It's that time again!
MD3's Annual GRAND TOUR RIDE
Here is the plan for the 2008 ride......
All Riders (Members and Non-Members alike)
will leave at 8:30 am Sharp!
From the Delmar Vol Fire
Dept, Bi-State Blvd & Grove St.
Delmar, DE 19940
Then it is off.....
To the Hebron, Salisbury, Princess
Anne, Pocomoke City,
New Church, Atlantic, Stockton, Snow Hill, Willards, Bishopville
and Roxana Fire Depts.
Then to Smitty McGee's in the Bayville Shopping
Center
Rt.54 in West Fenwick Island for our monthly meeting at 3pm.
Last Year's Event was
great!
Here is some info on
that ride.......
The 2007 Grand Tour Ride took place on Sunday November 11th.
With organization and direction from Road Captain Jerry Rhue and Dean Simpson
17 Members of MD3 traveled over 130 miles and visited 13 Stations.
The Stations visited were:
Delmar
Laurel
Blades
Seaford
Bridgeville
Greenwood
Ellendale
Mid Sussex Rescue
Indian River
Millsboro
Dagsboro
Selbyville and Willards
At the end of the day, all 17 riders were able to complete the ride and The Willards VFC was a great place
to end it. They were having an open house day at Willards and were kind enough to invite us in for food and refreshments.
We would also like to send a very special thank you out to the Millsboro VFC for welcoming us to there station
and also providing hot cider, coffee, cakes and cookies when we arrived at their staion. With the cool tempuratures, it was
a really nice break and an chance to warm up and share some brotherhood.
WHAT IS THE GRANDTOUR?
When the International Club was young, the easiest way to tell others about it was by word of
mouth. This meant that members had to go to get out and visit other firefighters in their areas, and one of the best ways
to do that was to visit the Fire Stations.
Someone came up with the idea of rewarding members who made a certain number of visits with
a certificate and a pin. Proof of these visits was needed and so the idea of the Grand Tour was born. In order to earn
a pin a member had one riding season to supply a photo of him/herself and his/her motorcycle in front of Fire Stations
whose names began with the first letters..G R A N D T O U R..and that is basically the way it works for today's Red Knights!
(If your are not able to spell out GRAND TOUR, you can visit 12 stations and also be qualified
to recieve you ride pin and certificate).
"The Eastern Shore Grand Tour"
Maryland Chapter 3 has gone on to create an even larger challenge for its members. Since
the club is made up of members from the entire Delmarva Peninsula we have created the "EASTERN SHORE GRAND TOUR". The
rules are the same, it's just a little longer ride and a bigger challenge.
Maryland 3 had one member (also the first) complete the entire ride in
two consecutive Saturdays by traveling over 700 miles. Below you will see a picture of our #1 Ambassador of Good
Will and one of Maryland 3's Road Captains, Jerry "The Rhuester" Rhue receiving his plaque. Great
job Jerry!
Following Jerry's lead, now we have had several members finish the ride and we also make
a special ride in November each year just so that our members can get the letters needed to complete the "GRAND
TOUR".
Maryland 3 has also been conducting a ride in the summer each year to allow members the chance
to get the letters needed for the "EASTERN SHORE" portion of the ride. Please check our club calendar for the scheduled dates
of this ride. It is open to the public and is lots of fun. (The weather is usually much warmer too)
A list will soon be compiled of the members who have completed the ride, and they will have
their photo's added to the page. Check back and watch the numbers grow!
These are great rides each year and we welcome anyone who would like to join us for a ride through
the beautiful Eastern Shore Countryside. Just contact us and let us know you would like to come along.
The 2008 Grand Tour will be scheduled for the first Sunday in November.
Check back with us and plan on coming along.
