parts.
I am very happy to say tonight the www.torchesacrossamerica.com web site has a way viewers can vote if they want 9/11 to be a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders. I have waited a year to see it on the page.
The wording needs to be changed from National Holiday to Nation Recognition Day. I have been told a National Holiday would not be possible but a National Recognition Day could be.
A Nation Recognition Day does not cost companies or tax payers anything. Money and work is what makes the world go round and a National Holiday does not fit that criteria.
As of last week, I can now put pictures on the www.torchesacrossamerica.com web site. All you have to do is, from the home page click on photo gallery and go to submit your pictures. When they come to me I will put them on the page.
Please send me picture of yourselves, club, organization and group members. I will also put up pictures sent to me of our first call emergency responders and Armed Forces personnel. This is something I could not do before but I can now with our new host thanks Paul.
We have made changes in the route and in the amount of days for the ride. The new route in not posted on the web page because it was just decided last week.
We are starting the ride on September 3, 2005 from Kennedys Custom Cycles in Oceanside, California thanks to owner Bill Kennedy. Motorcycle Café will donate coffee for the riders thanks to Mike the owner. Wayne told me we will have some riders from the Oceanside, CA Wind and Fire Chapter riding some with us that day. We are very glad to have them.
We are adding a day in Ohio. We will be spending the evening of September 8th in Dayton, OH.
The evening of the September 9th we will be spending the night around Zanesville, Ohio.
On September 10th we will try to have memorial services with another 9/11 ride in Shanksville, PA.
Thanks to the Iron Knights M.C. in Newark, NJ and the AMA Northern Alliance in NJ we will be going to Ground Zero this Year. Red Nights NJ 14 Chapter said they would help also.
In Ohio we have several GWRRA and Blue Knight Chapters helping. Jim Bevens and Les Knauer members of the GWRRA are going to make our ride through Ohio an experience we will never forget. Bill Groninger Executive Director of America’s Veterans Tack Force came up with the idea of spending an extra day in Ohio.
In the last update I told you I forgot someone and it was riders in Albuquerque, NM. Cyber and some of the members of the Red Nights are trying to put something together for us.
The 9/11 ride were trying to connect with in Shanksville is being put together by John “Kiks” Kikol. He put together a great ride to Ground Zero last year. His plans for the 2005 9/11 ride are to go to Shanksville on September 10th and then to the Pentagon for a Memorial Service on September 11th. John also puts rides together for our Armed Forces.
I will keep you up to date on his ride and other 9/11 rides as I hear of them.
Here is something John Kikol wants me to pass on:
Gary,
I would appreciate your support by forwarding this to your email list.
This is an email received from one of the 1/4 moms whose son is over =
in Iraq with JJ. This Marine is over in Fallujah at the moment.=20
=20
Good Morning Everybody.=20
=20
The following is an email from my son regarding the NBC report (with =
embedded reporter Kevin Sites), concerning the Marine who is being =
investigated for "murdering" the insurgent in Fallujah. I will be =
sending his mail to every news program's email I can find. I find it =
sickening that this Kevin Sites is even allowed to be embedded with our =
Marines, as this isn't the first report I've heard from him that took on =
a decidedly unfriendly tone. My son also gave me permission to release =
it to anyone that wants to pass it on, as long as it remains unedited.=20
=20
-- D PMM LCPL Gus TS DET=20
=20
---------------------------------------------------------------------
This is one story of many that people normally don't hear, and one that =
everyone does.=20
=20
This is just one most don't hear: A young Marine and his cover man =
cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with =
Ak-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The =
insurgent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, =
diktoor(doctor)!" He is badly wounded, lying in a pool of his own blood. =
The Marine and his cover man slowly walk toward the injured man, =
scanning to make sure no enemies come from behind. In a split second, =
the pressure in the room greatly exceeds that of the outside, and the =
concussion seems to be felt before the blast is heard. Marines outside =
rush to the room, and look in horror as the dust gradually settles. The =
result is a room filled with the barely recognizable remains of the =
deceased, caused by an insurgent setting off several pounds of =
explosives.=20 =20
The Marines' remains are gathered by teary eyed comrades, brothers in =
arms, and shipped home in a box. The families can only mourn over a =
casket and a picture of their loved one, a life cut short by someone who =
hid behind a white flag.=20
=20
But no one hears these stories, except those who have lived to carry =
remains of a friend, and the families who loved the dead. No one hears =
this, so no one cares.=20
=20
This is the story everyone hears:=20
=20
A young Marine and his fire team cautiously enter a room just recently =
filled with insurgents armed with AK-47's and RPG's. There are three =
dead, another wailing in pain. The insurgent can be heard saying, =
"Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor(doctor)!" He is badly wounded. =
Suddenly, he pulls from under his bloody clothes a grenade, without the =
pin. The explosion rocks the room, killing one Marine, wounding the =
others. The young Marine catches shrapnel in the face.=20
=20
The next day, same Marine, same type of situation, a different story. =
The young Marine and his cover man enter a room with two wounded =
insurgents. One lies on the floor in puddle of blood, another against =
the wall. A reporter and his camera survey the wreckage inside, and in =
the background can be heard the voice of a Marine, "He's moving, he's =
moving!" The pop of a rifle is heard, and the insurgent against the wall =
is now dead.=20
=20
Minutes, hours later, the scene is aired on national television, and the =
Marine is being held for committing a war crime. Unlawful killing.=20
=20
And now, another Marine has the possibility of being burned at the stake =
for protecting the life of his brethren. His family now wrings their =
hands in grief, tears streaming down their face. Brother, should I have =
been in your boots, I too would have done the same.=20
=20
For those of you who don't know, we Marines, Band of Brothers, Jarheads, =
Leathernecks, etc., do not fight because we think it is right, or think =
it is wrong. We are here for the man to our left, and the man to our =
right. We choose to give our lives so that the man or woman next to us =
can go home and see their husbands, wives, children, friends and =
families.=20
=20
For those of you who sit on your couches in front of your television, =
and choose to condemn this man's actions, I have but one thing to say to =
you. Get out of you recliner, lace up my boots, pick up a rifle, leave =
your family behind and join me. See what I've seen, walk where I have =
walked. To those of you who support us, my sincerest gratitude. You keep =
us alive.=20
=20
I am a Marine currently doing his second tour in Iraq. These are my =
opinions and mine alone. They do not represent those of the Marine Corps =
or of the US military, or any other.=20
=20 Sincerely,=20
=20
LCPL Schmidt USMC
Please consider signing this petition in support of this US Marine, as I did.
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?as123
Support the Troops Rally in downtown Cleveland Ohio Sunday, 4/24/05, contact kiksharley@aol.com for more info.
John "KIKS" Kikol
440-327-6966
11/12/04
Part 3 e-mail list news letter:
Hi Everyone,
I left off on the last e-mail talking about getting support from the merchants and maybe a petition drive. I do not know if a petition drive is necessary but maybe in some cities it might be.
I know of one city it would be necessary because the mayor thinks he is it an no one from the departments he has UNDER him will get more recognition then he himself. From talking to him I do not think he has respect for them and he treats them like his property.
The main thing though is to go to your cities monthly city council meeting as a group and when they announce is there any new business, that is the time to ask them about making 9/11 a Recognition Day for the cities first call emergency responders.
Remember Public Law 107-89 which was passed back in December 18, 2001 says “State and local governments and the people of the United States to observe Patriot Day with appropriate programs and activities“.
So again on the brighter side of a sad day what better time would it be then to honor our hero’s. We were so emotionally happy about them after 9/11. Remember the first call emergency responders in your area would have put their lives on the line for you if the terrorist had attacked your city. They are ready to put their live on line for you 365 days a year. That is why we should be very proud of them. Many first call emergency responders from around our country rushed to whichever crash site they thought could use their help.
At one time or another some of the first call emergency responders at the World Trade Center knew they were not going to live on 9/11 if they continued to help others but you did not see them run out to save themselves. They also did not know if more attacks were going to happen while they were there but that did not stop them from trying to save people.
I ask you now why do you think they do not deserve a Nation Recognition Day? We have Armed Forces Day for those that protect our Freedom. These people put their lives on the line for us and we honor them. Are not the lives of our first call emergency responders worth a day of honor as well.
Bill Groninger, Executive Director of America’s Veterans Task Force, Branson, MO says they want to be a sponsor for the Torches Across America 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride this year. I know they were to be a sponsor last year but things came up and they had to drop out. I hope they do not do it again this year.
Why I am having them as a sponsor is because here in Branson, MO they are putting together an attraction called Freedoms Path and at the last display on Freedoms Path is 9/11. The display says how our first call emergency responders have another duty which is to be our first line of defense against terrorist.
Being a Veterans Task Force they also support our Veterans and our troupes. That is the main reason I started the TAA ride. Our country was already in morning for the 9/11 victims and honoring our hero’s. Our Armed Forces were getting ready to go into battle without most of us telling them how proud we are of them. Most of the time we tell them how proud we are of them when they come home from the war with parades but I think we should give them recognition before they go to war also because many of them do not make it and you can not tell someone who is dead thank you.
The 9/11 Memorial Wall that we take during the TAA ride will be set up there also. They will be sending out the TAA ride press releases.
My responsibility for working with them is to keep you informed about the America’s Veterans Task Force. Who to contact if you want to start a chapter in your area.
Freedom’s Path is paved with Hero’s. America’s Veterans Task Force invites you to honor your special hero in our Freedom Path. Purchase a brick for $100.00 in the path for your Veteran, Firefighter, Policeman, EMT, Mother, Father, Brother, Sister or Friend. The phone number is (417) 332-2883 and the web address is www.amvtf.org.
America’s Veterans Task Force is also helping with the “Welcome Home” America’s Tribute to Vietnam Veterans being put together by Operation Homecoming USA. Ross Perot and others here in Branson are getting ready to give all the Vietnam Veterans the welcome home they never received, June13-19, 2005.
At this time the TAA web site is not up so I have my update site with this information on it:
http://www.members.aol.com/torchesg/
Have a great weekend.
Gary Covert
11/11/04
Page 2 e-mail list news letter:
Hi Everyone,
This is part two of the TAA e-mail news letter.
After it was decided to do another TAA ride this year because our goal was not accomplished last year Les sent me an e-mail about 9/11 being Patriot Day.
I looked it up and found out Congress made it a public law back in December 18, 2001 and this was the first time either one of us had ever heard about it. I asked others if they had heard about it and the only one that said yes works for the City of Branson.
Public Law 107-89 says the President is requested to issue each year a proclamation calling on State and Local governments and the people of the United Stated to observe Patriot Day with appropriate programs and activities.
All Departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States and interested organizations and individuals to display the flag of the United States at halfstaff on Patriot Day in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 200.
The people of the United States are also to observe a moment of silence on Patriot Day in honor of these individuals also.
In the last months e-mail for TAA news letter I asked everyone three questions. Here are the answers Shadow sent me:
In a message dated 10/13/2004 12:50:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, garycovert@inter-linc.net writes:
The first question is, how many of you would like to see 9/11 become a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders?
I think it's a great idea to take a tragedy and turn it into something positive.
The second question is, would you help support us by spreading the word out to other about this cause?
Besides not having the time, my opinion is that an unorganized, grassroots campaign with maybe only a few people visiting their Congressmen/women will not have much of an effect (unless someone in Congress decides to take this up as his/her own personal cause). Most laws are passed or changed because they have powerful organizations behind them and have the time, money, and staff to lobby for whatever it is they want. But even this is not a guarantee that a powerful organization can effect the changes they want. Not to be negative, but someone with organizational, lobbying, and political skills really needs to get involved and help to spearhead the effort.
The third question is, would you be on a part of the ride or the whole ride?
