PGR bike ride to Beaufort

[Reba]

Friday afternoon TCS and I rode from Charleston, SC, area to Beaufort area. About a two-hour distance, one way. It was cool, overcast, and windy. We are thankful that it didn't rain.

The event was a Patriot Guard Riders escort of severely wounded veterans. They stayed a few days (free of cost) at Palm Key resort (very nice). We were escorting them from the resort to a free dinner at a church in Beaufort. From there, they (and we) would attend a fund-raising concert by Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump and CSI: New York) and his LT Dan Band.

The concert ended at 10:30 p.m., so we stayed the night at a hotel. The next morning, even colder, we rode back to Charleston. We got back just in time to attend the Charleston Scottish Games and Highland Gathering at Boone Hall Plantation.

Our escort ride went well except for TCS's bike-mounted camera coming off its mount on the fairing. It stayed tethered to the bike by fishline but the video will make you dizzy!

The biker group was a great bunch of men and women. Some interesting bikes, too.

Gary Sinise seemed like a very sincere man who truly cared for the wounded vets. His group put on a lively, family-friendly, patriotic, fun show for two hours without a break.

I'll add more details later.

For now, some pictures.

First, these are the pre-ride gathering pictures.

 

[Reba]

The escort was headed by members of the local Forgotten Brothers (I think they were Marines), then one chartered bus, then a group of bikers with the large flags, then two more buses, then those of us with small flags. It was a pretty long line. Citizens along the way took pictures and videos, or blinked their car lights or honked their car horns and waved.

Staging at Palm Key resort, outside of Beaufort:

 

[Jiro]

I'm very..... puzzled about that white vehicle. I wonder if it came from future

 

[Reba]

I'm very..... puzzled about that white vehicle. I wonder if it came from future

I know, isn't it weird? It's like a hybrid of a trike and a smart car. The driver sits straddling the center, so that technically makes it a bike but it's steered with a wheel. (Note the cycle license plate.) I heard that it has AC.

Strange though it was, all the other bikers were nice to the guy (and some of the bikers look pretty hard core, especially the HD riders). (I don't think any were 1%ers but there were a few who wouldn't allow their colors to be photographed, and their club emblems were kinda creepy....)

For non-funeral escort rides, even though PGR is the sponsor, members from other groups are allowed and invited to join, as long as they follow the rules.

 

[Reba]

The concert people gave VIP seating wristbands to those of us in the escort. We sat in the center section, seven rows back from the stage. The Waterfront Park was jam packed with people.

Fripp Island, outside Beaufort, is where the shrimp boat scenes were filmed for the movie Forrest Gump. Gary Sinise visited the island again before the concert.

Gary Sinise at the concert:

 

[Reba]

The concert was very laid back and friendly.

Two touching moments.

1. The children of the veterans were invited on stage to perform with the band.

2. One of the veterans with TBI, named Jeremy, was invited on stage. The two female singers did a song "duel" over him, titled You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman (classic Aretha Franklin song). At the end, they also gave him two free round-trip airline tickets to any place in the North America region, including Caribbean. He was so cute, and really hammed it up with the girls.

 

[Reba]

Kimo Williams (far left) performed a Jimi Hendrix number that he used to play while serving in the Army in Vietnam.

About Kimo: Lt. Dan Band - Band Bios - Kimo Williams

 

[Reba]

Before the concert began, they played video clips from the movie Forrest Gump that showed the scenes that included Lt Dan, the namesake of the band.

The band played the opening theme song from CSI: New York, with videos from the show on the screen.

They played God Bless the USA, and all the audience joined in.

Other concert pictures: