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Gulf Coast Biker News
We are now on the internet, currently covering news from Mobile Alabama. to Panama City Florida. To better serve the needs of our expanded audience GCBN(Gulf Coast Biker News) provide the following.
All Organizations are welcome to post information about their meetings, events and news.
There will be pictures of events and bikes from around our area.
Area bikers can share there favorite ride routes and places to visit.
A woman's rider section.
Legislative news that Bikers need to know.
Stay tuned over the next few months. Additional information will be added to the web site to better serve the needs of our entire community.
Wounded Veterans get local help
By Reese Herrington
Your 20 years old, in the best shape of your life. You were the starting defensive back for your high school football team, and could run a mile in under 5 minutes. You took two years of community college and decide that the Army could be your ticket to the University of Alabama for a degree. Ok! So a four year tour isn’t so bad, really. After much deliberation and prayer you decide to go ahead and get married to the girl you’ve been dating since you graduated, pack everything up and you find yourself in Ft Bragg, North Carolina. The sign on the head quarters building says 75th Ranger Battalion and you’re more than a little leery about this whole ‘jumping out of airplanes’ thing.
Fast forward a couple of months and now you have a kid on the way. You bought a new car for the wife, your neighbors are great and your yard looks awesome. Army life isn’t so bad; home most every night, they pay you to work out, and the 1st Sgt is already putting you in for Private First Class.
No one anticipated you would end up in the worlds biggest cat litter box, with people who don’t like you and will strap explosives to themselves hoping they can get close enough to as many people as possible before going off. No one anticipated you would actually have to shoot at anything other than a paper silhouette target. No one anticipated an RPG would enter your Humvee while you were driving. No one anticipated you would loose both legs and part of your right arm…. And you’re almost old enough to have a beer.
This scenario is far from fictitious. Thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen have permanent physical and mental disabilities from many different incursions since Desert Storm. Once released from military service, they have little hope for any type of normalcy. What were once proud young men and women with families and personal responsibilities now feel cumbersome and dependant.
The Wounded Warrior project was started by Marine veteran John Melia in 2002 after watching news footage of an injured soldier being loaded onto a helicopter. Melia, who had been in a helicopter crash that killed four and injured fourteen others in the early 90’s was very familiar to the cycle of events that was about to happen to this soldier on television. From his Roanoke, VA basement he began. An initial $5000.00 was raised which was used to purchase backpacks, loaded with a t-shirt, cd player, razor, soap, toothbrush, socks, underwear, and a deck of cards. These were the things he wanted when he arrived at the hospital. These meager beginnings only spawned what is now a major nonprofit organization that, not only still provides backpacks to the wounded, but also much longer rehabilitative benefits such as; the “Warriors to Work” program, Transition Training Academy, Coping and Family Services, and much more.
August 8th 2009, H&D Cycles will be hosting their second annual, Poker run and Benefit for the Wounded Warrior Project. H&D Cycles is located at 33019 US HWY 98 in Lillian, AL, and is owned by Don and Linda Rogers. Rogers, an Air Force veteran, stated “Someone has to step up and help these kids get back into life. They did what they had to do for their country, now it’s their country’s turn to do what it has to do for them.” Rogers went on to say that this year’s event is building up to be even bigger and better.
Registration for the ride will be at 8:00 am, on August 8th. All vehicles are welcome. Food and biker games will be available. There will be a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle as well. Music will be provided by The DT’s from Mobile. If you would like more information regarding the Wounded Warrior Project, go to www.woundedwarriorproject.org. If you have questions regarding the Wounded Warrior ride please contact Reese Herrington @ 251-961-2259 or 251-213-8902, e-mail hndcycles@yahoo.com, or visit www.hd-cycles.com.
4rd Annual Autism Awareness Ride
Steve Killer Grant, Having fun along with
225 other riders. CLick Here for Pictures as the
Bikers crossed Navarre Bridge.
VIETNAM & LEGACY VETS MC
Ride to the Wall
A “FERRY” GOOD RIDE INDEED!
