2018 Tour of Honor

[TripperMike]

Now I know there's a lot of us on this forum who participate in this rally, but this is aimed primarily to many of the new forum members who may not know anything about this.

This is a rally where you decide what locations you want to visit and when to visit. Ok, so that may not be entirely true. It begins April 1st and runs until Oct 31st, so as long as the time that you want to visit is between those dates, well you're good to go.

Many of the memorials that are selected are in small little towns, or in big towns/cities that you didn't know had an awe inspiring memorial. But where ever the memorials are, it's a sure bet you'll be riding roads and going places you never thought of riding before.

There's a lot more I could be saying about this ride and why it's put on, but honestly the website says it all.

www.tourofhonor.com

Check it out and ride safe

 

[Cyclepath]

Thanks for pointing this out Tripper.

 

[airboss]

I'll be doing it again this year.

 

[BkerChuck]

Coming back again for my 4th year. 2017 was my best year ever for riding, not just TOH but overall and it just makes me want to try for even more in 2018.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I have really enjoyed running and scouting TOH sites. I will be participating for sure.

 

[thompsonian]

I think I'm going to give this a shot this year. Not sure how I'll do, may only hit my "local" states, but I think the cause it WELL worth it. Not to mention the adventure.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I ran my state in a day year before last, and it was the highlight of my riding year. But it's just as easy to pick off sites as you have time. This year, I'd like to incrementally knock down states surrounding mine.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Anybody want a photo of a veteran holding your ToH towel? PM me and we'll set a date. You don't even have to buy me a beer.

TripperMike, whoever thought this up has a gold mine of bonus locations that will only get larger as the years pass.

 

[BkerChuck]

I would encourage anyone who truly likes riding to sign up and take part in this. Every year the list of memorials changes so it's never the same event twice. You only have to visit 7 memorials to be considered a finisher and you get a nice certificate and pin just for doing that. I've been to memorials dedicated to fallen soldiers, first responders, and service dogs.I've seen a monument to the horses and mules who died in the Civil War and one to the war dogs left behind following Viet Nam.I've read stories on plaques about the African American recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor whose families waited more than 70 years for these men to get recognition because of the color of their skin. In short I've learned more American history in the past 3 years than I was ever taught in school and have gained a far greater respect for the men and women who serve.

I've met veterans and family members of people lost in war or disaster at some of these memorials who were there trimming weeds or just doing some maintenance to keep the memorial looking nice. I've eaten meals in some small town diners I never would have seen had it not been for this event. I've even met a couple of the state sponsors who take the time to go scout and photograph the memorials to be used during the event and have suggested a memorial for in my home state I feel merits inclusion. Without divulging too much it was the Eagle Scout project of a young man in my area and while it made our local news as a former Boy Scout I'd like to see him get some more exposure and recognition for the work he did. Should it make this year's list I'm going to try and help coordinate a ride to eat near the memorial and see if some fellow TOH riders would be willing to meet up and do a group photo in his honor.

We're all here because of a love of riding and in particular our FJRs. We organize meetings and tech days and I wouldn't trade any of those things for anything. Consider signing up this year. Take that side trip on your way to CFO or Spearfish. Hit a couple stops on the way to EOM or to a tech day somewhere. It's great fun for a great cause. You might even find some great new roads somewhere.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

If I want an animal doctor to hold my flag, I’ll call one. I’ll still buy you a beer though. Looking forward to seeing this year’s locations.

Anybody want a photo of a veteran holding your ToH towel? PM me and we'll set a date. You don't even have to buy me a beer. :coolsmiley02:
TripperMike, whoever thought this up has a gold mine of bonus locations that will only get larger as the years pass.

 

[BigOgre]

Well Mike you might have another newbie on the hook. I've always enjoyed Chuck's posts and pics from this the last couple of years and often thought if I was in a better locale I'd like to try it. But I also never realized you only need seven grabs? Just looked at last years New England sites and it appears there were about a dozen that I could've grabbed without making it an overnighter so maybe.

 

[BkerChuck]

Thanks for the compliment! I never really thought about posting ride reports until I found how much I enjoyed Hppants, FJRFarrier, Redfish Hunter, and Tyler just to name a few. I remember meeting you at EOM and talking with you about rallies and such. I'm glad if the postings in this thread are making you consider joining in on the fun!

