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A Memorable Memorial

6/3/2013

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Our Guest post this month is from S. Bland II

Today (Memorial Day 2013) we ride to Patagonia. 
  
I got up at 5 and went for a 10 mile bicycle ride alone before getting cleaned up and digging out the 'ol Harley. I had just pulled the cover off of it when Kelly came out barefooted  to see if we were still on for the ride. We were on the motorcycles at 7:38. We  rode about a half mile and stopped to fuel the machines when I noticed mine was  leaking quite a bit of fuel from the connection beneath the tank. Barb asked if  I "maybe" should have checked out the Harley instead of riding the bicycle.  Duh!  There is a quick coupling similar to a compressed air hose coupling into  the tank. Actually it is right into the fuel pump which is mounted inside the  tank. As long as I didn't turn the ignition switch on it didn't leak...which  only meant the ride was off. I fiddled with the coupling disconnecting and  reconnecting until finally it quit spewing fuel. Was the tank empty? Nah, only  lost a pint or so. Let's ride before this thing changes it's mind! We rode 60  miles to Patagonia, and I checked for leaks about 60 times.

We stopped at the  park to empty the coffee that had been filtered through our kidneys, and  were jawing about where to go for breakfast when an old dude on a four wheeled  scooter cruised up and asked if we wanted to race. Crazy old dude  said he'd win  if we gave him a 17 mile head start. It was about 10 miles back  to Sonoita, and  he said the scooter would go there and back if it was fully charged. He claimed  he had been the Constable of Patagonia 5 times, was a Vet and was going to ride  the scooter in the Memorial Day parade. He had quite a few photos and suggested  that we try "Mercedes Cafe" across the street. He beat us there!
 
We reluctantly  sat down and he went into high gear with his stories backed up with photos and  certificates. He had been a Motorcycle cop in Palm Springs, A Firefighter in  Scottsdale, a Pilot with the Marines until they found out he was color blind. He  then became a gunner in a Douglas A-24 Dauntless (SBD). He told us of battles at  Midway and how they (the SBD's) sunk four of the Japanese warships. He had flown  with George Herbert Walker Bush and then  Kelly asked if he knew any movie  stars. He said, with a gleam in his eye "I knew them all". In fact he was  wearing a shirt given to him by John Wayne. He knew two of John's wives, and had  personally been married eight times. In fact he still "dated" his most recent,  but she lived with her 94 year old mother. He told stories and answered  questions for 2 hours. He would have gone on and on, but we needed to get back  home as we all had other plans.
 
What an incredible Memorial Day ride. I  know we'll be talking about this one for the rest of our lives. If you ever go  to Patagonia Arizona, look for H.Paul Smith at Mercedes Cafe. You will not  regret it!

Thanks for the stories Paul, and thank you for your honor,  courage and commitment to our country by serving  in the U.S. Marine Corps. You  came home and served us again as a Firefighter, Policeman, Sheriff, and  Constable. They truly broke the mold after you were born. With all sincerity you  are the epitomy of Semper Fi

S.Bland II 

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    Danell  Lynn

    Dreamer, Traveler, Author, Public speaker, Entrepreneur, Designer, Humanitarian and believer that we paint our own canvas for this life

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