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Beau Wann, Jr.

Hi Everyone,

This is Diane writing for Beau. I wanted to try and keep you all updated on his travels to D.C. He is currently in Athens, Alabama.  They are traveling about 375 miles a day.  Teddy, Beau is taking Aleve every morning and evening and so far so good.  We packed a soft bag that he could use as a back rest and it seems to be doing the trick.  He has been through rain twice. Monday, they got soaked, but got into Vicksburg, Mississipp safe and then dried out!  Got into rain today, but not as much.  He is enjoying the scenery in Mississippi and Alabama.  Tomorrow they head north and will stay in Kentucky.  Hopefully no more rain-he hates riding in rain. The group has about 15 motorcycles so far and couple of cars, so with passengers included about 20-25 people.   So I will keep you posted and keep Beau in your prayers for a safe journey there and back and we will see you at the next Fudds.

Teddie Jordan

Diane, thanks for the update and we'll continue to pray for his safety.

Geau Beau.

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Sorry to hear Beau's group is traveling through rain.  Hope they get out of it soon.  Since people are recommending good movies, I have to say "Bernie" is hilarious. It's a movie about a true murder story in Carthage, TX.   It reminds those of us who went to college in East Texas of the culture shock we experienced when we left the "South" for "The East."

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

like that....Geau Beau....hee, hee.  I understand bikers a bit, we have so many here in Grimes County, every chance they get, they head out across the U.S. until their health gets so bad ....they can't, then they sell their bikes and listen to the adventures of those younger!  I am not a biker, scares me to death.  A friend took me on a night drive 5 yrs ago and I was scared the whole time, fearing my diabetes or events would knock me off!  Noooo, I'll just listen too.  Risk is not my thing!  Two of our acquaintaneous out here were riding (without helmets in their 20's and invincible, or so they thought)  when a lady out of road rage stomped on the gas and got around them, then put on her brakes, forcing them to crash to avoid hitting her.  They are both seriously injured.  How stupid was that, and out of their control,  I will pray for Beau and all his friends that they accomplish their mission and have fun and memories along the way!

My neighbor who is in her 80's went to CS yesterday aroung 1:30 matinee and watched Bernie, and totally loved it, seems like she might enjoy the other as well.

End of the school year and all the teachers are pulling their hair out again......crying, shouting over the kids and I remain in my little 'old office with the door closed!  Think I'll do 1 more year!

Cheers all!

Paige Talley (Meek)

Hang in there, Kay and any other "un-retired" teachers out there...the schools need your stability.

Thanks, Diane, for the update. How come you don't use funny descriptive words? Don't you got no Beau-lish to draw from? Call me if you need anything whilst the "master" is away  like "girls night out" or something!

Paige

Teddie Jordan

I forgot to mention on the movie reviews that we saw Bernie a couple of weeks ago, and for anyone who loves the people, the accents, and the humor of East Texas as we do, the movie is very entertaining and will make you laugh out loud. Jack Black is spot on perfect as Bernie. For some reason the movie doesn't have very wide distribution and isn't in many theaters, but we caught it up at the Woodlands.

And Jackie congratulations on reaching the milestone of 200 pages on this forum. Two hundred pages of nostalgia, memories, news, trivia, BS, and Beauisms. Thank you Jackie for all you have done and continue to do for our class.

Beau Wann, Jr.

Hi All! Just talked to Beau and he is well and in Teays Valley, West Virginia.  They have hooked up with other bikers/vets for the rest of the ride.  They are now 1000!  He says it is coooold in those mountains.  He's wearing 3 shirts, sweatshirt and jacket! Scenery is beautiful, but they are moving too fast for picture taking.  Today they stop in Rainelle, W. Virginia to visit a school and get a big send off from the town.  Tonight Staunton, Virginia.  Tomorrow into Arlington with candlelight vigil at the Wall.

Paige- no one can duplicate Beau-isms.  He's the creative one in this family!  I am doing the dog/cat/mommy routine.  Got great neighbors who cooked me dinner twice and checked in on the dogs when I was going to be late.

