Bell Legend

Have a story to tell, pass it along for all to read!

LEGEND OF THE BELL (Part 1)
Many years ago, on a cold December night a crusty old biker was returning from a trip to Mexico with his saddlebags filled with toys and other assorted trinkets for the kids at a group home, near where he worked.

As he rode along that night thinking how lucky he had been in life, having a loving riding partner that understood his need to roam the highways and to his trusty old pan that hadn't let him down once in the many years they shared the road together.

Well about 40 miles north of the border, in the high desert lurked a small group of those notorious little critters known as road gremlins, you know the ones that always leave little obstacles like, one shoe, boards, pieces of old tires, and dig the dreaded pot holes for bikers to run over and crash thus giving the road gremlins a chance to rejoice over their acts of evil.

Well as the lone wolf of a biker rounded a curve that moonlit night the gremlins ambushed him, causing him to crash to the asphalt and skid for always before coming to a stop, next to one of his saddlebags that had broken free. As he lay there, unable to move, the road gremlins made their move towards him. Well this biker not being one to give up started throwing things at the gremlins as they approached him. Finally with nothing else to throw but a bell he started ringing it, in hopes to scare off the dirty little gremlins.

About a half a mile away camped in the desert, were two bikers sitting around the camp fire talking about their days ride, and the freedom of the wind blowing in their faces as they rode across this vast country. In the stillness of the night air, they heard what sounded to them like church bells ringing and upon investigating, found the old biker lying along the roadside with the gremlins about to get him. Needless to say, being part of the biker brotherhood they preceded to ward off the gremlins until the last of gremlins ran off into the night.

Being grateful to the two bikers the old road dog offered to pay them for their help, but as all true bikers do, they refused to accept any type of payment from him. Not being one to let a good deed go unnoticed, the old biker cut two pieces of leather from his saddle bags tassels and tied a bell to each one, then slowly placed them on each of the bikers motorcycles, as near to the ground as possible. The tired, old road warrior, then told the two travelers that with those bells placed on their bikes they would be protected from the road gremlins and that if ever in trouble, just ring the bell and a fellow biker will come to their aid.

So when ever you see a biker with a bell you'll know that he has been blessed with the most important thing in life -- friendship from a fellow biker.

LEGEND OF THE BELL (another version)

Have you noticed that small bell on some people’s bikes and wondered why it was there? It’s more than just a decoration, it has a specific function.

As we all know life has many mysteries that have no apparent solutions. One of these is Evil Road Sprits. They are the gremlins that live on your bike. They LOVE to ride. They’re also responsible for most of your bike’s problems. Sometimes your turn signals refuse to work, or the battery goes dead, the clutch needs adjustment, or any of several hundred other things go wrong. These problems are caused by Evil Road Spirits.

Road Spirits can’t live in the presence of a bell. They get trapped in the hollow of the bell. Among other things, their hearing is supersensitive. The constant ringing of the bell and the confined space drives them insane. They lose their grip and eventually fall to the roadway. (Have you ever wondered how potholes are formed?) The bell has served its purpose.

If you have picked up a bell of your own, the magic will work. But if your bell is given to you, the power of it is doubled and you know that somewhere you have a special friend helping to look after you.

So, if you have a friend that doesn’t have a bell, why not be the person to give them one? The bell along with a good preventative maintenance program will eliminate evil road spirits.

NOTE: Give a friend a bell so he/she will have double protection.....

Some Gave All Ride, July 1st-5th 2009

This is account of our ride for the Some Gave All ride, I would like to share it with your readers.

I signed John and I up for the Some Gave All Charity Ride, the ride started in Richmond KY and ended in Lexington , with 10 cities, 10 town hall meetings and over 1,100 miles in 5 days.

We visited the hometowns of Kentucky soldiers who have died during the war on terror. The money made will go toward scholarships for the soldier’s children. Each town meeting would break your heart, the face’s might show a smile but the eyes could not hide the pain.

Day 1

Started off with the weather being just a little cold, neither John nor I got any rest the night before, the excitement was just too much to handle. We needed to be in Richmond KY before 8:30 am to sign in; we made it in plenty of time. The following is a list of soldiers honor ;

Spc. William G. Bowling

Pfc. Theodore M. West

Sgt. 1^st Class John D Morton

After our meeting we pulled out and some where around 80 bikes was on the road to London for meeting

The street to the courthouse was lined with people all waving the United States Flag and cheering us on, it was such a blessed feeling. The children let their voices be heard as well, giving us the thumbs up with amazing smiles on their faces. We honored the following soldiers that day.