It's possible - depends on my work schedule and my finances.
Shadow
The answer she gives for the first question I can not agree with her more. 9/11 was a very sad day in our countries history but we should also be proud on 9/11 because we found out how dedicated our first call emergency responders are to us. Two things people remember most about 9/11 is the victims and our hero’s, the first call emergency responders.
What we also need to remember on 9/11, is that the ones who are our first call emergency responders are ready to put their lives on the line for us 365 days a year all across the United States.
None of our first call emergency responders departments have a National Recognition Day. The people I have asked which day should it be since 9/11 is Patriot Day, have all said 9/11.
What do you all think about trying to have National Recognition Day for them added to Patriot Day? It does not cost our country any money for this, plus we are giving our first call emergency responders the honor they deserve.
I also agree with her second answer. I and the few we have helping can not even make a dent towards making this goal possible but it has to start somewhere.
90% of the riders I talk to say our first call emergency responders deserve a National Recognition Day. Most of them though can not be on the ride and do not know how they can help. Or they just do not want to help. Here is the best way all riders can help. Get together with your local motorcycle organizations, clubs, dealers, merchants, and city governments and ask the mayor and alderman to make 9/11 a recognition Day for your cities first call emergency responders..
On an before the TAA ride this year we had two city mayors say they would talk to there cities alderman and see if they could make 9/11 a recognition day for their cities. So thank about it, if you all get together with the mayors in a lot of cities across the U.S. and they were to make 9/11 a recognition for them, by 9/11/2005 this goal would not seem as hard to accomplish as it does now.
We also had Dennis Wood, a Missouri State Representative say he would get me an appointment with the Missouri House of Representatives for we can ask them to make it a Recognition Day for them.
Now can you see how the building blocks start stacking up to make this goal possible.
If we can get enough cities in each state to make 9/11 a recognition day for them it should not be very hard to convince their State Representatives it should become a recognition day for the whole state.
At this time I do not think there is a U.S. Senator or Congressman that will help make this goal possible. If you do, please let me know. The one had backed out. I have been told senators and congressman do not like to help in matters like this until the wheel starts to squeak.
Like I said riders from all over the United States can help by getting motorcycle organizations, clubs of any kind, dealers, merchants and city officials involved. I went to a lot of merchants in my area and ask if they would support making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders. I also ask if they put something in their window or office that showed their support. I only had one refuse.
I posted all there names on the TAA website along with three pictures showing the flier they placed in their windows. Everyone can down load the support flier for the merchants from the new TAA website when it is finished. Or you can come up with your own showing that the merchant is in support of making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders.
You can also have a petition drive at either a dealer, merchant or church. It gets people in their doors. I know most of you know of a business in your area that would let you have a petition drive. Take the names and the business names to your Mayors office and ask for their help in making 9/11 a Recognition Day.
Again I found everyone to be very helpful and it is something everyone is happy about. That does is not always the case when asking people for their help.
I will stop here for now. I will send out a third part tomorrow because I have a few more things to tell you about the ride.
Have a nice night.
Gary Covert
11/10/04
E-mail list news letter:
Hi Everyone,
I have a lot to say so I am going to do this TAA news letter in two parts.
I have great news on the East Coast part of the ride next year. We are now working with the Iron Knights M.C. in Newark, NJ, the AMA Northern Alliance in NJ, and Red Knights, NJ14.
Some of them went to Ground Zero last 9/11. So with a joint effort from everyone next year they are going to go into NYC and Ground Zero again.
I thank all of them for wanting to help riders from all across our great country to get a chance to visit Ground Zero on 9/11/2005 with other riders and people who took part in the rescue operations on and after 9/11. I know it will mean a lot to me as well as to others that have rode with us in the past.
Jim and Les members of GWRRA, Ohio, S2 are also working hard trying to make going through Ohio the most memorable part of the trip. They made sure we had an escort all the way through Ohio last year and we did. Jim was also the one who was able to get a couple of Wal-Mart stores to be host for the riders.
I have to work harder in Missouri next year. I set up at a lot of events telling riders about the TAA ride and was able to get different motorcycle organizations together for the Ozark National Guard and Army Reserve Benefit, which took place a week before we started the TAA ride. But when we rode into the area on the TAA ride only three riders showed up.
I have been told that the American Legion riders group in Tulsa are going to ride some with us next year and possibly some will go to Ground Zero with us.
Danny Bettis has told me he is working with the Amarillo Fire and Police Department plus the Hog Chapter and Holiday Inn. He is also going to try and ride with us.
Armand Ortega who owns the Historic El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, NM wants us to dine and stay the night. Don’t say anything Darrel.
Kyle Rose owner of Grand Canyon Harley Davidson is going to host us again and he is a great cook.
I think everyone had a great time in Kingman, AZ at Mother Road Harley-Davidson. They all want us back next year and I am very proud of that. For those of you I did not thank that helped set it all up. here is your thanks. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
Cary & Marianne Fischer owners of Victorville Harley-Davidson plus there crew would like to have us again next year.
Some of the CMA members in Southern California are setting up a place for the TAA ride to start in Oceanside, California instead of San Diego. We do not have a very good turn out in San Diego and they think it would be better in Oceanside.
I thank all of you that are helping make this ride possible and your all very special people. It takes a year of hard work and planning for a lot of you and I am glad you think the ride is worth it.
I do not want to forget our brothers and sisters in the Hoboken M.C.. We are not ending the 2005 ride at their club house because it sounds like we might have a lot more bikes to park then they have room for. I will never be able to thank them enough for helping me. They have told my wife and I we are always welcome at their club house when we are in Jersey City.
I have started to change the TAA web host so you might have trouble getting on it for awhile. We will get the pictures from Kingman and Ohio on it as soon as possible. We will have the counter for yes or no for making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders.
This is all for now and I know I have forgotten to say something about some of you so please forgive me and I will try to remember on the next part of this news letter.
Have a great night.
Gary Covert
10/12/04
E-mail list news letter:
Hi Everyone,
My wife and I went on a little vacation. Did some fishing down in Venice, Louisiana then came up to Rayne and partied with the cajun folks for a few days.
Cafe Des Amis in Breaux Bridge is the place to be at Saturday morning in Louisiana. Be there at 8:00 am for a place to sit for breakfast or it will be standing room only when the music starts. When the music starts the party begins and you better have your dancing shoes on.
A few of you have told me your coming to Branson, Missouri before the season ends this year. So I will tell you about a few shows you should not miss.
The first is “White House Dinner Theater”, the dinner and show are great. They also have two different shows during the day. We always go to the evening show.
The second is “Branson Variety Theater”, they have three great shows from morning to evening. The evening show I like just a little more only because it has the hits of Broadway.
The third is “Legends Family Theater”, great show this year.
So if your coming to Branson do not miss these shows.
I NEED TO ASK ALL OF YOU A FEW QUESTIONS AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR ANSWERS.
It takes a lot of time and great host to put a cross country ride together.
The first question is, how many of you would like to see 9/11 become a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders?
The second question is, would you help support us by spreading the word out to others about this cause?
The third question is, would you be on a part of the ride or the whole ride?
If I do not hear from you I will drop you from the e-mail list.
Have a great night.
Gary Covert
9/27/04
First I would like to give you a couple of internet address.
The first address has been set up by Les Knauer, GWRRA S2 member in Ohio. The Ohio GWRRA members want to make the ride through Ohio next year the most remembered part of the 2005 ride. So they have put together a web site rider can vote for making a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency responders. You do not have to click anything on page two of the form. Just click submit on the first page and when the second page comes up click out of the page. You can also see the picture slide shows of Ohio on this years TAA ride. Thank you Les.
The site is http://www.geocities.com/taa_ohio/
The second internet address is from John Miller. He sent me pictures of the event in Kingman at Mother Roads Harley-Davidson. Brian has not had time to post them yet. Thank you John.
The site is http://www.rt66riders.org/TorchesAmerica/index.htm
I do not know how to hyper link these sites on my AOL web site. But if you copy and past them on the search bar and press search it will take you to the sites.
Peter sent me some pictures also but they are through the e-mail and will take a couple of minutes for me to send them to you. If you would like to see them I will be glad to send them to you. Thank you Peter.
Next Years Ride will start in Oceanside, California on September 4, 2005. I will let you know when and where, when I am told and I hope that will be soon. Thank you Wayne, Glenn, Peter and Roseanne.
We will be staying and eating dinner at the Famous Historic El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, NM. Thank you Armand Ortega.
Cyber is going to try and set us up something in Albuquerque, NM next year. I do know we had some riders want to know if we had something set up in Albuquerque this year. So if they want to help with something next year please contact me and I will let Cyber know. Cyber said Albuquerque could do better then Gallup. Thank you Cyber
We will not be stopping in the Branson, MO area on the 2005 ride.
We will not be staying at Harrah’s St. Louis Casino and Hotel on the 2005 ride.
We will have many things for Ohio.
Nothing this year so far in Harrisburg, PA. Susquehanna Valley Harley-Davidson/ Buell will be closed by the time we arrive.
So far I have been told if the Iron Knights work with us in 2005 they would like us to stop at their club house in Newark, NJ before going on to Jersey City, NJ.
That is it for now so please spread the word out about the web site riders can vote to say if they want a National Recognition Day for our first call responders.
9/23/04
There will be another Torches Across America 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride in 2005.
I thank all the riders that were with us this year. Some of the riders want to do this again next year because they want to see more riders on the ride to make this goal happen. Some of the riders are saying we are forgetting what happened to us on 9/11 way to soon.
We did not for fill the goal of making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency services personnel. We were able to get our foot in the door though. We had three mayors say they would talk to the board of alderman in there cities and try to make 9/11 a Recognition Day for their first call emergency services personnel.
Dennis Wood our State Representative in Missouri said he would make an appointment for me to speak to the Missouri House Of Representatives on this issue. Some of the riders from Ohio have said they would like to go with me when this happens if they can. I thank you all for your support.
We can make 9/11 become a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency services personnel if we work together. We had many rides for them after 9/11 now lets give them something that will be in writing and on our calendars.
So far we have CMA members in southern California, riders in Kingman, AZ, some firefighters in Amarillo, TX, riders in the American Legion Post 308, Tulsa, OK, riders with the GWRRA and Blue Knights in Ohio, the Iron Knights in Newark, NJ plus other AMA chapters on the east coast, and Terry would like to see some Southern Cruisers be apart of the ride. They all are going to work together and make this goal possible.
The ride has been an will always be open to all motorcycle and trike riders. Any clubs, organizations, and groups that want to help are welcome.
Les Knauer sent me this web site that he just finished. I am very proud he and some of the Ohio GWRRA helped this year and say they will help next year. Jim Bevens also an Ohio GWRRA member says do not worry about Ohio because we can get things done right. I believe Jim because he set up London, Ohio Wal-Mart as a host for us.
Here is the web site Les sent to me. It is a free site so sometimes if to many people are on it, it does not work. Wait a while and try it again.
http://www.geocities.com/Chipmunk_45341/taa_ohio/taa_ohio.html
9/21/04
This is the e-mail to all the riders on the Torches Across America e-mail list about the 9/11/2004 ride.
Hi Everyone,
I am going to send this update out in two e-mails this way it will not be so long.
I want to thank all our Hosts this year. You were all super to us and we can not thank you enough. We had three new hosts this year and they were Mother Road Harley-Davidson, Kingman, AZ, Yamaha of Harrison, Harrison, AR and Wal-Mart, London, OH.
Each of the new Hosts were great and I was very proud to be their guest. The riders enjoyed them also. I can tell you this because when I talked to some of them after the ride they made comments about the new Hosts.
