Salute to American Veterans Rally

August 15, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Rolling out of the drive this morning just after 5 am we found ourselves in high spirits, eager to make tracks toward the Salute to American Veterans Rally in Winter Park, Colorado. We have heard about it for years but have never been to it. The forecast for the weekend was dour (mid-August is known as Monsoon season here), but we told ourselves last night - if it is dry here in the morning - we ride.

To save a little time, we zipped down I-25 (south) to the outskirts of Denver before heading west on I-70 into the mountains just as the sun became a presence in the sky. Eighteen miles or so later we pulled into a Shell station in Idaho Springs for gas and to share a cup of thermos coffee. The morning was chilly, but not unbearably so. The clouds looked threatening one minute and not so the next. It's hard to say what's going on just over the mountain or around the next bend when riding in a canyon. Across the street, sat Marions of the Rockies Restaurant. It was tempting to walk over and have breakfast, but we had planned to support the Lions Club Pancake Breakfast in Granby so we stuck to our guns and rode on.

As we rode further west then north on Hwy 40 and up in elevation, the morning in the mountains went from chilly to cold. We stopped outside of Empire (elevation approx 8600) to change to full finger gloves. Fort Collins sits at just over 5000 feet elevation so we had already climbed 3600 feet. Heading up Berthoud Pass (elevation 11,307) the weather went from cold to damn cold. The road up Berthoud Pass is rife with hard twisties, numerous hairpin curves and breathtaking views that will simply amaze. The road is never the same from one day to the next. Today the road was sloppy wet and slick from a morning rain, that we luckily, just missed. We rode the top of the pass in high clouds and fog. Despite the slimy conditions - it was still amazing.

Part 1 - The Ride to Granby

Riding into Winter Park, we were passed by another couple two up on a Harley who had apparently just ridden over the same pass. They were wearing light wind-breaker type jackets, no gloves, no chaps, no head wear. And they looked frozen. (More on that later.) It was early and the town was busily gearing up for the day's festivities. We made a quick pit-stop at the McDonald's and continued our journey to Granby. The ride to the rally would begin in Granby, run back through Fraser (where the Wall was set up) to return us to Winter Park where the main rally festivities would be, cleverly incorporating three towns into the weekend event.

The Salute to American Veterans Rally originated out of Colorado Springs I believe, and for a good many years was held in Cripple Creek. Cripple Creek has evolved from a sleepy, charmingly historic mountain town to casino chaos and while it is one of the best rides in the state, the town simply isn't as much fun as it once was. We much prefer the former status. In 2007, the Rally Officials and the city of Cripple Creek got cross-ways (something about the look of the rally was more motorcycle than veteran - hmmmm...) and the Rally moved to Winter Park. Last year, it came a freak August snowstorm in Winter Park, a snowstorm with several inches accumulation, shutting down part of the festivities - but not all - say some die-hard bikers.

We had moisture on the road the whole way into Granby, but it did warm up, the sun working its way through the clouds as we rode through the high Fraser Valley. This is snow mobile country. Registration was on the south end of town, set up in a large parking lot behind the Inn at Silver Creek. As we were registering, I met and chatted with the woman who was on the bike that passed us in Winter Park. Oh yeah - she was about frozen to death and still shivering, teeth chattering so hard she could barely talk. They had ridden up from warm Denver, and being from Denver knew to dress better, but had departed Denver in a hurry and left the warm clothes behind. It was almost too warm in Fort Collins when we left out, too - but, I had checked the forecast and knew that with the sort of elevation we'd be riding through - we'd need our full leathers, rain gear and perhaps more -- more being our hoodies in the saddle bag.

There were a good many bikes already in line and ready to go. The Kansas Patriot Guard Riders looked to be the ones who would lead us out. Kansas made a good showing all the way around.

The all-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast, hosted by the Lions Club was only a few steps away in a small conference room at the Inn. Breakfast and hot coffee sounded really good after our cold mountain ride. We joined a group of people at a table that would seat about eight. We had the honor of dining and visiting with a WWII veteran (also a Lions Club member) who served with the 8th Army. We also dined with a friendly, older couple from Denver (he was USAF retired, she was US Navy retired). They used to ride a BMW all over the west but they were not riding anymore - too old - they said. We told them about my Dad... they were speechless. Ha! The rest of our table was rounded out with some of those Kansas folk. As the people from Kansas finished their meal, we were joined by another USAF Vet and his son. Discussion was lively as experiences were shared. We vacated our seats at the table as more riders filtered in for breakfast.

