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Pics are from top to bottom, click on a pic fir a larger pic then do it again, text for a pic is under the pic.
(11/14 UPDATE - just added 2 pics at the very bottom of the Cranky dude! GBG)
09 Parade: http://alrblogseries.blogspot.com/2009/11/alrpgr-san-jose-2009-vets-parade.html
08 Parade: http://alrpgrsanjose08veteransday.blogspot.com/Guess I didn't do '06 and '07 blogs, sigh...
It was a great day for a GREAT celebration of Veterans Day parade in San Jose! The turn out was fantastic, must of been 80+ scoots and by golly, we all made noise!
It was a crowd pleaser and we were first in line! Outstanding and thanks to all that rode!!!
I get there late as I'm apt to do.... standing around isn't my thing.... The two folks on the left were headed to give me a hug and Brian wanted to tell me turn off my $*%#)$ lights! 
Buzz with the red shirt is getting better after a scoot fall down, happens to the best of us.. right time, wrong place, BTDT, sigh. Glad you are doing great!
Out Rep Zoe's car, nice T bird!
OK, lots of nice T birds!!! GBG
Headin' for the head and took a shot of the rest of the folks practicing and warming up.
Well now we have the Vet line!!! Very appropriate!
And the old...
So here is ALR / PGR and what a showing! Fantastic! Sweet Ruby in front, of course!
Just a lot of bikes... When I rode in 06, we had 4 scoots, and the crowd loved us! We've gotten better count over the years!
The bright sun played "heck" with my camera, dark shadows and very bright sun... I fixed the pics best as I could, sorry...
My friend Roy C next to Jeanette J and Shirley B.
Here we get a show from Jigger and squeeze, Sr moment on the name, sigh...
Now here on the left is Cheryl and Audie... Great friends and fellow Dist 13 riders. Great to see them, its been too long! Missed them last Sunday at Menlo Park, they had the mizzeries... We had a car show for the vets and did some visiting....http://alrblogseries.blogspot.com/2010/11/alr-stars-and-stripes-and-cars-and.html
Brian and Cas. Cas is our go to guy for trips to San Jose airport for PGR missions. He works in security and helps us with our scoot staging, and it is VERY much appreciated! He runs that Valk MANY miles and has fun, believe he said he has 120K on 'er! Great on Ya!
Trying to get the scope of the scoots, Mark Z in front talking to Hy L, who organized the car show in Menlo Park on Sunday! Thank you my friend!
My friend Roy C next to his scoot... The blinding back light got me again... sigh.
Ca PGR State Ride Captain Rich B sittin' on his scoot.
This scoot had great lighting, you can see a bit, the blues off the front fender, etc.
Just shooting all the scoots...
My friend and fellow ALR Dist 13 rider / PGR / WWR, Slickjohn he's a rider! 
Here is Jeanettes grand daughter wearing her helmet.. A real cutie! GBG
The Pipers warming up! Love the bags!
We're getting our say once from Brian about the ride, there were sooooo many folks, it took 3 shots to get them all in. Bunker, second from right, our ALR Dist 13 Prez... 
You will notice that District 13 ALR was well represented.... I'm one also...
I know this guy, he's Uncle Sam. I was in an escort for his son on a welcome home.
Hey Jake!!!! Looky who showed up!!! Eric and Gorgeous!!! GBG I had a GREAT hug!!!! Eat your heart out!!! Hope all is great in your life! He's traveling for a while...
The race is on! Har, but we're on our way!
OK, we stopped, and I took a pic of Slickjohn, Mike A. Mark Z. and Susan A behind me.
NOW we're moving, notice the feet down, normal parade routine... but the crowd loves the noise and attention and waves!
A bit of a shot from the tip of Hy's hack on the left.
Slickjohn, having a ball, I swear he was almost doing burnouts and making a lot of noise.... except for that !*)%!#)*$ squeaky horn of his, it sound like its breathing helium! 
You know the drill, feet down, how else could I take a pic?
Nice line of scoots.
Lots of folks showed up and we had a great time, and I hope they did. I saw a sign along the way, Bataan Death March Survivor. I stopped and rendered a salute, and held it 'til his went down. It was an honor. God Bless!I hope all enjoyed this years parade as much as I did! I loved the participation! Well beyond any other years, and great!
Hey!!! The Cranky dude!! GBG
I just received 2 pics from a friend and fellow ALR District 13 rider. I don't normally get pics of me in an event. Thank Ya Sandy R. for the pics!!!
Pics are from top to bottom, click on a pic for a larger pic - then click again, text for a pic is under the pic.
The title says it all!!! Vets, cars and.... -1- bike! GBG OK, rain happened and it didn't look too bad from my place, but as I crank a bicycle, I know the good weather sites...
I knew what was ahead, hey, put on the gear and behind all that plastic, not too bad.... just don't stop! Not bad on the way to Menlo Park VA, got some rain there, and a bunch more on the way back, but dressed for it and didn't get a drop on ME! GBG Cleaning Ruby for the Vets Parade on 11/11 was a bit tougher... sigh.
This is year 2 of the event, Went last year and had a fantastic time visiting with some folks that had a bit of wrinkle in there lives, and some day, it could be me, I'm a VA member too. As the saying goes, "But for the Grace of God... there go I".
Last year: http://alrblogseries.blogspot.com/2009/11/alr-pgr-menlo-park-va-run.html
The assistants were fabulous again this year, they make you feel so welcome it's just fun to be there, and it really is! Once you get to visiting with the Vets, well it's just natural conversation. And both they and I appreciated it!