The pictures of the ride should be up sometime late this week. Dependable Internet has been very busy this year and what spare time they have they spend on the web page. They do not charge Torches Across America for the page but they will only work on it if they have spare time.
The ride started out with a small group of riders. Wayne Forester, and Peter Nash rode with us on the first ride. Wayne went all the way to Jersey City two years ago. This year he and a friend of his Glen Ottmann rode with us to Kingman where they met up with others from the CMA. Wayne was the speaker for the ride during the first day. Thank you very much Wayne.
Peter Nash brought his wife this year and they rode their bikes with us as far as Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson/Buell in Bellemont, AZ
Russ a member of the HOG chapter rode with us for awhile.
We met up with Darrel Graves, Ray Chief Flores, Ray Fauth and Paul Carry at Victorville Valley Harley-Davidson/Buell. Cary & Marianne Fischer were super to all of us. Darrel Graves rode all the way with us two years ago. This year he rode to Gallup with us.
Mother Road Harley-Davidson, Kingman, AZ put together a super Memorial Service for us. I did not get a chance to see and talk to everyone there so I will say, thank you now for coming. Kingman, AZ Mayor Monica Gates said she would talk to the city alderman about making 9/11 a recognition day for the first call emergency service personnel in Kingman, AZ. I can not remember the name of the CMA member that helped Tony get all the riders that attendant. Sorry about that but I do thank you.
Eugene Crego had breakfast with me then we tool off for Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson/ Buell, Bellemont, AZ and Kyle Rose made us all hamburgers. We had a great time there and Kyle has a lot bigger grill to cook on now. He is a good cook also.
That night we rode into Gallup and ate dinner at the famous El Rancho Hotel. the owner Armand Ortega showed us around and told us about some of it’s history. The food was excellent just like Armand said it would be.
The next morning we headed for the Holiday Inn in Amarillo, TX. What can I say about the Holiday Inn that everyone on the ride two years ago do not know. The staff and service gave us that Texas hospitality Texas is famous for. The Fire and Police Department were super to.
On the day we were going to Tulsa my throttle cable broke. I was able to get to a CB shop at exit 108 on HWY 40. Joe pierce was there and being a fellow rider, helped me set it up to where I could at least make it to somewhere I could get it fixed. He told me about a place and when I arrived they said Joe had called them but they could not help me and sent me to another place. This place told me they could not help me either and said Wing Enterprises would be the only ones that might be able to help me.
As I drove into Wing Enterprises Ron Gornall looked at me laughing and said I have been there and done that. He and Ron Russel looked everything over and Ron Russel fixed it and had me back on the road in less than fifteen minutes. They were great to me and they said if riders are around Oklahoma City, stop by if you need anything because they are there for you. The address is Wing Enterprises, 3530 S. Meridian, Oklahoma City, OK 73119, phone # (405) 604-9745.
I was two hours behind and met Joe Sewell a rider from Oklahoma about an hour from Tulsa. We were fueling at the same place and started talking. He told me he just missed me in Amarillo that morning and was going to meet up with me at Tulsa. We rode to the American Legion Post 308 where everyone was wonderful to us.
Joe’s bike was making some noise by the time we arrived in Tulsa so the next day he drove his car. He was going to be on the ride till Harrah’s in St Louis. He helped set up everything at Motorcycle Boulevard, Hollister, MO.
Hollister Mayor Dave Tate cooked the hamburgers for us and said he would help make 9/11 become a National Recognition Day. Dennis Wood State Representative 62nd District said he would set a date when I could go up in front of the Missouri House OF Representatives and ask them to make 9/11 become a recognition Day in our state.
Rona owner of Yamaha Of Harrison, AR was a great host. She said she would help if we did the ride again this year and she did. Thanks Rona. Jeff owner of Motorcycle Boulevard was busy working the shop and could not be with us.
After everything was over I did some maintenance on the trike. Bill Groninger Executive Director of America’s Veterans Task Force rode with us till Springfield, MO. We stopped for fuel just west of St. Louis around 10:00 pm only to find out two welds broke on the bars that held the trailer hitch. Thanks to the good eyes of Joe Sewell for seeing this.
We were told that there was not going to be any welder that would help us till morning. A customer came into the station and the attendant knew him and asked if he new anyone but he said the same names I had already called. As he was leaving he told me he was a member of the Freedom Of Road Riders Local 41 and I told him I was a member of local 15. He walked out the door then came back in a minute or two later and went to the phone book and said call that number and you will have a welder. I think the attendant call him Mike.
A welder named John showed up and around 3:30 in the morning we were ready to go. The welder had a hard time getting his welders to work so it was a good thing Joe Sewell stayed around because he had to take the welder to his shop for he could weld the second bracket.
I told Joe we would pay for his Hotel bill at Harrah’s for all this. We arrived at Harris about 4:30 in the morning and were told none of us had a room. I know Joe called them three times while we were working on the trike and told them not to give up our rooms no mater how late we were. But they did anyway.
Here we were no sleep, I was dirty and greasy and we had a whole days riding a head of us and not a room to wash up in. You will never see me going into another Harrah’s again. Two years ago when we all stayed at Harrah’s they did not have a room for my wife and I. You would had thought I would know better than to go there again. I do now.
When we entered the first rest stop in Ohio there was Les Knauer and Jim Bevens members of the GWRRA plus other riders waiting to escort us to a Wal-Mart in London, OH. We took some nice roads so we could avoid the construction on HWY 70. Wal-Mart was super to us and it was great having them as a host.
The next morning we headed for Harrisburg and met up with some GWRRA riders in Zanesville, OH. Gary Averysaid they would escort us to Old Washington, OH. The GWRRA riders in Ohio are a great group to ride with and they know of the best eating places.
When we arrived in Harrisburg I saw Terry Woolbert and his whole family waving at us. He and his family came all the way from New Hampshire to ride with us. Then we saw Stu & Nina Stoner. Terry, Stu and Nina were on the ride two years ago. It was great seeing them again.
George Drees a Firefighter called me the night before and had three of his Firefighter friends meet us in Harrisburg. Thanks George maybe we can meet you some time.
Susquehanna Valley Harley-Davidson feed us real well and were super to us. Thanks Marci.
We all left for Jersey City the next morning and Stu & Nina split off after a while. When we arrived at the Hoboken M.C. Club House they greeted us with open arms. They are a great group and I can not say enough about them. The pasta dinner was super and I ate like I had not eaten in weeks.
We all road into Hoboken to help place the wreath by the Memorial of all the people that died on 9/11 from Hoboken.
During the afternoon and evening riders came and went and were able to talk to a lot of nice people.
We were very unhappy to hear that one of the rider from a group coming down from Maine was in an accident. We hope he is all right. I want to think all of them for wanting to be with us.
I do not know what happened to the group coming up from Florida. I hope their homes are ok. I remember years ago our family went to help others only to come home and see our house burning down.
This is the first part of the ride I will send the other part tomorrow.
Have a nice night.
Gary Covert
Hi everyone as some of you know we have lost our escorts from Harrisburg, PA to the Hoboken M.C. Club House, Jersey City, NJ. "BACUP" could just not get enought members to help this year.
We will leave Harrisburg, PA a few seconds apart from each other and meet again at exit 7 HWY 78 east in New Jersey for fuel.
On the south side of the exit there is a truck stop and gas station where we all can fuel.
Riders from the south or north east coast can meet us there also. We should be there around 10:00am.
The 2004 www.torchesacrossamerica.com web site is now on the internet.
Sorry the click yes or no for having the National Recognition Day is not up yet. At this time I do not know if it will even be put on the page. The web site host is very, very busy and I am super lucky they had time to put up any information on the 2004 ride in the first place.
I have posted in the TAA ride updates on this page about my progress with senators and congressmen in making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency services personnel. I said the only one that replies is Senator, Kit Bond from Missouri. After his first reply I rewrote him and said I would not vote for him this year and why. His office called me this week and said President Bush is the only one who has jurisdiction to do this and they will mail me the White House address for I can write him.
This makes me not want to vote for him even more. He sure does not have much respect for the first call emergency services personnel in his state of Missouri who would feel very honored to have such day a bestowed upon them. I also feel let down as a constituent of his because the only help he is going to give me is the presidents address knowing I have a million or more to one chance the president will ever even see my letter. Plus I have already sent a letter to President Bush and have not heard back.
9/11 NATIONAL RECOGNITION DAY RIDES WILL NOW BE POSTED BEFORE THE Torches Across America Ride updates.
The Misfits Motor Cycle Club Presents “The 9/11 Day of Recognition” Ride for Our Heroes “Ride” Begins at 9:11am at Lake Worth, Florida City Hall. “Ride” ends at West Palm Beach, Florida Federal Building. Come Ride With Us To Show A Thank You To Those That Serve And Protect While Putting Their Lives On The line For Us. For more information call (561) 712-8277. Their web site is misfitsmotorcycleclubflorida.com .
Here is something special that takes place every year now in Amarillo, TX on 9/11. I just talked to Bob Johnson with the Amarillo, TX, Fire Department and he told me every year since 9/11/01 the Corvette Club in Amarillo hold a ride on the evening of 9/11 and try to ride by all the Fire Stations in Amarillo. They want to let them know how special they are and that they will never forget how dedicated they are in helping us. The first year was 2002 and there was 64 corvettes, last year 100 corvettes showed up. This year they except more and I think that is great.
Ride updates:
August 26, 2004
E-mail list news letter.
Hi Everyone,
I called the Candlewood Suite Exchange Place, Jersey City, NJ. 21 Second ST., Jersey City, NJ (201) 659-2500. Studio is $99.00 and a one bedroom is $129.00 a night. Tell them you are a part of the Torches Across America Ride.
I want to say that Les Knauer and Jim Bevens GWRRA members from Ohio are putting a lot together for us. First we will be meeting them and others at the first rest stop in Ohio just west of Richmond, Indiana. Second they have set up a fuel stop at the London, Ohio Wal-Mart. Store Manager France Lucas will be giving us water and snacks while we are there. Third we will be going to the Reynoldsburg, Ohio Wal-Mart. Jim Bevens, Les Knauer and Wal- Mart store manager Steve are putting something together for us.
Thank you Jim and Les for all your hard work.
They are trying to do more so I will try to keep you all posted.
Still nothing from any senators or congressman.
August 20, 2004
E-mail list news letter.
Hi Everyone,
Hope your all doing good today. I had some bad news last weekend from Les Young President of “B.A.C.U.P.”. B.A.C.U.P. will not be escorting us from Harrisburg, PA to the Hoboken M.C. Club House in Jersey City, NJ this year. They do not have enough volunteers and most of the volunteers they had from other clubs two years ago are going to the New Jersey State Hog Rally that weekend.
The Chrome Riders helped Les and BACUP last time and when I first talked to Jeffrey France CEO and President of Chrome Riders he was very excited about helping this year. He contacted me a week or so later and said he and the Chrome Riders needed to go to the Hog Rally but he would help get the word out about the ride.
Jeffrey and the Chrome Ride have done just that. They have sent me pictures they have taken with the banner they ask me to make up for them about the TAA ride. The pictures of the banner were taken at different events they have went to. They also have pasted out tons of fliers about the TAA ride. They are great and I thank them very much.
I asked someone on the east coast for some help at the start of the week but that plan is not working. Rona the owner of Yamaha of Harrison and co host for the TAA ride at Motorcycle Blvd., Hollister, MO this year said I should send out an SOS and see who might want to help.
I will send out and SOS but at the same time I am going to let you all know that at this time there is not going to be an escorted ride from Harrisburg, PA to the Hoboken M.C. Club House.
I will still try and get some escorts but it takes time for clubs and organization to decide if they want to and can help.
