Indianapolis 9-11 Memorial Dedication

It's 3:30am in the morning and I can't sleep, dogs are up so I guess I will go downstairs and let them outside for a bit.  We came back in and I laid down on the couch to try to get a couple hours of sleep.  The anticipation and anxiety that I felt was overloading my brain.  As I tried to sleep so many thoughts came rushing so fast that it was very over-whelming so I gave up on even trying.  I sat on the couch looking out the sliding glass door at the sky while watching I saw big bolts of lightening off to the east and yet no rain to be seen or thunder heard yet.  The sky was cloudy but somehow made me feel calm.  As I sat pondering about what the day would hold, I couldn't help but bring my memories back to this same day 10 years ago.  I remember that day’s activities as if it were yesterday.

Harley Davidson of Indianapolis 6:30am

 

 

 

 

 

One our way to our meeting point I could see people setting up on the 96th Street over pass of I-69, my throat got a huge lump it, and as I continued to think while riding I looked up at the sky and said a little silent prayer and it went something like this  "Good Morning God, yes it's me again, Bonnie, I know it's been awhile and that is my fault, I am sorry but I just wanted to ask you for the something and I know you of all things above in Heaven could handle this tiny request, Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you keep everyone safe today as I and many others embark in one of the most important day in our State's History, please wrap your fatherly arms around us and hold us tight as we travel to and from our meeting point and of course our final destination, please bless & keep safe every motorcycle, it's rider, and passengers on this day of remembrance.  I also ask that your bless our Police Forces, Fire Fighters, First Responders, Search & Rescue Dogs, and all of the men and women who are in our Armed Forces that have served or are still serving so that we are able to have the freedom that we have today.  Lord I ask that you continue to bless the families of all of those that were left behind and that even though the years may pass we will never forget.  I want to thank you Lord for my life and the life's of all of those around me, thank you for this day and all the beauty you have bestowed upon us.  Lord one more tiny thing, Thank you for Blessing and continue to bless the people WHO YOU have brought together for this WTC Beam dedication possible for through Christ ALL things are possible, as this is one day I will surely Never Forget.  Oh Lord by the way if it does rain today I will know that my prayers were heard, I just ask that safety be another one of the priorities.  I love you Lord with all that I am in Jesus Christ Name, Amen.


As I wiped away my tears it started to sprinkle just a tiny little bit then stopped, I felt like this was God's way of letting me know that he loved me and heard me.  As we pulled into Harley Davidson of Indianapolis parking lot, it was quite dark upon our arrival at 6:30am this morning.  We were greeted by two friends Jim & Kim, the excitement that I felt all night into this morning was also shown within them and they both greeted us with BIG HUGS and kind words and the excitement would soon show again from all of the other bikers that started pulling in a short time later.  The leader of our group for this morning from the dealership was Bill K., and when he pulled in he was soaked as well as his bike.  A little wet was an understatement, and I jokingly said to him as he dismounted his "other Lady".... just a little wet uh? He said "yep and go figure I just waxed her last night....and I had to sit in the gas station for 30 minutes just so I could wait it out... That's our morning leader!  Lol

I offered to assist him with release forms if needed and he set up on a picnic table for all the riders that would be coming in.  Kim and I counted 43 motorcycles and I believe a vehicle or two, I forgot to count the people, my bad, I was too excited and simply just forgot.  We had a great turn out of HOG Chapter 1 members.  Bill K. held a short meeting to explain the route going to Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in Anderson, IN, during the meeting I said a silent prayer for everyone in this group I just wanted to make sure God was listening  :)  We were ready to start rolling and I simply want to thank LJ & Susan, Steve & Marcy for being the sweepers for the group, I forgot to pull out my camera to take pictures of our ride to Anderson, IN. again my bad. But I hope that the pictures I took would soon make up for the ones that I wasn't able to get.

