Patriot Mission

Marshall's bike on a Patriot Guard Mission:

Memories

Today is the 3-year anniversary of Marshall's death.  I'm starting to feel peaceful about it and that is in large part because I know his motorcycle is living on and participating in an activity that was so dear to him.

RIP Marshall.  I love you.

More photos

I decided to start posting on Facebook as well, so that Marshall's story gets out there even more.  The people who got the bike will be posting lots of things on Facebook regarding what's going on with the bike, so I want to concentrate more on Facebook.  Of course, that is IF i can understand Facebook a bit more.  I just spent a frustrating hour trying to put photos out there.  I think I got a bit more proficient.

Anyway, Matt and Annette got back to Tennessee today -- 4th of July -- and they cleaned the bike up and went over to the American Legion where cameras from Channel 4 and Channel 5 were there to talk to him and photograph the bike.  That is excellent.  I couldn't ask for a better disposition of that bike.  The paint job on the bike commemorates Marshall's time in Vietnam so it tells a very emotional story.

         CHANNEL 4 talking to Matt and photographing the bike.

            CHANNEL 5 - photographing the bike.

Pikes Peak Harley

The transfer of the bike from me to Matt was a very special event.  Some Patriot Guard Riders were there to honor Marshall.  Here are some photos:
     
                Matt - getting used to the trike:

 Handing the title over to Matt and his wife Annette:

               Matt and me:

                 Some of the Patriot Guard Riders who came to be part of this:

       

More

Another picture of Matt (with me).  If he gained 100 pounds, he could be Marshall's twin!  Tomorrow I'll get pictures of him and Annette leaving on Marshall's bike for their trip back to Tennessee....

Marshall's Bike - The Transfer

The new "handlers" of Marshall's bike -- Matt and Annette Robeck -- flew in this morning and I picked them up.  We went to breakfast and then they got a hotel and settled down for some rest.  They had been up since 2AM.

Tomorrow we will drive to Pikes Peak Harley in Colorado Springs, where the bike will be waiting, and we will have a short symbolic transfer of title.  Then Matt and Annette will head out on their return home to Tennessee.

Denver Airport today!!

Tia McConnell and her husband and son.  She is the daughter of one of the men who died in Marshall's unit in VietNam and her father's name is part of the replica of the VietNam wall on Marshall's bike.  So his bike is very emotional to her.

Matt Robeck and Tia.  He has an uncanny resemblance to Marshall (a much slimmer Marshall), don't you think?

Me, Annette Robeck, Tia McConnell and Matt Robeck.

Look for another report tomorrow.

Quick update

I have decided to donate Marshall’s motorcycle to the Patriot Guard Riders.  If you haven’t heard of them, they came into being about 14 years ago when protestors started disrupting the funerals of veterans.  The bikers would attend the funerals and create a barrier between the funeral and the protestors and if the protestors started shouting, the bikers would simply rev up those Harleys!  It’s a very moving thing to see.

Anyway, I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner, but this is the perfect place for Marshall’s beautiful custom painted bike to be where it can support the causes that were dear to his heart.  So I’ve been spending a lot of time doing the paperwork involved in this donation.  I hope to have some pictures in the future of the bike actually riding in a “Mission” — with its new “handler,” of course.  So stay tuned.

My pacemaker got a little wonky but a visit to the cardiologist fixed that, I think.  We’ll see after a few more days.

And we can now add vertigo to my list of ailments.  It’s like there’s a little black cloud over my head.

And even though we all knew where my brother was heading, I still miss having him in my world.