WARRIORS--COMFORT FOR THE WOUNDED

                                             MEMORIAL BOULEVARD--BRISTOL CT.

MEMORIAL DAY—A FITTING DAY FOR THE FIRST THEME OF MY BLOG—WARRIORS…IT HAS BEEN JUST OVER A YEAR SINCE I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS BLOG THING..FOR THE MOST PART I HAVE ENJOYED IT..SOMETIMES I GET A LITTLE FLUSTERED TRYING TO PUT A STORY (OR ANYTHING) OF INTEREST TOGETHER…JUST NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GET EVERYTHING I’D LIKE TO GET DONE—DONE..

ONLY HALF OF THE NAMES
THIS IS THE WEST FACING PART OF THE MEMORIAL

ONE SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION (WHICH I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND) IS THE RELUCTANCE OF 98% OF THE WARRIORS I HAVE KNOWN (AND MANY THAT I HAVE MET) TO SHARE THEIR STORIES…BUT IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS BLOG YOU HAVE SEEN THEIR PICTURES--AND I HAVE HEARD THEIR STORIES…I’M A GOOD LISTENER AND I RECEIVED A TOP-SECRET CLEARANCE WHILE I WAS IN THE MARINES—SO I WON’T TELL WHAT SHOULDN’T BE TOLD, (NOT MUCH OF A TALKER ANYWAY)..

EACH PIECE IS UNIQUE AND COLORFUL

WITHIN THE PICTURES OF MY BLOG ARE PHOTOS OF KOREAN WAR VETS (WE CALL THEM GREY BEARDS)..YOU’VE SEEN PICTURES OF TWO ‘TUNNEL-RATS’—THREE DOOR-GUNNERS—ONE VET WHO RIDES WITH A FAKE LEG FROM THE KNEE DOWN (THE REST OF HIS LEG IS FERTILIZER IN A RICE-PADDY SOMEWHERE IN VIET NAM)—YOU ALSO WERE INTRODUCED TO A WORLD-WAR TWO P.O.W. AND A MARINE SNIPER (A PERSONAL FRIEND WITH 14 CONFIRMED KILLS)..

EACH SIDE IS DIFFERENT 

I WAS VERY HONORED TO BRING YOU THE AMAZING STORY OF MR. ED RICCIO JR. (BACK IN THE MAY OF 2011 ARCHIVES)..AND I AM MORE THAN HONORED TO BRING YOU THIS STORY ABOUT AN ANGEL OF A 93 YEAR OLD WOMAN (WHO ALSO CHOOSES TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS-NOT EVEN A PICTURE), WHO FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS HAS MADE AFGANS AND LAP WARMERS FOR OUR WOUNDED SOLDIERS..SHE HAS SUPPLIED LITERALLY HUNDREDS TO THE ROCKY HILL VETERANS HOSPITAL (HERE IN CONNECTICUT) AND HAS ALSO HAD HUNDREDS MORE DELIVERED TO WALTER REED ARMY HOSPITAL IN WASHINGTON D.C…

SOOO---MUCH BETTER THAN DRAB BROWNS AND OLIVE GREENS

WHEN I ASKED HER WHAT MADE HER GET STARTED HER REPLY WAS== “I LOVE OUR SOLDIERS—I DO IT FROM THE HEART.”  SHE HAS THE POISE AND GRACE OF A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY A DIVINE POWER…SHE EXPLAINED FURTHER== “I TRY TO USE BRIGHT COLORS TO BREAK THE MONOTONY OF THE SOLDIERS JUST SEEING DRAB KHAKIS ALL THE TIME.” THE MAGIC SHE WORKS WITH A PILE OF SCRAP MATERIAL IS FAR BEYOND ME..SHE BUYS SOME COTTON BATTING (INSIDE STUFFING) AND WITH HER KNOWLEDGE AND TALENTS PUTS TOGETHER A OBJECT OF WARMTH AND COMFORT AND I WOULD BET MY BOTTOM DOLLAR THAT MORE THAN ONE SOLDIER HAS GOTTEN WATERY EYES KNOWING THAT SOMEONE, SOMEPLACE, CARED ENOUGH TO TAKE THE TIME TO PROVIDE HIM WITH A HANDMADE AFGAN—THAT CAME “STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART” OF A WOMAN WHO SAID “I LOVE OUR SOLDIERS.”