The beauty of Tour of Honor is the fact you have months to participate and unless you're really competitive just achieving finisher status isn't all that tough for us East Coast peeps. I hit my close by local stuff early and then plan rides around sites I just find interesting and want to see. I also plan my routes to EOM and such with TOH memorials on the way giving me an excuse to get off the interstates.This year I'll be flag #113 and can't wait to try and better my 2017 finish of 45 memorials in 12 states. I'm already booked for BigJohnSD's Spearfish meet up and plan on hitting memorials on the way out and on my return trip. Add in EOM being in Maggie Valley and I should be able to do pretty well this year.

I can;t speak for Mike though I'm fairly sure he'll chime in echoing this; If you sign up and need any help or advice feel free to PM me and I'll do whatever I can to help make your Tour a success.

 

[TripperMike]

thompsonian:

I think I'm going to give this a shot this year. Not sure how I'll do, may only hit my "local" states, but I think the cause it WELL worth it. Not to mention the adventure.

HaHaHa Right now you say "local" states. That's what I thought on my first TOH ('15). But then I got to enjoy riding it so much that I would leave right after work on Fridays and return home Sunday nights. The 3 day holiday weekends were even enjoyable. 3 1/2 days of riding bliss and visiting a ton of great sites. I don't think I even used up all 10 days of vacation time from work. Just rode whenever I could. That addiction turned into getting 153 memorials + other sites. The past 2 summers I toned it down quite a bit, but that's the beauty of this rally. You can do what ever you want with it and you'll still be richer for it.

BikerChuck:

I would encourage anyone who truly likes riding to sign up and take part in this. ........... It's great fun for a great cause. You might even find some great new roads somewhere.

I could not have said it any better Chuck. It is a history lesson for sure. One memorial that really sticks with me to this day was an old Japanese internment camp in Wyoming. Out in the middle of nowhere. There was a family of 5 there when I arrived. A grandfather, his wife, his son along with a grandson and the grandson's girlfriend. We got to talking for whatever reason, and it turns out that the grandfather "relocated" there as a kid (along with his entire family). It was a good talk. An awesome experience to have spent that time with him and his family

BigOgre:

Well Mike you might have another newbie on the hook. I've always enjoyed Chuck's posts and pics from this the last couple of years and often thought if I was in a better locale I'd like to try it. But I also never realized you only need seven grabs? Just looked at last years New England sites and it appears there were about a dozen that I could've grabbed without making it an overnighter so maybe.

Whatever you make of this rally, I think you'll find it enriching. And to echo BikerChuck, it's a history lesson that'll generate true gratitude for those who have served and to those who currently do so. Granted there are some memorials that are, I hate to say it, but are kinda basic and you may see thiat same memorial in another town. But there are also plenty of memorials that make you go "wow" as you ride away. Case in point....the Vietnam Memorial in Angel Fire, New Mexico. That was something else in my book.

 

[TripperMike]

Anybody want a photo of a veteran holding your ToH towel? PM me and we'll set a date. You don't even have to buy me a beer.

TripperMike, whoever thought this up has a gold mine of bonus locations that will only get larger as the years pass.

I'll take you up on that Hud. We'll both have to be in the photo though. Wife and I are both going to be doing some riding in your neck of the woods in early July.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

Let’s make it a group photo. I’ll bring the wife.

 

[Uncle Hud]

TripperMike posted:I'll take you up on that Hud. We'll both have to be in the photo though. Wife and I are both going to be doing some riding in your neck of the woods in early July.

PM me with your ToH locations, and I'll escort you through the nirvana of Atlanta's traffic. Bill Lumberg will have already scooped them, though.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I’m just gonna take pictures of them. I won’t touch them or anything. Hoping to do some riding at some point with FJR Illuminati regardless of the setting. I rode with another FJR exactly one time in 2017.

 

[BkerChuck]

So for the new guys who were thinking about participating this year, have any of you signed up? Curious if Mike and I are being good influences.......

 

[BigOgre]

"Good influences"? That might be a subjective definition.

I just spent the last couple of weeks getting lessons about the health care and insurance industries and I don't think school's going to be out anytime soon. With a little break today I'm playing catch-up and read this. Now I know I'm one to usually over-think things but between life stuff and this winter weather I just went right to the ToH website and registered. Yeah Chuck, you and Mike are responsible!