Yesterday we arrived at Camp Lejeune. It was hard to believe we finally made it! But let me back up... Before beginning our ride we enjoyed coffee and breakfast with 4 beautiful Gold Star Moms in Wilmington. They were missing one from their usual group—they call themselves the “Wilmington Five.” These lovely ladies shared stories about their sons and about their experiences leaning on one another and offering support to fellow bereaved mothers. This was the first group I’ve spent time with whose losses occurred 20 or more years ago. Their memories of their experiences have not dulled with time, and they shared quite candidly about how they still have tough days. Yet they also exuded such peace and grace, and I was uplifted to learn about how close they have all become to one another. I want to thank Norma Luther, mother of Captain Glen P. Adams, USA; Vivian Scharver, mother of Lieutenant Jeffrey R. Scharver, USMC; Annie Beatty, mother of Lance Corporal Ronnie W. Beatty, USMC; and Iris Winters, mother of Lieutenant Junior Grade Bruce Winters, USN. We loved meeting each of them yesterday! After a group photo outside the coffee shop, we loaded up the cars and headed to Hampstead to grab snacks for the road and begin our ride to Camp Lejeune. I think my mom loved the extra SAG support provided by Roberta and Nicki. With a flat road and taking turns pulling for one another, we made great time on our trip to the 2d LAR Bn Headquarters, and to a small gathering of well-wishers at our finish line. I was thrilled to introduce my family and partner riders to Kathy Hanley and her daughter-in-law, Valerie Lane. We chose the 2d LAR HQ as our finish line because Kathy’s son, Sergeant Ryan Lane, USMC, was serving with 2d LAR when he gave his life in Afghanistan on July 23, 2009. I was blessed to spend July 23rd with Kathy and Val and some of their family and friends this past summer. Kathy is the mother who inspired this entire journey, so yesterday was particularly poignant for me. We have only 3 days of riding left, and that feels quite bittersweet. We were blessed to be hosted last night by retired Marine Lieutenant General Gary McKissick, stepfather of one of my great friends, Natalie Moore (my first partner rider on this trip!). The General was kind enough to show me to the nearest access point for the inter-coastal waterway, which was the closest I could get to dipping my bike tire in the Atlantic Ocean. After the dip, we all enjoyed a delicious dinner at Icehouse in Swansboro and then headed back home for some rest. The day could only have been improved with the presence of Natalie and her mom, Betty, who is currently on the other side of the country visiting her daughter. We missed you, ladies! This morning we are preparing to attend the 30th Beirut Remembrance Ceremony, and then we’ll meet a sizeable group of riders for our 30-mile tribute ride. I will ride in honor of the 241 who “Came In Peace” and sacrificed their lives in service to our nation…30 years ago today.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 12:58:34 +0000
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