 Kay-I know what you are going through.  I am currently working with 16 schools and it is ..... Praying for the end of day on June 1!  

Thanks for your prayers for Beau and all the riders.   Diane

Paige Talley (Meek)

Some of you may remember the Plaza Hotel (formerly Ramada Inn) at the NW corner of the intersection of Texas and University. The implosion of the hotel took place at 6:40ish this morning. Below is some history and pictures captured from video. I wasn't at the event, but live close by. I "saw" it "live" on the radio. There are lots of u-tubes if you want to view it going down in semi-live action. This link is to a nice slide show.

http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/The_Plaza_is_Gone_153567845.html

Paige

The Plaza Hotel (formerly University Tower) is an abandoned hotel building in College Station, Texas, USA. The building contains 300 rooms and is 17 stories high. It is located at 410 South Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas 77840.^[1]

Originally constructed to be a Ramada Inn, it was turned into private dormitory/student housing for Texas A&M University. The building was acquired and turned into The Plaza Hotel in 2004. The building contained a swimming pool in the atrium, a lounge which overlooked the atrium and pool, a ballroom, a restaurant (Maxwell's, then Remington's), and a penthouse containing a fully equipped kitchen and bar area, dining room, exterior patio, three bedrooms and a master suite with bath and jacuzzi

The building and property is owned by Rossco Holdings, Inc. who filed a voluntary petition for reorganization underChapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas on August 2, 2010. Problems for the hotel began as early as 2008, when Brazos County health inspectors shut down the hotel's kitchen and when guests made complaints about mysterious activities. During the final months of the hotel being open, guests complained of a lack of hot water and air conditioning as well as purported hauntings (including that of Civil War General Jack T. Anderson).

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Wow --- 200 pages on the forum!!! Thanks to all of you!! 

Thanks to everyone that has contributed and for those "readers" only - please surprise us sometime and join in!!!  As I've said before - even if it's just a few words, we would love hearing from you.

BroBeau hope you are cruising and enjoying!!  Diane, thanks for the updates - I cannot believe he is traveling that far -- but I know these guys.  Sorry I haven't been on the forum for a while and missed wishing him a safe and joyeous ride before he left.  Please be sure to tell him when you talk to him again.

Paige, great pictures - 

Hugs,

J

Beau Wann, Jr.

Beau says, "WHAT WAS I THINKIN!!!!!"  He took a HARROWING ride today in the mountains that had lot's of switchbacks and on the edge of the cliffs and mountains.   It was like 100 mile long snake.  Beau says "I want the hell out of this valley"  He can not believe he rode on such a road.  It he had known about the 90 degree turns he would have said "Hell no!" He is in Staunton, Va.  They leave at 9:00 am from Arlington and arrive about 1:00.  Today hundreds of people and children waved flags as they rode through towns.   Flags on telephone poles, houses, people in lawn chairs cheering them on and fire trucks with the ladders over the rode with American Flags.  There are over 1000 riders in this group.  There are several other groups already in DC and on the way.  Each group in the thousands.  There will be between 750,000 and 1,000,000 riders in DC for the ride to the pentagon on Sunday!  This a demonstration to remind all about the POWS, MIAs and Wounded! 

The hotel tonight gave him two little rubber ducks.  :)   Got rained on again :(    People have been really nice to the riders.

He had pie at Mrs. Rose for lunch-"It was Goood!"  His  back is good, but shoulder and arms are hurting due to stress riding in rain and on the switchbacks. 

 Beau says "Keep the sun at your six and ride boldly ride.  Your frien and biker brother Beauregard Eric Zipper.

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Hey Beauman, we are all riding on your coattails.....with you in spirit!  Of course, you made my eyes cry, with all that symbolism of flags and all the patriotic Americans supporting your mighty, mighty motor march! 

Good America still exists and this is a wonderful salute to all our military and their families for their uncomparable service for us all!  Thank you Diane for transmitting Beau's march.....albeit, the harrowing, no, horrifying roads and curves....RIDE SAFELY BEAUMAN!!

and.....a big THANKS, Jackie, for this wonderful  daily journal chronicling our adventures, thoughts, events; the good and the bad, and all the wonderful pics you care enough to send in.  I know for myself, when I've gone through my major life events, it was you guys that make the bumps and valleys a little softer, and I am never alone, when I can choose to enter the Waltrip '64 wonderland of words and kindred feelings.