So at this time the plan is to send riders out a few seconds a part when we leave Susquehanna Valley Harley-Davidson/ Buell the morning of September 11, 2004 8:00am. I will have to go over my notes and see what exit it was in New Jersey we made our fuel stop at because we will all stop there for fuel before going on to the Hoboken M.C. Club House in Jersey City, NJ.
Bill Groninger head of the America’s Veterans Task Force in Branson, MO called me and said he could not make the ride. He was the Executive Director of the Branson Veterans Task Force and somehow while changing over they do not have the funds for him to be on the ride or the payment for half the cost of the new 9/11 Memorial Wall.
The new 9/11 Memorial Wall is about finished.
The TAA spot light is on Bill Tull owner of Susquehanna Valley Harley-Davidson/Buell and Marci Osborne, Office Manager Promotions and Advertising. I will never forget everything they put together for us two years ago. Don Ross from Reeds Spring, MO gave his sister-in-law the Red white and blue candle Bill and Marci gave to all of us for the candle lighting part of the
Memorial Service. I did not know this until I saw her and told her there was going to be another ride. She did not get to go on the ride but that candle means a lot to her.
Bill and Marci your both super and thank you Bill for having us again this year and thank you Marci for setting everything up.
The TAA spot light is also on Frank Goldston. Frank and I had never met personally till the day the ride started in San Diego. Somehow when we were out in San Diego meeting New York Mike. Every time Frank and I set up a place to meet each other something went wrong.
Frank did not know I was going to ask him to be the speaker for the ride till the morning of the ride. He was great and I was very proud that he accepted. He is a natural and I wish he could ride with us all the way this year and be our speaker but he said he will only be with us part way.
Don Snyder is also in the spot light this week. Don is the one who took most of the wonderful pictures on the TAA ride that you see when your on the 2002 ride site. Don is a super person. Don also set up a support ride for our Armed Forces in Portland, OR March 8, 2003.
Don can only go with us part way this year. He is coming down from Portland, OR, so how proud can you be of a person like Don.
I will never be able to thank everyone enough that help make TAA possible.
Have a nice weekend.
Gary & Marge Covert
August 1, 2004
Here is the August 1st ride update I send out.
Hi Everyone,
There is still no senator or congressmen I have contacted willing to help make or openly show support for making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency serves personnel.
As I was told a while back by Congressman Roy Blunts office, the congressman would not do anything unless a lot of people want it. So all I can do now is see how many riders in the motorcycle community stand behind what they thought about our first call emergency serves personnel after 9/11.
A National Recognition Day does not cost anyone in this country anything. But what it would produces in pride for these men, women and their families is way beyond any monetary value. It would also let their children know we appreciate the sacrifice their parents make when losing their life while saving ours.
By making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for these men and women is part of what America is all about. We stand up for our freedom and honor those that do special things for our country. We honor George Washington on Presidents Day and Benjamin Franklin on our currency. So are these first call emergency services personnel less worthy of an honor as to have one day out of the year made for them in the way of a National Recognition Day.
Today the TAA spot light shines on all our Fire Fighters, Port Authority, Police Officers, EMS and Paramedics. You are and will always be well thought of by the hosts and riders of Torches Across America.
A few years ago in my area a volunteer fire and rescue worker died while rescuing an unexperienced mountain climber. When I talk to some people about making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency services personnel. They tell me those people chose that line of work and they get paid for it. I then ask them what type of work do they do. I find out most of them are just plain pencil pushers. I then ask them if they go to work everyday ready to lose their life to save a person they do not even know. Of course they say no and that is when I tell them making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for the men and women that do is a very small price to pay for the life they might have to give up for us.
July 20, 2004
I stopped in to see Paul York yesterday to see the new 9/11 Memorial Wall graphics he has donated to us. It is beautiful. I am very happy that Paul thinks enough about this ride to have put together such a beautiful wall for us. Paul York owner of York Design Group, Springfield, MO (417) 864-4442.
For those of you that would like to attend the Torches Across America reunion it is this weekend in Backus Minnesota. It starts July 23 goes through the 25. Laurie Long, Connie and Jeanne have put it together. For more information contact me, garycovert@inter-linc.net . They are super and they are even going to do the cooking.
TAA spotlight this week is on two super people in Amarillo , TX. When my wife and I were going across the country looking for host and places to stay we stopped into the Holiday Inn an ask if they would help the riders in anyway. They told us Katie Wright was the one to talk to and that she was not in. When we arrived home from the trip there was an e-mail waiting for me from Katie saying that the Holiday Inn wanted to do something special for 9/11 so maybe we could work together. She also told me about Danny Bettis who is the chief engineer at the Amarillo Holiday Inn. She said Danny was a rider and belonged to the local Hog Chapter. Katie was a real buster for me while planning the TAA ride. She had so much energy and enthusiasm for it, it was unreal. Danny had the knowledge and experience with working with riders and motorcycle events. Between the two of them they made our visit something very special.
Katie is know longer with the Holiday Inn in Amarillo and I really do miss her enthusiasm while putting this years ride together.
Danny is still there and I am very proud to say, when I asked if riders could put a ride together in there area March 8, 2003 to show support for our Armed Forces before we went to war with Iraq, Danny did.
Danny and Katie are super people and it is people like them that really make the TAA ride possible.
July 2, 2004
Les Knauer and James Bevens members of GWRRA, Ohio S2 are going to have some of there members meet us at the first rest area after crossing the Ohio State Line. I have asked if they would help set something up for us the night were in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
Les is a super person and has been helping me for the last few weeks not only on the TAA ride but for another event were doing for the Ozark National Guard. Les helped us out on the last TAA also and I really appreciated it. Maybe this year he can ride with us for a while. He has a great looking Goldwing trike with some beautiful eagles painted it.
This is the July 1, 2004 ride update e-mail I sent out to everyone on my e-mail list.
Hi Everyone,
On June 11, 2004 in the ride update e-mail I sent out, I told you about Coyote e-mailing me saying if I needed any help to let him know. As you saw I told him there was and the way he could help was to get riders in his area together and ride for a the National Recognition Day.
He sent me an e-mail right away telling me his plans.
Hello Gary
I have passed on your emails to my local chapters around Florida, as of now Syco "Lake Worth Pres" will be setting up a run, he will be contacting you, good Luck Brother,
--
Coyote "MFFM"
Florida Pres.
Misfits Motor Cycle Club
of
Florida
misfitsmotorcycleclubflorida.com
Syco sent me an e-mail about a day later and the news was great.
hey there, IM SYCO the prez for the lake worth Fla. chapter. Coyote sent me all ur imfo and I think its pretty cool. I am putting a run together from the city hall building in lake worth 2 the government building in west palm the rest of the intricate details are still being decided but that's what were up to. Any questions or if u need anything let me know. misfits mc
Lake worth Fla.
SYCO LW PREZ
Coyote asked me not to post anything till they were set up. Yesterday he said go for it. So here it is.
The Misfits Motor Cycle Club is a Law enforcement support club and a member of the National Coalition of Law Enforcement Motorcycle Clubs and ass.
Coyote, I thank you Syco and all the Misfits Motor Cycle Club for your help. I know all the Fire Fighters, Port Authority, Police Officers, EMS, EMTS and Paramedics will thank you.
If I took this e-mail update to show our first call emergency services personal in my area they would be very proud to know riders thank this much of them. Please get something going in your area for we can all make 9/11 a National Recognition Day for them. I will post all your rides on the TAA ride update page. You can get to it from the main TAA web site by clicking Gary’s site.
Have a great Fourth of July weekend.
Gary Covert
June 29, 2004
This is the June 29, 2004 ride update e-mail I sent out to everyone on my e-mail list.
Hi Everyone,
Just thought I would give you all an update on my progress with our senators and congressmen with making 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our Fire Fighters, Port Authority, Police Officers, EMS and Paramedics.
Out of all the ones I have tried to contact the only one that keeps answering me is Senator Kit Bond from Missouri. After his last reply to me I said I would not vote for him this year. After this reply today I still will not vote for him this year. His office called me today and told me the only one that could make this proposal come about is President Bush. They are sending me his address for I can send a letter to him asking for 9/11 to become a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency services personal.
I hope they give me a better address then the one I have all ready used to write him about this proposal. Anyone want to start making odds on the chances of President Bush getting my letter. I hate to say this but we need to retire a lot of our senators and congressmen. They have been in the good old boys club to long.
The TAA spot light today is not on a host but a very special person. Carol Lemons lives in Amarillo, Texas. When we were putting the first TAA ride together Carol e-mailed me and said she would get some of her friends together and we could all come over to her house for hot dogs and beans.
What Carol did not know at that time was Kate Wright, Director of Sales, Holiday Inn, Amarillo, TX was planning a dinner for us. I felt bad when I had to tell Carol this. So then Carol offered to be the TAA riders information source for Amarillo but no rider ever asked her for any information.
When the ride arrived in Amarillo I finally meet Carol. She is a super person. Not long after the ride she sent me a video she started the day we arrived plus video of the two day motorcycle rodeo the Holiday Inn put on with the proceeds going to the Amarillo, Fire Department.
Carol e-mailed me the other day and told me she was sorry for not being able to help with this years ride. I told her that was ok but she better be there when we arrive. This ones for you Carol you deserve it.
Have a great day everyone.
Gary Covert
June 13, 2004
This is the June 11, 2004 ride update e-mail I sent out to everyone on my e-mail list.
Hi Everyone,
I hope your all doing great this morning. I get to start out by saying I posted the wrong phone number for the Econo Lodge in Tulsa, OK. It should be (918) 437-9200.
I am very proud to announce we have another new host this year. Kristi Lee, Director Of Tourism, Powerhouse Visitor Center, Kingman, AZ told me a while back she was working on something special for us. She has now informed me we are holding the Memorial Event at Mother Road Harley-Davidson/Buell in Kingman, AZ instead of at the park in front of the Powerhouse Visitor Center. Thank you very much for all your hard work Kristi. I told you all, Kristi was a super person. I also want to thank everyone at Mother Road Harley-Davidson/Buell for wanting to have us.
The spot light on one of our great host today is Kyle Rose owner of Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson/Buell, Bellemont, AZ. When I was putting together the first TAA ride the owner of Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson/Buell e-mailed me and said he would serve lunch to all the riders if I would like. So my wife and I on our first trip out to the west coast setting up the ride stopped in to meet him and thank him for his support.
We walked into the shop and two men were talking and I asked for the owner by his name (I am sorry but I can not remember his name right now) and one of the men told me he was no longer there. I stud there and looked dumb for a few minutes then asked a few questions about who the new owner was. The man told me who he was and that he was the other man standing next to him. Kyle told me we were welcome and to let him know how many were coming.
Kyle is a super person and this year you all better be there on time. Kyle was cooking away (if you go to the home page for TAA then click on the 2002 ride then click on pictures then click the day we were at Bellemont, AZ you can see Kyle cooking) and kept asking me where are they and I kept saying boy I don’t know. Little did I know that John & Lori Davis had you all in a mustard bottle squeezing frenzy at Snow Cap’s.
Here is something else Kyle is doing this 9/11:
Saturday 11th
HEROES DAY Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson Mayer invites Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen to a BBQ and Appreciation Presentation. 11 am to 2 pm. Come join us to honor our heroes.
Kyle again you are a super person and I hope other dealers across this country will fellow your lead. Everyone please tell your dealer what Kyle is doing and maybe they will do something.
I know of a couple more events taking place for our heroes on 9/11 and they are in Fayetteville, AR and Springfield, MO. So if you know of any events taking place for our heroes on 9/11 please let me know and I will post them on the update page. Remember all you have to do to get the update page is to go to the TAA home page web site and click on Gary’s site.
