Day 5 - Sightseeing, Candlelight Vigil

A few us us hopped on the bikes and rode to Georgetown to grab a coffee and a bite to eat before doing a little two-wheeled sight-seeing.

We rode along the C&O Canal tow path for a bit.

Needing to drop a bike in Arlington, we took a spin by the Air Force Memorial

On the way back to the District, I stopped by the Pentagon Memorial.

Each of the 184 cantilevered benches carries the name of a passenger or crew member killed on 9/11 when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon.

The Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial

I ended up back at the Law Enforcement Memorial where the closeness of the law enforcement community was re-affirmed for me. One of the people I rode for in 2006 was Jeff Christensen. As I went by his name on the wall, someone was doing a rubbing of the name above Jeff's, Jason Pratt. One of the party doing the rubbing had a Lincoln Nebraska shirt on, so I asked if he knew one of the Detectives in my unit who had been an Officer in Lincoln...of course he did. As I made my way further along the wall, a woman was weeping at the name of James Ballman. She was his mother and wanted to know why it hurt so much to see his name etched in stone. She had hoped that 15 months would have helped ease the pain. James was one of two Kirkwood MO Officers killed in Feb, 2008 when a gunman opened fire at a city council meeting. The husband of another Detective I work with had served with both of them before moving to Colorado.

No visit to DC during Police Week would be complete without a visit to "the pit" where just about anything police related can be bought or traded. A lot of guys were really impressed with this car.

Sight-seeing complete, I cleaned up to serve as a survivor escort.

133 Officers were killed in the line of duty in 2008. The lowest number of deaths since 1960. 133 too many, but still nice to have a drop following last year's high numbers.

The crowd filled the square as candles were lit in honor of the fallen.

The candles were then raised as the thin blue line spread across the sky.

The ceremony concluded with a roll call of the fallen. 387 new names were added to the wall, 133 from 2008 and 254 historical deaths. Pueblo's Chief and I stood by Nick Heine's family as the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, read the names of the Colorado Officers:

Blackhawk Police Officer Robert A. Clark

Pueblo Police Officer Nicholas Karl Heine

Rocky Ford City Marshall Jesse B. Craig, Sr.

Rocky Ford Night Marshall Jacob Andrew Kipper

Day 4 - Annapolis MD to Washington DC

Today was the last day we needed to worry about getting our luggage to the lobby by o'dark-thirty.

Topping off the camelback for the last leg of the ride...of course it's just water!

Starting the ride we couldn't finish last year, due to the flooding.

Enjoying the sunny day

Finding a spot of shade at a break near Bowie, Md.

Riding the Landover Hills

Staging at RFK stadium, awaiting the arrival of the riders from the South.

Bracelets for a survivor riding for her partner.

Taking the scenic route past the Capital to the Memorial

Riders arriving at the Memorial

Meeting with Nick Heine's mother.

Delivering Nick's spoke card to his name on the wall.

Beth Hayne's spoke card at the wall

This year's Police Unity Tour contribution: $1.316 million

Thank you to all my generous sponsors who contributed to make this happen!

Day 3 - Wilmington DE to Annapolis MD

Sorry about the sporadic updates.  Long days and intermittent internet access...

Another early morning start today, with everyone anxious for less wind.  Liked seeing the slack flags at today's take off point.    

After briefly disrupting Wilmington's morning rush hour, we headed south out of Delaware, passing by the New Castle, DE Public Safety complex along the way.  Always a nice showing of support from New Castle.

Heading into the rural roads of Maryland.

Once again, the David Lokey Center near Elkton, MD, played host for our morning break. The center provides  services for disabled adults.  

One of the clients was especially excited to the see the motorcycles, 

so one of our Motor officers showed off his PUT Harley.

Back on the road with the winds picking up a bit.  

The Galena Fire Department let us take over again for another lunch break.  They've got a nice back yard for a picnic.

Lunch was followed by a little nap

Then back on the road, rolling past the Michael Nickerson Memorial in Centreville, MD.  Nickerson and Queen Anne's County Sheriff Deputy Jason Schwenz were shot and killed responding to a noise complaint in 2001.  

After a short break near the Queen Anne's County Fallen Heros Memorial, we rode on to Stevensville.  We loaded up the bikes and boarded busses for a ride over the Chesapeake into Annapolis for the night.

Day 2 - Edison NJ to Wilmington DE

Windy Day

Getting the weather report.  Not too bad.  70s & winds of 12...

Reality was a bit worse.  70s & winds in the 20s, gusting higher

 as we crossed the Commodore Barry Bridge into Chester, PA.

The days started windy, but not too bad.  The Motors did a great

job leading us out, two by two.

As the motors passed, we riders started out to the

sounds of our own official tour bagpiper.

As the day wore on, the winds increased and the

riders got strung out, with many unable to keep the pace.

Stats for the day:

Miles ridden:  90

Winds: 20-30, cross and headwinds

Riders pulled: too many

Day 1 - East Hanover - Newark - Edison

The bikes are assembled

Bike boxes packed away, luggage tags handed out (finally)

Breakfast eaten

On the road to Newark

Newark send off speeches.

Riding by the site of Perth Amboy Officer Thomas Raji's 

vehicular assault death on August 22, 2008

Stats for the day:

Miles ridden:  36

Weather:  warm & humid

Brides delayed by 500 police cyclists: 1

Breakfast

On average, one police officer is killed every two days in the United States.

This morning I was having breakfast with riders from North Las Vegas and Las Vegas Metro when the cell phones started to ring.  Las Vegas Metro Officer James Manor was killed a few hours earlier.  Officer Manor was responding to a domestic when a suspected drunk driver turned left in front of him.  Officer Manor is survived by his Mother, several siblings and one child.  He was 28 years old and worked for the Department for 2 years.

Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial Day

Each year at 10 a.m. on the first Friday of May, Law Enforcement Officers from around the State gather at the Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial to honor the fallen.  Among those who gathered at the Memorial this morning were about 30 Officers who bicycled from the Aurora Police Memorial to the Colorado Memorial.  We rode to honor four Officers whose names were engraved on the Memorial this year:

• Pueblo Police Officer Nicholas Heine, EOW June 21, 2008
  
• Trinidad Police Officer Alexander Brighton, EOW January 22, 1909
• Rocky Ford City Marshall Jesse Craig, Sr., EOW July 4, 1911
• Rocky Ford Night Marshall Jacob Kipper, EOW July 4, 1911

Special thanks to the Aurora, Denver and Lakewood Police Departments for helping us make the ride safe and successful.