Wishing everyone a very wonderful Memorial Day, whichever way you want to celebrate it! 

Richard Meek '65

Beaucephus, I have traveled that area of Virginia you just left. We were holding employee benefit meetings for a client so we often had to travel from one town to another at night. You are correct. It is amazingly beautiful there but those roads are nerve wracking. Particularly to us flatlanders! Keep on being safe and try not to ride too boldly. Just fake it if you have to.

Everyone have a super Memorial Day holiday! Make a  super safe one too!

Keep on dancing,

Rich LH

Dance like no one is watching

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Kay, Bless your heart - you are so right.  We are all here for each other - we cry together, pray together and laugh together - just doesn't get any better - we are not alone!

God Bless Kay, God Bless BroBeau, God Bless all you wonderful classmates and your families.  We stand strong together - I am so proud to be a part of this wonderful group.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!  Hugs! J

Scotty Croom

spending weekend in st.louis area for pleiku pals gathering...saw pixs from past that have been saved and digitized....

John Burgess Webb

been surveying the site and relishing the memories;those were such special times with special people.thinking about that long ride with the rolling thunder team;my salute to them and god speed.

scotty,i hope you post your pleiku pics when you get back.those days;we could laugh at death and spit that red dust back at the communists.

post script:

i want to thank the friend who posted the citation for the silver star awarded to keith kupec for his heroism  under attack by viet-cong forces.i lived across the street from keith for ten years and knew him as a friend.he was always humble about his award and never bragged about his honor and would never have posted it himself.he is a good man and i am proud to have known him.if you havnt read the citation,i encourage everyone who reads the forum to click on the 'military salute' link and read the narative of a rare example of a friend and fellow marine from the class of 64.

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

OMG, Beau!  Staunton, VA is where Charles and I stayed after our harrowing driving experience at night on the Blue Ridge Parkway, so if that's where you were on a bike, I can imagine the ride you had.  It's exciting to hear about your journey with the people saluting your procession.  You are all to be commended for your dedication on this ride.  Can you pack up the Harley and ship it and you home?

Susan Howard (Bowman)

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY EVERYONE!  Beau, it sounds like you are having a fantastic journey!  Continue to be careful and know that you are in our thoughts!  Thank you, Diane, for keeping us up to date on Beau's journey.

The more I read The Forum the more I realize how fortunate and blessed I am to be part of such a wonderful and caring group - both readers and contributors.  Once again, thank you, Jackie, for all you do!

Following Richard's and Paige's advice I went to see "The Most Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and the Beautiful" last night.  It finally came to Tinseltown in Pflugerville.  It is a delight to see - so many messages about life as we get "older."   It is even worth seeing it a second time!  The acting is superb!  It's nice to see older actors who still are wonderful at their work!

Whatever you are doing this weekend stay safe!  And remember those who have given so much for all of us.

Beau Wann, Jr.

Last night candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Memorial Wall!  Thousands there- an amazing sight.  Beau will have to write when he gets back.  He got lost in D.C. today driving from a H-D dealership in Maryland.  They had free lunch and Beau said a hundred thousand bikes came! He got to eat good food while he had his bike serviced.  All is good with the bike! This afternoon he met his sister Kathy and her husband Jerry and daughter Kris for dinner.  Had a great time! Tomorrow morning-demonstration at the  Pentagon.  There are bikers everywhere. His back is doing good still-shoulders hurting but bearable.  He sounds great!

Susan Howard (Bowman)

I was watching the CBS evening news tonight and there was a segment on the Rolling Thunder from today - hundreds, possibly thousands of bikers.  I could swear I saw brother Beau right in front of the cameral.  I'll be anxious to know if he was wearing a red bandana today.  It was quite a spectacle!  Did anyone else see it?

Continue on home Beau and be safe!