Had an nice e-mail from Coyote, who is with the Misfits Motor Cycle Club. One thing Coyote said to me was if I needed anything just ask. Here is what I asked for:
Hi Coyote,
Thanks for the e-mail and hope your all doing well in Florida. Yes I do need your help. What you all can do if you all feel our Firefighters, Port Authority, Police Officers, EMS and Paramedics deserve 9/11 as a National Recognition Day, is let every rider you know, there is a group of riders trying to make it happen. If riders in different parts of Florida put rides together in their area on 9/11 this year it could help. I know of two events taking place for them this 9/11. I will post them on the update page and next news letter. The events are in Fayetteville, AR and Kingman, AZ. I will post any event for them taking place 9/11 for them.
Have a great day and please let me know what you thank.
Gary Covert
Hey everyone it is going to take the effort of all the motorcycle community to make 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our Heroes. When I first started talking to people about the National Recognition Day they told me that would be great and it should be no problem. I told them that some of the Firefighters and Police Officers thought it was going to be their day but it never happened. They said they could not understand why not and now I know why.
It is because of our senators, congressmen and president. They are the only ones that can have it put on paper. So again everyone if you feel they deserve 9/11 as a National Recognition Day let your senators, congressmen and our president know. Plus get something in your area together on 9/11 to honor our heroes.
The motorcycle community is a very big voice now in our country. When we all ride together like during “Run For The Wall” and “Rolling Thunder”. People do want to see and hear why we have come together. That is one of the main reasons the motorcycle community is growing. people want to become a part of something, that is very patriotic and helps others less fortunate than themselves.
So with all that said, lets go out and make 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our Heroes.
I will post any rides you put together.
Have a great and safe weekend.
Gary Covert
June 4, 2004
I just sent this e-mail to New York Senator Hillary Clinton. I will be posting more e-mails like this and that way you can decide who to vote for. As you can see from the letter I received from our Missouri Senator Kit Bond, my wife and I will not be voting for him this year.
To the honorable Senator Hillary Clinton:
My name is Gary Covert and the goal this year for the coast to coast Torches Across America 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride is to make 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our first call emergency services personnel Firefighters, Port Authority, Police Officers, EMS and Paramedics.
We would like your help to make this possible. I hear it is to late to bring any new bills to the floor for this session but if it was an amendment it could be attached to a bill this year for passing.
For around three years now I have heard firefighters and police officers say they that thought it was going to be there day but it never has.
We are not asking 9/11 to be a holiday just a National Recognition Day for them.
The web site for the ride is, www.torchesacrossamerica.com and on the home page you can click on Gary's site and I will have this letter posted on it.
Sincerely,
Gary Covert
Here is the e-mail I received from here today:
Dear Friend:
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with me
via e-mail. I hope you will understand that, because of the volume of
e-mails I receive from residents of New York State, I cannot at this time
respond to messages received from residents of other states. I encourage
you to contact your U.S. senators if you have an issue or concern that
needs immediate attention. You can access your senators electronically by
visiting http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index_by_state.cfm for a listing
of their contact information. If you are still interested in learning
more about the work I am doing on behalf of New York State, I hope you
will continue to monitor my work through my website at
http://clinton.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
New York State
If you live in New York or have friends from New York maybe you could send or have my e-mail sent to Senator Hillary Clinton.
Here is a letter I just received from Missouri Senator Kit Bond:
Dear Mr. Covert:
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts on a 9/11 National Recognition Day. I am always happy to hear from Missourians and am interested to know your thoughts on this issue.
Again, thank you for taking the time to inform me of your views. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
I asked Senator Kit Bond how we could go about making 9/11 a National Recognition Day and if we could have his support. This is the junk he sends me. He is up for another term this year and I sent him an e-mail saying my wife and I will not be voting for him.
I have still not received anything from the senators or congressman I wrote from outside my state of Missouri.
I am going to write to Senator Hillary Clinton today and see what she says.
June 2, 2004
Here is something important for the riders starting in San Diego, CA. My wife and I will be staying at the Travel Lodge-Mission Valley, 1201 Hotel Circle South, San Diego, CA. It is Labor Day weekend so get your reservations in NOW. I talked to Tellie and she said 1 to 5 people for $79.00 plus tax. Ask for the Torches Across America rate. My wife and I are booked from the first to the fourth. We might not make it on the first but at least we know it is ready.
For riders that want to be there, we will have a pre ride meeting at New York Mike’s San Diego Harley-Davidson. He closes at 6:00pm so if you want something from him get there earlier. The address is 5600 Kearny Mesa Rd, San Diego, CA, (858) 616 - 6999.
May 25, 2004
I received an e-mail from Animal who is a member of the Hoboken M.C. Jersey City, NJ.
He give me some very sad news. Jersey City Mayor Glenn D Cunningham died last night. Animal said he was going to be our host for the city again this year.
I have a lot of thanks to give to Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham. Animal told me before the 2002 TAA ride when Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham heard riders from Canada and the west coast were coming to be a part of Jersey Cities 9/11 Memorial, he told everyone if riders are coming that far to be a part of our 9/11 Memorial we would be glad to have them.
I could not tell him how many riders would show up so I was asked to pick some of the riders to attend Jersey Cities Memorial and he would come over to the Hoboken M.C. club house and become a part of our 9/11 Memorial Service.
The riders that were picked to attend Jersey Cities 9/11Memorial Service were at the Hoboken M.C. club house and a Jersey City, NJ police squad car drove up and the officer said I am your escort to our 9/11 Memorial Service. When they arrived the officer told them where to park and someone said they could not park there, the officer told that person yes they will park there and they did.
Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham had a lot of preparation to do in Jersey City before 9/11/2002 and on 9/11/2002. I would not have wanted to be in his shoes. I have a lot of respect for him and I can not begin to say how thankful I am for the time he took to help me. I will miss not seeing him this year.
When he was at the our Memorial Service We gave him things that were given to us from our host a long the way that showed even though they were not there, a part of them did come. After he received everything he said it would all go to the 9/11 museum but the shirt we gave him, he was going to keep.
Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham was a super person and the motorcycle community has lost a very dear friend. Friends like him are very hard to come by.
Marge and I will be sending a card to Jersey City, NY, City Hall tomorrow and to the Foundation. If you all would like to do the same the address is:
City Hall
280 Grove Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Also on the web page it said in lieu of flowers or if you would like to send a donation in honor of Glenn D. Cunningham please forward contributions to the:
Sandra and Glenn Cunningham Foundation
20 Chapel Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07305
May 22, 2004
Hi everyone I have had some bad news this week. I have not heard back from any senator or congressmen I have written about helping with this issue.
I went to some of their offices in Springfield, MO and was told by one office, as far as they could tell there is not any proposal for bill of this type on the floor for this session. They told me it was to late in the session this year to propose any new bills. They said it could still be attached to a bill as an amendment for passing this year.
I was told the senator would not help me get it attached as an amendment but if it was done by a senator or congressman from New York he would support it.
At another office I was in they told me they sent everything I sent them to Washington and can not understand why I have not heard anything by now. I was basically told by them that it takes a lot more people than just me before a senator or congressman would even consider proposing a bill or amendment.
The bottom line is, all of us that would like to see them have a National Recognition Day need to speak out and let our senators and congressmen know. If you can not help do this then all the praise we gave them after 9/11 means nothing.
There are other first call emergency services personal that have lost their lives in other parts of our country since 9/11 in the line of duty. Next time you see one of these first call emergency services personal ask them if they would like 9/11 to be a National Recognition Day for them. I bet you will see a big smile on their face.
Even if your not going to be on the ride please help get your friends to contact their senators or congressmen and ask them to make 9/11 a National Recognition Day for our firefighters, Port Authority, Police Officers, EMS and Paramedics.
May 20, 2004
Susquehanna Valley Harley-Davidson/Buell, is our host on the evening of September 10, 2004. Everything will start at 5:00pm.
On September 11, 2004 we will all meet in the parking lot of Susquehanna Valley Harley- Davidson/Buell. At 8:00am we will all leave for the Hoboken M.C. Club House in Jersey City, NJ.
This is for all the hosts and riders of Torches Across America. Lil John a member of the Washington H.O.G. Pennsylvania Chapter, wrote this to me. "Let me say that you people are an inspiration to all Americans,let alone the Biker Community! Keep up the GREAT WORK"! Thank you Lil John and yes they are super special people.
So far no congressmen, senator or President Bush is helping with this proposal. If you feel our Firefighters, Port Authority, Police Officers, EMS and Paramedics deserve 9-11 to be a National Recognition Day for them, please contact your congressmen, senator and President Bush and ask them why they do not. Remember it has been almost three years since some of them thought it would be.
Still trying to get in touch with some AMA clubs along the route. The reason for this is because the main headquarters for the AMA is in the city right next to Reynoldsburg, OH, and they will be our host if I can get some AMA Chapters to work with us. Our accommodations in Reynoldsburg,OH are just a few feet from the AMA headquarters. Please contact me if you would like to help.
I want to thank Jeffrey France CEO/President of Chrome Riders Organization for all his help. He has been in contact with some congressmen, helps out with Delaware Valley Chapter A.B.A.T.E. and Bikers Allied To Commemorate Uniformed Police, Inc..
Les Young and Bikers Allied To Commemorate Uniformed Police, Inc. are going to be having "Heroes Day Family Festival" August 29, 2004 at 1:05 pm. You can learn more about this super event at web site www.bacup4699.org. It is for our heroes "thoss who protect and serve" so if you live on the east coast please go.
I have set up at a couple of bike shows in our area and the response for the ride has been wonderful. I want to thank Gary & Amber Ross and Don Ross for helping me at the Springfield Missouri Show. Gary and Don joined the TAA ride at Motorcycle Boulevard in Branson, MO and rode the rest of the way.
The ride is for all makes of motorcycles and trikes. It is not a ride for charity. It is a ride from our hearts. There is no charge to be apart of the ride but riders do have to pay for all their expenses.
The ride will go from coast to coast starting at New York Mike's, San Diego Harley-Davidson, Saturday September 4, 2004 and end at the Hoboken MC, club house in Jersey City, New Jersey, on 9/11/2004. Route, dates, times and motels are listed. Please read on.
I want to thank all the hosts for helping again on this ride. Without them this ride would not be taking place. Charles McGee, Publisher of "Long Rider's Magazine" talked me into doing this ride again. He is a real super guy.
Hosts for each city:
San Diego CA:
New York Mike's San Diego Harley-Davidson
5600 Kearny Mesa Rd.
San Diego, CA 92111
(858)616-6999
Victorville CA:
Victorville Valley Harley-Davidson/Buell
14522 Valley Center Drive
Victorville, CA 92392
(760)951-1119
Kingman AZ:
Mother Road Harley-Davidson/Buell
2501 Beverly Ave.
Kingman, AZ 86401
(928) 7571166
Kingman Chamber of Commerce,
Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona.
Bellemont AZ:
Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson/Buell
I-40 Exit
Bellemont, AZ 86015
(928) 774-3896
Gallup NM:
Jackie McKinney and the Sundance Iron Riders.
Tulsa OK:
American Legion Post 308.
Branson MO:
Motorcycle Boulevard located in Branson, and Hollister MO.
Yamaha Of Harrison, located in Harrison AR.
St. Louis MO:
There is no host because we arrive in St Louis around 9:00pm.
Reynoldsburg OH:
Still working on it. I would like to get in touch with a AMA Chapter there. So if you are with one or know of one, please help get in contact with them. (garycovert@inter-linc.net)
Harrisburg PA:
Susquehanna Valley H-D/Buell
6300 Allentown Blvd. Rt. 22
Harrisburg, PA 17112
(717) 810-1993
Jersey City NJ:
Hoboken MC.
