Round Top Longhorn

This shot was used on the morning weather spot on Channel 2 by Anthony Yanez. Thanks Anthony for using this picture as a background. Channel 2 ROCKS!

Maybe I can get this picture of the Medina River on as well. I'm going to send it and try.

More than Names on a Wall

On a visit to the Viet -Nam Memorial in Washington DC last June, we found this note at the wall from a man remembering a fallen comrade. I could only imagine the anguish that moved Matt to write this note.

As I stood there at the wall, I was overcome with a flood of emotions while remembering the young men who were my classmates, teammates in Little League, family and friends that had given their all. I thought of the hopes and dreams they would never see come true. I thought of the loss of one of our nation's greatest asset, a large portion of the next generation. "More than Just a Name on the Wall" kept running through my mind. I was so moved that I knew I would never be able to put it all into words. This is but a pitiful attempt to do so. It is so many different things to so many different people. The depths of human emotions are a very hard thing to ponder due to the complexities involved. Everyone visiting the Wall has personal reasons for going there and will experience it in a different way. This was my second visit and it was far more difficult than the first. New depths of sorrow and a feeling of great loss bubbled up from deep inside me. Maybe it is just maturity but I see things so much differently now. To add to those feelings, my wife found her uncle's name on this visit.
More than 58,000 Americans put their futures, their dreams, their hopes and aspirations on hold to do their duty when our country called them into service. These heroes did not run off to Canada despite the great unpopularity of the war; they gave their all. I remember the war protesters, Hanoi Jane and the pelting with rotten fruit and vegetables along with the hurled insults and verbal abuse that our troops were welcomed home with if they managed to survive their tour of duty.

 

I met a lady at the entrance to the Wall from Stapleton, Nebraska. Her name is Monica Harvey and she approached me to ask if I was a veteran. When I told her yes she asked if she could give me a hug and handed me a small heart pin with a Band-Aid in it. She explained to me that it was a small token of appreciation from a grateful nation for my service to our country and she added that it was long past due that someone say "thank you" and welcome home big brother from little Sis. I broke down like a three dollar watch remembering my family and friends and that dark time in our country's history. I could not speak. She was there the whole time we were at the Wall and I saw her approaching men in my age group asking them the same thing and giving them pins. After we had made our walk along the Wall and visited the beautiful bronze statues, we were heading back to the Lincoln Memorial to catch our tour bus; I went back to her to tell her thank you. She hugged me again and then sang me a song which I have never heard before. It was, as you might guess, Welcome Home Big Brother from Little Sis. Just when I thought I had the watch put back together, she shattered it again and all I could manage to say was thank you, you're an angel.

The unsung heroes of our country have always risen for the cause of freedom. From Bunker Hill to Yorktown; Goliad to San Jacinto; Normandy to Berlin; Pusan to Inchon; Saigon to Hue; Kuwait to Baghdad; Qandahar to Kabul; Where ever oppression and tyranny raise their heads, an American soldier is just as likely to be found defending those who cannot defend themselves. When they call for help, we come to their aid. Sometimes we ask ourselves why but the truth is that it is just the right thing to do. So we do it.

Waylon Jennings sings a song that says his heroes have always been cowboys. My heroes have always been the American fighting man. Men of our Texas Chapter N2 like Paul Rich, Jim Flournoy, JR Ragley, Jim "Hollywood" Fleming, Jerry Barnett, Steve Seligman, Mark Smith, Randy Talbutt and so many others I have known through the years, who put aside for a season some personal aspirations to don a uniform in service to our country. My son serves today and has been serving since 1992. But it doesn't stop there; it also goes to the men and women who serve here at home, our police and firemen. One of the things I admire about the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, something that makes me glad to be a member, is that I see these values reflected at gatherings and rallies. The Pledge of Allegiance and the recognition of these heroes are things that we should never forget. The nation that forgets those who give service in defense of that nation is a nation that will soon perish.

Even with all of our troubles, I'm glad to be an American and proud to have served.

Steve Fleming, SSGT(former)

United State Air Force 1969-73
Va ANG 1973-77

Texas Chapter N2 2006 - present

A Few Reasons I want to revisit California

There are so many reasons I want to go but these will do for starters...

Cool evenings, even in the middle of July and wonderful surroundings...

The Santa Monica Pier...

Santa Catalina Island...

Sunday Brunch on the Queen Mary... Yummmmm!!!!!