Cpl. Gary B Coleman

Lance Cpl. Jonathan B Thornsberry

Staff Sgt. Delmar White

Sgt. David K. Cooper

Sgt. 1^st Class Lance S Cornett

Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Hamlin

Lance Cpl. Thomas Reilly jr.

Lance Cpl. Chadwick A. Gilliam

Sgt. 1^st Class Charles J. Jones

Lance Cpl. Justin D. Sims　

Day 2

Back up early but it takes a little longer to get out of bed, lol, We are on our way once again. The ride is running so smooth , I see so many crosses on side of the roads and I would love to stop and pay my respects to them, but the line of bikers is just to amazing to leave and John would not stop anyway. We don't know where we are going. lol!

The police escorts are doing a fine job. So far we are getting through all the major intersections with out a hitch, it makes you feel special and can leads us to forget we are not the story or the hero, we are the servants that are reaching out to soldiers and their families.

As I had the family members write down the name of the soldiers they are here to represent, it is such an honor to hear story's about them, the twins Ryan and Brian, both serving at the same time, when Brian was told about his brother death, he could not even get to him for a sand storm has gather in. Can you imagine the pain and grief he felt. The West family told me that their son was a Marine inside and out, he lived, ate and breathed the life of a solider. I love to here the stories, so in my heart I can hold on myself to a small part of them.

Bowling Green, KY

Spc. Ryan J. Montgomery

Spc. Eric L. Toth

Pfc. Stephen P. Downing

Spc. James W. Gardner

1^st Lt. Robert L. Henderson II

Pfc. Brian L. Gorham

Pfc. Joshua M

Staff Sgt. Santiago M. Halsel

Pfc. Michael R. Hayes

Staff Sgt. Brock A Beery

Sgt. Joshua A Ward

Hopkinsville, KY

Cpl. Wendell J. Simmons

Spc. Jason E. Ames

Sgt. Williams P. Rudd

Sgt. Scott Bradley Stream　

Day 3,

I met the “Turtle” family, that was his nickname and they made sure it was on the flag, at 4 rivers Harley Davidson's, three family's were honored, but only one was represented with family. I found out his brother also served but had gotten out in 07, the look of a lost that can not be replaces was on their faces.

Our next stop was in Owensboro and we honored 6 family's and our first females; the mother of Lt. Cmdr. Jane Elizabeth Lanham wrote with tremble hands her daughters name with tears in both of our eyes I said the only words I could speak at the time, thank you and I am sorry.

I did not get to here the story's of any of the soldiers, I will just remember them as I heard their names called off and know that they lived, loved and died, where here and now gone, but never forgotten

I had the privilege of meeting the owner of BikerUp Magazine who was a sponsor of Some Gave All Bike Ride. She is an amazing woman who put you in the mind of Dolly Parton. Ruth lives in Nashville, TN and I look forward to meeting her again.

She coined the phrase "BikerUP" each time we mounted our bikes. Once again it was a wonderful day and so far so good, no one had be injury and the pack is growing, I heard someone say we had over 125 bikes at this time.

Paducah, KY

Lance Cpl. Deshon E. Otey

Sgt. 1^st Class Robert Derenda

Sgt. Christopher T. Hefin

Owensboro, KY

Lt. Cmdr. Jane Elizabeth Lanham

Master Sgt. Thomas L. Bruner

Pfc. Robert J. Settle

Sgt. James W. Harlan

Spec. Timothy A. Fulkerson

Staff. Sgt. Thomas W. Clemons

Staff. Sgt. Williams A. Aliers III　

Day 4

Of our journey and I look forward with the same excitement I did on day one. I started this venture with lots of physical disability of my own and wanted to prove that even some one of my nature could make a difference, God's grace and love has shown me it can be done all in his name.

It takes my breath away to see support on the side of the road and the overpass on a bridge, the flags waving in the wind and with each wave, it screams I am a American citizens and I love this country.

I look into the eye's of the family's that have given their love one to serve and protect and I see the darkness so many people look away from. The pain they have suffered that has taken the very air from their lungs, its learning to live again, but in a different way, learning to smile when the heart is broken into so many pieces that we never find them all again.