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Is anyone else right now having this problem that Beau had not long ago - the Forum entries are spread realllllllllly wide across the screen and you have to keep scrolling back and forth to read the whole entry? 

Beau Wann, Jr.

From Beau: He left D.C. this morning and is in Athens, TN tonight.  Rode farther than he planned.  Got lost in Knoxville and then kept going.  Sunburnt and can't wait to get back.  I expect him sometime Wednesday.  He is exhausted tonight and missing flat land Houston, the dogs, and the cats. Hope everyone had a good Memorial Day and said a prayer for those who gave all and for their families. Diane

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Okay everyone we need to send our love and support to BroBeau. 

Got a message last night from Diane that BroBeau was in Livingston, Alabama.  However, he got something in his eye and will not able to continue his ride.  Diane and Beau's son, Billy, were driving last night with a trailer to pick him up.  They hope to be back sometime this evening.   I called Diane this morning, but no answer. 

It has been a great trip for him up to this point and we all wish him speedy recovery from his eye injury.  We are so proud of him and his patriot journey! 

Hugs,

J

Teddie Jordan

While we await word of Beau's safe arrival home here are a few of my favorites of my business partner, Dick Weinland's, pictures taken at our place in south Texas.

This one, I call Sunset Sentry, is of one of our elevated photography and hunting blinds and the landscape at sunset.

And this one is a face only a mother, or a nature lover, could love.

And two heads are always better than one.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Teddie - beautiful sunset - wish I was there! 

The last I heard from Diane was a text message at 12:45 p.m. yesterday that they were leaving Alabama!  I'm sure they are sleeping in this morning, so will try later to check on them.

Hugs,

J

Beau Wann, Jr.

Hello boys and girls...I'M BAAACK !!!! I'm ok, still suffer from blurred and double vision, and a swollen right eye from whatever hit me in the eye...ol doc Gould says, "that woulda kilt a lesser man"...and whom am I to dispute such logic..after all, I'm only a brain sturgeon, not no eye doctor...I am still unpacking and recouperating from a rather tedious return trip...the straws, and they were numerous, that broke Pegasus' riders back, were the errors of getting lost..."runs with sissors...does not play well with others...does not follow directions..." is of course dotted all through my permanent records...

I even used a bit of algebra on the errors...A+B=C...yup, a 50 mile wrong way error translates into a 100 mile error, and double the time...I did that twice...I was burnt to a turn, exhausted, dehydrated, hungry and lost...being lost in a foreign country is not fun...

Finally made it to Livingston, Al...stayed at the Comfort Inn...Called DW and let her know just what was going on, and before I knew it, she and Billy were packing to come get me...I tried to talk them out of it, but they wouldnt take no for an answer...I already felt bad for getting lost, and then to pull up lame, so to speak...let it be noted, that being able to see, is a prerequisite to driving ANY VEHICLE, and if it isnt, IT SHOULD BE...although some of the folks I have encountered driving over the years, that prerequisite remains suspect...

Soons I get settled, get my thoughts in order, (now that would be something, "getting MY thoughts in order") I shall endeavor to relay to you the trip, or half trip of a lifetime...BEAUPAS BIG ADVENTURE...as my grandaughter says...WOW, was it ever...I want to thank each and every one of youse youtes for your well wishes and prayers, thats probably how I made it as far as I did...and with a little help from my Beloveds DW and Son Billy, the rest of the way...It does seem like the journeys in your life do require just a tad bit O help from friends and family...and man, I had a lot O help on this one...though I still feel like I failed somewhat...yet again...I so wanted to come riding up on Pegasus, sword and shield in hand, conquerer of a 3000 plus mile journey...well, you know the rest of the story..."you cant always get what you want" I believe thats a Mick Jagger tune eh what!!! But, I am so privileged and blessed to have succeeded as far as I did...

"I'll be back"...how you like my terminator impersonation??? Pretty good huh??? Bet you thought it was ol Arnold S hisownself...

Keep the sun at your 6 and the road junk out O your eyes...

Your frien and brethern Beauregard Q Magillicutty T Mallard Oglethorp Wanninsky