Escort soldier returning from duty in New York at the end of his tour.

UPDATE:

Freedom Cruisers!
Headlines read - - -
30 Hard-core bikers bikers meet their match!
Well,
What could halt a screaming-eagle Harley-Davidson?
Shut down a 800 pound VTX-1800?

Stop a Road-King in it's tracks?

only one thing -

A TWO-YEAR OLD!

Matthew and Veronica made it to Memphis today (bad weather in the midwest), dirty and road-tired and decided they deserved a break and Penelope deserved a treat. So Matt had a choice-spend twelve hours driving in an uncomfortable car with a cranky family and get home pooped and even tireder, or spend a pleasant, sunny day in Memphis with his wife & daughter and get home a day later...He may have be in the army but he ain't really stupid! Well, maybe because he IS a guy after all and it probably was his wife's idea,but like I said, he ain't stupid...he said 'yes'!

So they are taking their daughter to the Memphis Zoo and will spend a leisurely day diving to Texarkana tomorrow and will not arrive in Houston until early afternoon Monday.

So our ride tomorrow is cancelled, and really, that is what it is all about. Those who fought and all who support agree that this is WHY we fought and we support, so a man can take a break, enjoy his family and they can do what the hell they want. I think it's awesome, so in a paroxysm of patriotism I am cancelling our ride tomorrow afternoon.

However, I like to ride as much as the rest of you jokers, so I will be scheduling a rride next Saturday to celebrate his service and return (yes, BBQ will be provided as promised). Check back the Freedom Cruisers meet-up site for more information.

Thank you for your support of Freedom Cruiser's Chapter 44, and our rides supporting our service men and women, and our lust for chorme and vroom.

Join us next week and until then, keep the shiny side up!

Sean (aka 'Slow Poke')

Freedom Cruisers Riding Club

Chapter 44

Houston, Texas

A former Marine got out and couldn't get a job so joined the Army, was deployed to Iraq, and then was stationed in NY. I spoke with the soldier, Matthew Velasquez, Tuesday. He was pretty humble about it, saying 'I didn't do anything, I was just there'. I reassured him that that is precisely why we would like to welcome him home. He is humble and doesn't want the attention, but I encouraged him that his mom and family would LOVE it and all the riders would be pleased and honored to participate.

UPDATE: March 1st!

He signed out with the duty officer at 12:01 am and hit the road. I spoke with him this morning and he and his family were 'coming up on Pittsburg'. I will speak with Veronica today (she's the navigator) and post the finalized time and location for the ride this afternoon. It was exciting to talk to him - he's excited to be coming home and glad about the escort.