I'll post this in the Ride Reports subforum, because that is sort of what it was in this case, but it probably rightfully belongs in "Rest in Peace."
It was five years ago tomorrow, back on April 22nd, 2008, that our good forum friend Chris (The Axeman) Haerter lost his only child, his son Jordan, a Lance Corporal in the US Marines, to the war in Iraq.
Those of you who do not already know all about this can read the full story here: JordanHaerter.com
It is a moving story of two young Marines who made the supreme sacrifice to protect their platoon from a suicide bomb truck attack.
Four years ago, near the first anniversary of Jordan's death, a few of us ventured down to his home town of Sag Harbor New York to pay our respects. Here's a link to that ride report 4 years ago. When I realized how long it has been I knew it was high time to return again. On our prior visit they had already dedicatded the main bridge into the village to Jordan, and placed the memorial marker near the bridge, but they ahd not finished the stone markers at his grave site. Though Chris had sent me the pictures I really wanted to see them, experience them, first hand. And most of all, I did not want such a momentous anniversary to pass by unnoticed.
So I contacted the two other NERDS who had ridden with me the first time, Alan (ionbeam) and George (cota95) and plans were made for a return ride. Unfortunately something came up at the last minute for ionbeam and he couldn't come along this time, so George and I headed down on Friday.
Leaving home in southern New Hampshire a little before 8AM I had a pleasant 2 hours of back roads to our rendezvous spot in Douglas, Mass, by 10AM. After a cup o' Joe, a good hard look at George's brand new 2013 FJR (the rat bastid), and a chance to do some catching up, we took a nice ride through rural Rhode Island and Connecticut down to the New London Ferry terminal.
The ferry ride across Long Island Sound is a pleasant hour and a half ride, more chance for George and I to talk, more catching up. It is really the same ride we made 4 years past, so I didn't bother with taking a bunch of pictures of the ferry or scenery. That was all very well documented the last time. Just imagine the same stuff only the riders are a tad bit greyer and pudgier.
Once on the Island, we took the "long way around" from the North fork to the South fork of the island and into "The Hamptons", rather than the two little ferries that passing you through Shelter Island. It turned out to be a little gray and drizzly for this part of the ride, but all in all the weather was not that bad. Seemed in keeping with the tone of our afternoon.
Once we arrived in Sag Harbor, rather than parking the bikes and hoofing it around town the way we did the last time, since George is still recovering from his recent hip replacement, we decided to ride the bikes over to the cemetery to visit Jordan's grave site on the other side of town.
Jordan's grave is positioned prominently near the front entrance of the small town's cemetery, just to the left of the gate.
Many medals and medallions, and even a few handy church keys, have been left behind by his visiting brothers.
What a peaceful resting place he has. I can just imagine sitting on the bench, listening to the windchime in the tree above and getting lost in thought for hours. While George and I stood and talked there we discussed the date. He reminded me that it was, in fact, the 19th that day, and it would be Monday that is the 5 year anniversary. How poignant it was that we would be visiting this fallen hero on April 19th, Patriots Day, 237 years after the start of the American Revolution with the battles in Lexington and Concord.
With the first objective of our trip being met, it was time to meet up with Jordan's father in a while. Chris and Michelle had been at a veterans function in Washington DC and would be returning that evening. We met them at one of Chris's old hangouts, The Corner Bar on Sag Harbor's Main St. and walked down for a delicious dinner at Il Capucinno. Good company, good conversation, good food. Worth a stop if you'll be in town for a visit.
Overnight a front moved through and dumped a major amount of rain. Luckily it moved through pretty quickly and though it was still sprinkling in the morning it cleared by around 10AM
In the morning, we met up again with Chris and had some breakfast, and then he led us out on a ride around on some parts of the island that we hadn't visited on the last trip. He took us around to a garage across town where he keeps this antique military vehicle (forget the model number) that he bought a couple of years ago. He said it doesn't go very fast, and isn't very comfortable, but it's still lots of fun to putt around the island on.
He told us how he had this mural painted on the hood by an airbrush artist who did this all freehand. Awesome work.
There are a surprising number of twisty little intertwining back roads out on the east end of Long Island. Some pretty good riding, really, and of course a lot of grand mansions and big estates to take in. The three of us rode for around a few hours with Chris showing us his secret stash of east end twisties.
Of course we had to stop for the obligatory Photo Op at The Big Duck in Flanders
The tres hombres...
What is that gleam in his eye?
Oh. I see... The boys are violating that poor duck from behind!!
George and I talked later on the ferry and we both had enjoyed riding with Chris greatly, and we also hoped that maybe it took Chris's mind off of other more somber things this weekend, at least for a few moments...
With all of the great riding and a stop for some java and to walk around in Greenport village for a little while we didn't get back to Orient Point to catch ferry until 3PM. We bid our fare thee wells, and Chris headed on back home to Sag Harbor just before we boarded the ferry. That put us back in New London at 4:30, so it was a slab fest to get home before it got too dark. Luckily that went uneventfully for everyone.
Before I'd met Chris, that was back in 2007, I had never even been to the east end of Long Island. I thought that it was all like the other end, which is not much of a place to visit in a car never-mind on a bike. But, probably more for the mission than anything else, it was another enjoyable and meaningful weekend road trip for me.