ANOTHER SHIPMENT READY FOR WALTER REED HOSPITAL
JUST A FEW OF THE MANY HUNDREDS ALREADY DELIVERED

HER DESIRE TO REMAIN UNKNOWN MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPAND ANY FURTHER ON HER LIFE, LOVES AND HABITS..BUT I WILL CONTINUE A BIT MORE..SHE HAS MADE CHILDREN’S CLOTHS FOR THE PEOPLE OF HAITI, SIMILAR ARTICLES OF COMFORT FOR BURN VICTIMS AND BAPTISMAL GOWNS FOR THE BABIES OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES..

HER BROTHER SERVED AS A CAPTAIN IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WHERE HE WAS AWARDED FOUR BRONZE STARS, AND ON DEC 20, 1944, HE WAS CAPTURED (TWICE) AND SUFFERED AS A PRISONER OF WAR..SHE STARTED DONATING BLOOD WHEN HE WENT INTO THE ARMY AND CONTINUED TO DO SO UNTIL SHE WAS 75 YEARS OLD.. I  HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING IN TEMPORARY POSSESSION OF A BOOK HE WROTE (TYPEWRITTEN) AND HAVE ENJOYED EVERY SINGLE WORD HE TOOK THE TIME TO WRITE..A DRAMATIC AND VIVID ACCOUNT OF WAR AS ONLY A COMMON INFANTRY MAN CAN PROVIDE..I AM HOPING TO BE ABLE TO BRING YOU SOME OF HIS WORDS IN A LATTER POST…AND OF COURSE—HE TOO MUST REMAIN ANONYMOUS…

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL- IT'S MORE THAN JUST A DAY OFF—TELL A VETERAN THANKS—SHAKE HIS HAND—MAYBE BUY HIM A COFFEE OR A BEER—IT MEANS A LOT TO US—IT REALLY DOES..AND MAY GOD BLESS OUR 93 YEAR OLD MYSTERY LADY…     

STOPPED AT THE CAPITAL TO TAKE A BREAK LAST SATURDAY AND MET THESE GOOD
PEOPLE FROM MONTREAL CANADA
FERNANDO AND HIS WIFE ELENA AND THEIR SON EDWIN.


UNTIL NEXT WEEK--BE GOOD TO ONE ANOTHER
AND LIKE THE SONG SAYS-DON'T READ ANY BEAUTY MAGAZINES

JIM

THINGS--JUST CRUISEN-- AGAIN & AGAIN

WELL—IT’S JUST AS I SAID LAST WEEK—ANOTHER ‘JUST CRUISEN’ POST..OF COURSE THERE WERE PLENTY OF BEAUTIFUL SPOTS AND ROADS THAT I COULD HAVE STOPPED AND TAKEN A PHOTO OR TWO OF, BUT I JUST COULDN’T BRING MYSELF TO STOP THE BIKE—WANTED TO KEEP ON ROLLING..

MEET RAD OLSEN AND HIS BEAUTIFUL 09 ROAD KING
RAD OWNS KENNEDY ELECTRIC IN TORRINGTON--NEED SOME WORK DONE??
RAD'S BEEN ON BIKES SINCE HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD!!
AND STILL HASN'T HAD ENOUGH

AFTER DOING A COUPLE OF ‘MUST GET DONE’ THINGS, I WENT THROUGH THE USUAL RITUAL OF UNLOCKING THE BIKE—DOING THE SAFETY CHECK THING (BACK BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH WAS OUT-NO BIG DEAL-JUST MAKE SURE TO USE THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER SO THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON), WASN’T EVEN GOING TO TAKE THE CAMERA—JUST WANTED TO RIDE FOR A FEW HOURS AND ENJOY THE HIGH..

