Ride For The Fallen - 8/29/09 Logan, Ut

What a beautiful day for a scenic ride starting in the Cache Valley of Utah. The ride is hosted by the family of Lance Corporal Michael Allred, who sacrificed his life in the Iraqi conflict.

The ride had 350 bikes pre-registered and there were a significant number of riders that registered that morning.

Checking in started at 8:30 with a continental breakfast available. By 9:30 the parking lot of Elk Ridge Park was filled and bikes were spilling out into the streets. At 9:30 there was a special memorial service and flag ceremony to honor those who had been killed during the current conflicts in Iraq and Afganistan that were from Utah. I was surprised at the size of the list of fallen soldiers but, although I know none of them personally, I do hold a deep respect for the dedication and ultimate sacrifice they have made and for their families who have lost so much.

The morning ride was great! The air was crisp but very comfortable as we left the park, traveled through Logan Canyon to Garden City (Bear Lake). The magnificent view of the Bear Lake area is impressive every time I crest the mountain and drop down into the valley. From Garden City were turned north along the west side of the lake to St. Charles, ID were we were able to take a break after the first 54 miles. They organizers had Creamies available for the participants (what’s a ride without some sort of ice cream). I tried in futility to get a picture with all of the bikes, it took three to cover the mass of bikes.

After the break, we rode north to Ovid, ID and from there, cut west up Emigration Canyon, through some beautiful countryside to Preston. It was spectacular to see the large group of bikes moving as one. Once in Preston (104 miles total), another break was taken at Fackrell Park, giving everyone a chance to stretch and chat.

The final 30 miles of the ride back to Elk Ridge Park was the most memorable to me. All along the route, as we would pass through the various small towns, there were people or whole families that would stand out on the street, wave American Flags, hold their hands over their hearts as we passed. Many of these, were older gentlemen donning hats from their time of service. This act intensified as we came back into the residential area of Hyde Park and rode past the cemetery and childhood home of LCorp Allred. Both had been adorned with flags and the neighbors were there to express their love. As I sit here writing this, I can’t help but recall the emotions of that sight.

A good from from the TRA rode in this event. Pictured below are Tom Spalding, Rex & Sandy Hansen, Paul & Cynthia DeGrey, David & Jan Harris and Cordell Wiser.