Monday 2 July 2012

A Big Blog

Yes Dear Reader, we are now so close to DC we can almost smell it.  Tomorrow we get even closer arriving on Tuesday.  That day Tom will return to being a clean-shaven Tom.   Alvon, who also has a hairy growth may or may not shave it off,  I think that decision will be helped when Alvon meets his wife in DC.

So where does this leave the Blog, well I reckon I need to get up to date.   So I will post a biggie today, another tomorrow if I can and more blogs as the mission comes to its close.


This blog is all about Virgina Beach and Smithfiled.  Virginia Beeach, what a cool place,  home to the






 Navy, and bases of the Marines, USAF and Army all close by.   

Clearly a great place to have a vacation (holiday).



In and around Virginia Beech we were hosted and guided by a really great guy, Jeff, Ex Forces, Ex West Point and resident of the fine city.

Jeff arrived on a mountsin bike and then proceeded to ride 74 miles with us, later invited us all to his home for a great meal prepared by him.  Jeff thank you.

Tom VK >  Chip>  Jeff>  Alvon


Jeff took us a very good route that day and, joy of joys,  we even get to see a grain silo.    Not at all expected in this part of the world.


and more besides...





And on we go.  The next day sees us under the guidance of Laura, another great person, another very good organisor and  hard riding biker. A very good ride took the bikers from Virginia Beech out on a 75 mile run to Smithfield.  One of the original settlements of the very earliest of English settlors.  The names of the town will be well known to the English Reader of this Blog, Smithfield, Isle of Wieght, Plymouth, and so on.  A beutiful town on the river .


The ride started on the Seafront on Virginia Beech at 07:00, what could be better, well maybe if Alvon could do a headstand as well?





The conclusion of the ride that day was the reading of the names in the town of Smithfield, the previous day we were able to do the same ceremony inland from Virginia Beech.



The Navy were able to provide a colour guard at the ceremony which was attended by a lage number of both ex and current serving members of the forces.



In Smithfield we were joined by the bikers from the day and the local police were very supportive and fully involved with the ceremony.

They wear great hats,  police do seem to wear good hats, easily recognised I guess.









So there we are two days in one as it were.

Tomorrow we head up to closer to DC, we arrive on Tuesday morning.

The bikers have now ridden over 925 for Chip over two weeks and Tom and Alvon 4,372.   More numbers next time.....B

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