The ride went immediately to greet founder Ed McGrath. One could hear laughter from below as some of the riders seemed to start down the Frenchie path...but then Bighead seemed to go too far the other way...
We re-mounted and did the Greenhill ride with so many trips around the Greenhill loop we lost one another. Johnman shared a riveting story about one of his childhood athletic achievements in riding around the block with Bruce Koznick...how many times?
The ride demonstrated a real truth about Ed's life. He attracted and surrounded himself with great people (some outliers were thrust on him by marrying into the family). The best part of the ride was catching up with fellow Ed admirers. Enough schmaltz but none of us will deny it.
The ride ended with a parting of ways at Baker and 20A. We did about 20 miles and the body recalled the effort this morning....which coincidentally included the 10:30 am Mass being said for Ed.
The President announced hopes for a ride over Memorial Day weekend. The ride may draw well as it looks like Ed & Mary's 1st grandchild, Maggie, may be making her 1st visit to the Promised Land. Maggie's parents and Maggie's Aunt may be here as well. Perhaps Johman will be able to educate us on how many Margaret McGrath's there have been in the family...bring a notebook because he'll have dates and anniversaries in there too...but join us in any event.
It seems appropriate to close with this lengthy quote and guess what Ed's reaction would be...
This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.”
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Crispian’s day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
