Hi Les,

Do do think you can post this on the TAA web site on the home page as a pot up for the 2008 TAA ride. Then put the 2007 photo page under photo page like the past rides?
I just want everyone to know, all I am doing this year is helping the hosts put the 2008 Torches Across America ride together. I am not, putting it together.
When Roger and TAA Troy, IL said the ride would at least continue from Troy, IL in 2008, I told them I would get in touch with the other hosts and see if they would like to help also. I am very glad to say they are all on board again this year.
So here how it looks so far;
Oceanside, CA Bill Kennedy is working on a starting place in San Diego for the start of the 2008 ride. It sounds great and I hope it all works out.
Laughlin, NV
Instead of the ride spending the first night out in Kingman, AZ, the ride will spend the night in Laughlin, NV.
Last year Jennifer Wilson, Special Veteran Program Manager with the AVI Resort and Casino and Heather Ching Co-Founder Bullhead Patriots, member of the Patriot Guard Riders and Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America wanted to be a part of the ride and help the riders. They did a super job of it to. This year they would like to be a part of TAA and have the riders come to Laughlin.
New Mexico
When I talked to Rick to see how he was doing the other day I asked what he thought about helping again this years and he said I will help as long as I am able. So the second day of the ride will go from Laughlin to Albuquerque, NM.
Victor Lioce is also a New Mexico TAA State Coordinator and he is setting up a scenic route again for this years ride as it leaves Albuquerque.
I also talked to Rosanne Bianco who is with the Blue Star Mothers in Albuquerque. Rosanne has helped TAA for three years and she said she has on her 2008 calender a note that says to get a hold of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for the 2008 Proclamation making 9/11 a Recognition Day for all New Mexico’’s First Call Responders on 9/11/ 2008.
Tulsa, OK
Last year Joe Sewell talked to Barbara Porter, Treasure/Public Relations, Oklahoma Chapter 1, Blue Mothers of America and she contacted me and said they would like to help the riders. They did a super job of it to. This year they would like to be a part of TAA again.
Illinois
The Torches America Troy, IL members, Roger Alons, Fat Fred Dahlgren, Butch Clemings, Mike Raymond, David Bloom, A.J. Kaufman, Giles Culver, Pappy Hessenauer, Cynthia Dashen,Gertia Kaufman, Linda Culver, Milt Edrington and Rodney Dunaway are all going to be working hard this year to make this ride possible.
As far as I am concerned all of TAA’s state coordinators, hosts and riders are super great people and I am very proud that you would like to see the ride continue.
The TAA ride will not have a main speaker this year because each and everyone of these hosts share the same kinds of feelings I do for the reason of this ride.
I have asked all of you to help in getting all last years shirts, pins and patches sold. It is a big expense to do these and when you do not sell them it works against the money you made from them. So instead of the money from the sales of these items going towards the new 9/11 memorial being built in Troy, IL it just goes to paying off what it cost to buy the shirts, pins and patches.
What I have been doing lately is asking people to buy a shirt and maybe a pin and patch a long with it and have TAA Troy, IL sent them to Barbara Porter. She and the other members of Oklahoma Chapter 1 Blue Star Mothers will sent them to our Armed Forces members over seas in their care packages.
Torches Across America Troy, Illions is a none profit organization so your orders are tax deductible. The address to send your orders to is:
Torches Across America
Milt Edrington
2509 Reveres Rt.
Granite City, IL 62040

Milt Edrington’’s e-mail address is; dingerdq@gmail.com and his phone number is; 618-540-0033.
The shirts are $15.00 and the pins and patches are $5.00 ea. There is no cost for shipping to Barbara or to you if you want them shipped to you inside the United States.
Remember one of the reasons we ride is to show support for these men and women in our Armed Forces. They are willing to give us the ultimate sacrifice any human can give to another human and that is their, life, if need be for our freedom.
Know matter what your thoughts are about the war, it should not keep you from saying thank you to all these supper men and woman and their families, who worry about them constantly while they are gone.
I have asked some of the TAA riders that belong to a nation wide organization to contact their national reps and ask if their organization would escort the TAA memorial walls this year because I will not be able to do it. I have offered to pay for the shipping of the memorial walls to California if they will do it.
Here is something that is funny in a way to me. Every year when I hear that the Vietnam Memorial Wall is coming by my area, motorcycle riders for miles around are asked if they would help escort it.
Well on the TAA ride we travel with two memorial walls. One has all the names of the victims of 9/11 on it. The second one has all the names of our, " Fallen Warriors Lost But Not Forgotten", on it that have died in the war with Afghanistan and Iraq. Both the war in Afghanistan and Iraq as you all know are the result of the 9/11 attach on America. And we also know they are still on going.
More riders will escort the Vietnam Memorial Wall than a memorial wall of a war that is being fought right now. I have heard two different reasons for this. The first one is, this war has lasted to long and we just want to stop hearing about it. The second reason is, 9/11 is over with so get on with your life.
So hears the funny part to me, if 9/11 is old news and they say we should get over it and get on with our lives, how old does that make the Vietnam War.
I ride for the Vietnam Memorial Wall because of respect. I also ride for the memorial walls of the victims of 9/11 and our "Fallen Warriors Lost But Not Forgotten" because of respect. Thank you Fat Fred for teaching me about the word respect.
Yes riding for these men women and children on all these memorial walls are about respect. I hate to say it but most Americans do not have that in them anymore it is mostly about ones self now.
The TAA ride is not about the destruction that happened on 9/11, it is about remembering the victims that died on 9/11, saying thank you to all of America’s First Call Responders for showing us how dedicated they are to protecting us, and showing support to all our Armed Forces members who willing to give us the ultimate sacrifice any human can give to another human and that is their, life, if need be for our freedom.
When we do this for them we are also letting their families know we care about them also. Here are some e-mails I have received in the past from family members of 9/11 victims;
Angie Rapoport; I think it is wonderful what you all do every year. I lost my father, Gerard Coppola, on 9/11. And, although, I don't have a bike, I do GREATLY appreciate your efforts. I remember driving into the city last year and seeing you coming in. It was amazing. I can't quite describe the feeling. But, I can say it did make me cry. And, I mean that in the best of ways. It was almost as if all of you were a part of my family and were grieving along with me. Thank you. Thank you all so much. Angie was talking about the 2006 ride.
George A. Hentrique; To ride with and for my daughter Michelle who was killed in the South Tower. Could you please advise me where I could hook up with the ride on 9/10 going to ground zero. George met us all at the Hoboken M/C Club House on the 2007 ride.
Judith A Kapp; Remembrance for my brother in law lost in Tower II, and show respect for all those in service and veterans.
We have also have had some military family members present at our hosts sites that have lost their son or daughter in the war in Afghanistan or Iraq. They are very sad but super happy knowing people are taking the time to remember their son or daughter and by name even.
We also have TAA riders whos sons our daughters have been or are stationed at this time in Afghanistan and Iraq. I thank all of you for being apart of TAA and may your sons and daughters return home safely.
Have a great day.
Gary Covert