There was still plenty of time to wander through the bikes before pulling ourselves into the line. Tim waited because he wanted to ride a little further back in the procession. We ambled through the bikes, took lots of photos and chatted with a few people. Many were attempting to wipe the road film off their bikes, without much success I might add. Others were unfurling flags. I was surprised to see how many people had dogs with them. One couple pulled a fairly large trailer behind them which carried a large German shepherd who seemed right at home. This trailer even had a windshield/splash guard to keep the critter dry. Ha! Another couple on a trike had two small dogs with them. We ran onto a friend of Tim's from work, who had ridden up with his brother and a friend. They remarked how cold it was riding over Berthoud Pass this morning, too. All the while, bikers were steadily riding in and the lot was beginning to fill. Tim finally picked a spot in line and about 10:00 am the call came - mount up!

We were set to ride out at 10:15 am. Members of the Kansas Patriot Guard led us out precisely on time just as it began to spit rain. For the first part of the ride, it was cloudy with a tolerable drizzle. Before long a hard rain rolled across Fraser Valley and we were turning into one really long, slow moving, soggy procession. Those of us who had gear, pulled over and quickly suited up while others rode on by. Tim and I pulled on the jackets of our rain gear but not the leggings. We rejoined the procession, wet and chilled we still enjoyed being part of something so very grand. Soon we noticed people lining the roads at intersections, in cars parked on the shoulder and standing out in the cold and chill on sidewalks in the small towns along the way, waving flags, giving us a thumbs up, clapping and cheering as we rode by. We responded accordingly. We arrived in Winter Park where the wet street was lined with even more people waiting for the parade to begin and watching us ride by. Considering how many motorcycles were in the procession, getting parked didn't take as long as we expected. Soon we were off the bike and joining the parade watchers. It wasn't a very large parade, but it was OK. We got the idea that the motorcycle procession was indeed part of the parade. And so it was. We watched troops and new recruits march by led by a small military band and a color guard, and lots of kids, the rodeo queens, a group of bag-pipers, local clubs and assorted trucks, cars and fire engines.

The sun broke through the clouds for a little while. Walking through the numerous vendor tents and listening to the announcements coming from the stage was more pleasant once we shook off the chill and dried out. We purchased our official Rally t-shirts and a couple of patches, listened to the National and Military Anthems and cheered for the young men and women in uniform about to ship out and those who had just been sworn in. There was a large Patriot Guard presence during the opening ceremonies. We had helicopters and airplanes flying over. The crowd was large and lively. One of the military speakers was a young captain I believe who said he was so inspired by biker patriotism, that he had just purchased his first Harley and had christened it and himself recently at the Sturgis Rally where the weather was less than perfect. That got a huge round of applause.

We learned that Newt Heisley, a commercial artist who designed the Vietnam-era POW/MIA flag had died.

Heisley, was a World War II pilot. He died at his home in Colorado Springs, age 88. The backdrop for the stage was the flag he created. Although it was his intent, he never had the image copyrighted.

Part 2 - Rally Ride

We wound our way back to the ride, tucked away our purchases and rode back to Hideaway Park in Fraser to visit The Wall, our first time to see it. One helicopter was taking off just as we rode up. It came back flying low over our heads. We walked first to see another helicopter set up in the field. There were kids climbing all over it.

We slowly approached the Wall, walking by the tent where you can get help locating a name on the Wall. We looked through poster art exhibits and old military insignia, informational displays and items for sale. We chatted with a woman and a couple of men on and off as we progressed ever closer. Just seeing the names engraved on dog tags that made up the displays of those lost during Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom was sobering. Encountering the sheer magnitude of names on the Wall itself is enough to set one back on their heels. First you see it as a whole, taking in the flags fluttering along the top, the lines of names only a blur stretching from end to end. Then you focus on a single panel and realize the names on that panel represent only a portion of the soldiers who perished within a time frame of only a day or maybe two. Then, you pick out a single name and then another and now it feels personal. I'm still struggling to find the words that best describe it. Overwhelming.