If you get a chance and have the desire, a trip to the Hamptons is kind of nice at the right time of year.
It was five years ago tomorrow, back on April 22nd, 2008, that our good forum friend Chris (The Axeman) Haerter lost his only child, his son Jordan, a Lance Corporal in the US Marines, to the war in Iraq.
Those of you who do not already know all about this can read the full story here: JordanHaerter.com
It is a moving story of two young Marines who made the supreme sacrifice to protect their platoon from a suicide bomb truck attack.
Four years ago, near the first anniversary of Jordan's death, a few of us ventured down to his home town of Sag Harbor New York to pay our respects. Here's a link to that ride report 4 years ago. When I realized how long it has been I knew it was high time to return again. On our prior visit they had already dedicatded the main bridge into the village to Jordan, and placed the memorial marker near the bridge, but they ahd not finished the stone markers at his grave site. Though Chris had sent me the pictures I really wanted to see them, experience them, first hand. And most of all, I did not want such a momentous anniversary to pass by unnoticed.
So I contacted the two other NERDS who had ridden with me the first time, Alan (ionbeam) and George (cota95) and plans were made for a return ride. Unfortunately something came up at the last minute for ionbeam and he couldn't come along this time, so George and I headed down on Friday.
Leaving home in southern New Hampshire a little before 8AM I had a pleasant 2 hours of back roads to our rendezvous spot in Douglas, Mass, by 10AM. After a cup o' Joe, a good hard look at George's brand new 2013 FJR (the rat bastid), and a chance to do some catching up, we took a nice ride through rural Rhode Island and Connecticut down to the New London Ferry terminal.
The ferry ride across Long Island Sound is a pleasant hour and a half ride, more chance for George and I to talk, more catching up. It is really the same ride we made 4 years past, so I didn't bother with taking a bunch of pictures of the ferry or scenery. That was all very well documented the last time. Just imagine the same stuff only the riders are a tad bit greyer and pudgier.
Once on the Island, we took the "long way around" from the North fork to the South fork of the island and into "The Hamptons", rather than the two little ferries that passing you through Shelter Island. It turned out to be a little gray and drizzly for this part of the ride, but all in all the weather was not that bad. Seemed in keeping with the tone of our afternoon.
Once we arrived in Sag Harbor, rather than parking the bikes and hoofing it around town the way we did the last time, since George is still recovering from his recent hip replacement, we decided to ride the bikes over to the cemetery to visit Jordan's grave site on the other side of town.
Jordan's grave is positioned prominently near the front entrance of the small town's cemetery, just to the left of the gate.
Many medals and medallions, and even a few handy church keys, have been left behind by his visiting brothers.
What a peaceful resting place he has. I can just imagine sitting on the bench, listening to the windchime in the tree above and getting lost in thought for hours. While George and I stood and talked there we discussed the date. He reminded me that it was, in fact, the 19th that day, and it would be Monday that is the 5 year anniversary. How poignant it was that we would be visiting this fallen hero on April 19th, Patriots Day, 237 years after the start of the American Revolution with the battles in Lexington and Concord.
With the first objective of our trip being met, it was time to meet up with Jordan's father in a while. Chris and Michelle had been at a veterans function in Washington DC and would be returning that evening. We met them at one of Chris's old hangouts, The Corner Bar on Sag Harbor's Main St. and walked down for a delicious dinner at Il Capucinno. Good company, good conversation, good food. Worth a stop if you'll be in town for a visit.
Overnight a front moved through and dumped a major amount of rain. Luckily it moved through pretty quickly and though it was still sprinkling in the morning it cleared by around 10AM
In the morning, we met up again with Chris and had some breakfast, and then he led us out on a ride around on some parts of the island that we hadn't visited on the last trip. He took us around to a garage across town where he keeps this antique military vehicle (forget the model number) that he bought a couple of years ago. He said it doesn't go very fast, and isn't very comfortable, but it's still lots of fun to putt around the island on.
He told us how he had this mural painted on the hood by an airbrush artist who did this all freehand. Awesome work.
There are a surprising number of twisty little intertwining back roads out on the east end of Long Island. Some pretty good riding, really, and of course a lot of grand mansions and big estates to take in. The three of us rode for around a few hours with Chris showing us his secret stash of east end twisties.
Of course we had to stop for the obligatory Photo Op at The Big Duck in Flanders
The tres hombres...
What is that gleam in his eye?
Oh. I see... The boys are violating that poor duck from behind!!
George and I talked later on the ferry and we both had enjoyed riding with Chris greatly, and we also hoped that maybe it took Chris's mind off of other more somber things this weekend, at least for a few moments...
With all of the great riding and a stop for some java and to walk around in Greenport village for a little while we didn't get back to Orient Point to catch ferry until 3PM. We bid our fare thee wells, and Chris headed on back home to Sag Harbor just before we boarded the ferry. That put us back in New London at 4:30, so it was a slab fest to get home before it got too dark. Luckily that went uneventfully for everyone.
Before I'd met Chris, that was back in 2007, I had never even been to the east end of Long Island. I thought that it was all like the other end, which is not much of a place to visit in a car never-mind on a bike. But, probably more for the mission than anything else, it was another enjoyable and meaningful weekend road trip for me.
If you get a chance and have the desire, a trip to the Hamptons is kind of nice at the right time of year.
Last edited by a moderator:
