We started off this day assembling for the " Ride for Hope" in the parking lot to load suitcases and get the bikes ready. Everyone was scurrying around making last minute adjustments to their bikes. The LEU had a opening ceremony where we had a keynote address from a special agent from the FBI National Academy. The totals were read and LEU will be writing a check to C.O.P.S. for $ 135,000 for the camp and $ 50,000 to ODMP for the webpage. Not bad numbers for a 2 year old organization of law enforcement officers. The ride started out at 0800 hours and we headed through Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk and throught the town of Smithfield. Every year the children at a local elementary school come out the greet us. This year we stopped at the school and we took time to talk with the kids on a break. Lunch was served at a state park and then onto the James River Ferry. This year the ride had to be split up and 2 trips made because the larger ferries were down for service. We continued up through Williamsburg , Toano and into Richmond late in the afternoon arriving at the hotel at 1930 hours. After a late dinner we head off to rest for tomorrow. The ride tomorrow is from Richmond to Stafford County. A total of over 85 miles.
The cruiser picture I have posted is a memorial to the two Buchanan Va deputies killed earlier this year. It was flat bedded from SWVA to accompany us to the Pentagon.
