Talking to my girlfriend recently, I voiced my goal to ride all the US States. In that conversation I mentioned that I thought it would be cool to follow my charity and to ride all the lower 48 states as they moved the flag across America.

Though I did not do that this year, I did get to ride across three states and five different flag ceremonies. Consider it a warm up I guess for when I retire and get to do all the states.

My chosen charity is the Nation of Patriots. It is a fairly new effort that is founded by an individual who did not serve but was motivated to do something after seeing his friends return from combat. Part of their awareness efforts is what they call the Patriot Tour. It is where one American Flag is moved through all the lower 48 states from group to group (typically the H.O.G. of that area). All donations in that area are kept in that area and not one cent is spent on administrative duties. 100% of the donated money is given to those who can benefit from it.

It is something that I can honestly say that I am proud too support.

 

July 18th, 2015 // Meteor Crater Rd, AZ.
A couple of weeks prior, my riding buddy and I were talking about the Nation of Patriots schedule in Las Vegas, NV. I normally take a week vacation during this time and since the flag was coming into Arizona on Saturday, July 19th. We figured that we could ride out to Meteor Crater Rd. in AZ along with the Arizona HOG chapter as they met the New Mexico Chapter bringing the flag over the state line.

Early AM start in order to get from Las Vegas to the far side of Arizona in time.


Weather in AZ was 80% chance of rain so to hinge my bets, I bought a new rain suit for the ride. Because of which and even though we had a 80% chance of rain... not one single drop fell until we got to the first stop.


Once at the meeting spot though there was a brief rain shower that quickly dissapated as bikes came in from all over the state. Eventually the New Mexico group showed up and we escorted them to the Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson dealership for the flag ceremony where it was passed onto the next group of riders.


Flag has arrived safely at Grand Canyon Harley-Davdson

 

July 19th, 2015

The morning of July 19th we found ourselves in Williams, AZ. The morning started with a ceremony at their memorial park. The mayor, John Moore proclaimed the day as Nation of Patriots Day and announced that his personal goal was to have us back next year, with EVERY house in the township displaying an American Flag on that day.

The founder of the Nation of Patriots (Bill Sherer) flew out to Phoenix Arizona where he rented a car to follow the the next of couple of days of activities.

The Mayor of Williams, AZ on the left with the founder of the Nation OF Patriots on the Right.








The Williams, AZ flag bearers.




As the flag was brought into into Nevada at the bridge between Laughlin. NV and Bullhead City, AZ. The idea was to transfer the flag right at the state line, which was right in the middle of the Colorado river. After much organization and phone calls, the Arizona riders rode onto the bridge at the exact same time that the Nevada riders rode onto the bridge. They meat dead center on the bridge above the Colorado river and a brief flag ceremonially that transferred the flag between the states flag bearers was performed.

I have to recognize the efforts of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. who escorted all the Nevada riders from Las Vegas to Laughlin and opted to ask for forgiveness than permission to shut down the intersections between this state line.




After the bridge ceremony, we moved quickly off to a nearby park to let the traffic resume and to brief the new riders that the ride from Laughlin back to Las Vegas would be Police escorted.


The 'Regional Commander' for our areas announced that he has nails painted for an additional fund raising effort, only to be revealed once the dollar amount was raised... as you can see, that goal was met.


The Police escorted ride from Laughlin to Las Vegas would end up on Fremont Street. Additional coordination efforts needed to be made while we waited under a nearby freeway underpass.








Once everything as ready and in place, we wore our bikes onto the Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue created a secured area of the bikes to park in right on Fremont Street. Where our Regional Commander talked to the press and the crowd about the charity.


Congresswoman Dina Titus was on hand to give her proclamation to the Nation of Patriots.


Right in the middle of the Fremont Street Experience


The flag was to be flown out of Slotzilla on the Zipline right down he middle of the Fremont Street.