As we were riding north on I-69 towards Anderson it started to sprinkle again just a tiny bit then stopped.  We arrived at Hoosier Park & Casino and we were directed by the safety patrol and parking lot volunteers, this was a great group of volunteers and I wanted to thank each and everyone of them from the HOG Chapter 1 group they did an amazing job and it's not an easy one, thank you for your time and efforts for this great day!  We headed up to the Casino for $5 breakfast and they gave us $15 in funds to use in their Casino on the house when we made a $10 donation to the Project 9-11 cause.  MONEY WELL SPENT I have to say and one of our friends actually won $199.50 WOW what a morning! We headed back down to the parking lot to look at all the bikes pulling in and those that came in while we ate.


Here are pictures from the Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and some of the pictures are very moving so I have selected just a few for you to see.

This Flag contains all the names of the souls that were lost 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was soon apparent that more and more bikes would come rolling in, this would be the BIGGEST Ride I have ever participated in, and I thought back in May that the Flag for Hero's ride was BIG.  We weren't able to be there to escort the beams in from Richmond and from what I hear there was an even bigger reception and of course it rained pretty much the whole way into Indianapolis.  Today's ride would be escorted by all the different Police & Sheriff's Department's within Indiana.  I did a lot of walking around and taking pictures here.  I was impressed by the kindness that everyone showed our group that had gathered.  Everyone from the Casino staff members, security guards to the parking lot attendants are too be commended on a job well done!  THANK YOU HOOSIER PARK RACING & CASINO Staff may God Bless you! It was now time for a short presentation by the Color Guards, Casino Staff, Pastor, HOG Chapter 1 Director, and of course our National Anthem to be sung.


Our Parking Lot Volunteers & Our Men in Blue:

HOG Chapter 1 Ladies taking a much needed break!

HOG Chapter 1 Volunteers - What a Crew!

HOG Chapter 1 Parking Volunteers!

 

 

It was beautiful outside with the sun shinning and warming us all up from the ride in, the ceremony began with the Color Guards and it was beautiful and only a taste of what was yet to come.  Below are a few of the pictures from the presentation:

 

 

 

 

The Pastor said a prayer for the blessing of the Bikes and for the journey ahead, it was touching and the lump in my throat that had gone down had started to come back after the that our National Anthem was sung and the final speaker was our one and only Ken who is the Director of the HOG Chapter 1, he explain how our final journey to the destination was going to take place and reminded all of us some safety tips and do's and don't.  After much anticipation noon has finally arrived it is now time to take off for the final leg of the journey, as we headed out hearing the roar of all the bikes I started getting a lump in my throat, watching tons of Men in Blue lead us out and the truck that carried the 9-11 beams from New York to Indianapolis and all around the state through-out the summer started to lead the way it was our turn to leave in the first line of bikes.  The tears started before we left the Casino.  The same prayer I said earlier that morning came rushing through my mind again.  We had an awesome greeting from the people to first responders down to I-69 and I wanted to say the town of Anderson, YOU ROCK....so many people waving and crying and wishing us a safe journey, I realized people still cared and did not forget.  It warmed the heart and filled the soul with such pride to be an AMERICAN and a Biker.  So many flags waving from children, our senior citizens, Veterans, and so many more.  Words can not describe the feeling that fills the soul when we did this ride, it was something that only those riding could understand and I know that the people on the sides of the roads had such a proud feeling as well as a feeling of gratitude.  We made it onto I-69 and I think it was the first overpass that we came to where there was a Fire Engine and it had on the side of it "Heavy Rescue", how fitting?

Here are some pictures coming through Anderson, IN and the first I-69 overpass:

 

 

HEAVY RESCUE - How Fitting!