Support Hosts:
Dependable Internet, Springfield MO.
Blue Knights NJII
Long Rider’s Magazine, Harrisburg PA.
Angelo’s Hair Moda, Kimberling City MO.
Chrome Riders, New Jersey.
(BACUP) Bikers Allied to Commemorate Uniformed Police Inc. New Jersey.
The Delaware Valley Chapter of A.B.A.T.E.
To become a host all it takes is for you, club or business to offer something for the riders along the route. Right now I am in need of a club or clubs that are with the AMA, for help on each day except 9-11. Please contact me and I will tell you why, garycovert@inter-linc.net.
Public Officials, Organizations and Businesses in my area who support making 9-11 a “National Recognition Day” for Firefighters, Port Authority, Police Officers, EMS and Paramedics. I thank all of you very much. This list will keep growing so keep watching. Ken is going to post this list on the torchesacrossamerica.com web site.
Dennis Wood, Missouri State Representative 62nd District
Mayor Gary Conway Kimberling City, Missouri
Dependable Internet, web page designers, Springfield, Mo
SONYA'S Leather Plus, Branson, MO, Eureka Springs & Hot Springs, AR
Quality Transportation, Halltown, MO
Don's Welding, Reed Springs, MO
4-R 3-D Archery Range, Crane, MO
Mullen & Assoc. Ins. Mktg, Springfield, MO
Motorcycle Boulevard, Accessories, Apparel, Parts and Service, Branson & Hollister, MO
Yamaha of Harrison, Harrison, AR
Angelo’s Hair Moda, Kimberling City, MO
Lake Area Brokers Real Estate, Branson West, MO
Home-N-Hardware, Kimberling City, MO
HWY 00 Antiques & Flea Market, Kimberling City, MO
Noel’s Lake Country Marine Sales & Service, Kimberling City, MO
Ecowater Systems of the Ozarks, Kimberling City, MO
Kimberling City Pharmacy, Kimberling City, MO
Ozarks Bait & Tackle, Kimberling City, MO
Carter’s Computers, Kimberling City, MO
Captian Craig’s, Seafood Market, Kimberling City, Mo
All Seasons Comfort Systems,INC. Kimberling City, MO
Missouri Cajun Marketplace, Branson West, MO
Flash Photo, Branson, MO
J & E Printing, Branson, MO
Brier Patch, Gifts, Antiques & Home Décor, Kimberling City, MO
Mountain Country, Motor Inn, Branson West, MO
Sunny Day Cycle’s, Kimberling City, MO (Opening Soon)
Aux Arcs Real Estate,Inc. Kimberling City, MO
Remark, Silk Screening, Branson, MO
Pzazz, Lounge & Restaurant, Branson, MO
Kimberling Inn, Kimberling City, MO
Clam Cove Inn Resort, Kimberling City, MO
Bearded Clam, Lounge & Eatery,Kimberling City, MO
Cruisin'66, Motorcycles, Accessories, Apparel, parts & Services, Springfield, MO
KHOZ Radio Station FM 102.9/AM 900 Harrison, AR / Branson, MO
York Design Group, Springfield, MO
Before going on with the ride, I would like you to read this.
I found this in my e-mail a couple of days ago. It was sent to me by Bryan Chinarian, from Lake Havasu AZ. He is a supporter of Torches Across America, and I thank him very much. He has been keeping in contact with me since 9-11. He hopes his health will be OK this year so he can come on the ride with us.
I had the e-mail checked out by John Murphy, from Ohio. He was a great help with the Torches Across America Ride. He and another Firefighter from New York City, Bill Biggin, tried very hard to find a place for the TAA ride to end in New York City.
Well John looked into seeing if the e-mail was for real and here is what he came up with. The story is true as you can see from the web page he gave me to check it out. This web page says the New York Post checked it out in November 2001.
It also says, (the items on this page are stories and messages about real things that are not trivial or out of date. While these are real, please don't create another chain letter out of them by sending them to everyone you know with an admonishment to send them on. Read about them here and elsewhere on the Internet).
I will do as they ask and not send this as a chain letter but it does show you how important it was to this Firefighter’s son, for 9-11 to be a National Recognition Day for them. The Firefighters tried and so did this young man, to make 9-11 National Recognition Day for them. I have just heard some Police Officers wanted 9-11 a day for themselves also. As you can see, it did not happen for either group. I guarantee you we will not fail if we all pull together like we do for Toys for Tots. The motorcycle community helps children all across this nation at Christmas so let us not turn our backs on this young man and all the other children who’s parents died while working for our first call Emergency Services Departments on 9-11.
I am even going to work harder on this now, knowing this young man did not get one of his dreams for his farther and others like him. I am asking that all of you start helping now as well. If you know some of the big names in the motorcycle industry contact them and get them to endorse this publicly so we can get President Bush to make 9-11 a day of National Recognition for our first call Emergency Services Departments. I am also going to try and get other groups and organizations to publicly endorse this. You can all do this in your areas as well. So again if we all work together we can make it happen. After what we said and did for them right after 9-11, I hope it was not just a lot of hot air because we wanted to be a part of the in crowd.
Here is what John sent me after checking to see if everything was true about the e-mail ;
Yep, It's for real. I always check out the questionable e-mails at hoaxbusters.ciac.org. The explanation for this one is at
http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/cgi-bin/mfs/www/hoaxbusters/archive?link=http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBReal.shtml&file=/www/hoaxbusters/HBReal.shtml&line=351#mfs
Here is the e-mail from Bryan.
Proposed National Firefighters Day
This idea from the son of a 9/11 firefighter
Hello, I lost my Dad on September 11th , He was Chief Edward Geraghty, Battalion 9, New York City Fire Department. He lost his life with many other heroes that day, victims or the terrorists. Firefighters from all over have come to the aid and rescue of the tragedy in New York and Washington, D.C. Many firefighters lost their lives to save someone else’s; the truth of the matter is, they do this every single day. They truly are heroes. I know many people feel helpless, especially those who live far from NYC and D.C. We all want to do something to show our appreciation, our support. I think we can…
In honor of the bravery, courage and determination of American firefighters, there should be a day in our nation to celebrate and appreciate their hard-work and never-ending passion for saving lives. I think we should honor all these other heroes who still live today. I’m starting a petition for a National Firefighters Day. Will you help make every September 11th “National Firefighters Day”? Please join me!
Thank you
Connor Geraghty, age 14, Rockville Centre, New York
(I Love u, DAD!!)
Torches Across America is not a ride for any Charity. It is a ride from our hearts. We will show our pride for the Victims of September 11, and their families, our heroes on September 11, and for the men and women in our Armed Forces who protect us. They all mean a lot to me and I heard many of you say the same.
Riders can ride the whole trip, a few days, or a few miles. There is no charge to be a part of the ride but riders do have to pay for their own expenses. It is a free style ride so riders can ride at their own pace. There will be escorts on the day we leave Harrisburg, PA to the Hoboken MC, Club House in Jersey City, NJ. We will have hosts along the route that will be doing different things for the riders. I will give you the times and places where they will be helping the riders and if you want to be there you can. I am very proud of our hosts because they understand you all are away from home and in areas you do not know.
This year's Memorial ride has a special goal. Along with being a Memorial ride for the Victims of September 11 and a support ride for our Armed Forces, we are going to try and make 9-11 from now on a day all Americans take a little time to honor our Firefighters, Police Officers, Port Authority, EMS and Paramedics. They showed us how dedicated they are and in doing so a lot of them lost their lives.
September 11, 2001 was a very sad day in our country but with the help of these great men and women we felt safe and secure. So what I am proposing , is that we the motorcycle community this 9-11, is to work towards making 9-11 from now on a National Recognition Day, for them. After 9-11 there was some talk between firefighters that 9-11 would become firefighters day. I think how it all started was the firefighters wanted their awards given to them on the first year anniversary of 9-11. I did not hear much more about it until the other day when I asked some firefighters in Victorville ,CA what day was firefighters day and they said they thought it was going to be 9-11. Well as you can see that did not happen.
The motorcycle community showed these people how much they meant to them after 9-11 but we have slowly lost our enthusiasm. I would like to see us get it back and the only way we can make sure it does not leave us again is to make 9-11 a National Recognition Day for them.
As Torches Across America goes across the country we will be giving our host thank you plaques for these departments to give to the Mayor of their city.
Clubs and riders that can not be on this ride could also put together a ride in their own community. They could ride through their community on 9-11 and give plaques for the different Departments to their Mayor. Last March 8th I asked the motorcycle community if they would do a nation wide support ride for our Armed Forces before we went into war with Iraq. As you all know the weather is not that good at that time of year. I was very happy to hear about all the rides that took place despite the weather. Clubs and riders of all makes of bikes rode together that day. Here are e-mails from four of the rides.
Hi Gary,
We woke up to about 3 inches of snow on the ground only to be topped by a few more as we were leaving so we trucked it. About 1500 people showed up and the rally was a huge success. We will keep you posted as there is another one planned for this weekend in my hometown. (MT.Pleasant Pa).
Thanks
J.D .
Here is what Mike had to say about the Seattle ride. It was rainy and cold, in the morning there was sleet Only 11 hard core riders showed, then due to the rotten weather we called it after an hour. I called, radio and tv stations, no one cared enough to show there support. Everyone who showed was active military or a Vet. I was the only one who was not and I was the ride leader, that’s ok. I asked a Vet to lead but he respectively declined. We had riders from every group though, throttle jockettes, H.O.G., N.S.R., and AMA Dist. 27. So had the weather been better, the turnout would have been more. We will all ride when they come home. Thanks and good luck!
Mike Fulfer
Here in Pittsburgh we had approximately 100 motorcycles and a good turnout for the "Freedom Rally"(approximately 1000 people) which was at the "Point" on the 8th and sponsored by our local bike magazine "The Cycle Source". For a few pics of the event go to www.laurelvillesportsmen.com and click on 2003 events. I would very much like to see this become an annual, national event with donations to be given to some military organization. (possibly the local VA hospitals). My wife made some "Freedom Rally" helmet and bumper stickers for the event and if you give me your address I will gladly send you a few for your efforts and concerns for our warriors.
Hope to hear from you soon
Thank You
J.D. Ames
aka- DESERTDAWG
Mitch told me they had a great ride form Ft. Worth, to Waco, TX, and ate lunch at Buzzard Billy’s. The ride consisted of GWRRA TX-U2, GWTA, and local HRCA members. The weather was not great but that did not stop them. My wife and I spent some time in Ft. Worth, TX, last year and had a great time. We will be going back.
I think it was great how these riders came together for our Armed Forces. Now I am trying to get everyone together for our heroes on 9-11.
At this time there is no information on the torchesacrossamerica.com web page for the 2004 ride. Ken, owner of Dependable Internet is very busy at this time. When he can he will start the new page. My update page will have to do for now. It is http://www.hometown.aol.com/torchesg/ Or you can go to search engine Google or Ask Jeeves and type in torches Across America and scroll down to "Motorcycle Clubs And Riders" and get my update page.
Contact Gary Covert, by going to the contact page on the torchesacrossamerica.com web page or garycovert@inter-linc.net.
The route and dates will be:
Day 1
Saturday September 4, 2004
Depart New York Mike's San Diego Harley-Davidson, San Diego CA, 8:00am. We will be having lunch at Victorville Valley Harley-Davidson/Buell, Victorville CA, 11:00am 1:00pm. From there we go to Mother Road Harley-Davidson/Buell in Kingman, AZ for an evening Memorial Service. We will spend the night in Kingman AZ.
Day 2
Sunday September 5, 2004
Depart Kingman AZ. We will be having lunch at Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson/Buell, Bellemont AZ, 11:00am to 1:00pm and spend the night in Gallup NM.