AND HERE IS RAD'S BEAUTIFUL WIFE-SYLVIA..
LOOKING GREAT WITH HER 07 SOFT-TAIL DELUXE
SYLVIA HAS BEEN RIDING SINCE THE EARLY 1980'S

MORE GOOD PEOPLE THAT WERE UP AT BARKHAMPSTED
LEFT TO RIGHT
BRAD, BEEN RIDING SIX YEARS ON A SUZUKI BOULEVARD--JAY, 30 YEARS ON TWO WHEELS, ANOTHER LIFER WITH A '05 SOFT-TAIL--THE BACK SIDE OF ART, AGAIN ANOTHER LIFER THAT DOESN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY BIKES HE'S OWNED, RIDING A 2011 ULTRA CLASSIC--AND PAM (BELOW)

PAM TRADED HER SUZUKI PLUS SOME $$ FOR HER '07 SOFT-TAIL DELUXE, HER SECOND YEAR
BEING UP ON TWO WHEELS AND LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT

THEN I THOUGHT BETTER OF IT—I KNEW THAT ON SUCH A BEAUTY OF A DAY I WAS SURE TO MEET UP WITH SOME OTHER ‘IRON HORSE’ PEOPLE..SO, AFTER MY USUAL APPEAL FOR DEVINE PROTECTION, I FIRED UP MY ‘LOW RIDER’ AND ONCE AGAIN—I WAS IN THE WIND—RUNNING THE SUPER HIGH THAT ONLY BIKERS KNOW—ALL THE CRAP OF THE WEEK, ALL THE JUNK THAT WE HEAR ON THE NIGHTLY NEWS, THE BULL-CRAP THAT THOSE FANCY DRESSED POLITICIANS PUKE UP JUST FALLS AWAY AND IT’S JUST YOU-YOUR MACHINE-AND THE WIND-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------F. T. W.---------LET’S RIDE!!!--------------------------------------------------

AFTER ROLLING THROUGH EIGHTY OR SO MILES I DECIDED TO HEAD OVER TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE STOPS--BARKHAMPSTED (WHERE I MET ALL THESE GOOD PEOPLE)..PRETTY INTERESTING PLACE.. DID A BLOG ON THE HISTORY OF THE SITE BACK IN JUNE OF 2011=CHECK IT OUT IN THE JUNE ARCHIVE SECTION..TILL NEXT WEEK--HAPPY TRAILS--STAY WELL--STAY HAPPY AND BREAK THE RULES EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE....(THANKS ROSE)
                                                                     *****************
                                                                                JIM

THINGS--JUST CRUISEN--AGAIN

NICE LITTLE SPOT TO STOP AND REFLECT AWHILE

HAD PLANNED TO DO A STORY ON A FUN EVENT THAT IS HELD IN THE LITTLE VILLAGE OF FORESTVILLE CONNECTICUT THIS WEEK..ITS CALLED THE DUCK RACE.. WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU CAN BUY A LITTLE YELLOW RUBBER DUCK WITH A NUMBER PRINTED ON IT FOR $5.00…5000 DUCKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE..A PAYLOADER THEN DUMPS THEM ALL INTO THE PEQUABUCK RIVER AND THE RACE IS ON..DOWNSTREAM PEOPLE LINE THE BANKS AND WATCH AS THESE 5000 YELLOW RUBBER DUCKS MAKE THEIR WAY TOWARDS THE FINISH LINE..I’M GUESSING THAT IT’S ABOUT A MILE OR SO TO THE FINISH LINE..IF YOUR DUCK IS THE FIRST ONE TO CROSS THE FLOAT THAT MARKS THE END OF COURSE YOU WIN $1,500, SECOND PRIZE IS A NICE $1,000.. THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 32 PRIZES AWARDED AND IT’S JUST A FUN TIME FOR EVERYONE..MY DUCK (#2441) WAS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN..BUT I NEVER MADE IT TO THE RACE, SO INSTEAD OF A BUNCH OF PHOTOS OF THIS PRETTY GOOD TIME, ALL I HAVE TO SHOW YOU IS A PHOTO OF MY LOSING TICKET..

CHANGED MY MIND ABOUT THE LOSING TICKET PICTURE AND THOUGHT I'D SHOW YOU THE LATEST
MEMBER TO JOIN THE CRITTERS THAT LIVE ON 'HERVE'S FARM'
I DID A POST ON HERVE BACK IN FEBRUARY
CHECK IT OUT IN THE FEBRUARY ARCHIVES

BUT THEN I FIGURED I WOULD SET UP MY TELESCOPE AND DO SOME PHOTOS OF THE “SUPER MOON” THAT WAS OCCURRING ON SATURDAY NIGHT..HAVE A PRETTY BIG TELESCOPE AND I THOUGHT I’D EXPERIMENT WITH SOME PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH THE EYE-PIECE..WELL THAT “SUPER MOON” EVENT WAS BLOCKED BY SOME PRETTY THICK CLOUD COVER SO THAT WENT OUT THE WINDOW ALONG WITH THE METEOR-SHOWER THAT WAS HAPPENING THE SAME EVENING..ANOTHER STORY SHOT DOWN..

