A blessed late morning. The Pack would be enjoying some morning slumber.
Some site seeing on their own with a few gathering for breakfast before walking to Arlington National Cemetery. Paco led Papa, JBro, Boner, Lone Star,KFly and his girl Christi. It is about a half mile walk to the entrance we have used less than legally in the past. Arlington’s finest was there to direct us to the employee entrance where a nice young officer was turning away motorcycles and cars but frisking pedestrians as they come through. We soon found Capt. D’Emidio’s grave site. From there we made our way to the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier.  We arrived just in time to see the changing of the guard.  What a tradition.  Very impressive. Standing on the steps overlooking this procedure one could see the swamp around DC that needs draining. This subset of the Pack then made the long walk  uphill back to the hotel.

At noon the entire Pack was to meet at the bikes to make our way to Thunder Alley. Honoring a wager rom the prior evening, Judge Goldberg climbed on Boner’s bike and rode “passenger” the short distance across the Potomac. He was heard to exclaim that by sitting this way he had a Boner between his legs.

Thunder Alley is a side street off the Mall of monuments where many vendors are set up for biker stuff.  We parked on the far side of this street and made our way past the WWII memorial with views in one direction of the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial the other.  It is an impressive walk if you take the time to admire. We made our way to Thunder Alley with instructions to meet at a designated spot at 14:00. The Pack scattered. At 14:00 all were accounted for and we made our way back across the Mall to the bikes. Boner was the Judges only means for returning to the hotel so he climbed on again. We would return without incident to get some rest and relaxation before the nights festivities, sponsored by Clover.

The Pack used several Ubers to arrive on time at Cafe Milano. The event went on flawlessly.  When it was time to the table, Paco and Judge offered official welcomes. Papa was brought up to open the ceremonies with a rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that became a sing along.

George and Bill surprised us with a special guest. Stephanie Cisne, a recovering patient with her hair just growing back and an O2 device strapped to her waist, got up and told us first hand how The Jillian Fund has helped her and her family.  The fund allowed her mother (Maria Sevilla) to be by her bedside for the entire process.  The entire bad-ass biker Pack was moved to tears.  Then…. More surprise, Steph’s family arrived.  Mother, Father Henry and cousin Kiana arrived.  More tears.  Oh boy!  Mother’s name is Maria?!  The evening can’t conclude without an impromptu Ave Maria by Papa.  Mother Maria was a bit embarrassed by the attention but honored.

Before the evening ended our  active leader, and still not emeritus, Paco received a signed bottle of wine. Signed by all Pack members in attendance.  Paco being generous decreed we would enjoy the wine tonight and the bottle would join his enormous trophy case. The evening ended with Rover’s daughter, I mean wife (well either he look really old or she looks really young or both), and Papa leading a sing-along to Bohemian Rhapsody. Then the Pack retired to the alley where Cafe Milano had set up a table where the evening ended again with cigars and some beverages.  Many began to grab Uber rides back to the hotel where the Pack gathered in the designated outside seating area where the evening ended again with beverages and conversation.  It was one of those magical evenings that didn’t want to end… so it didn’t.

Tomorrow is the ride’s ride.  The journey will conclude.

Signed,

Papa