A Big Rock

Iowa Harley Girl had a post awhile back about the big rock. The rock, some have dubbed the "Freedom Rock" is painted every year by Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II to pay his respects to those who serve to protect this great country and our freedoms we enjoy everyday. To say the rock is pretty impressive is an understatement.

  If you go to Ray's web site you will see this is his tenth year of painting the rock. I remember when a local television station did a story on Ray and his rock. Having kind of forgot about it until IHG's post I decided it was time to go for a ride and look at the rock.

While I've never served in the armed forces the Vietnam era is one I remember most because of my age at the time.  So to see Bubba hold them in such high regards from someone who wasn't even born yet is pretty touching. Sadly those brave souls never got the warmth and love they too so rightly deserved. This side of the rock is dedicated to them and is part of the rock that is always there. Ray's story is one year painting the rock some Vietnam vets stopped on their way to the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC. They had ashes of fallen brothers and wanted to spread them at the base of the rock.  Rays came up with the idea of putting their ashes in the green paint. Since that day the paint has chipped and faded so Ray made what was once two helicopters into a big one that now included the ashes from twelve vets of Vietnam.

The local community members of Greenfield have taken and stepped up too. A local Boy Scout troop poured a concrete pad for a little picnic table and awning now on the site. Other members of the community have built a lean-to shed that has a donation box, guess book and stories of their beloved Ray. Also now standing is a lighted flag pole with both the American flag and the POW/MIA flag. To say Ray has made this little town proud speaks volumes of what just one person can do. When I pulled up there was seven other riders there and one couple even had their young son with them.

The ride itself wasn't much to talk about. One of those wandering turn left here, right at the next tee intersection type of days. But that does allow for surprises also. After leaving the rock I found myself in a little burg called Stuart. Spotting a Bud sign in the window of this little bar I felt it was time for a cold beer. Pulling up I see a motorcycle and I'll be if I don't know this bike. No more had I parked when Carl walked out of said pub. Since he was ready to continue his ride we both saddled up and headed down the road for another little town. Once again the cold Bud sign in the window was spotted and this time I did get to enjoy a cold Bud. Getting late in the day we started to make our way back to the big city in the most indirect route we could find.

What started out as a quick run down the street for breakfast turned into a great ride. Just the way it is suppose to happen. Sorry for the poor photos because they are just from my phone camera. They truly don't do Ray's magnificent work justice.

fasthair