My ride to Oregon to visit several TOH sites was mostly
successful. I had planned to make it a 3 day ride down the coast, across the
mountains and then back up home. The ride would have covered about 1,800 miles
and included a visit to all 7 Oregon memorial sites. It was a good
plan...mostly. Weather this time of year can be fickle in the mountains, and
when I started getting hints of snow and cold temperatures I made some changes
and returned home staying west of the mountains. I missed 3 Oregon sites for
now, but I do have plans to ride that area agin this year so I know I will get
them eventually.
Before I go too far, here's an update on my fundraising
efforts so far. With a total of 11 memorial sites visited (including 4 this
past weekend), I have a great start for the riding season.
Total sites visited - 11 (WA-7, OR-4)
Total raised for Mission 22 so far - $800
Total committed by me to Operation Tango Mike - $110
If you would like to donate to OTM, please let me know and
we can work that out together.
Please don't forget why I am doing this - I am trying to
make people aware of the struggle our veterans face on a daily basis.
My first stop along the Oregon coast was in Lincoln City,
OR. The central flagpole is located on a six sided base with panels for each of
the Armed Services, describing their involvement and listing their casualties.
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| Lincoln City, OR Veterans Memorial |
From the TOH website, “Dedicated to the Brave Men and Women
of the United States of America Armed Forces, in respect for all those who have
served, and continue to serve, to defend freedom and Democracy, and in Memory
of all those who gave their lives in all American Wars and Conflicts.”
It was a good stop and easy to access. Most people probably
just walk on by without giving it a second thought as they make their way to
the casino. It was fun to have a few of them stop and ask me questions about
why I was taking pictures. I was able to share a bit of my story with them and
I noticed they stuck around a bit to look at the panels and read the stories.
Next stop…Coos Bay, OR. Still along the coast.
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| Coos Bay, OR Firefighters Memorial |
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| A closer look at the plaque with the backstory. |
From the TOH website, “On November 25, 2002, Captain Randy
Carpenter, Firefighter Jeff Common and Firefighter Chuck Hanners made the
ultimate sacrifice while fighting a fire at the Farwest Truck and Auto Parts
Store at 340 South Second Street in Coos Bay. They will be remembered always
for living their lives with honor, courage, and a strong sense of duty to their
family, friends and community.”
The memorial was designed by Coos Bay Firefighters to honor
the memory of their lost Brothers, and is dedicated to the sacrifices of ALL
firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty. The eleven trees
surrounding the Memorial represent each of the eleven children who lost their
fathers that day.
How often do we stop and reflect on the fact that there is a
subset of people in our lives who give a little more, dig a little deeper to
make sure the rest of us are safe. I will try to think about it a little more
in the future.
I continued my meandering ride down the coast all the way to
Crescent City, CA. It was a spectacular day of riding – not even the motorhomes
got me down. :)
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| Along the Oregon coast near Heceta Head. |
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| I didn't have the right lens - if you look closely you can see a group of sealions. |
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| I can keep my bike clean, at least a few times a year :) |
Over the mountains and through the woods I went, but not to
Grandma’s house. A couple hours of cold riding finds me in Grant’s Pass, OR for
breakfast and then I head north up I-5 for 2 more stops near Portland.
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| Canby, OR Firefighters Memorial |
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| Stainless Steel artwork at the rear of the memorial. |
Canby, OR is home to another memorial to first responders.
From the TOH website, “This solemn memorial is made of two columns of basalt
granite to recognize the more than 400 first responders who made the ultimate
sacrifice on 9-11-2001. It also includes the Pentagon shaped base and a stone
flag for Flight 93, headed for Washington, DC before the passengers overpowered
the hijackers. Never forget.”
I was most impressed with the stainless steel art work that
contributes to the memorial. It is fantastically detailed and very well done.
Next up, and just a short trip down the highway, is
Troutdale, OR.
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| Troutdale, OR Law Enforcement Memorial |
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| Dedication Plaque for Troutdale Memorial |
This memorial is dedicated to law enforcement members lost
in the line of duty from the local area. It is located at the local sheriff’s
office and you wouldn’t know it was there unless you were looking for it. Some
of these memorials will be smaller scale, local efforts. It certainly doesn’t
diminish the importance of the gesture.
I did find some time to visit a place that is a part of a
separate rally I am doing. The location hosts one of many “Merci Trains”
located all over the US. These boxcars were presented to the US by France
following the end of WWII. As the story goes, each state received a boxcar
laden with gifts. Most of these boxcars still exist in various states of
repair, and quite a bit of the gifts are now displayed at museums nearby. Coos
Bay, OR hosts the Oregon Merci boxcar.
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| Merci boxcar in Coos Bay, OR. |
Lots of construction in the area so I couldn’t get a good
clear shot of the car, but you get the general idea. I have always been
interested in history from that period so this rally seemed like a great chance
to visit a few pieces from the period.
I don’t anticipate much riding over the next month. I have a
lot of work related travel coming up and my next major ride is in early June.
I’ll post more about it later – it is a roughly 3 day timed rally requiring a
ride of at least 2,000 miles over the 66+ hours. I have done it the last 2
years and am looking forward to some more great riding. And I should be able to
sculpt the ride to visit a few memorials, too.
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