I got to drive inside a building again!!! This twice in 2 years!!! They laid out the "carpet" for me! GBGSo I got to the staging place and one of last years assistants came over and said "I got this text from Audie, he won't be here!"! Well in my best of John Wayne voices, I said !)$*!#_$^&*T!#$)!#$% GBG Audie called me and we chatted.
Audie and Cheryl had gotten the mizzeries and had to stay home, good on 'um for having the sense, speaking of sense... that's why I was there! GBG Just kidding!
So of the 4 scoots that were supposed to be there, you see above those that showed up! I was a bit apprehensive about going in all by my lonesome, but I've learned from my PGR riding... one of us makes a difference, NEVER forget that!! I've ridden alone before and I'll do it any time!
And it did! I had a great time visiting! As Sweet Ruby was staged in the building, folks could come out a few at a time and we could chat, ask / answer questions, and they were entertained and loved it!!! They were actually amazed to come thru the doors and see a scoot, as gorgeous as Ruby, sitting in the hallway! Very amazed! Maybe I found some new riders for us!
The amazing part is... I spent over an hour there, and it was a blink of an eye, the guard that stayed with me - required - was an Iraq vet, and he was a great part of the visit and for the guests. Many good conversations. It was an honor to be there, we say it often and it's always meant.
The staff brought out towels to dry Ruby off so the folks could sit on 'er and we could get some pics. I'll update this blog when I get some pics from the VA, I can't take pics of folks for privacy reasons, and glad to respect them! Asking for the best for their future!
After our visit in the lock down... (Ya see that description always worries me, I'm afraid they won't let me out! GBG) I went over to the main meeting area for lunch, and it was great, well I got invited to park under the tent as it was coming down pretty good. Sounded good to me!
The Boy Scout Honor Guard was getting ready to set the colors.
Just shooting around the meeting area....
The table in the back was filled with gifts for the Vets. While we are there we are given tickets to pass out. It's a way for the Vets to win gifts and more important, a chance for us to talk and interact with them.
If you can imaging being in a place, and not having outside visitors, after a while you'd like to see some folks too. That's why I go! God Bless 'um and asking the best for their future!
Hy Libby, the organizer, and I sat with a vet and he builds cars. He had some pics of 'um, and WOW did he have a bunch of great ol' muscle cars!!! Gorgeous!
Please, for you and our Vets, think about this ride next year. Come in a cage if needed, the Vets love visiting with you! And you can thank them for their service!
Pics are from top to bottom, click on a pic for a larger pic, text for a pic is under the pic.
Late add, a slide show of the poker run. It looks great! Wish I would have gone on it! Went on one and did NOT like it, this was a great one! http://tinyurl.com/22wqoss (Link to photos)
Gold Star Poker Run Fundraiser Started at Post 419 and after a few stops went to San Bruno, Ca for a BBQ, music, drawings and quite honestly a great get together for a lot of good folks that don't very often ride just for the fun of getting together.
One of the stops, I found out later, I don't do poker runs, was a visit to GGNC and I really wish I would've gone!
On a much more serious note, it was to honor our fallen and some were parents of the fallen that attended, God Bless 'um and Prayers of support in their loss.
There are Blue Star and Gold Star parents, Blue Star have children serving and Gold Star, have lost theirs while serving.
On a good note, the weather was pretty good, as the band and the food! Thanks to James Brown and wife and Gold Star Dad Kevin Graves, a real good event and they've promised to do this every Labor Day Sunday in the future... Plan on it and hope to see you there!
As I said, I don't do poker runs, did one and did NOT like it, apparently they are not all the same... So I decided to run up to the finish point a bit early, scoot number 1!!!
Lynn Tross on top of the steps scoping things out. She is an outstanding volunteer and rides her Hummer to many events, brings water and snacks. Thank you for what you do!!!!
The welcome shade and the band warming up in the far right corner.
The volunteers setting up. God Bless 'um for all the support they give our troops!
Kevin Graves son.
Like I said, the shade was appreciated!
Here comes the Poker Run crowd! Led by Mike and Suzanne Ammons! I heard many good comments on how he ran the event! Great on Ya Mike!
Here they come down the ramp and around to the parking area...
I believe the guy with the red shirt is Skip, and IIRC he said he was around 87 and doing great and a long time veteran and I've seen him at many events. Live long my friend! I chatted with him for a while before the scoots arrived. We are both hard of hearing and it makes conversations interesting! GBG
Lining up the scoots, row 2 forming.
Here is Brada Panak and wife, Big Jake made a surprise visit - GREAT to see you!!! and Georgie made it too (big hugs)- and Rich Martin in front with his VERY nice new 02 Illusion Blue wing! He loves it! Don't know the front rider....
Lining up and gettin' the stuff off....
Rich with his very nice scoot! Did I say he loves it? GBG Look at the smile!
The table I was at, Big Jake center Georgie to the right, back to us. Panak and wife at the right end, Sandy and Gary Ragsdale on the right, far side.
I missed Tom Ballard, Gold Star Dad far left end of this table far side, giving me a wave, and to his left is Dianne Layfield Gold Star Mom and it was great to see them! To the Blue/Gold Star Moms from all over that did this, God Bless and thank you for your support of our troops and their parents!
I just received 2 pics from a friend and fellow ALR District 13 rider. I don't normally get pics of me in an event. Thank Ya Sandy R. for the pics!!!