Day 3
Monday September 6, 2004
Depart Gallup NM, and spend the night in Amarillo TX.
Day 4
Tuesday September 7, 2004
Depart Amarillo TX, and spend the night in Tulsa OK.
Day 5
Wednesday September 8, 2004
Depart Tulsa OK. We will be having lunch at Motorcycle Boullevard, Hollister MO, 1:00pm to 3:00pm and spend the night in St. Louis MO.
Day 6
Thursday September 9, 2004
Depart St. Louis MO, and spend the night in Reynoldsburg OH.
Day 7
Friday September 10, 2004
Depart Reynoldsburg OH, and spend the night in Harrisburg PA.
Day 8
Saturday September 11, 2004
Depart Harrisburg PA, to Jersey City NJ.
Motels & Hotels for the 2004 Torches Across America ride:
These motels and hotels are giving riders a discount. My wife and I will be staying in them.
If you are going on the ride or just thinking about going, please make your reservations as early as possible. You can always cancel them but if you do not reserve earily there might not be any rooms available.
San Diego CA, September 3, 2004
For those spending sometime in San Diego before the ride I will let you know later which place my wife and I will be staying at.
Kingman AZ, September 4, 2004
Mohave Inn, 3016 E. Andy Divine, Kingman AZ, 86401 Phone # (928) 753-9555. It has new owners. Rooms are $27.39 per night for one. $29.95 per night for two. Tax is included
Gallup NM, September 5, 2004
Best Westren Inn & Suites, Route 66 West, Gallup NM, Phone # 1-800 722-6399. Rooms are, single $49.95 doubles $56.00 and $6.00 for each additional person. Ask for the Torches Across America rate.
Amarillo Texas, September 6, 2004
Holiday Inn, 1911 I-40 East, Amarillo, Texas 79102 Phone # (806) 372-8741. They are real motorcycle friendly. Rooms are $39.00 per night.
.
Tulsa OK, September 7, 2004
Econo Lodge, 11620 E. Skelly Dr., Tulsa, OK, 74128 Phone # (918) 437-9200. They are real motorcycle friendly. Rooms are $54.00 plus tax per night for King size bed or two beds 1 to 2 people for the king size bed and 1 to 4 people for the two beds. Queen size bed per night for 1 to 2 people $45.00 plus tax.
St. Louis MO, September 8, 2004
Harrah’s St. Louis Casino and Hotel, 777 Casino Center Dr., Maryland Heights, MO 63043 Phone # (314) 770-8383. They are motorcycle friendly. Rooms are $79.00 plus tax per night for one or two people. When making reservations, tell them it is under code PTAA. If you do not your room charges will be higher.
Reynoldsburg OH, September 9, 2004
Columbus East Fairfield Inn & Suites 2826 Taylor Rd SW, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 Phone # (614) 864-4555. They are real motorcycle friendly. Rooms are $59.00 per night for King size or two double beds.
Grantville PA, September 10, 2004
Econo Lodge, 252 Bow Creek Rd., Grantville, PA, 17028. Phone # (717) 469-0631. They are real motorcycle friendly. Rooms are $44.95 per night for one or two people.
Jersey City, NJ September 11, 2004
Candlewood Suites Exchange Place, 21 Second St., Jersey City, NJ. Phone # (201) 659-2500. They are real motorcycle friendly. Studios are $99.00 and a one bedroom is $129.00. Ask for the Torches Across America group rate.
March 8,2003 A Salute Ride To All Our Armed Forces
And Their Families
Hi Gary,
We woke up to about 3 inches of snow on the ground only to be topped by a few more as we were leaving so we trucked it. About 1500 people showed up and the rally was a huge success. We will keep you posted as there is another one planned for this weekend in my hometown. (MT.Pleasant Pa).
Thanks
J.D .
Ladies and gentlemen, there is going to be more support our troops rallies in PA. so please read on.
For all those who made it to the rally today: Thank you for making it such a great success. Despite the cold, I believe everyone was happy to be there to support the troops.
For everyone: I have written a report about the rally and posted in on FreeRepublic.com (click here): Cranberry Township Rally Report
To read the report, you do not need to register. If you want to add any comments or corrections, or post your pictures (just don't ask me how to do that techie stuff) you do have to register. There is no charge to register and be a member. You may, at your option and as the spirit moves you, donate to help keep the site up and running.
Some upcoming rallies:
There is another rally on Monday April 7th in Beaver, PA from 6 to 8 PM at the Park Gazebo (next to the courthouse). It is sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America. Beaver County Chapter #862.
There is also one in Bethel Park on Tuesday April 8th American Legion, Veterans Memorial Committee and the Municipality of Bethel Park are sponsoring a "Support Our Troops" Rally at the Veterans Memorial Plaza at the Bethel Park Municipal Building.
There is one final one being planned for the Shaler Area within the next few weeks. I will forward details as soon as they are available.
Ray Horvath
2003 Memorial Ride to the World Trade Center Site September 7, 2003. John Ralph is a great guy and lost two of his riding buddies 9-11, is putting this ride together. If you would like to be a part of it please contact him at www.jrbikernj@yahool.com. John was also one of the Torches Across America riders. I told John if I can make it that day I would be proud to ride with him.
Cherokee told me bikers took to Chicago streets last Saturday to show support for all Armed Forces and their families including the other countries helping us in the war. Thank you very much for the pictures Cherokee.
All the riders that road March 8, 2003 dropped everything they were doing the 8th of March and road for Men and Women who have offered their lives for them. I am very proud of these riders and I know the Armed Forces and their Families who have been following this site feel the same.
Here is what Mike had to say about the Seattle ride. It was rainy and cold, in the morning there was sleet Only 11 hard core riders showed, then due to the rotten weather we called it after an hour. I called, radio and tv stations, no one cared enough to show there support. Everyone who showed was active military or a Vet. I was the only one who was not and I was the ride leader, that’s ok. I asked a Vet to lead but he respectively declined. We had riders from every group though, throttle jockettes, H.O.G., N.S.R., and AMA Dist. 27. So had the weather been better, the turnout would have been more. We will all ride when they come home. Thanks and good luck!
Mike Fulfer
Here in Pittsburgh we had approximately 100 motorcycles and a good turnout for the "Freedom Rally"(approximately 1000 people) which was at the "Point" on the 8th and sponsored by our local bike magazine "The Cycle Source". For a few pics of the event go to www.laurelvillesportsmen.com and click on 2003 events. I would very much like to see this become an annual, national event with donations to be given to some military organization. (possibly the local VA hospitals). My wife made some "Freedom Rally" helmet and bumper stickers for the event and if you give me your address I will gladly send you a few for your efforts and concerns for our warriors.
Hope to hear from you soon
Thank You
J.D. Ames
aka- DESERTDAWG
Well Pittsburgh turned out good for this http://solrpa.com/rally1.html You started something good!!!
--
Later
Hawk
ICQ 34668186
AOL SoLRHawk
Darrel told me the ride in Bakersfield, Porterville went very well with 75 to 80 riders. Thanks for the pictures.
Danny told me the ride in Amarillo, TX, went well and 27 riders road to the VA Hospital.
Don told me the ride in Portland was cold and rainy. There was 20 riders on the ride and more meet them at the end of the ride. Thanks for the pictures.
Bluesman told me the 11th Cavalry CA. Chapter had a great ride. They had a Barbacue and a band at the end of their ride. Thanks for the pictures.
Mitch told me they had a great ride form Ft. Worth, to Waco, TX, and ate lunch at Buzzard Billy’s. The ride consisted of GWRRA TX-U2, GWTA, and local HRCA members. The weather was not great but that did not stop them. My wife and I spent so time in Ft. Worth, TX, last year and had a great time. We will be going back.
Some of you might be wondering how the ride turned out in Daytona. I was the only rider. I road up to St. Augustine as planned and road by the Florida National Guard. There were quite a few of them waiting to see us. I told them I was the only rider coming from Daytona and I was sorry for getting them ready for the riders. I think Ray Howton and his wife Ann for coming. Ray did say a prayer before I started the ride they also followed me to St. Augustine. Some of the National Guard told me some riders had come by and asked about the ride and riders coming from Daytona.
This is very special.
I want to give a big thumbs up for the Good Morning America Show and Faith Hill for giving our Military Personal and their families at Fort Bragg a very special Valentine concert. I think that is one super gift.
Hi Everyone
I am trying to make March 8, 2003, a salute ride to all of our Armed Forces and their families from the motorcycle community of America. For we can show them how proud we are for the sacrifices they make for us.
For the past few days I have been hearing about all the anti war demonstrations taking part in our country and how movie stars are blaming part of the war on sport utility vehicles. What I do not hear, is a lot of cheer or support for our Armed Forces and their families. We need to understand the many hard ships these families are going through right now. Just a few are, a loved one is away from home for a long period of time and might never come back, the kids do not get to see or have the attention of their parent (some of these parents are single parents), loss of income form a second job in order to help pay the bills. Can you imagine some of their bill problems? They are not our paid mercenaries, they are American’s ready to give up their lives for us and this means a lot to me. I do not see the movie stars getting together to help boost moral for the members of the Armed Forces and their families.
So I was wondering how to get other riders that feel the same way I do, together and show our cheer and support to all the members of the Armed Forces and their families. I told my wife we are going to be in Daytona Beach during the last part of bike week so why don’t I tell everyone who wants to take a short ride with us to meet us at the Daytona Flea Market (not swap meet as I had before) parking lot Saturday morning March 8, 2003, 8:30 AM. We would ride about an hour to the gates at the site of the old Fort in St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the United States. It would be great if all the riders would have an American flag on their bikes.
Ride plans March 8, 2003 in Dayton.
My wife and I will meet everyone at the Daytona Flea Market. I said swap meet but it is the Flea Market next to Spiders.
The Flea Market is on Tomoka Farm Rd.. Tomoka Farm Rd. is one block west of hwy 95 off International Speedway Blvd.. At the intersection of International Speedway Blvd. and Tomoka Farm Rd., take a left on Tomoka Farm Rd. and go down the street a little ways and on the left side you will see the Flea Market. Turn left into the parking lot and go straight to the end, turn left and park your bike. You will be next to hwy 95 at that time.
Everything will start at 8:30 am.
I will have the flags of the different branches of service posted. I might be able to get some volunteers to hold them up. I know my wife wants to hold the United States Flag.
Retired Colonel Ray Howton U.S. Army Chaplain will give a talk and a prayer. He will also do the blessing of the bikes.
We will then leave the Flea Market parking lot and get on hwy 95 and go to St. Augustine.
In St. Augustine we will be giving a big salute to some Florida Nation Guard personel and riding past the gates of the old fort.
The ride will be over then.
This way if any of the weekly bike renters come on the ride they might be able to return the bikes on time.
We will have to stop for stop lights on this ride.
Even if you can not be in Daytona does not mean you can not take part. If you and your club or friends would put a short ride together on March 8, 2003 and have American Flags on your bikes it would show everyone we care about our Armed Forces. It would also show their families we do not take their sacrifices for granted.
We ride on weekends for fun and charities is our Military less deserving of our support. They put their lives on the line for you and me not even knowing us personally and without hesitation. That should mean a lot to us and as you can see it does to me.
If you feel the same as I do, then help me get this message to every rider and lets get the ride together. I can set up on my web page all the states and when you or others tell me where and what time a ride is to take place on March 8, 2003 I will post it under that state. The address of the web site is http://hometown.aol.com/torchesg/myhomepage/index.html. My e-mail address is garycovert@inter-linc.net.
Sometimes when people click the web address link it does not work. If this happens they have to type it in. http:// has to be included. I do not always receive your e-mail at garycovert@inter-linc.net so if you do not here from me then send to my Aol address "Torchesg@Aol.com .