The Rock at Morro Bay is amazing... just a huge rock sitting across the bay and it is deceptively tall...

The Farmer's Market in Santa Barbara... wonderful produce and cheese

The Hearst Castle

Now that's what I call a swimming pool...

Beautiful Carmel by the Sea...

 

Monterey's Lover's Point and Fisherman's Wharf...

 

How can I say enough about the Bay area... Chinatown... Palace of the Arts... Alcatraz

The wine country of Napa Valley...

The tasting was worth the ride... very good

The unbelievable beauty of the vegetation around the Fort Bragg area... you have to see it for  yourself... breathtaking

And those giant Redwoods are something to behold... I'm the little man at the bottom of this giant...

All this and we only spent about two weeks there... we didn't get down to San Diego or to Yosemite... then there's still Oregon and Washington state on the way to Vancouver. Gotta go back...

Happy Veterans Day

Thanks Applebee's for rememering those who served and are still serving the cause of freedom.

I was able to meet with some friends at an Applebee's to share a lunch and swap war stories. They are Mark Smith, USA; Jim "Hollywood" Fleming, USN; Steve Seligman, USA; and me, USAF. These guys are the best. We all served at different times in different branches but one thing still in common, we served and are proud that we did our part to preserve our freedoms. It was refreshing to see a major corporation like Applebee's make such a public display of their apprecitation and patriotism by giving us free entre`s on Veterans Day.

We then took off on a little impromptu road trip to Kemah. We lost Hollywood along the way but three of us made it to the Kemah Boardwalk. We sure enjoyed the beautiful weather and the riding conditions were the best. We took the long way across FM2100, FM1942 and then straight down Hgwy 146 to Kemah.

Mark Smith, Steve Seligman and me on the plaza in front of the hotel. There were a few people there but the place was mostly deserted. Not all of the shops were open either but the restaurants and bars were along with the rides. We recieved welcomes from complete strangers several times today acknowledging our service and offering thanks. We also met a man right after this picture who flew C47's back in the 40's. What an honor.

I consider it a priviledge to have served and want to thank every veteran who has served along with me and those who are still serving, especially my son who is in Afghanistan at this moment. Needless to say I'm a proud father and I salute him and all who stand in the gap for us here at home. I also want to remember the fallen. They have given their all for our freedoms and this great country would not be here today if it were not for the fighting men and women of our armed forces.

otw

We Bee Cruzin!!!

Halloween Cruise '09

We were able to book this Halloween cruise with 22 other people that we know from our chapter and several of their friends. Billie and Linda worked very hard getting this put together with a Carnival agent named Bernadine. What a blast!

Some of our crew awaiting the famed Lifeboat drill.

Here is the representation from the Main Deck Port side of the ship. We had the cabins 70 - 82.

We are the Humble Bumbles and we were gathering for the swarm.

We assembled in the Brad and Shirley Hive.

We buzzed the decks and even made a Karioke appearance.

Mike was caught doing a pole dance.

Formal night --- Lobster and Prime Rib!!! Yummmm!

The Crew sure cleans up nice!

Cozumel

Let's go get the booty!

The Coconut Shrimp on the right is a personal favorite. If I didn't get these at LaMission, I would have missed my favorite dish in Cozumel. They are as good as they look!

Monday evening dinner.

Progreso

You wouldn't believe these double decker buses. We had to duck the power lines going across the street as we made our $2 tour of the town. It was worth it but quite the adventure. See the picture below on the left.

The waiter on the right has one of the largest bottles of Tequila that I have ever seen. They were offering free shots to all patrons. Imagine that!

The school children were so excited to see the bus and the tourist. They were just smiling and waving like we were the hometown soccer champions making a victory parade.

We stopped in for a bite to eat and a little refreshments... did I say shots?

Really good!

Night shots from the atrium.

Tuesday night in the dining room. Great service and good food.

The Last Sea Day going home and chillin...

Ricky and Karen get a visit from Billie while Robin, Karen and Carolyn did the line dance class in the afternoon.

Has anyone seen Rex? I think someone was looking for him.

Brad and Shirley were gracious hosts again for an afternoon wine party before the last evening meal on this fun cruise.

Thanks Brad and Shirley!

Bob , Shirely and JoAnn say goodbye to some new friends who sat next to our happy bunch.

We sure had fun sailing the seas with these sea bees!

Until next time... otw