Run for the Wall - Day 8

Wow, it is already Day 8 of a 10 day trip across the country. Where did the time go? This is super scary, I have been on a motorcycle for 8 days now and am wondering where the days went? Hmmm, too much time in the saddle?

Today was again a beautiful day. Last night, after I finished posting, I walked outside for a little fresh air before heading off to bed. There had been storm clouds gathering in the horizon, and I was also interested in seeing how close they had come. Well, as I looked up, I saw the clouds were much closer, but they had actually formed a semi-circle around where we were all staying for the night. I don't know if I have mentioned my theory of the "Happy Bubble", but this was one instance where it really looked like the "Happy Bubble" was working. It looked like the clouds just circled the area we were in, but no rain fell at night.

The day dawned clear and cool, a welcome relief from the heat we had been traveling through. Actually, after we left the Harley dealership, we rolled through a fog bank that was very chilly. It was almost time to stop and put on warmer clothes. Again, it was such a welcome change from the humid heat we had been dealing with.

Before we left the Harley Dealership, the Run for the Wall participants were able to have a wreath laying ceremony in the old Confederate Cemetery adjacent to the Harley shop. This cemetery is quite old, and up until this year, had been falling into disrepair. The funds for the repairs to the cemetery are completely private, so things had been tight for some time. Because the cemetery was declining, last year the riders were not permitted to tromp through this piece of history. This year though, the local community was able to raise enough money to stabilize more of the cemetery and allowed the Run for the Wall riders to wander around these hallowed grounds. There are 155 soldiers buried in this cemetery, but they were not killed in that specific location. Apparently, these people came from the various hospitals in the area. Since the cemetery is so old, records were lost, may have become unreadable, or may not ever have been kept. It has been a challenge for the local groups to try to identify the soldiers buried here and to learn where these warriors were from.

Finding the lost and killed in action is near and dear to Run for the Wall participants, so visiting this cemetery is very fitting. We celebrate every time one more has been identified, and we are even gratified to discover that the local community was even able to place grave markers on the identified graves. We are coming closer to identifying the missing in action from the Civil War, and then notifying the family where there loved one was placed to rest.

After the wreath laying ceremony, we rode to the TA Truck Stop in Knoxville, TN for some much enjoyed donuts and coffee. After that we went to Davey Crockett Truck Stop in Baileyton, TN for a very quick gas and go. Our real objective was to get to Black Wolf Harley-Davidson where lunch was waiting for us. The Harley shop is gracious enough to feed the road weary travelers and help us stay energized along our way to Washington, D.C.

After much anticipation, we finally arrived in one of our most special towns, Wytheville, VA. This town opens their hearts and homes to us every year we come through. This year is particulary special because Wytheville is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Run for the Wall stopping by. We have been forewarned that tomorrow morning ceremonies are something not to miss.

In light of that, I am closing this blog so that I can get some much needed rest and can enjoy the morning's ceremonies too. If you want to read more about what happened today on the Run, please feel free to visit http://www.rftwsr-2o1o.us/.

Until tomorrow...