There wasn't an overpass that we didn't go under where the people on top didn't bring tears to your eyes!  The feeling I had today was the same feeling I had back in May of this year when we escorted the 9-11 Beams to Louisville, KY back to Indy, only today they were stronger and rightly so.  I thought of all the lives that were lost today 10 years ago, all the mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, children, first responders, search & rescue dogs, service men & women, the tragedy that rock our world 10 years ago seemed as if it just happened with all the emotions that I felt that day came flooding back and it was hard to contain the sadness, sorrow, and grief.  I sat in awe of the people on all the overpass's that dedicated their time and efforts so that American's "Never Forget".  I applaud them for all that they do, and asked that God look over them and keep them safe.  I wanted to take more pictures but my battery ran out and the spare was in the tour pack.  My mind wasn't thinking very clear on little details, but as I said before I hope that all the pictures I took make up for the ones that got missed.  Here came HUEY!  what a magnificent bird in the sky.  I wasn't able to get a picture of this bird until much later in the day!

As we headed south towards Noblesville/Fishers area it started to rain and it came down pretty good and all I could remember was my husband said to me "Those are Tears from Heaven" and it made me cry as I thought about all the souls up in Heaven looking down with pride upon all of us on this historic day.  We made them proud and they showed their pride throughout the day.  God showed me he did hear me as it rained.  It didn't rain for very long or very hard.  We came upon an overpass where all the fire fighters were saluting us and I saluted them back as it was only fitting, even though I was never in the Armed Forces I have a brother who served overseas and a father, my Uncles and Cousins have also served and some are still serving.  Below are a few more pictures from the ride into Indy before my battery gave out!

 

 

 

 

While on I-465 going towards Indy there were many people who waved, honked their horns, many waves, thumbs up, all this while they were waiting for us to pass by so they could proceed to their own destinations.  We did run across an individual in a truck on one of the on ramps that wasn't happy and he actual flew us his middle finger, and all I could think about was how sad and disappointed that made me feel, but I did not let it ruin my day.  God Bless that man and somehow may you touch his soul and forgive him.

Well we finally reach our destination downtown Indy and I have to say it was a beautiful view.  We all gathered into a parking garage as it started to rain and it poured for quite a while and the Ceremony wasn't scheduled to start until 4 pm so we had some time to waste.  A group of us had to go to the ladies room of which the rain had made worse, so we headed out to find a bathroom, we walked several blocks to the Westin Hotel and went inside where we used their facilities and take a much needed break, then we all had a hankering for some COFFEE, the Star-bucks was closed in the Hotel so we went around the corner to Sub-way and they had Seattle's Best and man was it good!  While there the men in blue that escorted us from Anderson was leaving we all said our thanks and appreciation for a job well done!

We drank our Coffee which was a treat by one of our group members and headed outside, we stood around and chatted some more and where came the rain again and it poured again, the Heavens opened up and it came down.  We all headed back to the bike to get rain gear which I begged my husband to get shortly after we arrived but all he and Big John brought back was two umbrella's! go figure!  Well we did make our way back the the bikes and the ladies went back to the garage while the men went to get the rain gear.  We put them on and I said watch as soon as we get them on the rain will stop, the sun will come out and it will get warm.  Sure enough as we were walking to the site the rain slowed down and stopped when we got there and the sun came out and it got warm!

Here are some pictures of Downtown Indy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me with Congressman Mike Pence & wife Karen Pence

Donna Dellen

The time for the Ceremony has come, it was a very moving and emotional dedication, their was tears, laughter, reflection, pride, honor and so much more that words that I can't seem to find to be able to describe the magnitude this day has become.  I am proud to be an American and a Native Hoosier.  I am grateful to all those that God has brought together to make this dedication possible.  TO Greg Hess, a HUGE Thank you for a job well done and this legacy of yours will no doubt go down in the Indiana History books.  We are so proud of you and the huge task that was in front of you and because of you and your dream you made a lot of people feel humbled and honored.  God Speed to you, your family and everyone involved in this project just as we will Never Forget the terrorism that took place in our country 10 years ago, we will never forget this day either.  Thank you for the memories to come and the endless time to reflect on history!  

I hope everyone has enjoyed this entry as much as I have enjoyed writing it, please feel free to leave a comment or follow my blog by email.

Below are some of my favorite selection of Photo's from this Dedication Ceremony here in Indianapolis, IN: