A Charitable Cruise
Saturday, September 8th, 2006
About two weeks earlier, I got an e-mail from the wife of another Cruiser Club Member, and a long time friend of mine. He and his wife have two houses, one is a rental, and they have had a time keeping it up, and occupied. For that reason, we have not been able to ride together very much.
I started off late, about a quarter past 8, when I wanted to leave at 8. I called my brother to let him know I was running late. I rode west on Washington Street to Rockville Road. For some reason, I though Rockville Road turned into 10th Street. I thought I would be going past the meeting location, but I was wrong. I ended up near the church were the ride was starting, at a Speedway Gas Station. I called my brother, and no one was at the other stop but him, and it was after 9am, when we were supposed to take off. I also called Bryan, my friend, to see where he was, and that he could meet us here.
As luck would have it, a neighbor of Bryan's Rental, where he used to live, and also another Indy CC Member, pulled up into the gas station. We all waited for another few minutes for Bryan to show. He had called, and he was bringing a nephew with him. Bob, the other guy, had his son with him.
We all made the short ride to the church, and followed the direction to park the bikes. We registered for the ride, and walked around a bit. I also looked up the locations in the GPS, so I could do some routing. It may not be the route of the self guided ride, but it would get us to the check in points.
After a very detailed speech about the ride, we all took off. Immediately I could see that some riders in this pack didn't know group riding rules. We headed north on Girls School Road to US 136. We went east until it curls north, and becomes High School Road. After riding past McGilvery's, we went to 56th Street, and then turned east again. We passed some of the self propelled bikes for the Indy Zoo's Wild Ride. We stayed on 56th Street until turning to go north on Georgetown. We would turn east one more time when Georgetown ended, taking 86th Street to Meridian.
After getting on Meridian, I noticed the group of about 40 bikes was spreading out, and breaking up. We would be on Meridian for nearly ten miles, and not turn until 181st Street. The first stop was a cycle shop called Indy Cycle and Ski.
After getting our ticket, we hit some back roads until we got to SR 32. A unique feature of this ride was a questionnaire to answer trivia type questions that the answers would be revealed along the route. We were headed to Whitestown, and LA Cycles Bike Shop.
The next stop would take us along some more county roads until we got to 334, and took that east to Indianapolis Road, and then some county roads to SR 267. We were on our way to a custom paint shop. We finally made it, only one u-turn later.
The next stop was the grave site of the young Marine who this ride was named. He lost his life in Iraq just two days before Christmas. The money raised was to fund a scholarship fund in his name. Four Marines had volunteered to stand guard as we passed, it was quite a site. It seems like a such simple uniform of black and ride and white, but their is something that emmotes from those men that only Marine Training must create.
From there, we headed back to the Baptist Church where it all began. We got something to eat, and sat down for the afternoon entertainment. We would need to get up and check the prize table every once in while. A bluegrass band played, and lead into a couple of Gospel Singers. A program of lowering the days colors, and presenting them to the Pastor, who was also the father of the fallen hero followed. The major prizes were awarded, and the day was over. It was about four o'clock, and the sun had soaked up some energy from me. I took off east on 10th Street, passing my brother as he peeled off to 465 on the west side of town. I took 10th to Riverside Drive, and then went south to Washington Street. This would lead me home.
About two weeks earlier, I got an e-mail from the wife of another Cruiser Club Member, and a long time friend of mine. He and his wife have two houses, one is a rental, and they have had a time keeping it up, and occupied. For that reason, we have not been able to ride together very much.
I started off late, about a quarter past 8, when I wanted to leave at 8. I called my brother to let him know I was running late. I rode west on Washington Street to Rockville Road. For some reason, I though Rockville Road turned into 10th Street. I thought I would be going past the meeting location, but I was wrong. I ended up near the church were the ride was starting, at a Speedway Gas Station. I called my brother, and no one was at the other stop but him, and it was after 9am, when we were supposed to take off. I also called Bryan, my friend, to see where he was, and that he could meet us here.
As luck would have it, a neighbor of Bryan's Rental, where he used to live, and also another Indy CC Member, pulled up into the gas station. We all waited for another few minutes for Bryan to show. He had called, and he was bringing a nephew with him. Bob, the other guy, had his son with him.
We all made the short ride to the church, and followed the direction to park the bikes. We registered for the ride, and walked around a bit. I also looked up the locations in the GPS, so I could do some routing. It may not be the route of the self guided ride, but it would get us to the check in points.
After a very detailed speech about the ride, we all took off. Immediately I could see that some riders in this pack didn't know group riding rules. We headed north on Girls School Road to US 136. We went east until it curls north, and becomes High School Road. After riding past McGilvery's, we went to 56th Street, and then turned east again. We passed some of the self propelled bikes for the Indy Zoo's Wild Ride. We stayed on 56th Street until turning to go north on Georgetown. We would turn east one more time when Georgetown ended, taking 86th Street to Meridian.
After getting on Meridian, I noticed the group of about 40 bikes was spreading out, and breaking up. We would be on Meridian for nearly ten miles, and not turn until 181st Street. The first stop was a cycle shop called Indy Cycle and Ski.
After getting our ticket, we hit some back roads until we got to SR 32. A unique feature of this ride was a questionnaire to answer trivia type questions that the answers would be revealed along the route. We were headed to Whitestown, and LA Cycles Bike Shop.
The next stop would take us along some more county roads until we got to 334, and took that east to Indianapolis Road, and then some county roads to SR 267. We were on our way to a custom paint shop. We finally made it, only one u-turn later.
The next stop was the grave site of the young Marine who this ride was named. He lost his life in Iraq just two days before Christmas. The money raised was to fund a scholarship fund in his name. Four Marines had volunteered to stand guard as we passed, it was quite a site. It seems like a such simple uniform of black and ride and white, but their is something that emmotes from those men that only Marine Training must create.
From there, we headed back to the Baptist Church where it all began. We got something to eat, and sat down for the afternoon entertainment. We would need to get up and check the prize table every once in while. A bluegrass band played, and lead into a couple of Gospel Singers. A program of lowering the days colors, and presenting them to the Pastor, who was also the father of the fallen hero followed. The major prizes were awarded, and the day was over. It was about four o'clock, and the sun had soaked up some energy from me. I took off east on 10th Street, passing my brother as he peeled off to 465 on the west side of town. I took 10th to Riverside Drive, and then went south to Washington Street. This would lead me home.
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