A Christmas Poem To Remember

> > > > The embers glowed softly, and in
> their dim light,

> > > > > I gazed round the room and I
> cherished the sight.

> > > > > My wife was asleep, her head on my
> chest,

> > > > > My daughter beside me, angelic in
> rest.

> > > > > Outside the snow fell, a blanket
> of white,

> > > > > Transforming the yard to a winter
> delight.

> > > > > The sparkling lights in the tree I
> believe,

> > > > > Completed the magic that was
> Christmas Eve.

> My eyelids were heavy, my
> breathing was
> deep,

> > > > > Secure and surrounded by love
> I would sleep.

> > > > > In perfect contentment, or so
> it would seem,

> > > > > So I slumbered, perhaps I
> started to dream.

> > > > > The sound wasn't loud, and it
> wasn't too near,

> > > > > But I opened my eyes when it
> tickled my ear.

> > > > > Perhaps just a cough, I didn't
> quite know,

> Then the sure sound of
> footsteps outside in
> the snow.

> > > > My soul gave a tremble, I
> struggled to hear,

> > > > > And I crept to the door just
> to see who was
> near.

> > > > > Standing out in the cold and
> the dark of the
> night,

> > > > > A lone figure stood, his face
> weary and tight.

> > > > > A soldier, I puzzled, some
> twenty years old,

> > > > > Perhaps a Marine, huddled here
> in the cold.

> > > > > Alone in the dark, he looked
> up and smiled,

> > > > > Standing watch over me, my
> wife and my child.

> > > > > "What are you doing?" I asked
> without fear,

> > > > > "Come in this moment, it's
> freezing out here!

> > > > > Put down your pack, brush the
> snow from your
> sleeve,

> > > > > You should be at home on a
> cold Christmas
> Eve!"

> > > > > For barely a moment I saw his
> eyes shift,

> > > > > Away from the cold and the
> snow blown in
> drifts..

> > > > > To the window that danced with
> a warm fire's
> light

> > > > > Then he sighed and he said
> "It's really all
> right,

> > > > > I'm out here by choice. I'm
> here every night."

> > > > > "It's my duty to stand at the
> front of the
> line,

> > > > > That separates you from the
> darkest of times.

> > > > > No one had to ask or beg or
> implore me,

> > > > I'm proud to stand here like
> my fathers
> before me.

> My Gramps died at ' Pearl
> on a day in
> December,"

> > > > > Then he sighed, "That's a
> Christmas 'Gram
> always remembers."

> > > My dad stood his watch in
> the jungles of '
> Nam ',

> > > > > And now it is my turn and so,
> here I am.

> I've not seen my own son
> in more than a
> while,

> > > > > But my wife sends me pictures,
> he's sure got
> her smile.

> > Then he bent and he carefully
> pulled from his
> bag,

> > > > > The red, white, and blue... an
> American flag.

> I can live through the cold
> and the being
> alone,

> > > > > Away from my family, my house
> and my home.

> > I can stand at my post
> through the rain and
> the sleet,

> > > > > I can sleep in a foxhole with
> little to eat.

> > > > > I can carry the weight of
> killing another,

> > > > > Or lay down my life with my
> sister and
> brother..

> > > > Who stand at the front
> against any and all,

> > > > > To ensure for all time that
> this flag will not
> fall."

> "So go back inside," he
> said, "harbor no
> fright,

> > > > > Your family is waiting and
> I'll be all right."

> > > > "But isn't there something I
> can do,at the
> least,

> > > > > "Give you money," I asked, "or
> prepare you a
> feast?

> > > > > It seems all too little for
> all that you've
> done,

> > > > > For being away from your wife
> and your son."

> > > > > Then his eye welled a tear
> that held no
> regret,

> > > > > "Just tell us you love us, and
> never forget.

> > > > > To fight for our rights back
> at home while
> we're gone,

> > > > > To stand your own watch, no
> matter how long.

> > > > > For when we come home, either
> standing or
> dead,

> > > > > To know you remember we fought
> and we bled.

> > > > > Is payment enough, and with
> that we will
> trust,

> > > > > That we mattered to you as you
> mattered to
> us."

> Christmas will be coming
> soon and some credit is due to our U.S.service men
> and women for our
> being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try
> in this small way
> to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop
> and think of our
> heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves
> for us.

> > > > > LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
> > > > > 30th Naval Construction
> Regiment
> > > > > OIC, Logistics Cell One
> > > > > Al Taqqadum , Iraq.

> > > > > GOD BLESS
> AMERICA

Recumbent Group Consolidation

Three recumbent groups I built as far back as 2006 will be removed from Yahoo Groups. The Florida Recumbent Riders, Stradavarious, and USA Recumbents will be deleted on 12/7/09 One alternative Group, The Recumbent Riders of Central Florida has been established to take there place at the following location Recumbent Riders Of Central Florida we hope you will take the time to check out the New Group. The purpose of this consolidation of groups is to hopefully make things a little more productive for the membership. This Group will also run in conjunction with the Recumbent Riders Social Club or Forum which will also provide a live chatroom for the membership.

Flatwoods Trail Ride

The Flatwoods Trailhead entrance is Located about 0.5 miles northeast of I-75 on Morris Bridge Road. The Visitors Center located 0.5 mile after entering the park. The Visitor Center or my starting point for the ride has Restrooms, water, pay telephone, cold drinks picnic tables, heck they even have a bike wash for you guys that like to play with your bikes in the mud.


The Flatwoods Loop is approximately 7 miles and with the addition of the extension to the entrance at Bruce B. Downs it adds about four miles more. Our mileage for the days ride ended up being 24 miles.The Trail Map to the left shows the route.



Flatwoods trail is part of the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve or Wildlife Management area and there is plenty of game. If you look at the map, the little blue speck is a small lake and at that point during the ride I had a Eight Point Buck cross the road in front of my trike.
The photo to the right was just part of the Group that attended the Flatwoods ride and you can tell by the photo that it was a beautiful day and all in all a great ride I really don't know a better way to spend your time.

Night Riding

I was wondering if any one else does any Night Riding and about light packages they use and prefer.To the right are the Cat Eye EL500 and EL530. Both a single very bright 1 watt LED with a rated run time of about 30 hours. The lights are pretty bright and light up the roadway pretty well. The EL530 produces an amazing 1,500 candlepower while the 500 produces 1000 candle from the single LED.

To the left is a combination of two Cateye LD600s. With five bright LEDs and 4 flashing modes these lights very eye catching. The universal mount make these one of the easiest lights mounted to the Frame or most any where on your Bent or Bike. The LD1000 mounted to the rack is the latest and brightest tail light from Cat Eye. It is highly water resistant, has 4 different modes, and offers side visibility as well. With the 10 super bright LED lights and Cat Eye Opticube lens technology, the TL-LD1000 is designed to be bright enough to be used even during the day or so they say, so what the heck it only cost me batteries and I guess when you live in a retirement town like I do It can't hurt.