This e-mail was sent to me by Rochelle.
The following passage is from a sermon by John Hagee:
I want you to close your eyes and picture in your mind the soldier at
Valley Forge, as he holds his musket in his bloody hands. He stands
barefoot in the snow, starved from lack of food, wounded from months of
battle and emotionally scarred from the eternity away from his family
surrounded by nothing but death and carnage of war. He stands though,
with fire in his eyes and victory on hi! s breath. He looks at us now in
anger and disgust and tells us this...
I gave you a birthright of freedom born in the Constitution and now
your children graduate too illiterate to read it.
I fought in the snow barefoot to give you the freedom to vote and you
stay at home because it rains.
I left my family destitute to give you the freedom of speech and you
remain silent on critical issues, because it might be bad for business.
I orphaned my children to give you a government to serve you and it has
stolen democracy from the people.
It's the soldier not the reporter who gives you the freedom of the
press.
It's the soldier not the poet who gives you the freedom of speech.
It's the soldier not the campus organizer who allows you to
demonstrate.
It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is
draped with the flag that allows the protester to burn the flag!!!
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they
protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen."
Prayer Wheel:
When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for
our U.S. ground troops in Afghanistan, AND all over this world. There is
nothing attached.... This can be very powerful.... Just send this to
all the people in your address book. Do not stop the wheel, please.... Of
all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Prayer is the very best one.....
I thank everyone for sending me e-mails in support of this ride. Here is one that might answer some questions riders might have. It is the same way I feel.
From: "Jeff Smith" To: "Gary Covert" <garycovert@inter-linc.net>
Subject: Re: Motorcycle Ride
Date: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 1:18 AM
Gary,
with regards to the Military Service Personnel ride, I couldn't agree with
you more. As a vet, I concur with your fervor and commitment in getting the
word out.
-However an individual feels about our present administration, it should not
deter individuals in understanding and respecting those personel who are
defending this precious country. Many I know to be in disagreement to an
Iraqi War, have expressed to me their concerns and best wishes for these
personel. The more support we have for our troups the likelyhood of another
domestic loathing for American soldiers during Vietnam to be detered.
Unfortunately, I will not beable to attend a ride, nor get a group together
here presently (Seattle area) because I'm swamped (and I do mean swamped) at
my new job.
Thanks!
"United We Stand."
Sincerely,
Jeffrey H. Smith
Chairman
Seattle Chapter
Aprilia USA/Owner's Club
I was talking to a National Guardsmen last night and she was so proud to hear someone is thinking about her and the others plus their families. Their families are going through a lot of meetings to help them. There trying to put support groups together to help with some of their problems. It might be just a broken water pipe but they will know who to call if they do not know what to do.
After the Torches Across America ride my wife and I went to Maine an while we were on the Massachusetts turnpike we stopped at one of the rest stops and a lot of National Guardsmen were their. I went to get a coke from the fountain machine and one of them was getting theirs at the time. She turned and looked at me and said she would be out of my way in a minute. I told her to take her time and told her about the ride we just finished and how it was a support ride for her and all the other military personal also. I told her to just take her time because we are proud to have her. Her eyes lit up and her smile was just about to big for her face. She thanked me and walked away and could not walk fast enough to tell other Guardsmen what she had just heard.
I was talking to some people yesterday and someone said it could be like a “toys for tots” ride for our Armed Forces Kids. If we all take the time to give their parents a big salute it will make these kids prouder of their parents and help them through the days without them. A gift comes in many way and this one is in the form of a salute.
Last night I went to a music show in Branson and they had a lot of stars from Branson performing. One of the stars started his performance by asking everyone to take a moment and say a prayer for our troops. Then he sang a Lee Greenwood song “God Bless the USA” everyone in that theater stood up. It was very moving.
E-mail from Don Synder.
The ride for the military is a great idea and I sure wish that I could make it Florida to ride with you but it's to cold and to far for me this winter. I'll try to get a group up here in the Great Northwest to at least make a short ride and a show of the flag in support of them. You know how I feel about the military and being one of the retired ones, it is the very least that I can do. If push comes to shove, I'll just ride around Portland on 8 March by myself........A lot depends on weather and safety on the road up here in the winter. Usually not any snow in the valley floor but one never knows. I'm sure if Michael would be interested if he doesn't have to work.
Don is a great guy and a good friend of mine. I answered Don this way.Your a great guy. Get a group of riders and have a big salute lunch or dinner together if the roads are bad.
Cyber from New Mexico (a great guy) e-mailed me and in his e-mail was,
Jim Grant (Cyber)
Missing but not Forgotten Albq NM
Capt Donald L King USAF Missing 5/14/66 NVN
Capt Charles Hoskins USAF Missing 2/16/71 Loas
Col Robert Brownlee USA Missing 4/25/72 SVN
SGT James A. Harwood 5th Spec Forces /15/71 SVN
Thinks for not letting us forget Cyber.
E-mail from Captian 11th CAVALRY.
Hello Gary,
just wanted to let you know that 4 chapters of the 11thCAVALRY m/c will ride for the cause Law Enforcement, California, Kentucky, Florida. Thank you and good luck and God speed.
Captain
11thCavalry M/C America
E-mail from Bluesman President California Chapter 11th Cavalry M/C America Ca.
Howdy, Our Chapter is new but we will be making up a run on the 8th. I will be riding with Road Captain Portegee and we will be following Cactus Miss America and Cowboy. My name is Bluesman President Ca. Chapter. Due to Triple Bi pass last month I can't ride until may. So I'll join with VP Road Captain Portegee and be ther in Spirit and Support. Any other Clubs around LA San Fernando Vally going? Respect Bluesman 2nd/11thACR 69-70 RVN
E-mail from J.D.Ames President of Laurelville Sportsmen's Club.
Hello my name is J.D. Ames. I am the President of the Laurelville Sportsmen's Club located in southwestern Pa. When I heard of your run I was immediately inspired.I found out that there will be a run at 11:30am on the 8th starting from the "Point" in Pittsburgh Pa. I will be taking (hopefully a large) delegation from this area. Please let anyone interested know we will be leaving Mace's Motorcycle Service at 10:00am sharp. Anyone interested can contact me at 724-547-1984 or devildog@cvzoom.net or on our website at www.laurelvillesportsmen.com .
Thank You for such an inspiring idea.
J.D. Ames
DESERTDAWG
2/8 Golf Co. 2nd Plt.
OPERATION DESERT STORM
Clubs and Chapters riding in support of our Armed Forces and their Families. (If they are going to be riding with us in Daytona, I will put it next to their names).
Northwest Sportbike Riders (NSR), Seattle, Washington, Chapter
Big Bob with Wind and Fire MC Barbary Coast Chapter said they can not ride with us in Daytona but they will see what they can get going in San Franciso, CA area. Plus they are contacting other clubs to see what they all can do.
Golden Empire Messengers, Chapter of CMA
Damascus Road Riders, Porterville, CA
Laurelville Sportsmen'S Club, Pittsburgh, PA.
GWRRA, HRCA, GWTA, HOG and Southern Cruisers chapters Euless, Texas, will all be riding together.
11th Cavalry California Chapter
Riders to contact putting rides together.
Don Snyder, Portland, Or, ddsynder@comcast.net.
Riders that would like to join a ride in their area.
Cherie from NY
Jeani from C'ton.
Vic from Columbia SC.
California:
Bakersfield and Porterville
Gary,
I'm the President of the Golden Empire Messengers chapter of CMA in Bakersfield CA. Our chapter along with Damascus Road riders in Porterville
plan a ride March 8th to remember our troops. We plan on beginning with a flag raising ceremony at a local High School then ride to a Vietnam War
Memorial in Porterville followed by a BBQ at a park nearby. If you have any questions or know of anyone that would like to join us here in central CA I can be reached at 661-871-8514 or at the above e-mail address.
Sincerely
Glen Haddock
President
Golden Empire Messengers
CALIFORNIA CHAPTER 11TH CAVALRY AMERICA WILL HAVE RIDE THROUGH THE ANGELES FOREST AND THRU CNY COUNTRY STARTING AT BALBOA PARK IN SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AT BURBANK/BALBOA BLVDS 8am Bluesman President Join us All welcome
Kentucky:
11th CAVALRY
Oregon:
Portland
8 March 2003, "Ride for the Warriors".
It is a show of the flag for those in the service of our great nation. I am a 30 year Naval Retiree and feel it is the least that I owe them.
The riders will meet at Willamette National Cemetery Central Flag Pole.
The ride will leave Willamette National Cemetery (Rain or Shine) at 1015. At 1000 there will be a brief ceremony with a prayer by Dale Currier (CMA) for the military and a blessing of the bikes and riders prior to leaving. I encourage all to show the National colors on their bike.
The ride will leave Willamette National Cemetery, hit
I-205 south and connect with I-5 south to the State Capital Building in Salem. We will stop at the Capital to stretch our legs and shoot the breeze and then head back north to Portland. If you would like to meet at the Cemetery, please be there about 0930. Or......pick us up at any point along the way.
There is no entry fee, no prizes, no 50-50 and you will be riding on your own responsibility.
This ride will be listed on the Rose City Motorcycle Web Site http://www.rose-city-mc.org or for more info, contact me at ddsnyder@comcast.net or (503) 659-3480.
Let's do it up right and have 500 bikes heading south on I-5. That ought to get people talking...
Don Snyder
Shot Gun
Rose City Motorcycle Club
Portland, Oregon 97291
http://www.rose-city-mc.org
ddsnyder@comcast.net
Pennsylvania:
Pittsburgh
Hello my name is J.D. Ames. I am the President of the Laurelville Sportsmen's Club located in southwestern Pa. When I heard of your run I was immediately inspired.I found out that there will be a run at 11:30am on the 8th starting from the "Point" in Pittsburgh Pa. I will be taking (hopefully a large) delegation from this area. Please let anyone interested know we will be leaving Mace's Motorcycle Service at 10:00am sharp. Anyone interested can contact me at 724-547-1984 or devildog@cvzoom.net or on our website at www.laurelvillesportsmen.com .
Thank You for such an inspiring idea.
J.D. Ames
DESERTDAWG
2/8 Golf Co. 2nd Plt.
OPERATION DESERT STORM
Texas:
Euless
Mitch & Beverly Mitchell members of the GWRRA Chapter in Eules said the GWRRA, HRCA, GWTA and HOG are going to ride together on March 8, 2003.
We have members riding with us who are Veteran's of wars from World War II all the way through the Gulf War. I am a Vietnam Veteran who by chance has a son in the U.S. Army's 75th Rangers at this time. He has already been to Afghanistan and I suspect he will get his time in Iraq once the "show" starts.
I am getting quite a response from GWRRA, GWTA, HOG and a local chapter of the Southern Cruisers for our ride on the 8th of March. We have added an all day ride to our schedule and so far have around 50 bikes planning on attending. Hope you have good luck and good weather for your ride in Florida.
Thanks for the notice about the ride.
Donald "Mitch" Mitchell
GWRRA Texas Chapter U2
Euless
US Army Veteran 1970-1982
Vietnam Veteran 1971-1973
Washington:
Seattle
Members of the Seattle Chapter, Northwest Sportbike Riders (NSR), will start their ride at Pier 66 in Seattle at 10:00am March 8, 2003.It will continue up hwy 99 to the State Capital.
Torches Across America Motorcycle Ride (TM)
Hi Everyone;
Well the ride is over and I can not think everyone helping put it together enought. I looked at the www.torchesacrossamerica.com web site last night and saw Ken Rose our web master give Katie Wright and the Holiday Inn in Amarillo, Texas a big thumbs u
