Police Unity Tour: Almost There

Editor's note: Centreville resident Kevin Whalen is sending updates for the next several days , a 220-mile bike ride from Richmond to Washington, D.C. He is riding in honor of Virginia Tech's Officer Deriek Crouse, who died after being shot on campus last December.

Friday night

5,222 calories burned

82 miles from Charlottesville to Warrenton

126 heart rate average

185 high, 70 low

Sunny and hot 80 degrees

15mph winds (where they came from?)

Top speed 37mph

Left at 8am and arrived at 5pm (nice work day)

Blue skies and great wine country views. Today was another challenging day for my Police Unity Tour Chapter. Where did the winds come from? Ugh. The hills, sun and winds took a toll on all of us, but we conquered it all together, for our fallen officers. Pollen again for the red eyes, second day in a row. But not . The heat off the paved roads were a pain the last few hours, and a few flats for some riders.  

One thing that really got me today was the shadows on the road off the riders in front of me. I took 300 pics today on the bike, and the most moving are the shadows off the riders and bikes. When you look at the pic I attached, think of the shadow as the fallen officer that each of us is riding for.  As we ride hard in their honor, they are with us helping us on our journey for them and bringing each other into the National Law Enforcement Memorial. Goosebumps fly when I think about it and I tell the other riders when I show them the pics or when I point out the shadows out in front, and it hits home.

So many cool things happened during the ride. We biked as a team and as brothers and sisters to finish our second day with various physical and personal challenges. We all helped each other and became closer and supported each other. Every rider has a story of why they ride. No one should think this is an easy bike trip through the country. Each of us makes sacrifices to do this ride.  We train on our own time. We purchase bikes that are used or new, but not cheap on our budgets. We take the time to fundraise our $1700 minimum. We invest personal money to do this ride. We take leave from work. And toughest of all is leaving our families. It's all worth it to each of us. It's an honor to do this ride, and it's a challenge we strive to accomplish and be proud of. We have become so close from this ride. It's the biggest high, and full of emotions. When some of our riders get worn out and hurting on some hills, there are some of us strong riders that give them help to the top. The pic attached says it all. No one is left behind. I love this ride and Chapter IV.  

We have fun once in a while too. Today we made a improptu pit-stop after a few brutal hills, to the Dunkin Donuts, of all places you hear that cops hang out at.  It's a myth, not true, but we ate it up! I bought a dozen glazed and chowed down with my friends and had a few laughs. Did I really do that? For the comaraderie and laughs, you bet. I love this ride. I burned up the cals in no time.  

We are scheduled to roll into Centreville at 9:30. We roll up route 29 from , under 66, and up the big hill to and on to West Ox. We'll have awesome escort by police motorcycles and helicopter. We all can't wait to see my son Connor and any others from who started the "You Can Do It" message cards with his 5th graders a couple years ago. We do all pull them out and get a smile, and yell it out on the hills. I'll try to get positioned near the front and look for my family and friends at the top. I'm getting the chills just thinking about it.

——

Saturday morning

It's time to bring them home. 163 of our fallen officers are going to the sacred grounds of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in DC. My officer bracelets:

Virginia Tech Police Officer Deriek Crouse, end of watch 2-08-11

FBI Special Agent Timothy Briggs, end of watch 05-31-11

ATF Senior Special Agent John Capano, end of watch 12-31-11

Border Patrol Agent Eduardo Rojas, end of watch 05-12-11

Border Patrol Agent Hector Clark, end of watch 05-12-11

And a special tribute for a good friend of mine, for his best friend, Capitol Police Officer Sergeant Jeffrey Timmons, who died off duty on 06-30-09. 

Beautiful day to ride. We are so pumped up to do this and finish our journey for our fallen. Thanks for all your support. Here we go. Centreville at 9:30, memorial at 1 p.m.

--

Previous dispatches: