About the Ride Participants

THE RIDERS:

Fred Gardner:
Former Submarine Sailor and FMF Corpsman (medic). Served aboard U.S. Submarines and with the Marine Corps in Viet Nam. This ride has been a lifelong dream of mine and once I finally was able to purchase my 2009 HD Electra Glide FLHT all I needed was time, money and a few close friends who wanted to share the experience. I also play bagpipes so a lonely existence with loud noises is not foreign to me. As a submarine veteran I know a gentleman who lives outside of Seattle Washington who just happens to ride a Harley. He's originally from the Detroit area (as I am) and, coincidentally, enlisted in the Navy aboard the same Reserve Submarine (USS Cero SS 225) as I did. Now I have a destination point and someone I know to meet up with when we get out west. He also happens to belong to a "Silent Service Motorcycle Club" made up exclusively of submarine veterans. Once we get out there we will link up with them and they have promised to show us some tremendous rides through the mountains of Washington. The submarine veteran community is every bit as close knit today as when we were actively serving.

Jim Mulanix:
The first guy to embrace the idea for this ride was Jim Mulanix, former Marine with AmTracks (Amphibious Tractors) those nebulous USMC vehicles that allegedly float and reek of diesel fuel (perfume to an old submarine sailor like me). Jim rides a Suzuki Boulevard, plays the bagpipes, and has been with me on many adventures. Fortunately our wives understand and tolerate our shenanigans and exploits and allow us just enough leash to sniff the neighbors lawn without getting in trouble for stepping on it.

Ray Frase: (Had to withdraw due to family commitments)
The next guy to join this band of hooligans was Ray Frase. Ray rides a 2008 HD Road King and has been on many cross country rides. He's a Viet Nam Veteran with the 101st Airborne Division. Ray, Jim and I all belong to the same VFW Post in Michigan and have spent many summer evenings in a local restaurant planning this trip, swapping stories of derring do and learning from each other about long distance rides. Ray will be our "Road Captain" since he has the most riding experience. Unfortunately, Ray has had to withdraw from the "Ride" due to family commitments. He'll be missed, as will his knowledge of the road but family comes first.

THE SUPPORT VEHICLE:

Ralph Luther:
When I posted my intentions to ride out west on a submarine BBS I frequent Ralph Luther inquired if we needed a "support vehicle" to tag along. Ralph is a submarine veteran and retired over the road trucker. He's made numerous trips out to the Pacific Northwest and knows the area well. He has agreed to follow along and haul all the camping and other supplies so the bikes can travel lighter. He's a veteran camper, as are Jim and Ray, so we will have experienced guys picking our campsites every night. I haven't camped out since my days in the USMC but I'm up for the challenge. Ralph is a great story teller, a great shipmate, and I'm very happy his wife, Sharon, has allowed him to accompany us on this adventure. Submarine and Marine Corps wives are an understanding and very forgiving breed of special ladies.


Paul (Blue) Hartridge:
Ralph extended the invitation to Paul (Blue) Hartridge. Now Blue is a character worth knowing. He's a veteran of the Australian Submarine Service, world traveler, story teller extraordinaire and a downright good bloke. He stayed at my house for a few days about 5 years ago when he was on his "around the world tour" and we quickly became friends and communicate regularly via the BBS and e-mail. We've promised to show Blue a part of the U.S.A. that he is not familiar with; the out of doors. See, Blue is famous for his dining habits and has been known to deplete whole colonies of Maine Lobsters. We're all wondering if he really can eat a buffalo in one sitting.

Bob McManus: (Met up with us in Renton, WA and made the rides to the mountains)
While Ralph was inviting Blue I was extending an invitation to Bob McManus. Bob is another submarine veteran and currently the editorial page editor of a large New York newspaper. He's an outstanding photographer, has a flair for writing, likes bagpipe music and is most enjoyable company. He can be everything from urbane to profane (so he fits right in) and never miss a beat. We first met when I went to New York City to march in a Tartan Day Parade. Bob offered to be our tourguide and our friendship grew from there. Submarine Sailors just seem to know who they can trust; it must be the Dolphins we all proudly wore and our shared experience of pulling the ocean over our head and disappearing for long periods of time.