ONE OF MY FRIENDS JUST PICKED UP THIS OLD TIMER
WOULDN'T MIND HAVING THIS SITTING IN MY GARAGE TO TICKER WITH

REALLY FELT LIKE JUST ENJOYING THE DAY ON SUNDAY SO THE WEATHER BEING KIND OF “IFFY,” I PUT THE WINDSHIELD BACK ON THE BIKE AND TOOK OFF FOR A CRUISE..VISITED SOME FRIENDS AND MET SOME NEW ONES..THOUGHT I’D TAKE A FEW PHOTOS OF A COUPLE OF SPOTS AND INTRODUCE SOME MORE  OF THE GOOD PEOPLE THAT I ALWAYS HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE OF MEETING WHILE I’M OUT ON THE SCOOTER..

MEET RICH AND CAROL AND THE BEAUTIFUL 2012 ULTRA CLASSIC
RICH IS ONE OF THOSE BIKERS THAT DOESN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY BIKES HE'S OWNED
A 'LIFER' --FROM MERIDEN CT..

WELL FRIDAY THE 11^TH   MAKES A YEAR THAT I HAVE HAD THIS BLOG GOING..I HAD TRIED TO DO A WEEKLY THING BUT SOMETIMES I JUST CAN’T PULL IT OFF..I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF CORRESPONDING TO PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD (LITERALLY)..THERE IS EVEN THE POSSIBILITY LOOMING THAT MY FRIEND (ROSE FROM OZ) MAY VERY WELL PAY A VISIT IN THE COMING YEAR..CHECK OUT HER BLOG WHEN YOU CAN, PRETTY COOL STUFF THAT SHE POSTS..HER BLOG IS APPROPRIATELY TITLED “ROSE FROM OZ IS BACK.”

TWO MORE GOOD PEOPLE --DREW AND BETTY FROM SOUTHINGTON
GOING ON THEIR SECOND YEAR ON TWO WHEELS
GREAT MEETING YOU



I WOULD LIKE TO BRING MORE STORIES TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE “WARRIORS” I HAVE MET AND KNOWN BUT SOME ARE JUST NOT READY TO TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES..BUT I DO HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING STORY THAT I AM HOPING TO POST ON MEMORIAL DAY ABOUT A WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN AND HIS ANGEL OF A SISTER..

TO ALL YOU READERS WHO HAVE BOUGHT MY BOOK—THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YES I AM WORKING ON ANOTHER—BUT I CANNOT PROMISE THAT I WILL FINISH IT..IF I CAN’T DO IT RIGHT-- I JUST WON’T DO IT..



MEET ROB HAMM--JUST CAME INTO THE MOTORCYCLE SCENE TWO MONTHS AGO
RIDING A 2008 YAMAHA 'V STAR'

DON’T HAVE ANY REAL IDEAS FOR NEXT WEEKS STORY..KIND OF ENJOY DOING THE ‘JUST CRUISEN’ POSTS..SO IT WILL PROBABLY BE A RIDE TO SOMEPLACE OR OTHER..IF ANY OF YOU LOCALS HAVE AN IDEA OR WANT TO JOIN ME, DROP ME AN E-MAIL BY CLICKING ON THE ‘MY PROFILE’ PICTURE..THERE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEND ME A NOTE…

ROB'S PIN CAUGHT MY EYE-BEING IN THE MARINES, I RECOGNISED THIS MEDAL
IMMEDIATELY..ROB WEARS IT PROUDLY IN MEMORY OF HIS GRANDFATHER
WHO WAS AN AIRBORNE RANGER IN THE KOREAN WAR..
MUCH RESPECT TO YOUR GRANDFATHER ROB..

ON A FINAL NOTE—HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL THE MOM’S OUT THERE…STAY WELL--STAY SAFE..KEEP THE RUBBER SIDE DOWN AND THE SHINY SIDE UP---UNTIL NEXT WEEK----------------JIM