Gunnar Roadie - riding for Taps

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Gunnar Roadie guarded by Poor ole' Joe

I was able to get in a nice little ride on the Gunnar Roadie today. It was getting late in the afternoon when I started out so I made sure I had bright lights for the front and rear of the bike. 

A few days ago, one of my parents neighbors watched a documentary on television that made her think of my father. In the documentary they showed a man who goes out on his deck every evening and plays taps. (This is the bugle song played at "lights out" in many military organizations) She knew my father plays the trumpet. He also has played taps at military funerals before. She came over and told my father about the fellow she had seen on television and said she thought he should start playing taps every evening. Being the wise negotiator that my father is, he said "I might do that if you bring me a piece of chocolate cake". (Chocolate cake is one of his favorites.) So, she showed up with a big square of chocolate cake. Now my father is playing taps right about sunset most evenings. I think it is a wonderful thing to do!

I adjusted my route and pace so as to arrive at my parents house just before it was time for Pop to play taps. 

My father as he is beginning to play taps. He joined the US Navy in 1944 at the age of 17 shortly after graduating from high school. This was during World War II.

In the video below my father is playing taps. The quality of the video isn't the greatest since I took it with a inexpensive pocket camera. I missed the first couple of notes.

We heard someone yell with delight after he finished playing. The door bell rang minutes after we had gone inside the house. It was two young neighbor girls with their grandfather. The grandfather introduced himself as Andrew. Andrew thanked my father for playing taps with a tear in his eye and explained that he had been in the British Royal Air Force for thirty years. He truly enjoyed hearing my father play taps.

At this point it was really getting dark. I turned on the lights on the Gunnar Roadie and hammered for home. I appreciated the precise handling and quick acceleration of the Gunnar Roadie. Having a bike that works so well took some of the pressure off of me while riding home in the dark  as quickly as possible. 

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Hearing my father play taps really made my Thanksgiving wonderful.