By Laura Ward
What is the best thing about jumping on your bike and riding? A nice long ride with good friends! On Sunday morning, June 14th, Dannis (Rainman) Kelley and wife Susan (Safarisu) along with my husband Bob (Slicker) Ward and myself met at the Waffle House on 98 and headed to the Fort Morgan Ferry. We traveled through Perdido Key and rode along the Gulf. We turned onto Route 180 and headed through the State Park until we hit the intersection of 59 and Fort Morgan Road. Fort Morgan road is newly paved and it makes for a nice smooth ride. We stopped at a gas station/food mart just before reaching the ferry for a “pee” break and a few refreshments and to rest our butts a bit. We arrived at the Fort Morgan Ferry and lined up with the other cars and trucks. We were the only bikes headed over to Dauphin Island on that trip. They collected your $8.00 (one way) after we started off and we enjoyed a pleasant breeze and nice ride. We took some pictures and chatted away while some people were checking out our bikes. We brought along coolers made just for the bikes in which we packed some water and a few other items. Susan and I placed wet washcloths dipped in cold water and pure Peppermint Oil in zip-lock bags and boy, did they ever come in handy. Ever heard of “spontaneous combustion”? It was so hot that day we all thought that it just might happen to us! After the ferry reached Dauphin Island we got off and turned right and headed out away from the island towards Mobile. Dauphin Island has several places to eat and hang out but we decided to ride on a ways. We traveled Dauphin Island Parkway and upon reaching Interstate 10 rode towards Pensacola. We exited I-10 onto the causeway at Battleship Park (another great place to go). It was along the causeway that we stopped and ate at Felix’s Restaurant. “Wow”, some great food! We ate “fish tacos”, “crab cakes”, “cheese grits”, “crab soup” (superb) and a gallon of ice tea. After a great meal (they also had a guitar player in the lounge where we sat), another “pee” break and good conversation, we were off on the bikes once more. We exited the causeway onto Route 90 and stopped for gas. We traveled Route 90 to Route 59 heading towards Route 98 in Foley, Alabama. We turned left on 98 in Foley and followed 98 back to Pensacola where we stopped off at Panhandle Motorcycle Society (PMS) for a refreshing beverage. After staying a bit we were back on the bikes once again. Rainman and Safarisu turned right towards home and Bob and I turned left back to 98. We live only a couple miles from PMS.
What a great ride! Besides the “spontaneous combustion” part, it was a picture perfect day. We are looking forward to another road trip soon. Anyone want to join us?
RIDE FOR HUMANE-ITY
By Laura Ward
On Saturday, June 27, 2009, Panhandle Motorcycle Society (PMS) sponsored a police escorted ride to the Humane Society of Pensacola, located off “O” Street and Navy Boulevard. This particular Humane Society is non-profit so they were in desperate need of food and supplies. As we all waited patiently for the two deputies to arrive to escort our ride (they were running late), the smell of great food along with the sound of music and laughter was all around us. We were also surrounded by the hot, blazing sun that was melting the asphalted driveway which made a couple bikes start to lean. But that didn’t deter us bikers. We were on a mission to help our animal friends in need. Finally, one of the deputies arrived and without any help escorted 50+ bikers that had lined up for the ride and a pickup truck bringing up the rear, the bed filled to the brim with donations. I am not sure what happened to the other deputy but KUDOS to the one who came to help. Even though he was by himself, he did one HELL of a job getting us through the red lights and traffic. He was a “one-man army” for sure! After arriving at the Humane Society we were greeted by a few dogs coming out to say hello to us. A line was formed and the donations were taken from the truck into the building. Inside I met Sara who had a pit bull with her. You could see many scars upon his head where he was made to fight other pit bulls at one time. What a sweetheart of a dog! He was so friendly and so glad to see all of us. There were several dogs outside in the back in cages where they could run around, all barking and wagging their tails, trying to see who it was coming to see them. It was sad to see these precious animals who were either abandoned or abused, sitting and waiting, hoping that this might be the day someone was coming to adopt them and give them a good home. Could that person be you? If you would like more information about these animals, or If you would like to donate supplies, please call PMS at (850) 607-7769.