I can look to my left or right and I know that the bikers on this trip are feeling the same feeling, we share the common bond that makes us who we are and what we believe. We will never know the full extents of their lost or the pain, but if you have even lost someone you love more then yourself, then understanding is just around the corner.

It started out with rain and ended with more rain, I can tell you the verse “pray without ceasing” was being used by all the bikers as we prayed to God that day. We went far to fast ( 30 miles an hour would have been great for me) in really bad weather in order to meet each town all meeting that day. Truck and cars showed little respect to the bikers, they were moving in and out of our line like it was a game, maybe they did not know that one little slip and several bikers would have lost their lives because of their foolishness. The prayers of everyone were answer and once again we all made it.

Louisville Stop 7

Maj. Michael L. Mandell

Sgt. James a Sherrill

2^nd Lt. Jeffery C. Graham

Sgt. Matthew L. Deckard

Pfc. Sammie E. Phillips

Spc. James E. Powell

Sgt. 1^st Class William A. Zapfe

Lance Cpl. Thomas P. Echols

Capt. Clayton L Adam Kavicius

Lance Cpl. Robert A Lynch

Sgt. Michael D. Acklin II

Petty Officer 3^rd Class Jeffery L Wiener

Sgt. David N. Wimberg

Sgt. Darrin K. Potter

Staff Sgt. George S. Rentschler

Sgt. 1^st. Class Jason L. Bishop

Staff Sgt. Gary L. Woods

Newport Stop 8

Sgt. John E. Cooper

Sgt. 1^st Class Jason L. Bishop

Staff Sgt. Nicholas R. Carnes 　

Day 5,　

Meeting # 9 was hard because their was so many children, weather they were from the lost solider or a new husband you could not be sure, we were told in the lobby that their would not be room for all of us, and yet the very reason we were their was to honor them and being turned away was a new experience for me, one that I did not take lightly so I headed up the stairs and found a place to sit and stand. I wanted to here the names read, wanted to feel the pain the family's felt, needed to let them know we cared and that what we had been through that day, was nothing near the lost they faced each day.
Oh the pain goes away with time, but in one moment, one memory its back like the first time you heard it. Its their to rip your heart out again and relive the worst moment in your life, and once again you pick up the piece and move forward two steps that day, only to be moved back one when your laying in bed alone.
We are up and ready, and the rain is coming down still, and will be most of the day, I hate to even think of putting the wet rain suite back on and climbing on the bike. My leg's will not do what my mind commands then to do and so John has to pick up my foot and pulled it over the bike, its very hard and awkward but its the only way I can ride.
No other biker is up at this point and we are headed down to breakfast then back to the room to pack and head home, the trip will start at 9:00 and we should be home after 10 tonight, long day , one we will need God's love and kindness for.

More rain, but a whole lot better road conditions . Our Town Hall meetings became part of our lives and we each looked forward to being a part of them. Our last one took place in Lexington with a large group of visitors. We had one man yell out to stop the war, stop the war, but law ask him to leave and he did, I understand that he has the right to feel that way, I feel it too, but as much as I dislike this war we are in, I will fight tooth and nail for our men and women who are serving this country, we must never turn our backs on our vets.

Each of us were excited to be on the last leg of our journey and also sad, because we had meet a group of people that I would have travel the world with. You could not have hand pick a better group to spend five days with, I will forever stand in aw of this experience. Somewhere around 30 bikers made the complete trip and once again I am so happy to be a part of that group.

Ashland, KY

Cpl. Joseph H. Cantrell IV

Pfc. Scott A. Messer

Sgt. Joseph M. Tackett

Spc. Jeremy R. Gullett

Aerographer’s Mate 1^st Class Edward Thomas Earhart

September 11, 2001

Lexington

Cpl. Nicolas J. Dieruf.

Spc. William L. McMillan III

Lance Cpl. Sean M. Langley

Sgt. Jonathan A. Hughes

Capt. Eric Daniel Terhune

Lance Copt. Chase J. Comley

Master Sgt. Clinton W. Cubert

Sgt. Robert W. Ehney

Staff Sgt. Delmar White

Staff. Sgt. Garth D. Sizemore

Each of us were excited to be on the last leg of our journey and also sad, because we had meet a group of people that I would have travel the world with. You could not have hand pick a better group to spend five days with, I will forever stand in awe of this experience. Somewhere around 30 bikers made the complete trip and once again I am so happy to be a part of that group.

The fourth of July gave me a purpose and a experience that comes once in a life time,

Debbie Gibson and John Barcus