Stepping back again, I observed other people experiencing the Wall. Some searched. Tim was trying to recall the name of an old neighbor. Some ran a hand lightly along the surface as they walked the length of it. Some sat on benches or the grass and gazed. Some kneeled in front of a panel, as if in prayer or deep thought. Some had brought paper and pencil for rubbings. Some left mementos. Still others seemed dismayed. Some came in groups. Some came alone. For the most part, people were respectful. As I walked the length of it for the second time, one of the men we had spoken to earlier approached me and asked would I mind taking a picture of them. Sure, I said. I asked the woman had she found her person. She had. The person was her brother. He died in an airplane that was shot down in 1967 I believe. The men who were with her, carried a banner that apparently had been signed by as many of the young man's buddies as they could find. They had ridden their bikes all over the country on that singular mission. The woman's grief still fresh and poignant was almost my undoing... we shared a moment and then I left them to their memories.

Part 3 - The Wall

About the time, we thought we might ride back into Winter Park for another stroll through the rally, a cold, strong wind rolled in along with a dark cloud... the cold front had arrived. Vendors were scrambling to cover their wares and secure their tents. Bikers migrated toward their bikes that were parked on dirt. We decided to point the ride in the direction of home which was loosely north and east. We filled up with gas on the north end of Granby. Deciding we were hungry we rode back into Granby for a late lunch at Maverick's Grill. We let the clouds roll over as we munched on some pretty darn good Angus cheese burgers, french fries and fried pickles. YUM!

Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated we took a look at the skies and decided wet wasn't really an option, it was more like a guarantee, no matter which way we went, so we chose to ride through Rocky Mountain National Park. The road begins winding through a valley and rolling hills and soon snakes its way around the north edge of Grand Lake. We tent-camped at Grand Lake (Stillwater Campground) in the years following our move to Colorado. Grand Lake is also a lively tourist town.

We remembered on the way that this was a free entrance weekend for Rocky Mountain National Park which would likely mean the park was busy. It was moderately busy, but we've been through when it was nearly bumper-to-bumper. This would be the first time through the park on the Harley. Trail Ridge Road is the main road running through the park. It is the highest continuous motorway in the United States, with more than eight miles lying above 11,000 feet and a maximum elevation of 12,183 feet. The first part of the ride went well. Soon we rounded a bend, felt a few rain drops pelt our helmets and spied a black cloud just ahead. We stopped at a trail head and drug out the rain gear again. Suited up like a couple of black Michelin men, we rode on. Signs along the side of Trail Ridge Road tell you - be prepared for drastic changes in temperature and weather conditions. Believe it. One year, in early September, they closed the gates directly behind us because of a sudden blizzard. Today, we encountered high, sustained winds with even higher gusts, all along the top road... winds that had Tim fighting just to keep us erect. We passed a few other bikers battling the same hairy conditions. Normally, we would stop at the scenic pull-offs. Not today, with the way the clouds looked, we thought it better to get on down the mountain. Once past the winds, the ride down was easy and enjoyable. It wasn't the best drive/ride we've had on Trail Ridge Road but it will likely be one of the most memorable.

Estes Park was soon in our sights. At the Visitor Center, we shed the rain gear for the rest of the ride home. Sure we still had a few ominous clouds hanging over us, be we managed to ride out from under or in between them.

Part 4 - The Ride Home through Rocky Mountain National Park

We arrived home just after 7 pm. We will be talking about this rally for a long time. When we do it again, we'll be booking a night in a motel so we can enjoy the bands and nightlife...

I apologize for the quality of the photos. With a little more sun, a little less rain, and calmer winds - well, you get the idea. It is what it is.

Here are the video clips from the day...

Salute to American Veterans Rally (part 1) Aug 15, 2009

Salute to American Veterans Rally (part 2) Aug 15, 2009

Salute to American Veterans Rally - Winter Park, CO
Trail Ridge Road - Colorado
Newt Heisley - POW-MIA Flag designer
Traveling Vietnam Wall and the Cost of Freedom Exhibit Blog